Welfare Data Changes Threaten KIP-K Eligibility for Unpad Students

The Vice Chair of the Universitas Padjadjaran (Unpad) Student Executive Body, Ezra Al Barra, has stated that changes to the national welfare data (desil) have caused a number of prospective new students who previously qualified for the Kartu Indonesia Pintar Kuliah (KIP-K) scholarship to suddenly be deemed ineligible. According to Ezra, the issue arose when Unpad conducted data verification for candidates entering through the Unpad Independent Selection pathway (SMUP). “When they registered at Unpad in May, their desil was still in categories 1 to 4, making them eligible to receive KIP Kuliah. However, upon verification in June, their desil changed to categories 6 to 10,” Ezra said on Monday, 6 July 2026. He stated that the change occurred without any alteration in the candidates’ family economic conditions. “There was no increase in family members’ income, and no family member had started a new job. Yet their desil status changed, resulting in them being immediately declared ineligible,” he said. BEM Unpad suspects the change is linked to the government’s welfare data updating process conducted from May to June 2026. Based on random sampling of 53 prospective new students, BEM Unpad found that approximately 62 per cent of respondents had desil data deemed inconsistent with their family’s actual economic situation. Ezra said the problem not only impacts the opportunity to obtain KIP Kuliah but also various other facilities that use welfare data as the basis for determining aid recipients. According to him, of the 444 candidates accepted through the SMUP KIP Kuliah pathway, 114 individuals had accurate desil data and were directly proposed as KIP Kuliah recipients to the government. Meanwhile, another 114 prospective students underwent re-interviews by the university to verify their economic conditions. For candidates on the waiting list, Unpad also conducted verification. Of the 169 participants interviewed, 96 individuals received a KIPK scholarship from the campus in the form of a tuition fee (UKT) and Institutional Development Fee (IPI) waiver. The other 73 students received relief in the form of instalment plans or reductions in education costs. However, Ezra noted that the campus scholarship does not fully replace the KIP Kuliah benefits as it does not cover living cost assistance. “Our hope is that if Unpad later receives an additional KIP Kuliah quota from the government, students who have already had their academic fees waived can also receive living cost assistance,” he said. Ezra stated that BEM Unpad, together with the rectorate, has submitted a report to the government regarding this issue. They also delivered a policy brief to the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Cultural Affairs at the end of June 2026. He explained that this step was taken because the root of the problem is deemed not to be the KIP Kuliah distribution mechanism, but rather the accuracy of the welfare data used as the basis for determining aid recipients. In addition to new candidates, BEM Unpad has also found indications of a similar problem affecting active students receiving KIP Kuliah. “From our initial data collection, around 20 active KIP Kuliah recipients have also had their desil change, meaning their status is now ineligible and they are at risk of losing aid,” Ezra said. Tempo has attempted to seek comment from Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology Fauzan and Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Cultural Affairs Pratikno regarding this information. However, as of the writing of this report, neither has provided a response.