Yogyakarta High School Graduate Accepted by Five Prestigious Overseas Universities

For many students, receiving a single letter of acceptance from an overseas university is a proud achievement. However, Lovely Viola Hadi from Yogyakarta, a graduate of SMAN 1 Teladan Yogyakarta, has been accepted by five international universities simultaneously. The five institutions include the University of British Columbia in Canada, Singapore Management University, University College Dublin in Ireland, the University of Tokyo in Japan, and the University of Canterbury in New Zealand. Additionally, Lovely was accepted into a double degree programme between Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) and the University of Melbourne in Australia.

Lovely’s desire to study abroad emerged during her childhood, but more serious preparation began when she was in junior high school. "My desire really emerged during junior high. But the dream to study abroad has actually been there since I was little, inspired by my parents. My father studied in Japan," Lovely said when contacted on Monday (15/6/2026).

Lovely admitted the journey to her dream campuses was not brief. She had prepared herself long before the university application period began. "I realised that most overseas universities do not only look at academic grades, but also at the activities students undertake outside the classroom," she said. "Besides pursuing achievements, I also tried to get involved in activities that have a social impact and are related to the SDGs, particularly in the fields of economics and education," she added.

Behind her success, Lovely acknowledged that the biggest challenge she faced during senior high school was dividing her time between academics and preparing for overseas university admissions. According to her, the selection process for overseas universities requires much more than academic grades, ranging from organisational activities and competitions to social activities. "At school, the focus is on studying, exams, and try-outs. Meanwhile, I also had to work on improving my CV and portfolio," she explained.

Of the several letters of acceptance she received, the majority of the study programmes Lovely chose are in the fields of economics and business. She also aspires to pursue a career in consulting or a finance-related sector. "My dream after graduating is actually to work at a consulting firm or something essentially related to finance, because my major interest is really in economics and business," she said. "But besides that, I also have an interest in communications and public policy or political science. So, I want to try to find a career that truly fits from those three fields," she concluded.