MAKASSAR – Behind the field verification of Indonesia Smart Card for Higher Education (KIP Kuliah) scholarship applicants carried out by Hasanuddin University (Unhas) lie many stories of dreams, struggle, and hope. For prospective students, being accepted at Unhas is a source of pride and the beginning of a journey to change their future.
Yet financial hardship is a challenge they must face. In such circumstances, KIP Kuliah offers a glimmer of hope that the dream of a higher education can still be realized.
Araya Dewisyah Wijaya R is a prospective student in the Administrative Law Study Program, Faculty of Law, Unhas. A graduate of SMA Negeri 1 Gowa, she earned a place at Unhas through the national test-based admission (SNBT-UTBK).
But Araya harbors anxiety. She is aware that her family’s financial situation is full of challenges. Her father,
Rojer Wijaya, works day to day as an online motorcycle taxi driver. When she met the Unhas Verification Team, Araya spoke candidly about her hope of receiving the KIP Kuliah Scholarship.
“Unhas has been my dream university since I was a child. Many of its alumni are successful, and it is among the 10 best campuses in Indonesia. I very much hope to pass the KIP Kuliah Scholarship selection. I want to be the first college graduate in my family, and I want to change the future,” said Araya on Tuesday, 30 June 2026, when she met the Unhas Verification Team.
Araya’s mother, Mujuarti, imagines that her daughter becoming a law graduate would open the way to improving the family’s life. For the family, that dream can only come true through higher education for their children.
“I hope Araya gets KIP Kuliah, can reach her dream of becoming a lawyer, succeeds in the future, and can break our family’s chain of poverty,” Mujuarti said softly.
From Pinrang Regency comes Muhammad Rusdi. A graduate of SMA Negeri 5 Pinrang, Rusdi is the fourth child in the family and the first of the siblings to have the opportunity to pursue higher education. The biological father has passed away, and the stepfather works as a tenant farmer whose income depends on the weather and the harvest.
Rusdi is currently registered as a prospective new student in the Psychology Study Program, Faculty of Medicine, Unhas. However, whether Rusdi can continue the studies depends greatly on whether the costs can be covered. Although the family fully supports his goal of becoming a psychologist, Rusdi is realistic about the economic circumstances and daily life. The KIP Kuliah Scholarship is therefore Rusdi’s greatest hope.
“I hope I can pass the KIP Kuliah Scholarship selection so that I can help reduce my family’s burden for my studies at university,” said Rusdi.
Araya and Rusdi are just two of the many prospective students the Unhas Team met during the KIP Kuliah field verification. Every home visited holds a story of parents who work hard, families who endure despite limited means, and children who believe that education is the best path to changing the future.
Vice Rector for Academic and Student Affairs of Hasanuddin University, Prof. Muhammad Ruslin, drg., M.Kes., Ph.D., Sp.B.M.Mf., Subsp. Ortognat.D., said that the spirit of the prospective students is a reminder of the importance of equitable access to higher education. There are so many dreams and so much spirit, yet at the same time there are family economic realities that cannot be ignored. That is where the government, through universities, steps in and provides a solution.
“The stories we have encountered show that education remains the greatest hope of many families. We hope KIP Kuliah can open the way for them to achieve their goals and improve their families’ quality of life,” said Prof. Ruslin on Thursday, 2 July 2026.
Hundreds of other prospective students show that big dreams can grow from humble homes. Through the KIP Kuliah Scholarship, Unhas is committed to opening access to higher education for young people who have potential and a passion for learning, despite facing financial limitations. The hope is that this opportunity will not only lead them to their dream campus, but also mark the beginning of a generation that can bring change to their families, regions, and nation.(*/akd/fjr)
Editor: Ishaq Rahman
This article is an English translation of the original Indonesian report.