Universitas Islam Sultan Agung (UNISSULA) is committed not only to widening access to higher education for students from economically disadvantaged households, but also to supporting their successful completion of university study.

As part of this institutional commitment, UNISSULA establishes a graduation and completion target for students from the lowest-income households, including students within the bottom 20% of household income groups or more tightly defined poverty-based categories identified through nationally recognised socioeconomic and social-protection criteria.

The university’s target is to support students within these groups so that they can successfully complete their degree within the standard duration of their academic programme.

This completion target complements UNISSULA’s targeted admission and financial-support mechanisms and reflects the university’s commitment to ensuring that financial disadvantage does not prevent students from progressing from admission to graduation.

Institutional Graduation and Completion Target

UNISSULA targets students from the bottom 20% of household income groups, or more tightly defined poverty-based categories, to successfully complete their studies within the standard duration of their academic programme.

For students receiving Kartu Indonesia Pintar Kuliah (KIP Kuliah) and other institutionally recognised poverty-based financial assistance, UNISSULA supports this target by providing financial assistance throughout the normal study period and by monitoring students’ academic progression and continued enrolment.

The completion target is intended to reduce the risk that poverty or serious financial disadvantage results in delayed study, interruption of enrolment, or withdrawal before graduation.

Target Population

The graduation and completion target focuses on students whose socioeconomic circumstances place them within the lowest-income and poverty-affected groups, including:

• students within the bottom 20% of household income groups;
• students falling within more tightly defined poverty-based categories;
• students meeting nationally recognised poverty and social-protection criteria;
• KIP Kuliah recipients who meet economic eligibility requirements; and
• students with documented serious financial disadvantage.

UNISSULA uses recognised socioeconomic criteria and supporting documentation to identify students requiring targeted financial and academic assistance.

These mechanisms enable the university to direct completion-support measures toward students whose financial circumstances may otherwise make continued participation in higher education difficult.

KIP Kuliah as a Completion-Support Mechanism

One of the principal mechanisms supporting this completion target is the Kartu Indonesia Pintar Kuliah (KIP Kuliah) programme.

UNISSULA’s official Rector Decrees state that KIP Kuliah is intended for students who demonstrate academic potential but whose economic capacity is limited.

The programme provides substantial financial support so that eligible students can continue their studies without tuition and living costs becoming barriers to academic progression.

UNISSULA formally establishes KIP Kuliah recipients through Rector Decrees. Rector Decree No. 7500/F/SA/VIII/2025 establishes KIP Kuliah recipients among newly admitted students in 2025, while Rector Decree No. 10263/F/SA/X/2025 establishes additional recipients through the Usulan Masyarakat (USMAS) scheme.

These formal decisions demonstrate UNISSULA’s structured implementation of financial support for students experiencing serious economic disadvantage.

Financial Support Throughout the Study Period

KIP Kuliah support is designed to continue throughout the normal duration of the recipient’s study programme, subject to applicable programme requirements.

Recipients receive education-cost assistance and living-cost support, helping them maintain active enrolment and continue progressing toward graduation.

By reducing tuition and living-cost pressures, this support contributes directly to UNISSULA’s completion target for economically disadvantaged students.

Financial assistance is therefore not limited to facilitating university entry. It also serves as an important mechanism for supporting student retention, academic progression, and successful completion.

Institutional Financial Measures Supporting Completion

UNISSULA also maintains institutional financial policies designed to reduce financial barriers during the later stages of study.

Under Rector Decree No. 9700/D.3/SA/IX/2024 concerning Educational Fees for the 2025/2026 Academic Year, students who have not completed their studies within the normal semester period are subject to reduced educational fees according to their remaining academic activities.

The policy provides that:

• students who are still taking courses are charged 75% of the applicable UKT;
• students completing a thesis, final examination, pendadaran, or munaqosah are charged 50% of the applicable UKT; and
• students who are only waiting for a final examination are charged 25% of the applicable UKT.

These arrangements reduce the additional financial burden faced by students during the final stages of their studies and provide an institutional mechanism that supports continued enrolment through to completion.

Additional Support for Economically Disadvantaged Students

UNISSULA’s institutional scholarship policy also provides support specifically for economically disadvantaged students.

The 2025/2026 Rector Decree includes the Khaira Ummah Scholarship, which is provided to new students who are financially disadvantaged and academically capable. Subject to the applicable scholarship quota and eligibility requirements, the scholarship may provide 100% relief from Development Contribution Fees (DPI) and Tuition Fees (UKT).

The same policy also provides forms of financial relief for dhuafa and other economically disadvantaged students.

These institutional scholarship mechanisms complement KIP Kuliah and strengthen UNISSULA’s broader framework for supporting students whose economic circumstances could otherwise affect their ability to remain enrolled and complete their studies.

Academic Progress and Completion Monitoring

UNISSULA supports the achievement of its completion target through continued monitoring of students receiving poverty-based financial assistance.

Monitoring focuses on:

• continued active enrolment;
• satisfactory academic progression;
• semester-to-semester retention;
• progression toward completion within the standard study period; and
• successful graduation.

Where students experience academic or financial difficulties that may affect completion, the university’s student-support and financial-assistance mechanisms are intended to help maintain their progression toward graduation.

This monitoring approach ensures that the university’s commitment is not limited to admission but extends throughout the student lifecycle.

From Access to Successful Graduation

UNISSULA recognises that widening participation requires more than providing access to higher education.

Students from the lowest-income households must also have sufficient financial and institutional support to remain enrolled, progress academically, and complete their qualifications.

UNISSULA therefore combines:

• a defined graduation and completion target;
• KIP Kuliah financial assistance;
• institutional scholarships for economically disadvantaged students;
• tuition and living-cost support;
• reduced educational fees during the final stages of study;
• academic progression monitoring; and
• continuing student-support mechanisms.

Through these measures, UNISSULA supports students from the bottom 20% of household income groups, or more tightly defined poverty-based categories, in progressing successfully from admission through to graduation within the standard duration of their academic programme.

Evidence of Implementation

UNISSULA’s graduation and completion target for economically disadvantaged students is supported by the following institutional evidence:

1. A public institutional graduation and completion target for students from the bottom 20% of household income groups or more tightly defined poverty-based categories
2. Rector Decree No. 7500/F/SA/VIII/2025, establishing KIP Kuliah recipients among newly admitted students.
3. Rector Decree No. 10263/F/SA/X/2025, establishing additional KIP Kuliah recipients under the Usulan Masyarakat (USMAS) scheme.
4. Rector Decree No. 9700/D.3/SA/IX/2024, establishing educational-fee and scholarship provisions for the 2025/2026 academic year, including reduced fees for students completing the final stages of study and scholarships for financially disadvantaged students.
5. Institutional monitoring and student-support mechanisms aimed at maintaining academic progression, student retention, and successful completion.