Govt to scrap university enrollment fees this year

The government says it has increased assistance funds for higher educational institutions so that state universities can eliminate initial student enrollment fees starting this year.
“This year’s fees will certainly cost less when compared to previous years,” secretary of Education and Culture Ministry’s higher education council Nizam said on Thursday.
The move was made possible by an increase in State University Operational Assistance Funds (BOPTN) to Rp 2.7 (US$278 million) trillion for 2013, up from Rp 1.5 trillion last year. Enrollment fees would be eliminated for students selected by the national entrance test for state universities (SNMPTN) and by those who have independently enrolled and pay a greater portion of their tuition, Nizam said. “The main point of getting rid of the enrollment fees is affordability.”
He said that the ministry would not stop there. “We aim to gradually decrease the cost of study by increasing assistance funds. We will adjust the standardization of state university tuition fees following the removal of the enrollment fees.” Read more...