Garuda Scholarship: A Concrete Effort by President Prabowo’s Administration to Improve Human Resource Quality
By: Herri Setiawan Ammar*
The Garuda Scholarship is a tangible initiative by President Prabowo Subianto’s administration to enhance the quality of Indonesia’s human resources. This program is specifically designed to provide broader access to higher education for young Indonesians, especially those who are high-achieving but face financial barriers. Through this program, the government aims to ensure that the younger generation of Indonesia has equal opportunities to pursue higher education and unlock their full potential.
Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Wamendiktisaintek), Stella Christie, stated that this program is part of the broader human resource development strategy under President Prabowo’s administration. The government has officially opened registration for the 2025 Garuda Scholarship Program, which offers full scholarships for undergraduate (S1) or applied undergraduate (D4) studies abroad. This program is a collaboration between the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Kemdiktisaintek) and the Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education (LPDP).
The selection of Garuda Scholarship recipients in 2025 is based on two core principles. First, the scholarship is awarded to students with outstanding achievements who are ready to compete globally. Second, participants must come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. This program is designed to support President Prabowo’s Asta Cita agenda, particularly the goal of strengthening the development of human resources, science and technology, education, health, sports achievement, gender equality, and the roles of women, youth, and persons with disabilities.
The 2025 Garuda Scholarship targets 12th-grade students from high schools or their equivalents who have been accepted into undergraduate or applied undergraduate programs abroad. The program fully covers tuition and living expenses throughout their studies. With this comprehensive support, students are expected to focus on their education without worrying about financial burdens at home.
President Prabowo Subianto has emphasized that education is the most valuable investment a nation can make. On various occasions, he has affirmed that a country’s progress is determined by the quality of its youth. For this reason, the government has placed human resource development as a top priority in national development efforts.
President Prabowo has also encouraged that the program be developed as a sustainable policy model by expanding its reach and increasing the number of recipients each year. This grand vision aligns with Indonesia’s long-term goal of becoming a developed nation with intelligent, healthy, and productive citizens. In the coming years, the government aims to significantly increase the number of Indonesian students pursuing higher education both domestically and through international partnerships.
The Garuda Scholarship is not just a typical educational aid program—it reflects a more strategic and inclusive direction in human resource development policy. The government aims to break down social barriers that have long limited access to higher education for underprivileged students. Through a fair and transparent selection system, the scholarship ensures that recipients are truly those with strong potential and a high spirit of learning, regardless of their economic background or geographic location.
According to M. Samsuri, Secretary of the Directorate General of Science and Technology at Kemdiktisaintek, the scholarship covers book allowances, transportation, visa application fees, health insurance, arrival costs, monthly living expenses, and emergency funds. This program marks a significant milestone in expanding access to higher education for Indonesian youth, especially those with great potential who are financially constrained.
Another strength of the program is the cross-sectoral approach adopted by the government. In its implementation, the Garuda Scholarship involves various ministries, educational institutions, and industries. This collaboration strengthens an educational ecosystem that is not only academic but also aligned with the needs of industry and future job markets. Scholarship recipients are not merely beneficiaries—they are active participants in development, contributing to innovation and social transformation in their respective regions.
In the long term, the government hopes that the Garuda Scholarship will produce highly qualified graduates with global competitiveness. The alumni of this program are expected to become key drivers in national economic development, especially in facing the increasingly intense challenges of globalization.
With full government support and strong public enthusiasm, the Garuda Scholarship is expected to become a crucial foundation for building a better future for Indonesia. This program is not only aimed at reducing inequality in access to higher education but also ensuring that Indonesia’s youth are equipped with the excellence needed to compete on the international stage. President Prabowo’s administration is fully committed to ensuring that investments in education will become the key to the nation’s progress in the future.
The author is a Public Policy Observer
