Surakarta, July 28, 2025 — Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS), through its Office of Collaboration and International Affairs, conducted a socialization session on study opportunities at UMS for prospective students in Timor-Leste. The event took place on Monday, July 28, 2025, at 12:00 PM WIB and was conducted in a hybrid format, taking place both via Zoom Meeting and onsite at the Indonesian Cultural Center, Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia in Dili, Timor-Leste.
The Education and Cultural Attaché of the Indonesian Embassy in Timor-Leste extended gratitude to UMS for its efforts in organizing the session, expressing optimism that more Timor-Leste students will continue their studies in Indonesia. One student from Timor-Leste has already been awarded the TIAS Scholarship, and the Embassy reiterated its continued support through the Indonesian Cultural Center in assisting foreign universities in student recruitment.
He also stated, “We hope that more Timor-Leste students will pursue their studies in Indonesia, both this year and in the years to come. At the Indonesian Cultural Center, we are always committed to facilitating foreign universities intending to recruit Timor-Leste students.”
This statement reflects the Embassy’s strong support for the collaboration between Indonesia and Timor-Leste in the field of education and their ongoing commitment to promoting global education access for Timor-Leste’s youth.
The session also opened with remarks by Mr. Isac da Costa de Jesus, who expressed appreciation for the academic partnership between Indonesia and Timor-Leste. He highlighted the embassy’s commitment to facilitating collaboration between UMS and Timor-Leste institutions, particularly through the promotion of scholarship opportunities.
In her presentation, Dr. Denny Vitasari, Head of the Academic Collaboration Division at BKUI UMS, introduced various study opportunities available for Timor-Leste students, emphasizing that UMS welcomes international students from diverse backgrounds to pursue higher education at undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral levels. She explained that UMS offers a full scholarship program for 40 international students annually, covering tuition, accommodation, and living expenses. Dr. Denny also clarified that while there is no obligation for graduates to return to their home countries, they are expected to become ambassadors of Indonesia and UMS within their communities.
The session included a live demonstration on how to register via the UMS International Student Portal (ISP), where participants were guided step-by-step through the application process. It was clarified that the same platform is used for both scholarship applicants and self-funded students.
During the interactive Q&A session, participants raised a variety of technical inquiries related to the application and scholarship procedures. Key topics addressed included the scholarship registration requirements and deadlines, which are accessible through the official UMS International Student Portal (https://isp.ums.ac.id/guideline). It was clarified that applicants for master’s and doctoral programs are not required to have a strictly linear academic background, as long as the field of study remains relevant. Regarding immigration requirements, passports must be valid for a minimum of 18 months. For scholarship recipients, a minimum GPA of 3.00 in the first semester is required to maintain their funding status. In terms of English language proficiency, applicants are allowed to submit certificates from any recognized English institution, and a letter from schools that use English as the medium of instruction may also serve as a valid alternative.
To conclude, Mr. Isac presented a brief session on opportunities for studying abroad, encouraging participants to explore global education pathways.
The session was both informative and interactive, aiming to enhance educational access and cooperation between Indonesia and Timor-Leste. UMS reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the academic aspirations of Timor-Leste youth and strengthening ties through education diplomacy.
