How the ADik Program Supports Papua and Frontier Region Students
By Muntasir Minhaz • Published Aug 07, 2026 • Study in Southeast Asia
ADik (Afirmasi Pendidikan Tinggi) is Indonesia's national scholarship and placement program that sends students from Papua, 3T districts, and Indonesian migrant worker families directly into partner public universities without going through the regular SNBP or SNBT competition. It covers tuition and provides a living allowance for the funded study period, with registration opening each year through Kemdiktisaintek's dedicated portal.
🎓 Run by Kemdiktisaintek at adik.kemdiktisaintek.go.id
📩 Tracks cover Papua students, 3T/daerah khusus students, ADEM graduates, and migrant worker children
2025 registration ran May 2-31, 2025; 2026 registration ran February 27-May 22, 2026
Placement happens through Kemdiktisaintek, not the standard SNBP/SNBT selection
Covers tuition plus a monthly living allowance for the funded period
What ADik is
ADik stands for Afirmasi Pendidikan Tinggi (Higher Education Affirmation), a scholarship and placement scheme run by Indonesia's Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (Kemdiktisaintek) for students who face real barriers reaching a public university through the standard national admission routes. Instead of competing through SNBP or SNBT, eligible students apply directly through the ADik portal and get placed at a partner PTN that has agreed to reserve seats for the program.
Who ADik covers
The program funds several student groups, each with its own document requirements, though all ask for proof of origin such as a KTP or Kartu Keluarga showing a qualifying region, plus a recommendation from a school or local government.
| Track | Who it is for |
|---|---|
| Papua Affirmation | Students from Papua and Papua's newer provinces |
| 3T / Daerah Khusus | Students from tertinggal, terdepan, terluar and other designated special regions |
| ADEM Graduates | Students who completed the ADEM secondary school affirmation program |
| Migrant Worker Children | Children of Indonesian migrant workers (anak TKI) abroad |
What it covers
ADik funds tuition at your placement university and provides a monthly living allowance for the length of your program, so recipients do not carry the cost of a public university degree alone. Exact allowance amounts and any book or settling-in support change with each year's budget, so confirm the current benefit package on the official ADik portal or with your placement university's student affairs office once accepted, rather than relying on figures from a previous intake year.
How the application timeline works
Registration opens once a year and runs for a few weeks. The 2025 intake registered from May 2 to May 31, 2025, and the 2026 intake ran from February 27 to May 22, 2026, both through the official ADik site. Dates shift each year, so check the current cycle's announcement on the portal rather than assuming the same months repeat.
After registration, Kemdiktisaintek and partner universities review applications and place accepted students into a study program, often without the applicant choosing their exact major the way a regular SNBT applicant would. Confirm with the portal or your regional education office how much input you get into program choice, since this varies by track.
Choosing ADik over the regular pathway
ADik fits students who face real financial or access barriers reaching a public university through SNBP or SNBT, since it removes the national competition and adds funding you would otherwise need to secure separately. It suits students whose home district lacks strong exam-prep resources or reliable internet for online practice, a common barrier in 3T and Papua regions. If your academic profile already competes well in SNBT and you have another way to fund tuition, apply through the regular national selection instead of using an ADik seat that another student needs more.
Where to get help
Contact your school counselor, provincial education office, or Kemdiktisaintek's ADik help channels listed on the portal before the registration window opens, so you gather documents in time. Universities that accept ADik students often list a dedicated contact for the program in their admissions office too.