Scholarship Overview
The Kemitraan Negara Berkembang (KNB) Scholarship is a financial aid program provided by the Government of Indonesia for prospective international students from developing countries who wish to pursue higher education in Indonesia. The scholarship supports degree programs at the undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral levels across selected Indonesian universities.
The KNB Scholarship was first initiated following the 10th Conference of Heads of State of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM), held from 1–6 September 1992. Initially, the program was exclusively offered to students from NAM member countries, with the first recipients enrolled in the following year. However, due to increasing global interest, the program’s regional limitation was lifted in 2002. At that point, the scholarship was officially renamed the Kemitraan Negara Berkembang (KNB) Scholarship, and eligibility was expanded beyond NAM countries.
Since then, the KNB Scholarship has been made available to students from a wide range of developing regions, including Asia, the Pacific, South America, Africa, and Eastern Europe. The program aims to strengthen people-to-people connections between Indonesia and participating countries while contributing to the development of future global leaders through education.
Through the KNB Scholarship, recipients gain the opportunity to study at leading Indonesian universities while experiencing life in one of the world’s most culturally diverse and dynamic societies. The program offers access to high-quality academic environments, particularly in postgraduate education, supported by a network of 47 partner universities across Indonesia.
Graduates of the KNB Scholarship are expected to enhance their intellectual capacity, strengthen professional competencies, and expand their career opportunities. In addition to academic advancement, students benefit from firsthand exposure to Indonesia’s multicultural and multilingual society, enriching their global perspective and cross-cultural understanding.
Since 2006, the KNB Scholarship has supported 2,299 students and alumni from 107 countries, demonstrating its growing international reach and impact. In 2026, the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, in collaboration with 47 host universities, will continue to implement the KNB Scholarship selection process. The program remains committed to supporting degree education at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels.
Vision and Mission
- To contribute to the human resource development in the developing countries.
- To promote deeper cultural understanding and to strengthen the relationship between developing countries.
- To improve Indonesian higher education institutions’ research capacity as a part of the national strategies in increasing the number of world class universities in Indonesia.
What You'll Learn in This Scholarship:
- Grab the opportunity of studying in indonessia
- fully funded scholarship
Procedures
Download the KNB Scholarship Offering Letter from the KNB Scholarship website: http://knb.kemdiktisaintek.go.id
Contact the Indonesian Embassy and submit the following documents to obtain a Recommendation Letter from the Indonesian Embassy:
KNB Scholarship Offering Letter
Official Passport
Curriculum Vitae
English Proficiency Test (for applicants from non-English-speaking countries)
Recommendation Letter from the Employer/Immediate Supervisor
Academic Recommendation Letter from Previous Schools
Academic Certificate and Academic Transcript from previous degree
Medical Report
Recommendation Letter from the potential research supervisor at one of the KNB partner universities (for doctoral applicants only)
Statement of Purpose for studies in Indonesia (for doctoral applicants only)
Submit the following documents:
KNB Scholarship Offering Letter
Official Passport
English Proficiency Test (for applicants from non-English-speaking countries)
Curriculum Vitae
Medical Report
Recommendation Letter from the Indonesian Embassy
Recommendation Letter from the Employer/Immediate Supervisor
Academic Recommendation Letter from Previous Schools
Academic Certificate and Academic Transcript from previous degree
Complete the online application process.
Complete all stages of the selection process (administrative and academic selection), including online interviews and psychological tests conducted by selected universities for eligible candidates.
Selection results will be published online through the KNB Scholarship website and officially announced via the Indonesian Publication Network.
Download Documents
Requirements
Bachelor Degree
The maximum age to apply for the scholarship is 21 years old, no more than December 31st, 2026.
Hold a High School degree. Please be advised that a bachelor's degree holder is not eligible to apply for the bachelor's degree scholarship.
Provide a curriculum vitae in English or Bahasa.
Have the English Proficiency Test Score minimum as follows: TOEFL ITP of 477, TOEFL IBT of 53, IELTS of 5,5, TOEIC of 510 or equivalent (the certificate must be obtained within the last 2 Years). Participants of foreign nationality who come from English-speaking countries, or participants from a university who are enrolled in programs in English (stated in the participant's diploma/transcript), are not required to submit the English Proficiency document by attaching official proof from their home university.
Provide the recommendation letter to apply for the KNB scholarship from the Indonesian Embassy or the Indonesian Consulate General in English or Bahasa. The recommendation letter must be from the applicant's country of origin, not the country of domicile.
Provide a recommendation letter to apply for the KNB scholarship from the employer/immediate supervisor in English or Bahasa. If currently unemployed, can provide a statement letter.
Provide an Academic Recommendation Letter from previous schools in English or Bahasa.
Provide The Scanned Academic Certificate and Academic Transcripts Copy of High School Degree in English or Bahasa, that has been legalized by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the applicant’s country.
Proof of citizenship by submit Official Passport, which is still valid for at least December 31st, 2027. An official passport is a non-Diplomatic Passport or Work Passport.
Provide a video with a duration maximum 5 minutes in English or Bahasa and submit the video to your youtube and the link of the video must be upload in your KNB Scholarship account. The video explains about;
- Profile the applicant;
- Why you choose studies in Indonesia and by KNB Scholarship; and
- Why you choose studies in campus and study program that you choose.Provide a certified medical report including: physical examination, Infectious disease test (Tuberculosis, syphilis, HIV/AIDS, Ebola, Mpox), mental health test, and a negative drug test (screening for amphetamine, methamphetamine, marijuana, morphine, and benzodiazepines). All documents must be in English or Bahasa and issued within last 3 (three) months;
Willing not to marry/or be married to, engage/be engaged to a de facto person who holds or is eligible to hold Indonesian citizenship or permanent residency or with other scholarship recipients;
Willing to not be pregnant during scholarship period;
Not currently or will be undergoing military service until the end of the scholarship period;
Complete the online application form in http://knb.kemdiktisaintek.go.id
Master Degree
The maximum age to apply for the scholarship is 35 years old, no more than December 31st, 2026.
Hold a bachelor's degree. Please be advised that a master's degree holder is not eligible to apply for the Master's Degree scholarship.
Provide a curriculum vitae in English or Bahasa;
Have the English Proficiency Test Score minimum as follows: TOEFL ITP of 500, TOEFL IBT of 61, IELTS of 6,0, TOEIC of 575 or equivalent (the certificate must be obtained within the last 2 Years). Participants of foreign nationality who come from English-speaking countries, or participants from a university who are enrolled in programs in English (stated in the participant's diploma/transcript), are not required to submit the English Proficiency document by attaching official proof from their home university.
Provide the recommendation letter to apply for the KNB scholarship from the Indonesian Embassy or the Indonesian Consulate General in English or Bahasa. The recommendation letter must be from applicant country of origin, not country of domicile;
Provide recommendation letter to apply for the KNB scholarship from The employer/immediate supervisor in English or Bahasa. if currently unemployed, can provide a statement letter.
Provide Academic Recommendation Letter from previous schools in English or Bahasa.
Provide The Scanned Academic Certificate and Academic Transcripts Copy of Bachelor Degree in English or Bahasa, that has been legalized by the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the applicant’s country.
Prove of citizenship by submit Official Passport, which is still valid for at least December 31st, 2027. Official Passport is non-Diplomatic Passport or Work Passport.
Provide video with duration maximum 5 minutes in English or Bahasa and submit the video in your youtube and the link of the video must be upload in your KNB Scholarship account. The video explains about;
- Profile the applicant;
- Why you choose studies in Indonesia and by KNB Scholarship; and
- Why you choose studies in campus and study program that you choose.Provide a certified medical report including: physical examination, Infectious disease test (Tuberculosis, syphilis, HIV/AIDS, Ebola, Mpox), mental health test, and a negative drug test (screening for amphetamine, methamphetamine, marijuana, morphine, and benzodiazepines). All documents must be in English or Bahasa and issued within last 3 (three) months;
Willing not to marry/or be married to, engage/be engaged to a de facto person who holds or is eligible to hold Indonesian citizenship or permanent residency or with other scholarship recipients;
Willing to not be pregnant during scholarship period;
Not currently or will be undergoing military service until the end of the scholarship period;
Complete the online application form in http://knb.kemdiktisaintek.go.id
Doctoral Degree
The maximum age to apply for the scholarship is 40 years old, no more than December 31st, 2026.
Hold a master's degree. Please be advised that a Doctorate degree holder is not eligible to apply.
Obtain a recommendation letter in English or Bahasa from the potential research supervisor in one of the universities providing partner of the KNB Scholarship. The recommendation must be from the same university that you chose.
Provide a statement of purpose that at least states the purpose of their studies, the origin of their interests in studying in Indonesia, and pursuing their chosen research topic, and their plans for the academic future (dissertation proposal) in English or Bahasa.
Provide a curriculum vitae in English or Bahasa;
Have the English Proficiency Test Score minimum as follows: TOEFL ITP of 530, TOEFL IBT of 71, IELTS of 6,0, TOEIC of 640 or equivalent (the certifiicate must be obtained within the last 2 Years). Participants of foreign nationality who come from English-speaking countries, or participants from university who are enrolled in programs in English (stated in participant diploma/transcript), do not required to submit the English Proficiency document, by attaching official proof from their home university.
Provide the recommendation letter to apply for the KNB scholarship from the Indonesian Embassy or the Indonesian Consulate General in English or Bahasa. The recommendation letter must be from applicant country of origin, not country of domicile;
Provide recommendation letter to apply for the KNB scholarship from The employer/immediate supervisor in English or Bahasa. if currently unemployed, can provide a statement letter.
Provide Academic Recommendation Letter from previous schools in English or Bahasa.
Provide The Scanned Academic Certificate and Academic Transcript Copy of Master Degree in English or Bahasa, that has been legalized by the Ministry of Education and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the applicant’s country.
Prove of citizenship by submit Official Passport, which is still valid for at least December 31st, 2027. Official Passport is non-Diplomatic Passport or Work Passport.
Provide video with duration maximum 5 minutes in English or Bahasa and submit the video in your youtube and the link of the video must be upload in your KNB Scholarship account. The video explains about;
- Profile the applicant;
- Why you choose studies in Indonesia and by KNB Scholarship; and
- Why you choose studies in campus and study program that you choose.Provide a certified medical report including: physical examination, Infectious disease test (Tuberculosis, syphilis, HIV/AIDS, Ebola, Mpox), mental health test, and a negative drug test (screening for amphetamine, methamphetamine, marijuana, morphine, and benzodiazepines). All documents must be in English or Bahasa and must be issued within last 3 (three) months;
Willing not to marry/or be married to, engage/be engaged to a de facto person who holds or is eligible to hold Indonesian citizenship or permanent residency or with other scholarship recipients;
Willing to not be pregnant during scholarship period;
Not currently or will be undergoing military service until the end of the scholarship period;
Complete the online application form in http://knb.kemdiktisaintek.go.id
*Note :
1. Please be advised that document (c),(e),(f),(g),(h), and (k) must be in English or Bahasa;
2. Willing to attach Yellow Fever vaccination certificate for applicants who come from and/or reside in Africa.
