KNB Scholarships 2026 (Fully Funded)

If you are planning to study in Indonesia with financial support, the KNB Scholarships are one of the best opportunities available for international students. These scholarships, offered by the Indonesian government, provide fully funded programs at Indonesian universities across a wide range of fields. In this article, we will explain everything you need to know about the KNB Scholarships, including their benefits, eligibility criteria, required documents, and a detailed step-by-step application process to help you apply successfully.

The KNB Scholarships 2026-2027 are fully funded scholarships for international students. Kemitraan Negara Berkembang scholarships are available for undergraduate, master’s, or PhD studies. These scholarships provide a settlement allowance, a monthly living allowance, and monthly health insurance.

Beasiswa Kemitraan Negara Berkembang, popularly known as the KNB Scholarship, is a prestigious scholarship program offered by the government of the Republic of Indonesia to selected applicants originating from developing countries. Managed by the Directorate General of Higher Education, Ministry of Education and Culture, the scholarship has been disbursed since 2008 to 1,290 recipients from 94 countries.

The role of the KNB Scholarship has been central in supporting Indonesian higher education institutions in their endeavor for internationalization. The number of international students is indicative of the global visibility of higher education institutions. In support of Indonesian universities’ internationalization and to accommodate the increasing interest from applicants all around the world, the number of scholarships being awarded every year has continued to grow.

The scholarship has also continued to expand its partnership with reputable public and private universities in the country. In doing so, the scholarship has been sustaining the quality improvement of Indonesian higher education institutions to meet the standards of internationally reputable universities.

KNB Scholarship Objectives:

The following are the program objectives of the Kemitraan Negara Berkembang (KNB): Scholarship:

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 for increasing the number of world-class universities in Indonesia.

KNB Scholarship 2026–27 (Fully Funded) 🇮🇩 | Step-by-Step Application Guide

KNB Scholarship Summary

Level of Study: Undergraduate, Master’s, PhD
Institution: 47 Indonesian Universities
Study Destination: Indonesia
Program Period: Undergraduate: 4 years; Master’s: 2 years; PhD: 3.5 years.

Courses Offered:

Humanities

Literary studies
Linguistics
History
Philosophy
Anthropology
Cultural studies

Engineering

Chemical Engineering
Civil Engineering
Architectural Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering
Geological Engineering
Informatics Engineering
Environmental
Engineering
Mechanical Engineering

Science

Biology
Physics
Geography
Chemistry
Remote Sensing
Computer
Mathematics
Statistics
Environmental Sciences
Public Health
Sports sciences
Pharmacy Studies
Nursing

Social science

Public Administration
Political Science
Sociology
Psychology
Law
Economics/Development Study
Communication & Media
Studies
International Relations
Accounting
Management
Community Empowerment

Education

Indonesian Education
Educational Science
Social Science Education
Natural Science Education
Primary School Teacher Education
Out-of-School Education/Informal
Education
Applied Linguistics
History Education
Instructional Education
Educational Management
Educational Research & Evaluation
Vocational & Technology Education

KNB Scholarships Application Deadline

The application deadline for the KNB Scholarships is March 31, 2026.

KNB Scholarship Coverage

The KNB Scholarships provide the recipient with the following benefits:

Settlement Allowance will be given to new students upon their arrival in Indonesia.
Tuition Fee in the BIPA Program and the Academic Program(regular class, not international class) for the duration of the scholarship;
During the BIPA and Academic Program, the KNB students will receive a living allowance monthly upon their arrival in Indonesia, as long as the KNB students live in Indonesia during their scholarship duration.
During the BIPA and Academic Program, the KNB students will receive a research and book allowance monthly upon their arrival in Indonesia during their scholarship duration.
Health insurance covers treatment of illnesses (outpatient and inpatient care) and accidents. Coverage treatment follows the policy of the health insurance provider. Not for aesthetic treatments;
Funding for Publishing a Scientific Article, once during the scholarship period for master’s and doctoral degrees;
Provide an economy class airline ticket for arrival from the international airport of the student’s home country to Indonesia, including local transport to the host university. And provide an economy class airline ticket for returning to students’ home countries, including local transport from the host university to the international airport in Indonesia after the graduation certificate is issued by the university.

Eligibility Criteria for the KNB Scholarships

To be eligible for the Indonesian government KNB scholarships, applicants must meet the following criteria:

Required Language: English
– Undergraduate: Have the English proficiency test score as follows: iBT TOEFL of 80, IELTS of 6.0, and TOEIC of 700.
– Master’s: Have at least the IBT TOEFL score of 80, or the IELTS score of 6.0, or the TOEIC score of 700 (the certificate must have been obtained within the last 2 years).
– Doctorate: Have a TOEFL or IELTS (or other certified English proficiency test) score of 90 on the TOEFL iBT or 7.0 on the IELTS or equivalent (the certificate must be obtained within the last 2 years).
Eligible Countries: All Countries

Undergraduate:

Age limit: You must be 21 or younger by December 31, 2026.
Education: You must have a high school diploma. If you already have a Bachelor’s degree, you cannot apply for the Bachelor’s scholarship.
CV: Submit a CV in English or Bahasa.
English requirement (last 2 years):
- TOEFL ITP 477 / TOEFL iBT 53 / IELTS 5.5 / TOEIC 510 (or equivalent).
- Exemption: If you’re from an English-speaking country, or your previous program was taught in English (shown on diploma/transcript), you can upload official proof instead of a test score.
Recommendation letters (English or Bahasa):
- From the Indonesian Embassy/Consulate in your home country (not your country of residence).
- From your employer/supervisor (if unemployed, provide a statement letter).
- An academic recommendation from your previous school.
Academic documents: Upload your legalized high school certificate + transcripts in English or Bahasa (legalized by your country’s Ministry of Education and Ministry of Foreign Affairs).
Passport: Provide a valid ordinary/work passport (not diplomatic), valid at least until December 31, 2027.
Video (max 5 minutes): Record in English or Bahasa, upload to YouTube, and submit the link in your KNB account. The video should cover:
- Your profile
- Why Indonesia + why KNB
- Why your chosen university and program
Medical report (issued within the last 3 months): Must include physical exam, infectious disease tests (TB, syphilis, HIV/AIDS, Ebola, Mpox), mental health test, and negative drug test (amphetamines, methamphetamines, marijuana, morphine, benzodiazepines). Documents must be in English or Bahasa.
Declarations: You must confirm that you:
- Will not marry / be engaged to someone who holds or can hold Indonesian citizenship or permanent residency (or other scholarship recipients)
- Will not be pregnant during the scholarship period
- Are not in military service during the scholarship period
Complete the online application form.

Masters:

Age limit: You must be 35 or younger by December 31, 2026.
Education: You must have a Bachelor’s degree. If you already have a Master’s degree, you cannot apply for the Master’s scholarship.
CV: Submit a CV in English or Bahasa.
English requirement (last 2 years):
- TOEFL ITP 500 / TOEFL iBT 61 / IELTS 6.0 / TOEIC 575 (or equivalent).
- Exemption: If you’re from an English-speaking country or your previous degree was taught in English (shown on diploma/transcript), upload official proof instead of a test score.
Recommendation letters (English or Bahasa):
- From the Indonesian Embassy/Consulate in your home country (not your country of residence).
- From your employer/supervisor (if unemployed, provide a statement letter).
- An academic recommendation from your previous institution.
Academic documents: Upload your legalized Bachelor’s certificate + transcripts in English or Bahasa (legalized by your country’s Ministry of Education and Ministry of Foreign Affairs).
Passport: Provide a valid ordinary/work passport (not diplomatic), valid at least until December 31, 2027.
Video (max 5 minutes): Record in English or Bahasa, upload to YouTube, and submit the link in your KNB account. Cover:
- Your profile
- Why Indonesia + why KNB
- Why your chosen university and program
Medical report (issued within the last 3 months): Must include physical exam, infectious disease tests (TB, syphilis, HIV/AIDS, Ebola, Mpox), mental health test, and negative drug test (amphetamines, methamphetamines, marijuana, morphine, benzodiazepines). Documents must be in English or Bahasa.
Declarations: You must confirm that you:
- Will not marry/be engaged to someone who holds or can hold Indonesian citizenship or permanent residency (or other scholarship recipients)
- Will not be pregnant during the scholarship period
- Are not in military service during the scholarship period
Complete the online application form.

Doctorate:

Age limit: You must be 40 or younger by December 31, 2026.
Education: You must have a Master’s degree. If you already have a PhD/Doctorate, you cannot apply.
Supervisor recommendation: Get a recommendation letter (English or Bahasa) from a potential supervisor at a KNB partner university—and it must be from the same university you choose.
Statement of Purpose / Proposal: Submit a statement (English or Bahasa) explaining:
- why you want to study in Indonesia,
- your research interest/topic, and
- your future academic plan (dissertation proposal).
CV: Provide a CV in English or Bahasa.
English requirement (last 2 years):
- TOEFL ITP 530 / TOEFL iBT 71 / IELTS 6.0 / TOEIC 640 (or equivalent).
- Exemption: If you’re from an English-speaking country or your previous program was taught in English (shown on diploma/transcript), upload official proof instead of a test score.
Recommendation letters (English or Bahasa):
- From the Indonesian Embassy/Consulate in your home country (not your country of residence).
- From your employer/supervisor (if unemployed, provide a statement letter).
- An academic recommendation from your previous institution.
Academic documents: Upload your legalized Master’s certificate + transcripts in English or Bahasa (legalized by your country’s Ministry of Education and Ministry of Foreign Affairs).
Passport: Provide a valid ordinary/work passport (not diplomatic), valid at least until December 31, 2027.
Video (max 5 minutes): Record in English or Bahasa, upload to YouTube, and submit the link in your KNB account. It should cover:
- your profile,
- why Indonesia + why KNB,
- why your chosen university and program.
Medical report (issued within last 3 months): Must include physical exam, infectious disease tests (TB, syphilis, HIV/AIDS, Ebola, Mpox), mental health test, and negative drug test (amphetamines, methamphetamines, marijuana, morphine, benzodiazepines). Documents must be in English or Bahasa.
Declarations: You must confirm that you:
- Will not marry / be engaged to someone who holds or can hold Indonesian citizenship or permanent residency (or other scholarship recipients)
- Will not be pregnant during the scholarship period
- Are not in military service during the scholarship period
Complete the online application form.

How to Apply for the KNB Scholarships?

Please follow the instructions below to apply for the KNB Scholarship:

Download the KNB Scholarship Offering Letter from the KNB Scholarship website.
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)
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.