The Satya Wacana International Scholarship (SWIS) is a fully funded award from Universitas Kristen Satya Wacana (UKSW), a private university in Salatiga, Central Java. It takes students at Bachelor's, Master's and PhD level, and the package is unusually complete for a private Indonesian university: full tuition, a monthly allowance that already includes meals and accommodation, visa and stay permit support, health insurance and a return air ticket. You can see the full scholarship details for SWIS.
Who is it for? Mostly students who want a quiet, low-cost place to study and who are happy with a smaller university rather than a big-name capital city campus. UKSW was founded in 1956 and has a Christian educational tradition, so you should be comfortable studying at a faith-based institution. If your field is Management, Accounting, Development Studies or Sociology of Religion, SWIS is interesting because those subjects run all the way up to PhD. If you want engineering, medicine or law, skip it: those programs are not on the SWIS list.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Funding | Fully funded |
| Levels | Bachelor's, Master's, PhD |
| Host university | Universitas Kristen Satya Wacana (UKSW), Salatiga, Central Java |
| Country | Indonesia |
| Last deadline | May 3, 2026 (registration opened February 23, 2026) |
| Usually opens | February |
| Application | SWIS Google application form |
A monthly allowance that already includes your room and food
The SWIS package has five parts:
- 100% tuition fee coverage
- a monthly living allowance that includes meals and accommodation
- free visa and stay permit support
- health insurance
- a round-trip economy class air ticket
The detail that matters most is the allowance. Because meals and accommodation are built into it, you are not handed cash and left to find a hostel on your own. That is a real advantage for a first-time student abroad. It also means you should not expect a large amount of spending money on top. The source material does not give a figure for the allowance, so ask UKSW directly if you need to plan your budget around a number.
Salatiga helps here. It is a small university town between Semarang and Solo with a cool climate and a low cost of living, so a covered room and meals go a long way. Students who want big-city nightlife will find it slow. Students who want to study and save will probably like it.
Which UKSW programs you can actually pick
SWIS does not cover every UKSW degree. Choose your program first, because your motivation letter has to explain that exact choice.
Bachelor's
Nursing, Nutrition, Information Technology, International Relations, Communication Science, Management, Accounting, English Literature and Education, and Music.
Master's
Data Science, Psychology, Management, Accounting, Development Studies, Sociology of Religion, Agriculture and Biology, and Information Systems.
PhD
Management, Accounting, Development Studies, and Sociology of Religion.
For Pakistani applicants, the Master's in Data Science and Information Systems and the Bachelor's in Nursing and IT are probably the most practical options. Management and Accounting are the safest bets if you want a clear ladder from one level to the next.
Eligibility: short list, strict paperwork
The formal requirements are simple. You need to be an international student with academic certificates and transcripts, proof of English, a health certificate covering vaccinations and medical history, and a plagiarism-free motivation letter written to UKSW's instructions. There is no published minimum GPA or age limit in the information we have, so do not assume one either way.
SWIS is described as open to international students from multiple nationalities, but the source does not list which countries. Pakistani students should confirm eligibility for their nationality with UKSW before spending money on medical tests or police certificates.
English proof is flexible. UKSW accepts TOEFL, IELTS, the Duolingo English Test and EnglishScore. No minimum score is listed, so check the form for current requirements.
The six UKSW templates you cannot replace with your own
This is where most applications go wrong. UKSW provides official templates, and they are mandatory. Do not send your usual CV or a doctor's letter on clinic letterhead. Download and fill these instead:
- CV template (1-2 pages)
- Health certificate template, including vaccination and medical history
- Passport-size photo template
- Statement of Understanding template
- Financial Support Declaration template
- Health Protocol Agreement Letter template
Alongside those, the full checklist runs to 14 items:
- Valid passport (cover and bio page)
- Academic certificates and transcripts
- CV on the UKSW template
- English proficiency proof
- Health certificate on the UKSW template
- Passport-size photograph on the UKSW template
- Study objectives or motivation letter (1-2 pages)
- Statement of Understanding
- Financial Support Declaration
- Health Protocol Agreement Letter
- Recommendation letter(s)
- Bank statement showing at least USD 2,000 (optional)
- Police Clearance Certificate (optional)
- Research proposal (optional, recommended for Master's and PhD)
For a general list of what Pakistani applicants usually prepare and how to get transcripts ready, see our scholarship documents checklist.
Why the "optional" documents are not really optional
Three items are marked optional: a bank statement showing a minimum of USD 2,000, a police clearance certificate, and a research proposal. UKSW's own guidance says they add value and strengthen the application. In a competitive pool, I would treat them as expected.
The USD 2,000 bank statement is the one Pakistani students hesitate over. It is not a fee, and SWIS still pays your costs. It simply shows that you can handle an emergency. If a parent's account is used, keep it consistent with what you write on the Financial Support Declaration. Our guide to bank statements and proof of funds explains how to present this cleanly.
Master's and PhD applicants should write the research proposal. Without it, you are asking the committee to guess what you want to work on.
Writing the motivation letter UKSW asks for
The letter is 1-2 pages and must be plagiarism-free. It has to answer four things: your academic background, why you chose your specific program, why UKSW, and your long-term goals. Answer each one directly, in that order if it helps.
The weak point in most letters is "why UKSW". A paragraph praising Indonesia in general will not do. Name the program, explain how it connects to your previous study, and say something specific about why a smaller university town suits you. Write it yourself. A letter run through a template generator or copied from an online sample is exactly what a plagiarism check is designed to catch.
Submitting through the Google Form
- Open the SWIS application form and read every instruction before uploading anything.
- Download all the UKSW templates and fill them in fully.
- Write your motivation letter and, if you are a Master's or PhD applicant, your research proposal.
- Save every file as PDF or JPG, name each one clearly, and keep it within the size limits shown on the form.
- Submit before the deadline. In the 2026 cycle that was May 3, 2026.
Because the whole application is one Google Form, there is no portal where you can come back and fix things later. Have every file ready before you start filling it in.
From registration to arrival in Salatiga
The 2026 cycle followed this schedule. Use it as a guide to the rhythm of the next intake, not as a promise of exact dates.
| Stage | 2026 dates |
|---|---|
| Registration opens | February 23, 2026 |
| Registration deadline | May 3, 2026 |
| Selection and document screening | June 2-5, 2026 |
| Interviews | June 8-12, 2026 |
| Announcement | June 19, 2026 |
| Letter of Acceptance issued | June 30, 2026 |
| Pre-university course | July 1-30, 2026 |
| Arrival in Indonesia | August 10-21, 2026 |
| Semester starts | August 24, 2026 |
The 2026 deadline has passed. Registration typically opens around February, so if you are aiming for the next intake, start gathering documents now and confirm the new dates on the official form when it reopens. Shortlisted candidates are interviewed online, so test your internet connection and camera in advance, and prepare to talk about your program choice and goals in the same terms as your letter.
The gap between acceptance and arrival is short. Once the letter comes, you will need your student visa and stay permit sorted within weeks. UKSW supports this, and the Embassy of Indonesia in Islamabad is the contact point in Pakistan for Indonesian student visa and stay permit (KITAS) questions. If you have had a visa refused before, read about common student visa rejection reasons before you apply.
Mistakes that sink SWIS applications
- Using your own CV format or a clinic's medical form instead of the UKSW templates.
- A motivation letter that skips one of the four required points, usually "why UKSW".
- Applying for a program that is not on the SWIS list for your level.
- Uploading blurry phone photos of documents or files with names like "scan1".
- Leaving out the optional documents when you could have provided them.
- Leaving submission to the last few days, when a missing file means you miss the deadline.
If you are comparing SWIS against other options, browse all Indonesia scholarships to see what else is open at your level.
Frequently asked questions
Is SWIS fully funded?
Yes. It covers 100% of tuition, a monthly living allowance that includes meals and accommodation, visa and stay permit support, health insurance and a round-trip economy class ticket.
Can Pakistani students apply?
SWIS is open to international students from multiple nationalities, but no country list is published. Confirm with UKSW that your nationality is eligible before you pay for medical tests or certificates.
Do I need IELTS?
No, IELTS is one option. UKSW also accepts TOEFL, the Duolingo English Test and EnglishScore. No minimum score is listed, so check the current form.
Is a research proposal required for Master's and PhD?
It is listed as optional but recommended for Master's and PhD applicants, and it strengthens your application. Write one.
Is there an application fee or a required bank balance?
No fee is mentioned. A bank statement showing at least USD 2,000 is optional, but it adds weight to your application.
When does the next round open?
The scholarship typically opens around February. The 2026 registration ran from February 23 to May 3, 2026. Check the official form for the current cycle's dates.
Before you apply, confirm the current deadline and requirements on the official SWIS application form, and keep the SWIS scholarship page handy for the full details.