There are exactly 34 Indonesian universities that accept KNB Scholarship students in 2026. Not all are equal. Some reject 90 % of KNB applicants, some accept almost everyone who applies with a decent GPA. Pick the wrong one and you waste months. Below is the real tier list based on acceptance rate, program quality, city life, and how fast they reply to LoA requests.
List of KNB Scholarship Participating Universities 2026
Tier S – Highest Acceptance + Best Experience (Apply here first)
| University | City | Acceptance Rate for KNB | Strong Programs | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) | Yogyakarta | 85–90% | Medicine, Engineering, Social Sciences, Agriculture | Most popular, great campus life, replies to LoA in 1–3 weeks |
| Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB) | Bandung | 80–85% | All Engineering, Architecture, Computer Science | Cold weather, creative city, fast LoA |
| Universitas Indonesia (UI) | Jakarta / Depok | 75–80% | Law, Economics, Medicine, Psychology | Capital city, expensive living, but best connections |
| IPB University | Bogor | 90%+ | Agriculture, Veterinary, Biology, Food Tech | Easiest LoA – they almost never reject KNB applicants |
| Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) | Surabaya | 85–90% | Medicine, Dentistry, Public Health | Big city, hot, very friendly international office |
Tier A – Very Good Chance + Solid Programs
| University | City | Acceptance Rate for KNB | Strong Programs | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Universitas Brawijaya | Malang | 80%+ | Agriculture, Engineering, Business | Cool weather, cheap living, fast LoA |
| Universitas Padjadjaran (UNPAD) | Bandung | 75–80% | Medicine, Law, Communication | Same city as ITB, slightly slower LoA |
| Universitas Hasanuddin (UNHAS) | Makassar | 85%+ | Marine Science, Medicine, Engineering | Warm, island life, very welcoming |
| Universitas Andalas | Padang | 80–85% | Medicine, Agriculture | Beautiful nature, fast replies |
| Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) | Medan | 80% | Medicine, Engineering | Big city in Sumatra |
Tier B – Good Programs but Lower Acceptance or Slow LoA
| University | City | Acceptance Rate for KNB | Strong Programs | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) | Surabaya | 60–70% | Naval Architecture, All Engineering | Very strict on GPA |
| Universitas Diponegoro (UNDIP) | Semarang | 65–75% | Engineering, Public Health, Law | Takes 4–8 weeks for LoA |
| Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) | Solo | 70%+ | Medicine, Education | Cheap living, traditional city |
Tier C – Only choose if your program is rare here
| University | Acceptance Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Universitas Syiah Kuala (Aceh), Universitas Malikussaleh, etc. | 50–70% | Very far, limited English programs, slow replies |
Also Check: KNB Scholarship 2026 Deadline & Application Timeline
Full Official List 2026 (34 Universities – Confirmed December 2025)
- Institut Pertanian Bogor (IPB University)
- Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB)
- Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS)
- Universitas Airlangga
- Universitas Andalas
- Universitas Brawijaya
- Universitas Budi Luhur
- Universitas Diponegoro
- Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM)
- Universitas Halu Oleo
- Universitas Hasanuddin
- Universitas Indonesia (UI)
- Universitas Islam Indonesia
- Universitas Lambung Mangkurat
- Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang
- Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta
- Universitas Negeri Malang
- Universitas Negeri Semarang
- Universitas Negeri Yogyakarta
- Universitas Padjadjaran
- Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia
- Universitas Riau
- Universitas Sebelas Maret
- Universitas Sumatera Utara
- Universitas Syiah Kuala
- Universitas Udayana
- Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha
- Institut Seni Indonesia Yogyakarta
- Institut Seni Indonesia Denpasar
- Universitas Kristen Satya Wacana
- Universitas Mataram
- Universitas Sam Ratulangi
- Universitas Pattimura
- Universitas Jenderal Soedirman
How to Choose the Right University (Step by Step)
- Check if your exact program exists → use the search tool on each university website.
- Look at the language of instruction → most Master/PhD programs are in English, Bachelor is 90 % Indonesian (you’ll learn Indonesian free in year 1).
- Apply to one Tier S + one Tier A + one Tier B → you can choose up to 3 different universities in the KNB portal.
- Contact the international office FIRST for LoA → email template in the LoA guide (link below).
My Personal Recommendation for 2026
- Want the easiest acceptance → IPB University (almost impossible to get rejected)
- Want the best overall experience → UGM or ITB
- Want big-city life → UI
- Want cheap and cool weather → Universitas Brawijaya (Malang)
Top 10 Highest Acceptance Rate Universities for KNB 2026 – Updated List