Our first dropout started studying Accountancy at the Trisakti University in Jakarta in September 2016. Unfortunately, due to unfortunate personal circumstances, she had to stop in the second year. The level of education, among other things, turned out to be too high for her, even though she did her utmost best. We are glad that we were able to offer our dropout at least some study experience. We wish her all the best for the future.

Our first dropout taught us that we needed to improve our selection procedure for new candidates. To qualify for the Heliconia Scholarship, we now put more emphasis on the grades from high school. During the selection interviews we also emphasize more thoroughly that studying at university is challenging. It requires much dedication and perseverance, especially in Indonesia, where study pressure is high. Our cooperation partners now spend more time guiding the students, and also encourage them to ask for help when in need of support. See also our second dropout for more information and Heliconia Scholarship to read about our selection procedure and the guidance and support that we offer our students now.

Read more about Indonesian student life in the personal reports of the students. You can find them by clicking on their profiles. For more background information on scholarships and student life in Indonesia, read the master thesis ‘Scholarships for Higher Education and Wellbeing in Jakarta’, by our chairperson Carli Kooper.