IISMA (Indonesian International Student Mobility Award) is one of the Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka (MBKM) programs which is processed under the Kemendikbudristek (Kementrian Pendidikan, Kebudayaan, Riset, dan Teknologi). IISMA is a scholarship program that will be available for every student throughout Indonesia who is interested in studying at a foreign university for 1 semester. IISMA program only allowed for students. The following benefits, IISMA will provides wider networking. According to Ma’am Nunung, networking and friends are two different thing, “Networks are more than friends who are useful and need each other, when you graduate you can be considered a network.”. The following benefit is that it introduces the culture or habits of Indonesian society or can be said to be intercultural communication and learning a new language.
Another most important benefit is that all living expenses are fully coverage. So, students only need to focus on preparing the required documents, recommendation letter, English language test certificates, grade transcripts, and be ready to compete with other IISMA participants. The scope of the scholarship that will be received are tuition fees for 1 semester, health insurance that is covered by the government, visa and economy plane tickets, housing, and emergency funds. One thing that students need to prepare independently is making a passport. However, don’t worry, UISI (Universitas Internasional Semen Indonesia) has passport cover support. So that there is an accompanying letter which will make the process of making a passport easier.
Students who are allowed to take part in IISMA are students in semesters 4 and 6. “You only have 2 chances, in semesters 4 and 6. If you fail to register for IISMA in semester 4, then you can try again in semester 6.” Said Ma’am Nunung. Several other requirements that must be considered before joining IISMA are that you must not be more than 23 years old, never take time off from study, not take part in an independent campus scholarship, not commit any criminal offenses and the most important thing is the mandatory English language tests IELTS 6.0, TOEFL IBT 78 and Duolingo English Test 100. English language test requirements will vary depending on the university you are going to.
With IISMA socialization which held on Wednesday, December 20th 2023 at the UISI Campus B Auditorium, hoped that the socialization participants will get very useful information and learn more about IISMA. According to one of the IISMA socialization participants, Herma from the accounting department, “The activities were fun, the material was relaxed and easy to understand. This IISMA socialization is very useful, especially for friends who are still unfamiliar with IISMA, but want to take part in study exchange activities. By taking part in this IISMA socialization activity, you will know what conditions need to be prepared and what benefits you will get if you take part in IISMA. And it has also been explained that OIA UISI will help and support students who want to take part in IISMA. Whether or not it is mandatory to take part in IISMA depends on the student’s own abilities, because we also have to provide reciprocity to the government which has paid educational fees there.”
Author : Salma Sausan Al Fauziah – Medrel
