ULM Affirms Commitment to Inclusive Education, Offering Free Tuition to Students with Disabilities Until Graduation
BANJARMASIN – Since 2017, Lambung Mangkurat University (ULM) has consistently provided access to higher education for students with disabilities. By 2025, 90 students with disabilities will be studying in various ULM study programs, blending with thousands of other students.
This commitment is also realized through tuition waivers for all students with disabilities from enrollment until graduation. ULM’s Vice Rector for Student Affairs and Alumni, Dr. Muhammad Rusmin Nuryadi, explained that this policy implements Law Number 8 of 2016 concerning Persons with Disabilities.
“Students with disabilities at ULM receive scholarships from the Ministry from enrollment until graduation. We want them to have equal opportunities, free to choose their chosen major, except for some programs with technical limitations, such as medicine,” he said on Wednesday (August 13, 2025).
Inclusive education at ULM is also complemented by special mentoring. Students from the Faculty of Teacher Training and Education (FKIP) act as volunteers, assisting students with mobility, communication, and environmental adaptation.
Utomo, Head of the ULM Center for Inclusive Education Development and Disability Services (P3ILD), stated that all students with disabilities have equal rights to education, whether they have visual, hearing, speech, physical, or autism disabilities. Admission selection is conducted through regular channels, such as SNBP (Student Admissions), SNBT (Student Admissions), and independent selection, without any special categorization.
Initial financial support came from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology from 2017 to 2024. Since 2024, ULM has strengthened this support through a collaboration with PT Bayan Resources Tbk (BAYAN). The BAYAN scholarship program provides assistance to 20 students with disabilities per year and will run until 2027.
“This collaboration covers four intakes and will last until the recipients graduate. We hope this partnership can continue to strengthen access to inclusive education at ULM,” explained Utomo.
The program has had a positive impact on students, including Nur Cinta, a student majoring in Special Education. She expressed pride in studying at ULM and aspires to become a teacher. Meanwhile, Samiyah Mardhatillah expressed gratitude for the opportunity to study for free and for the full support of her parents.
With this inclusive policy, ULM affirms its role as a university that prioritizes not only quality education but also equal rights for all citizens to achieve higher education without barriers.
