Baznas to fund master’s scholarships for 200 Palestinian students

Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia’s National Alms Agency (Baznas) will provide master’s degree scholarships to 200 Palestinian students to study at universities across Indonesia through the Palestinian Scholar Scholarship Program.

Baznas Deputy Chairman for Distribution, Utilization, and Empowerment, Idy Muzayyad, said the initiative was an alternative way to channel assistance from Indonesians to Palestinians, as direct aid distribution remains difficult due to the unstable situation in Palestine.

“We took the initiative to change the aid scheme by providing scholarships for Palestinian students who have completed their bachelor’s degrees to pursue master’s studies in Indonesia,” Muzayyad said in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Muzayyad said a study by the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology found that many Indonesian universities needed international students to enhance their global reputation.

This aligns with Baznas’s situation, which has allocated funds for Palestine that have yet to be distributed.

“At the same time, our universities need international students. Therefore, we plan to allocate, God willing, Rp22 billion (US$1.25 million) for 200 Palestinian students to study in Indonesia,” he said.

He expressed hope that further collaborations could be established in the future, allowing zakat, infaq, and sadaqah (ZIS) funds to be utilized more effectively and generate a broader impact.

Higher Education, Science and Technology Minister Brian Yuliarto welcomed the collaboration with Baznas.

He said the program would support Palestinian students while also helping Indonesian universities improve their quality by increasing the number of international students.

“Since the funds were entrusted specifically for a Palestine-related program, we are using them to bring Palestinian students to study at our universities,” Yuliarto said.Related news: Prabowo plans scholarships for Palestinian studentsRelated news: Indonesia will issue new visas for Palestinian students: MinisterRelated news: Palestinian student appreciates Prabowo’s scholarship program

Translator: Sean Filo, Kuntum Khaira RiswanEditor: Azis Kurmala Copyright © ANTARA 2026

Source: en.antaranews.com