UNAIR NEWS – Admission to Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) has become increasingly competitive, driven by the rising number of applicants and evolving selection criteria. UNAIR’s Vice Rector for Academic, Student, and Alumni Affairs, Prof. Dr. Bambang Sektiari Lukiswanto DEA DVM, emphasized that acceptance into a program largely depends on trends from previous years’ selection results.
“The competitiveness of a program is heavily influenced by prior years’ selection results due to cyclical patterns. These patterns indicate that prospective students often consult with school counselors or other advisors to gauge their chances of being admitted into their chosen program,” he explained.
He further noted that schools and tutoring centers frequently assist students in assessing their chances through practice test evaluations. However, the primary determining factors remain the number of applicants and the average test scores of each year’s applicants.
Most competitive programs
To illustrate, several programs at UNAIR exhibit high selectivity rates based on different admission pathways. The Faculty of Medicine (FK), for instance, recorded an acceptance rate of 4.04% through the SNBT pathway, 2.90% through SNBP, and 4.79% through the independent admission route, making it the most competitive program in the science and technology (saintek) cluster.
Meanwhile, in the social sciences and humanities (soshum) cluster, the Communication Studies program has an acceptance rate of 5.37% (SNBT), 4.46% (SNBP), and 11.37% (independent admission). Other highly competitive programs include Accounting and International Relations, with selectivity rates of 5.61% and 5.85%, respectively, via the SNBT pathway.
Strategies for choosing program
Prof. Lukiswanto advised prospective students to carefully select their programs by considering their test scores and previous admission trends. Publicly available selection data from previous years can serve as an essential reference for making informed choices.
This year, UNAIR is welcoming approximately 9,100 new students, with an increase in admissions through the independent selection pathway, rising from around 2,800 to 3,200 students. At least 30% of total admissions now come from this route, reflecting the intensifying competition among applicants.
“To maximize their chances of admission, prospective students should strategically rank their program choices from highest to lowest priority. All four choices should align with their interests, ensuring that if they are admitted to their second or third choice, they remain comfortable and engaged in their field of study,” he concluded.
Author: Rosali Elvira Nurdiansyarani
Editor: Khefti Al Mawalia
