The UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta Medical Study Program, which received its operational permit in May 2026 and was officially inaugurated by the Minister of Religious Affairs on 4 June 2026, has been met with an immediate and positive public response. The high number of applicants for the Independent Pathway Wave I of the 2026/2027 Academic Year stands as a clear indicator of the considerable public confidence in UIN Sunan Kalijaga's Medical Study Program, which carries a distinctive focus on the prevention and health promotion of musculoskeletal diseases, particularly among the elderly.

In response to this enthusiasm, UIN Sunan Kalijaga conducted a rigorous, professional, and standards-based student selection process. The Academic Potential Test via Computer Based Test (CBT) was held on Wednesday (1/7/2026) through Thursday (2/7/2026) at Training Room 1 in the Old Rectorate Building and the Computer Laboratory on the 4th Floor of the Faculty of Medicine Building.

UIN Sunan Kalijaga Rector Prof. Noorhaidi Hasan affirmed that from the outset, UIN Sunan Kalijaga has been committed to building medical education that places quality at the forefront. The admissions process is therefore conducted in full accordance with the standards required by the competent authority, in order to identify the best prospective students.

“We will ensure that the entire process runs as well as possible in accordance with applicable regulations, so as to admit students who truly meet the qualifications,” he affirmed.

On the same occasion, Prof. Noorhaidi noted that academic ability alone is not sufficient for medical students. Medical education demands psychological resilience, and the selection process has accordingly been designed to assess the full range of factors that determine a student's success throughout their studies.

“We want to demonstrate that the UIN Sunan Kalijaga Medical Study Program is ready to oversee the entire process in accordance with regulations, making a genuine contribution to the advancement of knowledge while producing professional healthcare workers who possess Islamic sensibility and humanity, and who will offer their best contribution to civilization,” he said.

The same conviction was expressed by the Vice Rector for Academic Affairs and Institutional Development, Prof. Dr. Istiningsih, who has been closely involved in overseeing the establishment of the UIN Sunan Kalijaga Medical Study Program from the very beginning.

“This is a truly momentous day for UIN Sunan Kalijaga, particularly for the Medical Study Program. For the first time, we are conducting a new student selection following the issuance of the program's operational permit in May,” she said.

Prof. Istiningsih explained that the selection process has been designed comprehensively to identify prospective students who are not only academically outstanding, but also psychologically prepared, in adequate health, and committed to completing their medical education.

“The high number of applicants in the first wave is an indicator of the great public trust in the UIN Sunan Kalijaga Medical Study Program. The selection process is therefore conducted professionally, guided by the principles of fairness, objectivity, and transparency in accordance with the Rector's directives. We are committed to providing every prospective student with an opportunity, but the final decision will be based on scores achieved and the fulfilment of all established selection standards,” she said.

Applicants who pass the CBT, Prof. Istiningsih continued, will proceed to a psychological test, followed by a health examination, an interview with the prospective student and their parents alongside a prospective academic supervisor, and a further interview with university leadership. This sequence forms the basis for comprehensively assessing each prospective student's readiness to undertake medical education.

She noted that the interview stages are not only aimed at exploring applicants' academic potential, but also at understanding their strengths, challenges, motivation to learn, and the commitment of their families in supporting academic success throughout the duration of their medical studies.

She added that the commitment to maintaining selection quality is also aligned with guidance from UIN Sunan Kalijaga's primary teaching hospital, RSST dr. Soeradji Tirtonegoro Klaten, which has emphasized the importance of selecting the best prospective students with the potential to complete their medical education in full.

“The message is clear: the selection process must be conducted professionally so as to produce students capable of completing every stage of their education, right through to the moment they take the oath as doctors,” she said.

This inaugural selection represents UIN Sunan Kalijaga's first step in building a quality-oriented medical education ecosystem. The high level of public trust is being met with an accountable, objective, and standards-based selection process, a foundation for producing professional doctors who are not only outstanding in medical competence, but also resilient, principled, grounded in Islamic values, and deeply committed to humanity. (humassk)