Prospective students from disadvantaged families do not be discouraged about college opportunities. Prospective students who are not disadvantaged receive college scholarships can still go to college with soft loans.

Students Nations, one of the Putera Sampoerna Foundation's initiative in the form of cooperatives and provide financial assistance to outstanding students from disadvantaged families Indonesia. Through the National Student Fund program, prospective students from poor families can obtain a soft loan funds, long-term education.

Long-term soft loans for education through the National Student Fund program is the first program in Indonesia. More recently, the program Students Nations Fund received funding amounting to 5 million US dollars, or approximately USD 45 billion.

Funding of $ 5 million will come from the results of a unique collaboration through public-private partnership between USAID, UBS AG (UBS), Raiffeisen Bank International AG (RBI), and Putera Sampoerna.

The soft loan will be allocated to financing some 300 Indonesian students from disadvantaged families to continue their higher education. Nation students have the capability to select potential students and has the infrastructure to lend funds to the students.

"The program of education loan is a form of our commitment to improving educational opportunities for young people in Indonesia. This program is an example of public-private partnership between the US government and the private sector in Indonesia," said US Ambassador to Indonesia Scot Marciel, Friday (7/10/2011).

Nenny Soemawinata, Managing Director of Putera Sampoerna Foundation, points out, access to higher education students SMA / SMK / MA in Indonesia is still low. Of the approximately 25 million people in Indonesia aged 19 to 23 years, only about 4.5 million are enrolled in universities throughout Indonesia.

"In order to access higher education, Indonesia is still lagging behind compared to other countries," said Neny.

Data from the Ministry of National Education in 2010 showed that there were 47.6 percent of Indonesian students do not pursue higher education. The main reasons that led to Indonesian students do not pursue higher education is the need to work to help their parents (53.6 percent), economic factors (35.8 percent), and decided to get married (15.8 percent).

Currently Siswa Bangsa Fund program has helped 167 students of Sampoerna School of Education and the Sampoerna School of Business. Students Nations in the future will continue to develop cooperation with higher education institutions in Indonesia and abroad in the implementation of the National Student Fund.