The effectiveness of the Karawang Cerdas Scholarship in enhancing FISIP Unsika students' motivation

The Karawang Cerdas Scholarship (Kacer) is a strategic policy of the Karawang Regency Government to expand access to higher education for students from low-income families. This study evaluates the targeting accuracy of the Kacer Scholarship and its impact on students' learning motivation at the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP), Universitas Singaperbangsa Karawang (Unsika), using Stufflebeam's CIPP (Context, Input, Process, Product) evaluation model. The study employed a qualitative case study design. Data were
collected through in-depth interviews and observation involving eight scholarship recipients from three study programs and one Vice Dean, selected through purposive sampling. The study analyzed data through data reduction, data display, and conclusion drawing. The findings indicate that, in terms of context, recipients clearly understood the scholarship's purpose as financial assistance for tuition fees and study-related needs. Regarding input, recipients generally perceived the selection criteria as fair, although they questioned the transparency of the selection process. In terms of process, implementation ran relatively smoothly, despite technical issues with the online registration system. Regarding the product, the scholarship significantly enhanced students' learning motivation and academic achievement, largely driven by the minimum 3.5 GPA requirement. The study recommends improving selection transparency, adjusting the amount of financial assistance, providing academic mentoring, and optimizing the registration system to enhance the program's future effectiveness.