Balikpapan - The National Selection for New Student Admissions (SNPMB) for the 2025/2026 academic year once again highlights that choosing a study program is not only about interest, but also about data-driven strategy. The number of applicants and acceptance rates across selection pathways serve as important indicators for prospective students to objectively assess their chances. In the Department of Civil Engineering and Planning, Faculty of Sustainable Development, four study programs Civil Engineering, Urban and Regional Planning, Architecture, and Visual Communication Design demonstrate varied competition dynamics across the SNBP, SNBT, and SUMMIT admission tracks.

Civil Engineering: Competitive in SNBT, Selective in Other Tracks

The Civil Engineering program shows a relatively high level of competition across admission pathways. In the SNBP track, there were 192 applicants with 20 students admitted, representing roughly a 10 percent chance of acceptance. Competition became even more evident in the SNBT track, where 307 applicants competed for 75 seats, resulting in approximately a 24 percent acceptance opportunity. Meanwhile, the SUMMIT track recorded 118 applicants with only 8 admitted, or about a 7 percent chance of entry. These figures indicate that Civil Engineering remains one of the more selective programs, reflecting strong interest in infrastructure development and construction engineering fields that are vital to national development.

Urban and Regional Planning: Stable Opportunities Across Tracks

The Urban and Regional Planning program demonstrates relatively stable opportunity patterns across all admission pathways. In the SNBP track, 230 applicants competed for 75 admitted positions, representing acceptance opportunities of roughly one-third of applicants. A similar pattern appeared in the SNBT track with 224 applicants and 67 admitted students, yielding comparable acceptance prospects. The SUMMIT track involved 95 applicants with 19 admitted, still indicating fairly open opportunities compared to some other programs. This stability reflects consistent interest in spatial planning while offering balanced prospects for students interested in sustainable urban development and regional management.

Architecture: Moderate Competition with Consistent Demand

The Architecture program falls within a moderate competition level. The SNBP track recorded 116 applicants with 30 admitted students, translating to about a 26 percent acceptance opportunity. The SNBT track showed 126 applicants and 47 admissions, or roughly a 37 percent chance, while the SUMMIT track saw 36 applicants with 6 admitted, representing about a 17 percent acceptance rate. These figures indicate that Architecture remains competitive while still providing realistic entry opportunities for students drawn to the integration of technical design and spatial creativity.

Visual Communication Design: Open Opportunities in Creative Fields

The Visual Communication Design program presents a different competition pattern compared to other programs in the department. In the SNBP track, 76 applicants resulted in 50 admissions, providing approximately a 66 percent opportunity of acceptance. The SNBT track recorded 69 applicants with 47 admitted, yielding around a 68 percent chance, while the SUMMIT track had 14 applicants with 9 admitted, representing about a 64 percent opportunity. These relatively high acceptance possibilities indicate lower competition levels while opening broad opportunities for students interested in creative visual communication and digital media industries.

Data-Driven Study Program Selection Strategy

Overall, SNPMB 2025/2026 data reveals varying levels of selectivity among study programs within the Department of Civil Engineering and Planning. Civil Engineering stands out as the most competitive program, while Urban and Regional Planning and Architecture show more balanced competition levels. Meanwhile, Visual Communication Design offers relatively more open entry opportunities. Understanding this competitive landscape provides valuable insight for prospective students in shaping informed and strategic study program choices, ensuring decisions are guided not only by interest but also by realistic opportunity assessment and academic readiness for future challenges.