Overview
PERADI (Perhimpunan Advokat Indonesia, the Indonesian Advocates Association) is the bar body that runs the Advocate Professional Examination, known in Indonesia as the Ujian Profesi Advokat (UPA). It is a step towards qualifying as an advocate in Indonesia. PERADI's website publishes UPA announcements for each round, lists of candidates who passed, and details of the appointment and oath-taking ceremonies that follow.
Before the exam, candidates usually complete a Special Advocate Professional Education course (Pendidikan Khusus Profesi Advokat, PKPA), which is offered by universities and other institutions in cooperation with PERADI.
Who can apply
PERADI's 2026 announcements set these requirements for registering for the UPA.
Indonesian citizenship.
A valid ID (KTP, passport or driving licence), copied.
A legalised copy of a bachelor's degree (S1) in law, legalised by the university that issued it.
A PKPA certificate issued by PERADI and signed by its chair.
Four 3x4 colour photographs on a blue background, and the original bank payment slip.
Candidates who failed an earlier UPA register at a lower fee (see Fees).
The PKPA course, the usual preparation step, accepts graduates in Bachelor of Laws, Bachelor of Islamic Law, military law university or police science university, according to the UGM Faculty of Law notice.
Exam pattern
The UPA is a single written examination held on one day, at the same time in about 40 cities across Indonesia. It starts at 09:00 Western Indonesia Time (10:00 Central, 11:00 Eastern) and runs until it finishes. The announcements do not give the number of questions, the time limit or the marking scheme. Candidates choose the exam city when registering, and it need not be where their ID is registered.
Press reports of the December 2025 round describe a morning-to-midday sitting. A July 2026 report says Jakarta had the most registrants, at 1,068.
Syllabus
PERADI's 2026 announcements list eight examination subjects:
The function, role and development of the advocate organisation
The Indonesian Advocates' Code of Ethics
Civil procedure law
Criminal procedure law
Religious court procedure law
Industrial relations court procedure law
State administrative court procedure law
An essay exam on civil procedure law
A December 2025 press report adds that the Advocates Law (Law No. 18 of 2003) is part of the material, covering definitions, duties, requirements, the oath, the advocate organisation, the code of ethics and criminal penalties.
Marking and results
After each round PERADI publishes a list of candidates who passed and issues certificates to them. Passing candidates then go through appointment and oath-taking, which is organised by region. PERADI's chair has said the exam is run with strict standards and no corruption, collusion or nepotism. The first UPA had a pass rate of only about 8 to 9 percent of roughly 10,000 candidates, according to a Metro TV report.
Important dates
PERADI holds the UPA twice a year, with roughly 7,000 candidates in total per year, according to its chair in a July 2026 press report.
| Round | Exam date | Registration |
|---|---|---|
| 2026, first round (32nd UPA) | Saturday 11 July 2026 | 22 April to 22 May 2026 |
| 2026, Round 2 | Saturday 12 December 2026 | 12 to 23 October 2026 |
Registration runs Monday to Friday, 10:00 to 16:00 local time, excluding weekends and public holidays. The second round of 2025 took place on 6 December 2025, with 3,891 candidates nationwide, and the 32nd UPA on 11 July 2026 had 3,643 candidates.
Fees
For the 2026 rounds, PERADI's announcements set the following fees, not including bank charges.
| Candidate | UPA fee |
|---|---|
| New registrant | Rp2,500,000 |
| Candidate who sat a UPA before and did not pass (attach a copy of the earlier registration receipt) | Rp1,250,000 |
The fee is paid by bank transfer to PERADI's BCA account named in the announcement, quoting the registrant's full name and exam city; the committee does not accept ATM or e-banking payments. A request to cancel and get the fee back had to be made by 30 June 2026 for the July round; after that date the fee is not refunded.
For the PKPA course at Universitas Gadjah Mada (Batch XX, 2026), the course fee was Rp5,000,000 and the registration fee was Rp250,000, with a Rp250,000 cashback for those who registered by 7 July 2026 and for UGM law alumni. Other PKPA providers set their own fees.
How to apply
Fill in the registration form and attach the documents listed under eligibility. The announcements say registration can be done online only in the cities listed on the PERADI exam site, or offline through a regional branch (DPC) in the listed cities, or directly at PERADI's national secretariat. A candidate counts as registered once the committee has issued a receipt (TTBP).
For the PKPA at UGM in 2026, applicants registered online between 22 June and 10 August 2026. They uploaded copies of their degree certificate, a formal photo, an ID card, a CV and proof of payment. The course ran from 13 to 29 August 2026.
After the exam
Candidates who pass receive a certificate and then take part in an appointment and oath-taking ceremony arranged by region.
FAQs
How often is the UPA held?
PERADI holds it twice a year. The 2025 second round was on 6 December 2025, and the 2026 round was on 11 July 2026.
Do I need a PKPA course before the UPA?
PKPA is the usual preparation course. Whether it is required for your round is stated in the official announcement on PERADI's website, so confirm it there.