Islamophobia in education: perceptions on the wear of veil/niqab in higher education

The purpose of this research is to determine the reasons and motivations for wearing the veil among female students. This research method uses a phenomenological approach as part of qualitative research. Participants in this research were female students from private universities in Yogyakarta. In-depth interviews using an interview guide instrument are a technique in data collection. Data analysis using semantic reduction is done by identifying important statements from the results of the interview, determining the theme of the discussion, and describing the significance of the whole experience of veiled students. The findings of this research indicate that there are five main themes in the wear of the veil in universities, namely the average age of female students who wear a veil, motivation and reasons for wearing a veil, perceptions from within themselves and their environment, constraints encountered, and consistency in wearing a veil. Some of the findings obtained are certainly new references that need to be further developed. Knowledge of Islamophobia, especially the perception of the veil phenomenon, is important for educational institutions in determining policy and for the community to be a reference in dealing with the phenomenon.