Helicopter parenting has a significant effect on the development of students independent learning, particularly among students in countries with a collectivist family culture, such as Indonesia. In an Indonesian context, the role of parents in their children's academic lives is fundamental, and many parents are involved in every stage of their children's education. Nevertheless, some studies indicate that students raised in an environment where parents exert significant control tend to rely more heavily on their parents when making academic decisions, such as choosing a major, setting career goals, or even seeking employment after graduation. This study aims to examine the influence of Helicopter Parenting on the Self-Directed Learning (SDL) ability of students in Indonesia. Data were collected from 112 college students using a questionnaire that had been tested for reliability (Cronbach's Alpha SDL = 0.959; HP = 0.946). The results of the analysis showed that there was a significant negative relationship between Helicopter Parenting and SDL (r = -0.695, p < 0.01). A simple linear regression showed that Helicopter Parenting explained 48.3% of SDL variability. These findings show that excessive parental involvement impacts low student learning independence. Moreover, this research provides theoretical implications for autonomy theory in collectivist cultures, as well as practical recommendations for parents and educational institutions to support the development of SDL. Theoretically, this study implements the theory of autonomy in a collectivist culture; practically, this study offers strategies that can be applied by parents and educational institutions to support the development of independent learning in students.