Study and Research Opportunities in Indonesia

Long and short-term academic programs are available in Indonesia across many universities and educational centers. International students and researchers may apply to BA, MA, Ph.D., and postdoctoral research programs in Indonesia. Moreover, summer schools and conferences are other excellent academic activities that make Indonesia an attractive destination for scholars and scientists. Many programs also come with fully-funded scholarships and fellowships as well as travel grants and financial aid, thus every student, researcher, and professor can always find a suitable program in Indonesia and apply.

Scholarships in Indonesia

Fellowships & Grants in Indonesia

Summer Programs in Indonesia

Indonesia as an academic destination

The summer is approaching, and probably your first association about Indonesia is a paradise Bali. It's the flagship island of Indonesia, which attracts millions of visitors every year. For you, as a student, there is an excellent opportunity to combine study, travel, and living experience in Indonesia. If you are lucky enough, the above funding opportunities will also help you fulfill the goal of studying in Indonesia with low or no costs.

Indonesia offers a variety of higher educational institutions to international students. There are five main types of institutions in the country.

Universities offer a broad interdisciplinary education in many academic directions.
Institutes offer degrees in more specialized, the narrower scope of academic directions.
Colleges usually specialize in only one direction and provide proficiency certificates at only the undergraduate level.
Polytechnics deliver vocational degrees to many scientific directions, mainly technical fields.
Academies are generally similar to colleges and provide vocational and undergraduate degrees in specific directions.

Universities in Indonesia

The active development phase of Indonesian universities began after 1945 when the country became independent. Within five years after the country's independence, in 1950, there were only ten universities in the country. With time the necessity to satisfy the population's need for higher education, many new universities were founded. Indonesia has the fourth-largest population in the world. That's why the number of educational institutions is also huge.

Currently, you can find any university and any level of degree in Indonesia. There are around 3000 universities with around 6000 international students in them every year. To speak about the country's academic competitiveness, here is a bit of contrast. From one point of view, Indonesia has the highest level of illiteracy among all the Southeast Asia, despite it is the largest economy in the region. This is the result of the gaps in the country's higher education system. Yet, you can get a quality education in Indonesia as eight of the country's universities are included in the QS rankings. Those include:

The first three universities in the list are the top trio of Indonesian higher educational institutions.

The University of Indonesia is the oldest in the country, which operates since 1849. Banding Institute of Technology was originally a branch of Deutsch Delft Institute of Technology, which later became an independent university and was renamed in 1959. Gajah Mada University is the biggest one in Indonesia, with its 18 faculties distributed in big and small cities across the country.

There are opportunities to find English-taught courses in Indonesian universities. Still, you are highly encouraged to learn at least basic expressions in the country's official language, Indonesian, before you visit the country. This is essential because English is popular in only the major cities in academic and everyday communication levels. For other parts, there are around 700 recognized language modifications across islands, and based on where you will reside and study, it will be highly beneficial to acquire the language of locals.

International Student Expenses in Indonesia

Indonesia is Asia, which means your university tuition fees will be less expensive than the US or European university fees. As almost everywhere, medical degrees in Indonesia cost one of the most costly. For the other degrees, students usually pay from 3,000-6,500 $ per academic year.

Indonesia is a collection of almost 17,000 islands, in 6,000 of which there is an opportunity to live. So, based on where you stay and study, the living costs will vary. Jakarta is one of the largest and, therefore, most expensive countries in Indonesia. It's the capital of the country. The average living cost in the country can reach 8,500-9,000 $ per year.

Working Opportunities in Indonesia

Student visa does not allow international students to work in Indonesia. To have the working opportunities, you should apply and get a work permit or work KITAS, the type of visa in Indonesia. Indonesia is not inclined to let students work while they study. This might be justified by the popular arguments that countries with similar approaches usually bring, such as students are more concentrated on studies when they do not have the other permanent activity except for studies. Also, for this reason, students must prove their financial ability to support their stay in the country without additional income.

A study abroad destination should not only offer students a quality education but also a diversity of cultures, languages, and lifestyles. By intensive intercultural communication, students grow both in an academic and personal context. In this regard, Indonesia is a melting pot of very different communities, which will grant you an unforgettable study experience. We hope this section of ARMACAD will help you in that.