Indonesia sends more students abroad than most Southeast Asian countries, and the choice of destination is increasingly driven by scholarship access, recognition back home, and field of study. This guide covers the six most popular and practical destinations for Indonesian students, with honest breakdowns of costs, English test requirements, and how to fund the move.
1. Australia — The Most Popular Destination
Australia is the number-one study abroad destination for Indonesian students by a significant margin — driven by geographic proximity (Bali to Darwin is 2 hours), a large Indonesian student and diaspora community, world-ranked universities, and generous post-study work rights.
| Factor | Detail |
|---|---|
| Flight from Jakarta | ~4 hours to Darwin; ~7 hours to Sydney/Melbourne |
| Tuition | AUD 20,000–45,000/year depending on programme and university |
| Living costs | AUD 1,800–2,800/month (Melbourne/Sydney); AUD 1,200–1,800/month (smaller cities) |
| English requirement | IELTS Academic 6.0–7.0 (most programmes); PTE Academic also widely accepted |
| Key scholarships | Australia Awards (fully funded — most important); LPDP (Indonesian government, can be used for Australia) |
| Post-study work | Temporary Graduate visa (Subclass 485) — 2–4 years depending on qualification and study location |
| Working rights during study | 48 hours per fortnight during term; unlimited during semester breaks (from 2023) |
Who it suits best: Indonesian students at all levels — bachelor's, master's, PhD. Australia has the most Indonesian alumni networks of any destination, which matters significantly for career support after returning to Indonesia.
English test note: IELTS and PTE Academic are both widely accepted at Australian universities. IELTS is slightly more established; PTE Academic delivers results in 48–72 hours and is preferred by some for the faster turnaround. Both are also accepted for the Subclass 500 student visa. See our IELTS vs TOEFL for Indonesian Students guide.
2. Netherlands — Historical Ties and English-Medium Education
The Netherlands has a unique relationship with Indonesia — four centuries of colonial history created lasting cultural, academic, and institutional connections. Many Dutch universities have strong Indonesian studies programmes and active Indonesian alumni associations. The StuNed scholarship is specifically designed for Indonesians going to the Netherlands.
| Factor | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tuition | €2,000–18,000/year for international students |
| Living costs | €1,000–1,400/month (Amsterdam); €800–1,100/month (other cities) |
| English requirement | IELTS 6.0–7.0 or TOEFL equivalent; Dutch not required for most English-medium master's |
| Key scholarships | StuNed (Studie in Nederland) — Indonesian government co-funded with Netherlands; covers partial to full costs |
| Language | Most master's programmes are English-medium |
| Post-study | 1-year orientation visa available after graduation |
Who it suits best: Indonesian postgraduate students in development, law, social sciences, agriculture, water management, and governance — fields where Dutch-Indonesian academic ties are particularly strong.
3. United Kingdom — Prestige and the Graduate Route Visa
The UK offers globally ranked universities and a 2-year post-study work visa (Graduate Route) that doesn't require a job offer in hand at the time of application. The costs are high but Chevening is one of the most generous scholarships available to Indonesian students.
| Factor | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tuition | £10,000–35,000/year (international fees) |
| Living costs | £900–1,800/month |
| English requirement (admission) | IELTS Academic 6.0–7.5 depending on university and programme |
| English requirement (visa) | IELTS UKVI Academic — not standard IELTS Academic |
| Key scholarships | Chevening (fully funded — tuition + living + flights; Indonesian applicants have a large annual allocation) |
| Post-study | Graduate Route visa — 2 years work after graduation (3 for PhD) |
Key note: Indonesian students need IELTS UKVI Academic for the UK student visa — not standard IELTS Academic. Taking IELTS UKVI Academic from the start satisfies both the university's admission requirement and the visa requirement in one sitting. See our UK Student Visa for Indonesian Students guide.
4. United States — Research Universities and Fulbright
US graduate programmes — particularly funded PhDs and Fulbright-supported master's — offer the highest research quality globally. The main challenges are cost (for unfunded programmes), TOEFL and GRE preparation, and the competitiveness of admission to top programmes.
| Factor | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tuition (funded PhD) | Free (tuition waiver + research/teaching assistant stipend ~$20,000–35,000/year) |
| Tuition (unfunded master's) | $25,000–60,000/year |
| Living costs | $1,200–2,500/month depending on city |
| English requirement | TOEFL iBT 2026 band 4.5–5.5 (legacy 90–109) or IELTS 6.5–7.5 |
| Key scholarships | Fulbright Indonesia (fully funded — administered by AMINEF, the American-Indonesian Exchange Foundation); LPDP (can be used for USA) |
| Visa | F-1 student visa — interview at US Embassy Jakarta |
Who it suits best: Indonesian students targeting PhD programmes in STEM, social sciences, or competitive master's with Fulbright funding. LPDP + US university funding packages are a powerful combination for doctoral study.
5. Germany — Free Tuition and DAAD Scholarships
Germany offers tuition-free public universities (~€350/semester administration fees only) and the DAAD scholarship system — making it the most cost-effective Western destination for Indonesian students willing to invest in German language skills or target English-taught master's programmes.
| Factor | Detail |
|---|---|
| Tuition | ~€350/semester (public universities) — effectively free |
| Living costs | €800–1,200/month |
| English requirement (English master's) | IELTS 6.0–7.0 or TOEFL band 4.0–5.0 |
| German requirement (German-taught) | B2–C1 German (TestDaF 4 or DSH-2) |
| Key scholarships | DAAD (multiple categories for Indonesian nationals); LPDP (can be used for Germany) |
| Post-study | 18-month job seeker visa; EU Blue Card for skilled workers |
Who it suits best: Indonesian students in engineering, natural sciences, economics, and technology at master's or PhD level. Germany has a growing number of English-taught master's programmes — DAAD or LPDP funding makes self-funded cost near zero.
6. Japan — MEXT and Strong Science Programmes
Japan is a growing destination for Indonesian students — driven by MEXT (Japanese government scholarships), strong research universities in science and engineering, and a long history of Japanese development cooperation with Indonesia.
| Factor | Detail |
|---|---|
| Language | Japanese (most programmes); English (growing number of graduate programmes, especially in engineering and science) |
| Tuition | ~¥535,800/year (national universities); reduced or free with MEXT scholarship |
| Living costs | |
| English requirement (English programmes) | IELTS 5.5–6.5 or TOEFL equivalent |
| Japanese requirement (Japanese programmes) | JLPT N2 or above |
| Key scholarships | MEXT (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) — fully funded, includes Japanese language study; LPDP also accepted for Japan |
Who it suits best: Indonesian students in science, engineering, and technology interested in Japanese academic culture, particularly for research-level (master's/PhD) study. MEXT is competitive but provides full funding including Japanese language training.
Quick Comparison
| Country | Effective Tuition | Living Cost/Month | Key English Test | Primary Scholarship |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia | AUD 20,000–45,000/yr | AUD 1,200–2,800 | IELTS or PTE | Australia Awards, LPDP |
| Netherlands | €2,000–18,000/yr | €800–1,400 | IELTS | StuNed |
| United Kingdom | £10,000–35,000/yr | £900–1,800 | IELTS UKVI Academic | Chevening, LPDP |
| United States | Free (funded PhD) / $25,000–60,000/yr | $1,200–2,500 | TOEFL or IELTS | Fulbright (AMINEF), LPDP |
| Germany | ~€700/yr (fees only) | €800–1,200 | IELTS (English master's) | DAAD, LPDP |
| Japan | $540–800 | IELTS or TOEFL (English programmes) | MEXT, LPDP |
The LPDP Factor
One unique feature of Indonesia's study abroad landscape is LPDP — the Indonesian government's endowment fund that funds Indonesian nationals at top universities worldwide. LPDP can be used for most of these destinations (Australia, Netherlands, UK, USA, Germany) and significantly changes the financial calculation for eligible students. See our LPDP Scholarship Complete Guide.
How to Choose
Cost-first: Germany (free tuition) or Japan (low living costs + MEXT). Both require additional language investment — German or Japanese.
Proximity + community: Australia — the largest Indonesian student and alumni community, closest geographically.
Prestige + research: USA for PhD; UK for master's (especially with Chevening).
English-medium without steep costs: Netherlands — English-medium master's at lower cost than UK, with StuNed scholarship access.
Regardless of destination, IELTS is the required English test for Australia, Netherlands, UK, and (with IELTS UKVI) the UK visa. Start preparation early — the LPDP scholarship specifically requires a minimum IELTS score before you can apply.
Prepare for IELTS with Gabble — AI-powered Speaking and Writing practice with instant band scores, so you know exactly where you stand before applying to your target university or scholarship.