Indonesian students have access to a broader range of international scholarships than students from most countries — driven by the Indonesian government's own LPDP endowment fund, bilateral scholarship programmes with Australia, Netherlands, UK, Germany, USA, Japan, and Korea, and competitive general scholarships. This guide covers every major programme, what it covers, and what English test score you need.
1. LPDP — Indonesian Government, Most Comprehensive
LPDP (Lembaga Pengelola Dana Pendidikan) is the Indonesian government's endowment fund for education — the most important scholarship for Indonesians studying abroad.
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| Destination | Worldwide — approved universities (QS top 500 and selected others) |
| Level | Master's (S2) and Doctoral (S3) |
| Covers | Full tuition + living allowance + airfare + research allowance + health insurance + conference funding |
| IELTS minimum | 6.5 overall (most tracks) |
| TOEFL minimum | ~Band 4.5 (legacy ~90) |
| Bond obligation | Return to Indonesia for 2× scholarship duration (minimum 2 years) |
| Application | beasiswalpdp.kemenkeu.go.id — multiple batches per year |
See our LPDP Scholarship Complete Guide for full details.
2. Australia Awards — Australian Government, Indonesia Largest Recipient
Australia Awards is the Australian government's flagship development scholarship. Indonesia is one of the largest recipient countries globally.
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| Destination | Australia only |
| Level | Primarily Master's; some bachelor's and short courses |
| Covers | Full tuition + monthly living allowance + airfare + OSHC + establishment allowance + funded English pre-course if needed |
| IELTS minimum | 6.0 overall (pre-course English support provided if needed) |
| Development focus | Priority sectors aligned with Australian development strategy in Indonesia |
| Regional priority | Strong preference for applicants from outside Java, eastern Indonesia, 3T regions |
| Bond obligation | Return to Indonesia for at least 2 years after graduation |
| Application | australiaawardsindonesia.org — annual window, typically February–April |
See our Australia Awards Scholarship for Indonesian Students guide for full details.
3. StuNed — Netherlands Government, Indonesia-Specific
StuNed (Studie in Nederland) is a scholarship specifically for Indonesian students to study in the Netherlands, co-funded by the Dutch and Indonesian governments.
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| Destination | Netherlands only |
| Level | Master's (primary); short courses and MBA |
| Covers | Tuition contribution + living allowance + airfare; exact coverage varies by sub-programme |
| IELTS minimum | 6.0–6.5 depending on the programme and Dutch university |
| Application | Through the Nuffic Neso Indonesia office (nuffic.nl) |
| Application window | Typically October – February for following-year studies |
| Note | StuNed and LPDP can sometimes be combined; verify current rules |
Who it suits best: Indonesian postgraduate students interested in the Netherlands — development studies, water management, law, social sciences, agriculture, and governance are fields of particular Dutch-Indonesian academic strength.
4. Chevening — UK Government, Fully Funded
Chevening is the UK government's flagship international scholarship. Indonesia receives a substantial annual allocation.
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| Destination | United Kingdom only |
| Level | One-year Master's degree |
| Covers | Full tuition + monthly living allowance + airfare + visa fees |
| Work experience | Minimum 2 years required |
| IELTS minimum | 6.5 overall (no band below 6.0); IELTS UKVI Academic for the visa |
| Application window | August – November each year |
| Results | March – April |
Who it suits best: Indonesian mid-career professionals targeting a one-year UK master's at a top institution, with a strong leadership narrative. Chevening is competitive but Indonesia's allocation is generous — it is one of the top recipient countries globally.
5. DAAD — Germany, Research and Postgraduate
DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) offers multiple scholarship categories for Indonesian nationals for study in Germany.
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| Destination | Germany only |
| Level | Master's, PhD, research stays |
| Covers | Monthly stipend ( |
| IELTS minimum (English master's) | 6.0–7.0 depending on German university programme |
| German language (German-taught) | TestDaF 4 or DSH-2 (B2–C1 German) |
| Application | daad.de/en — various deadlines by category, typically October–December |
See our DAAD Scholarship Guide.
6. Fulbright Indonesia — USA, Fully Funded
Fulbright Indonesia is administered by AMINEF (American Indonesian Exchange Foundation) and funds Indonesian nationals to pursue graduate study in the United States.
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| Destination | United States only |
| Level | Master's and Doctoral |
| Covers | Full tuition + living stipend + airfare + health insurance |
| IELTS minimum | 6.5 or TOEFL iBT legacy 80+ (band ~4.0) |
| Application | Through AMINEF (aminef.or.id) — annual window, typically April–June |
| GRE | May be required depending on field and target US programme |
| Competitiveness | Very competitive — strong personal statement, study plan, and academic record required |
Who it suits best: High-achieving Indonesian students targeting PhD programmes or prestigious master's in the USA, particularly in STEM, social sciences, arts, or policy fields.
7. MEXT — Japan, Fully Funded
MEXT (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology) is the Japanese government scholarship for Indonesian students to study in Japan.
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| Destination | Japan only |
| Level | Undergraduate, Master's, Doctoral |
| Covers | Full tuition + monthly stipend (~¥117,000–145,000) + airfare |
| Language | Japanese (most programmes) — Japanese language training included; English (growing number of graduate programmes) |
| IELTS minimum (English programmes) | 5.5–6.5 depending on Japanese university programme |
| Application | Through Japanese Embassy Jakarta — annual window, typically April–June |
| Japanese language | Provided as part of the scholarship for those without Japanese proficiency |
Who it suits best: Indonesian students in science, engineering, and technology with an interest in Japanese academic culture. MEXT is particularly strong for doctoral-level research in STEM.
8. KGSP — Korea, Fully Funded
The Korean Government Scholarship Program (KGSP / GKS) is South Korea's government scholarship, open to Indonesian nationals.
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| Destination | South Korea only |
| Level | Undergraduate, Master's, Doctoral |
| Covers | Full tuition + monthly stipend (~KRW 900,000–1,000,000) + airfare + Korean language training |
| IELTS minimum (English programmes) | 5.5–6.0 (Korean language course provided for all; many programmes in English at graduate level) |
| Application | Through Korean Embassy Jakarta OR through Korean universities directly — two separate tracks |
| Application window | Typically March – April each year |
Scholarship Comparison at a Glance
| Scholarship | Destination | Level | IELTS Minimum | Application Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LPDP | Worldwide | Master's, PhD | 6.5 | Multiple batches/year |
| Australia Awards | Australia | Master's | 6.0 | Feb – April |
| StuNed | Netherlands | Master's | 6.0–6.5 | Oct – Feb |
| Chevening | UK | Master's (1 year) | 6.5 | Aug – Nov |
| DAAD | Germany | Master's, PhD | 6.0–7.0 (English) | Oct – Dec |
| Fulbright Indonesia | USA | Master's, PhD | 6.5 (or TOEFL 80+) | April – June |
| MEXT | Japan | All levels | 5.5–6.5 (English) | April – June |
| KGSP | Korea | All levels | 5.5–6.0 | March – April |
Which Scholarships Can Be Combined?
- LPDP + Australia Awards: Generally cannot be combined for the same programme — pick one
- LPDP + DAAD: Can sometimes be combined with prior approval from both agencies — check current rules
- LPDP + StuNed: Combination may be possible; confirm with Nuffic Neso and LPDP
- Chevening + LPDP: Cannot be combined — both are full scholarship programmes
The IELTS Score as the Common Gate
With one exception (Japan's MEXT which handles language training internally), every major scholarship on this list requires an IELTS score as a prerequisite for application. The minimum ranges from 6.0 (Australia Awards, StuNed, DAAD) to 6.5 (LPDP, Chevening, Fulbright).
Most Indonesian students need to build from an intermediate level — the difference between where many students are (IELTS 5.0–5.5) and where they need to be (6.0–6.5) represents 2–6 months of targeted preparation for most candidates.
Prepare for IELTS with Gabble — AI-powered Speaking and Writing practice with instant band scores. Track your progress from your current level to the 6.0 or 6.5 threshold that unlocks the scholarship you're targeting.