Studying in Indonesia

What a year costs

Tuition is set by each university. The University of Indonesia (UI) publishes a range for its International Undergraduate Programme (KKI):

• IDR 16.6-64.5 million a semester (about US$1,006-3,909), depending on the faculty

That is roughly IDR 33-129 million a year. Graduate fees are set by each faculty; UI's international office asks applicants to contact admissions for current rates. Private universities set their own fees, sometimes per credit.

Living costs. UI estimates a student's monthly living cost at about US$678:

• Housing: US$200-264
• Food: US$200
• Utilities and internet: US$87
• Books and supplies: US$54
• Transport: US$40
• Miscellaneous: US$33

Housing is the item that varies most between cities, so check rents where your university is.

Immigration costs. Budget for the E30B visa and stay permit (IDR 6-8.5 million, see below) at the start and again at each renewal.

The visa

Degree students need an E30B higher education limited stay visa, followed by an ITAS (limited stay permit) issued on arrival. Master's and doctoral students at some universities are processed under the related E30C and E30D indexes; your university will tell you which applies.

The process runs through your university. It has three stages:

1. Study permit. Your university obtains a study permit (izin belajar) for you from the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology (Kemdiktisaintek). 2. Visa application. Your university, as sponsor, applies for the visa through the immigration e-Visa system (evisa.imigrasi.go.id). The University of Jember says processing takes about five working days after payment, and the visa is valid for 90 days from issue. 3. ITAS on arrival. Since 9 January 2024, the ITAS is issued at the point of entry: you give photos and fingerprints on arrival, get an arrival sticker, and the ITAS and re-entry permit are sent electronically to your sponsor.

Fees. The Directorate General of Immigration lists the E30B total:

• One year: IDR 6,000,000 (visa IDR 500,000; ITAS IDR 3,000,000; verification IDR 1,000,000; re-entry permit IDR 1,500,000)
• Two years: IDR 8,500,000 (visa IDR 500,000; ITAS IDR 5,000,000; verification IDR 1,000,000; re-entry permit IDR 2,000,000)

These rates follow Government Regulation 45 of 2024 on immigration fees.

The money: US$2,000. Universities, and the Yogyakarta immigration office's student visa page, state that you must show bank statements for the last three months with at least US$2,000 or the equivalent. The national E30B page does not print this figure, so treat it as the working minimum and confirm with your university before you apply.

Other documents include a passport with enough validity for the stay (UPN Veteran Yogyakarta asks for 18 months for a one-year permit and 30 months for two years), a recent colour photo, your letter of acceptance stating the programme length, and the sponsor's letters.

After arrival you must also register with the local police (STM) and the civil registry (SKTT). Your university's international office usually guides you through both. Start ITAS renewal early: BINUS University asks students to contact it at least six weeks before expiry.

Working while you study

You may not work. University guidance on the E30B is explicit: holders are "not permitted to work or engage in employment", and must not engage in activities inconsistent with the permit or sell goods or services.

In March 2026, Kemdiktisaintek reported discussions on allowing foreign students to do part-time academic work, such as teaching assistant, research assistant or research internship roles. These were proposals. Until a new regulation is published, the prohibition applies.

After you graduate

Indonesia has no post-study work visa or job-seeking stay. Your ITAS is tied to your studies. To work after graduating, you need an Indonesian employer to sponsor a work visa and stay permit.

The March 2026 Kemdiktisaintek discussions also covered simplifying visas when students move from one study level to the next, which would remove the need to exit Indonesia between, for example, a bachelor's and a master's. Check whether this has been implemented before you plan around it.

Language

International programmes teach in English. UI's International Undergraduate Programme asks for:

• TOEFL ITP 500 or TOEFL iBT 61
• IELTS 5.5
• FCE or CAE 154

UI accepts only certificates obtained from March 2024 onwards for current admissions. Students from English-medium schools may be exempt with confirmation from their school.

Regular programmes teach in Indonesian. Check the language of instruction for each programme: an international-sounding name does not guarantee English teaching. Indonesian is also the language of immigration offices, landlords and daily life outside the main cities,.

When to apply

Universities set their own intakes and deadlines; many start the academic year in the second half of the calendar year, and some international programmes offer a second intake. Check the admissions calendar of your chosen university.

Build the visa chain into your timeline. The study permit comes before the visa, the visa must be used within its validity, and your ITAS is issued on arrival. Ask your university how long its study permit application usually takes, and do not book flights until the visa is issued.

What to watch out for

Your university is your sponsor. You cannot apply for the E30B alone. Kemdiktisaintek has discussed letting students apply independently with a letter of acceptance, but as of March 2026 this was a proposal. Choose a university with an established international office that files visas regularly.

Passport validity. The minimum validity rises with the length of the permit: 18 months for a one-year ITAS and 30 months for a two-year ITAS at UPN Veteran Yogyakarta. Renew your passport before applying if you are close.

Carry your documents. Keep your ITAS and re-entry permit with your passport at all times, including when travelling within Indonesia.

Fee reductions under discussion. Kemdiktisaintek has discussed lower student visa fees and zero immigration fees for scholarship holders at state universities. Until these are implemented, budget for the full IDR 6-8.5 million.

Exit permit on leaving. When you finish, your university must arrange an Exit Permit Only (EPO) to close your stay permit. Make sure it is done before you fly.

Where these numbers come from

Rules change, sometimes at short notice. Every figure above carries the date we checked it. Check the official source before you rely on it, and note that the US$2,000 funds figure comes from university and immigration office guidance rather than the national E30B page.