The increasing popularity of study abroad programs is evident in the number of scholarship applications received by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology in 2024. Over 15.000 students applied for exchange scholarships, while over 4.000 was accepted to master's and doctoral degrees abroad. Various programs are available for students looking to broaden their horizons and expand their global network.
Several scholarship options cater to both current undergraduate students and recent graduates seeking international study opportunities. Looking for a chance to study abroad? Here are some available scholarship options and essential preparation tips:
For Current Undergraduate Students:
- The Global Undergraduate Exchange Program (Global UGRAD) offers a semester-long student exchange programme at various universities in the United States. This scholarship provides benefits such as tuition fees for one semester, airfare to the United States, accommodation, and pocket money. More information is available at the following link: https://www.aminef.or.id/.
- Erasmus+: A one-semester student exchange scholarship opportunity through the co-operation of Indonesian universities with European educational institutions. The scholarship provides a monthly stipend, insurance, return travel tickets and tuition fees for one semester. For more information, visit the following link: https://ehef.id/.
- Other Exchange Programs: Some universities offer various student exchange programmes. For more information, contact your university's International Office through their website or the main university website. You can search for it with the keywords ‘International Affairs Office [name of your university]’.
For Recent Graduates:
- Chevening Scholarships: Fully funded scholarships from the UK government for one-year master's programs at any UK university, covering full tuition, accommodation, and airfare. Visit https://www.chevening.org/.
- GREAT Scholarships: Offers £10,000 towards tuition for one-year postgraduate courses, jointly funded by the UK government and the British Council. Visit https://study-uk.britishcouncil.org/.
- Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters (EMJM): Fully funded scholarships for integrated master's programs, covering full tuition, visa, travel, and a living allowance. Visit https://erasmus-plus.ec.europa.eu/ for more information.
Tips for Preparing Your Scholarship Application:
- Research: Research universities and scholarship programmes that suit your interests and abilities. Understand the requirements and prepare the required documents including the required English proficiency test score.
- Ask Alumni: Gain valuable insights about IELTS and studying abroad from the alumni association of the relevant university's scholarship recipient community.
- Prepare for the English Proficiency Test: IELTS is one of the tests accepted by more than 12,500 global organizations, including for overseas scholarships. Focus on achieving the required score. Here are some tips: Intensive practice, master the four aspects (Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking), familiarise yourself with the test format and manage your time. Register for your IELTS test through the British Council and take the online preparation classes available during registration.
Prepare for studying abroad with the IELTS test. When you register for the IELTS test at British Council Indonesia, you will get online access to preparation materials, including IELTS Ready Premium. These materials provide practice tests for each section (Listening, Reading, Writing and Speaking), masterclasses and other learning facilities. The programme is available free of charge exclusively to British Council IELTS test takers and can be accessed up to seven days after the test date.
Arnold Simanjuntak, Senior Business Development Manager at the British Council Indonesia Foundation, explains, "As an institution that has been involved in English language development since 1934, the British Council understands the needs of students who dream of studying abroad. British Council IELTS supports test takers from preparation to results and is recognised by universities and other education providers around the world.”
For more information about British Council IELTS programs, please visit https://www.britishcouncilfoundation.id.