Based on data from Etio’s international student barometer, 93% of over 1,800 Indonesian students surveyed said they were “satisfied or very satisfied” with their overseas study experience, a higher percentage than most other nationalities, as per responses from more than 106,000 international students across 24 countries.
Students from Indonesia, the world’s fourth most populous country, reported a higher level of contentment than peers from the two most populous nations, India (92%) and China (88%).
Moreover, 98% of Indonesian students cited future career impact as their primary reason for studying abroad, slightly above the global average of 96%.
Other key factors included qualification reputation (97%), earning potential (96%), institution reputation (96%), country reputation (97%), and personal safety (97%).
“The reasons they choose to study overseas are not dissimilar from other nationalities with 98% of them saying that future career impact is key,” wrote Guy Perring, regional director, Asia at Etio, in the report, ‘The voice of the Indonesian student’.
“So, improving their career prospects and, indeed, future earnings are key factors for Indonesian students in choosing an institution.”
As per the latest UNESCO data (2022), over 62,800 Indonesian students studied abroad, a nearly 30% increase since 2017.
While Australia remained the top destination, hosting over 22,000 Indonesian students thanks to its proximity, other countries like Malaysia, the US, Japan, the UK, and Germany have also attracted a significant share of Indonesia’s outbound students, over the years.
Perring noted that the Etio survey’s insights on Indonesian students are particularly significant given that Indonesia is a “sleeping giant”, and its student dynamics differ from countries like India and China.
“British and Australian universities are always visiting India and China, and the big institutes are well established there. Indonesian students, on the other hand, are more reliant on agents and exhibitions to get that chance,” Perring told The PIE.
Compared to China and India, most Indonesian students are looking for universities that offer scholarships or are on the list of Indonesian government scholarships
Andrias Soesilo, consultant
Unlike other countries, 33% of Indonesian students said that alumni and 32% said that educational exhibition fairs play an important role in influencing their study abroad choices, compared to global averages of 24% and 15%, respectively.
The report adds, via Etio’s associate consultant Andrias Soesilo, that unlike China and India, where students often visit campuses and access regional offices, Indonesian students are typically engaged through local fairs, agents, or schools.
Indonesia is also largely “scholarship-driven”, according to Soesilo, setting it apart from the two Asian giants.
“Compared to China and India, most Indonesian students are looking for universities that offer scholarships or are on the list of Indonesian government scholarships,” stated Soesilo.
“The Indonesian government has been quite generous in providing full scholarships for Indonesian students to study undergraduate or postgraduate programmes at top universities in the world, but the number of scholarships given is still a low percentage compared to the number of students applying for these scholarships.”
While the report shows that Indonesian students perform strongly on indicators such as making good contacts for the future (88%) and participating in social activities (91%), both 6-7% higher than global averages, mental health support (64%) stands out as a clear area where Indonesian students lag behind other nationalities.
“It was the thing that sort of stood out, when we looked at the data. And again, speaking to colleagues in Indonesia, they think there’s more reluctance among Indonesian students to rely on outside help, and so they lean more on their own socio-family or social networks for support. Institutions in the UK and Australia need to be more aware of that,” noted Perring.
Additional findings shared by Etio showed that while global satisfaction with accommodation quality and access to suitable accommodation stands at 82% and 77% respectively, satisfaction with accommodation cost drops significantly to 56%.
The cost of studying abroad, like in many other emerging economies, is playing a major role in Indonesian students’ decision-making, a point highlighted by Soesilo, who noted that parents in the archipelagic country now fall into two distinct camps.
“The affluent – the ones who send their children to study at international school, to them cost is not an issue, they are willing (and have the funding) to finance their children to study at top ranking universities in the US, the UK or Australia,” stated Soesilo.
“Then, we have parents that come from the middle class who still want their children to study abroad but to more affordable destinations like Singapore, China, Hong Kong or middle-lower ranked universities in the US, Australia or the UK. They are also more open to pathway or dual degree programmes offered in Indonesia (or neighbouring countries like Singapore), which could reduce the amount of time and cost for getting an international qualification.”
While concerns around affordability are pushing Indonesian students toward closer destinations, the trend mirrors a broader shift across East Asia as countries ramp up internationalisation efforts – a move seen as key to sustaining regional economic growth.
But that hasn’t stopped Indonesian students from expecting more post-study work opportunities, a shift from earlier views held by local agents, who believed this wasn’t a major factor in their study abroad decisions.
“Before, the quality of education was the top reason in choosing study destination countries, now the possibility of internship, working while studying, opportunity to work and stay after their studies and to some extent the chance of becoming a permanent resident, becomes other key things that Indonesian students consider in deciding where they are going to study abroad,” stated Soesilo.
“Especially now with the situation in Indonesia, politically and in terms of job opportunities, there are a lot of negative perceptions from the young people/generation about living in Indonesia.”
While Indonesian students are generally seen as a “satisfied group”, Perring believes there are still key gaps that need attention, a view supported by data from the report.
“Employability is key as the link between learning and careers. Indonesian students also want the ability to do internships, and the visa process also needs to be made easier,” he said.
