In broad terms, education in Indonesia has been one of the most neglected sectors of the聽country's economic progress over the past few decades. The Indonesian education system is聽considered to be based more on the number of graduating students rather than on the quality聽of teaching. As such, the country has been struggling to catch up with other countries in the聽region, like Malaysia, which is by far a regional leader in terms of education.
However, the Indonesian archipelago is still home to some top-notch universities, located聽mainly in the vicinity of Jakarta and Bali, which are the two most important places of residence聽for expatriates in Indonesia. Bali, in this case, hosts a rather impressive number of universities聽for its relatively small聽geographical area. There are no less than 14 universities in Bali, spread聽over an area of just over 5,000 km 2 .
Out of an estimated 6,000 international students attending universities in Indonesia, a fair聽share have chosen to study in Bali. Whereas it is generally thought that most of the Balinese聽universities offer average quality education, the island also boasts a few universities that rate聽among the best in Indonesia. In fact, many of these international students usually opt for Bali as聽part of university exchange programs, mostly to experience the charms of the Balinese lifestyle.
Unfortunately, no statistics are available about the number of international students in Bali, but聽one can assume that there are at least several hundred students who attend Balinese聽universities each year. This is because Bali remains a popular destination for many overseas聽students participating in聽university exchange programs. Several Australian universities have聽signed such programs with Balinese universities, allowing students to spend a semester or more聽in Bali.
Higher education in Bali
Studying abroad is one of those experiences that leave a lifelong impression on young adults. It聽is an opportunity for them to get acquainted with a foreign culture, broaden their horizons, and聽become more open-minded while building an international network that can be useful for their聽future careers.聽
Local universities offer several English-speaking curricula for international students wishing to聽study in Bali via student exchange programs for a semester or more. Not only do they provide聽for direct immersion in the Balinese culture and way of life, but they also allow the credits thus聽generated to be easily reclaimed by the students' home university.
Even though the number of universities and study programs available on the island may appear聽extensive, very few Balinese universities are reputed to offer solid academic programs. Of those聽that are open to foreigners, many are quite lax, seeking primarily to attract international聽students by selling聽Bali's lazy lifestyle rather than the expected rigor and quality of university
courses. This seems to fall totally in line with the fact that there are very few international聽students who come to the island only to study!
Which are the best universities in Bali?
There are around 15 universities in the Bali region, and at least 4 of them offer courses that are聽open to international students. Most of the Balinese universities are located around Denpasar,聽the capital city in the south of the Balinese province. In that same vein, Denpasar can be聽regarded as the student capital of Bali, but this title could also go to Kuta, where bars and聽discos are among the favorite hangouts of international students in Bali.
To be fair, it should be mentioned that studying in Bali is not only about fun and wild parties.聽Several Balinese universities offer excellent international courses, as well as high-quality聽traditional courses.
The cost of a year's study in Bali ranges from 3,000 to 6,000 euros per year, on average.聽However, you should be aware that courses offered to international students are usually more聽expensive than the normal Indonesian curriculum. On top of that, you need to budget for daily聽living expenses (accommodation, food, entertainment), which are generally affordable. You聽should expect to pay around US$600-700 per month to live comfortably in Bali.
The best universities on the island are, without a doubt:
-
Udayana University
Established in 1962, Udaya University is the largest and most prestigious university in Bali and聽the only state-owned university in Indonesia. The institution hosts no less than 13 departments,聽ranging from medicine to law, through agroforestry.
Udayana University offers a specially tailored curriculum for international students. The courses聽range from undergraduate to postgraduate and doctorate. The institution also offers short-term summer courses and business, economics, marketing, law, tourism, communication,聽culture and language are the major subjects taught there.
University fees range from EUR 3,999 for summer courses to EUR 1,990 per semester for聽undergraduate programs. For more detailed information, check the conditions and聽requirements on the university's official website, GoBali. You will also find out more about聽services for international students as well as the admission process, details on housing,聽insurance, and transportation for newcomers wishing to study in Bali.
-
Universitas Pendidikan Ganesha
This university, established through a public-private partnership agreement, is also known as聽the Ganesha University of Education. It is well known on the island and is among the best聽private universities in the region of Bali, West Nusa Tenggara and East Nusa Tenggara. It has 8聽departments and about 20 undergraduate and graduate programs. International students can聽study at UNDIKNAS as part of their international business, management and accounting
program. They can choose to study for 1 or 2 semesters, but they can also choose to obtain a聽three- or four-year degree. The courses offered range from Bachelor's to Master's degrees, but聽not beyond. University fees start at EUR 1,650 per semester, depending on the chosen diploma.
As a matter of interest, please note that this school was previously called Pendidikan Nasional聽Bali, and was recently renamed in honor of the Hindu god Ganesh. In Bali, where the Hindu聽religion is strongly established, it is indeed quite customary to place a school under the聽protection of a Hindu god or goddess.
-
University of Warmadewa
The University of Warmadewa, yet another private university, is renowned for its international聽bachelor's or master's degree program in Indonesian聽 language and culture, business, economic聽management, strategic management, tourism, politics, environmental sustainability,聽entrepreneurship and management. Fees start at EUR 1,650 per semester, and courses are聽generally of good quality. Warmadewa is among the most popular local universities for聽international students. This is undoubtedly due to its high admission rate, which sits at around聽78%.
-
Triatma Mulya Stenden University
This private university is an ideal choice if you want to do a full course of study in Bali. It is a聽joint initiative between the Triatma Mulya Universities in Bali and the University of Applied聽Sciences in Stenden, the Netherlands. The Bali campus offers two Dutch bachelo's degree聽courses in business administration and international hospitality management, taught in English聽by lecturers from around the world. As the university's website states, Dutch education is聽considered one of the best in the world.
Thanks to such a partnership, students can undertake their studies in Bali with the possibility of聽expatriation for a year in the Netherlands. The cost per semester is approximately 3,850 euros.聽The curriculum also includes personal coaching and a career development program. Triatma聽Mulyan Stenden University certainly offers some of the most professional academic programs聽available on the island of Bali..
Attending this institution is a good option for foreigners who want to stay on the island for a聽longer period of time Furthermore, considering that most of the lectures are held 3 or 4 days a聽week, this leaves time to travel and explore the country and going to the neighboring islands of
Lombok, Gili or Java, which are easily accessible by boat. And why not go further into the Asia-Pacific region if you have the opportunity? With countries like Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam or聽Thailand all within reach, you may well have the opportunity to treat yourself to fantastic trips聽at very affordable prices.
-
Seni Indonesia Institute Denpasar
Located in the Denpasar vicinity, like most of Bali's academic institutions, the Seni Indonesia聽Denpasar Institute is known throughout Indonesia, and more especially for its art department.聽Commonly referred to as ISI Denpasar, the institution offers several academic art programs that聽range from painting to film, through sculpture, photography, dance, and more. The courses are聽relatively light and allow exchange students to study in a relaxed mode and enjoy the many聽activities throughout the island.
While famous for its art department, ISI Denpasar also offers several other interesting streams聽and opportunities for international students in Bali, such as languages, literature, engineering,聽and sciences, to name a few. In addition, the atmosphere on campus is said to be bohemian聽and rather open, which is quite unusual in Bali, an island where most people are quite聽conservative.
-
Mahasaraswati University Denpasar
Like several other Balinese universities, Mahasaraswati University Denpasar owes its name to a聽Hindu deity: Saraswati, the goddess of education, creativity and music, with the prefix "maha" or "maa" meaning "mother". Founded in 1982, this private institution has 8 departments and,聽as says its name, is located in Denpasar. Even if the name of the goddess of creativity and music聽may suggest it, Mahasaraswati University is less renowned for its artistic curriculum than its聽neighbor, ISI Denpasar. Nevertheless, the institution remains of solid value in the Balinese聽university landscape, being among the oldest and most respected tertiary institutions on the聽island.
Student life in Bali
Best known as a tourist destination rather than a place of learning, Bali can be tricky for many聽students. With its natural beauty, its population of young expatriates, surfers and tourists, not聽to mention the numerous bars, restaurants and discotheques, the island has enough聽distractions that can draw the most studious students out into a frenzy of parties and activities聽other than those for which they are here.
In fact, few international students come to Bali solely to study. Many local universities have聽taken this into account and have made special arrangements in their programs for expatriates聽so that they can enjoy the island during their free time. Many local institutions organize meet-up days for foreign and/or Balinese students, often in a paradisiacal place. You can visit聽asiaexchange.com if you want to learn more about these events and attend some of them.聽Most of the student days on the island open to expatriates are indicated there.
Important:
Be sure to learn how to study and have fun at the same time while taking advantage of the聽adapted programs offered by Balinese universities to enjoy the island of the Gods to the fullest!
Covid-19 and higher studies in Bali
As the Covid-19 epidemic in Indonesia has been on the decline since early 2022, the country has聽undertaken to reopen its borders in phases. However, there are still some small peculiarities in聽Bali, especially in terms of education. At the time of updating this article, university courses are聽still not delivered face-to-face and are conducted online via video conferencing. The system聽seems to work well in Bali, and courses are still held more or less normally if we believe what聽local university officials say.
Useful links:
We do our best to provide accurate and up to date information. However, if you have noticed any inaccuracies in this article, please let us know in the comments section below.
