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Current U.S. Student

United States citizens who are currently enrolled in undergraduate or graduate degree programs are eligible to apply.If you are currently enrolled in an undergraduate or graduate program at a U.S. college or university, you will apply through that institution, even if you are not currently a resident there. Find the Fulbright Program Adviser on your campus.

U.S. Citizen but not a Student

If you are a U.S. citizen, will hold a bachelor’s degree by the award start date, and do not have a Ph.D. degree, then you are eligible to apply. Non-enrolled applicants should have relatively limited professional experience in the fields (typically 7 years or less) in which they are applying. Candidates with more experience should consider applying for the Fulbright Scholar Program.

The Getting Started page will provide information on eligibility and next steps.

Artist

The Fulbright U.S. Student Program welcomes applications in the creative and performing arts. Arts candidates for the U.S. Student Program should have relatively limited professional experience in the fields (typically 7 years or less) in which they are applying. Artists with more experience should consider applying for the Fulbright Scholar Program.

Creative & Performing Arts projects fall under the Study/Research grant category and are available in all countries where Study/Research grants are offered.

FPA

U.S. Professor/Administrator

If you are a U.S. citizen and a professor or administrator at a U.S. institution and are interested in applying for a Fulbright Scholar Award, you will need to apply through fulbrightscholars.org.

To support your students in applying for a U.S. Student Program award, please connect with the Fulbright Program Adviser at your institution.

Non U.S. Citizens

If you are a non-U.S. citizen interested in applying for a Fulbright Award to the United States, you will need to apply through the Fulbright Commission or U.S. Embassy in your home country. Find out more information on the Fulbright Visiting Scholar Program or Fulbright Foreign Student Program.

Indonesia

15 Open Study/Research Award

Accepted Degree Levels
  • Bachelor's
  • Master's
  • Doctoral
Grant Period
Flexible Start
Grant Length
10 Months
Award Type
Open Study/Research
Award Profile

As the largest country in Southeast Asia, Indonesia is rich in its biodiversity and cultural diversity, boasting many accolades. With more than 300 ethnic groups and more than 700 spoken languages, Indonesia is included in the list of 17 mega-diverse countries. Currently, the fourth most populous country in the world, Indonesia is also the third largest democracy with an increasing economic power, as proven by its G20 membership. With all of these opportunities come many challenges, making Indonesia a hotbed for research in various fields of study. 

The Fulbright Commission in Indonesia (AMINEF) provides grants for a 10-month individual research project, carried out as part of a doctoral or master’s degree program, or for a non-degree research project. Grantees have conducted research ranging from orangutan, rainforest, Indonesian pop music, economics, politics, history, cultural anthropology, linguistics, etc. 

Conducting research in Indonesia has been proven a rewarding experience for many Fulbrighters. Besides working on their projects, Fulbright Student Researchers will also meet, live with, and learn from Indonesians, sharing daily experiences. At the end of their grant, Grantees not only will learn more about this fascinating country but also build meaningful connections with Indonesians. 

 

(Fulbright Student Researcher Eva Mann trained students from her host university, Universitas Nasional, in an AMINEF-funded workshop)

 

Grant Length
10 Months
Grant Period
Flexible Start

The grant is for 10 months, with the earliest start on September 1, 2025, and the latest on May 31, 2026. Grantees are expected to honor the full nature of the research period. 

Orientation
Pre-Departure and In-Country Orientation

Selected candidates will join a virtual Pre-Departure Orientation in Summer 2025. They will also join in-country arrival orientation in Jakarta at the start of their grant. 

Candidate Profile

Candidates must be independent, mature, articulate, resourceful, flexible, and have a feasible research proposal. They are highly encouraged to be in contact with an Indonesian host institution (university, research center, museum, or art institution) before applying for the grant and should submit affiliation letters with their applications. 

Candidates with only a bachelor's degree must be sure to submit well-thought-out and methodologically rigorous proposals and present a strong plan for using the future research results.

Following Indonesian Government regulation, all candidates must have plans to jointly publish with their Indonesian counterparts the result of their research at accredited journal publications. 

What is life like for Fulbrighters in the host country?

Fulbright Student Researchers conduct their projects independently. Depending on their fields, each Fulbrighter has their own unique daily life. Environment researchers, for example, can stay in the deep of the rainforests for months, trailing for animals they study. Those studying Indonesia's history go to the nation's archive centers every day. Meanwhile, arts or music researchers study from renowned Indonesian artists. Of course, they also still get to enjoy the beauty of Indonesia when not doing their research. Despite all of their diverse backgrounds, they all say that their Fulbright experience contributes to their personal and professional growth.

"My Fulbright grant in Indonesia, simply put, made me grow exponentially as a researcher, student, young scholar, and, overall, as a person. It instilled in me a new dimension and level of patience, friendliness, collaboration, cooperation, and humility (Daniel McCoy, Fulbright Student Researcher, 2022)"  

Eligibility
Residency in host country NOT permitted in year prior to grant
Indicate how many months is considered residency:
12 Months
Dual citizens of this country are NOT eligible
Degree Level of Applicant
  • Bachelor's
  • Master's
  • Doctoral
Special Application Instructions

Semi-Finalist candidates who are recommended for final review by the Fulbright Commission in Indonesia (AMINEF) may be contacted for online interviews.

Foreign Language Proficiency
Recommended - Novice

Additional Information: Proficiency in Indonesian is not a requirement for candidates, but it is preferred.  Applicants without language proficiency should include plans for language study in their Fulbright applications, and selected candidates should begin studying the language as soon as possible, since language proficiency will greatly enhance the Fulbright experience.

Fulbright Proposal Types
Independent Study/Research:
Yes
Graduate Degree Enrollment:
No
Affiliation
Independent Study/Research:
Letter required for independent study or research at deadline

Affiliation with an Indonesian institution (i.e. state or private university, state or private research centers, museums, arts institutions) is required. Candidates should contact the Indonesian institutions with which they wish to collaborate and must include affiliation letters in their applications. Candidates should find affiliations that match their research projects and interests. AMINEF may ask selected candidates to change their affiliation if they are not related to their research. The affiliating institution should be in the same location as the research site. NGOs are not permitted by the Indonesian government to serve as primary affiliates. 

The Fulbright Commission in Indonesia (AMINEF) can provide general advice on potential affiliates, which may include former Fulbrighters' host institutions. Candidates, however, should be responsible for securing their affiliation letters.

Selected candidates will be required to arrange a Memorandum of Agreement/Understanding (MoA/U) between their home institutions and Indonesian host institutions. AMINEF will provide general advice on this document. 

Affiliation Fees/Tuition
Affiliation Fees/Tuition not covered in grant benefits

Candidates should discuss in advance with their host institutions about possible fees during their grant. For example, if candidates plan to use their host's laboratory, they should discuss how much they should pay. They are also encouraged to seek additional funding to cover expenses not covered by their Fulbright research grant.

Award Benefits
  • A stipend broadly based on the cost of living in the host country. These funds may be used by the grantee to support housing, meals, and incidental costs during the grant period.
  • International travel benefits
  • Accident & sickness health benefits
  • 24/7 mental health support line for urgent and non-urgent situations
  • 12 months of non-competitive eligibility (NCE) hiring status within the federal government
Stipend Amount

This is an estimated amount and is subject to change. The financial terms of the grant will be confirmed in the grant document issued after selection.

2000 monthly stipend amount in
$ [US Dollar]

Payment are transferred directly to grantee's US or Indonesian bank account. Stipend will be disbursed bimonthly. 

One-Time Allowances

This is an estimated amount and is subject to change. The financial terms of the grant will be confirmed in the grant document issued after selection.

$ [US Dollar]
  • Excess baggage fees
  • Language training allowance
  • Registration/Permitting fees
  • Research/Materials allowance
  • Settling in allowance

Grantees will receive excess baggage allowance, visa and permit allowance, research allowance, and relocation allowance in the first grant disbursement. Depending on the budget, grantees may receive an allowance to take two weeks of intensive language training. 

Additional Grant Benefits
  • Mid-year seminar

The Fulbright Commission in Indonesia (AMINEF) will allocate funding to provide the following enrichment programs. Generally these enrichment programs work on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Domestic Travel Program 

Funding is provided for researchers to present their Fulbright projects or to share their general expertise with other academic institutions throughout Indonesia. 

Host Engagement Project 

Funding is provided for researchers to conduct a collaborative and educative side project with their host institution and/or community. 

Counterpart Support 

Funding is provided for Fulbright researchers' primary Indonesian counterparts to join them for a field visit for up to two weeks. 

Additional Research Support 

Funding is provided for research activities such as hiring research assistants, hiring translation services, paying informants, purchasing equipment, etc. 

AMINEF Networking Event

AMINEF usually gathers all Fulbright US Student Researchers and US Scholars for a networking event in Summer (June/July 2025) for a networking event where they will share their Fulbright project and cultural exchange experience. If you have started your grant, then you will be invited to join the event. All expenses will be covered by AMINEF.

Estimated Cost of Living

Consider using cost of living comparison websites to gain a better understanding of the potential costs in your host country.

The cost of living varies in each city in Indonesia. In 2023, Statistics Indonesia announced that the average cost of living in Jakarta is at around Rp 15 million ($950), making it the most expensive city in Indonesia. Data from other sources mention that the average cost of living in Jakarta is around $1,000 - $1,500 per month. Smaller cities such as Semarang or Yogyakarta are way cheaper than Jakarta. Tourist areas such as Bali or Eastern Indonesia can also be expensive.  

Dependents
Dependent financial support is NOT available
Housing Arrangements

Selected grantees must arrange housing at their sites on their own. They can seek advice and assistance from their Indonesian collaborators, counterparts, and contacts. Their host institutions normally have international office that assist foreign students and researchers identity housing options. 

When requested, the Fulbright Commission in Indonesia (AMINEF) can also connect selected grantees with Fulbright alumni to give housing advice. 

Fulbright Program Management Contact
FBstudent.EAP@iie.org
Fulbright Commission/U.S. Embassy Website
http://www.aminef.or.id
Research Permit and Visa Requirements

Research Permit and Research Visa

Foreign researchers to Indonesia must seek an Ethical Clearance and/or Research Permit from the National Agency of Research and Innovation (BRIN) and Limited Stay Visa for Research Activities (E39) from the Indonesian Directorate General of Immigration.

AMINEF will assist grantees in navigating the process to secure the necessary permits and visas. Detailed procedures for obtaining a research permit will be communicated to grantees after selection. 

Entering Conservation Areas and Exporting Biological Samples

Grantees who plan to enter national parks/conservation areas must obtain an additional permit, called SIMAKSI, from the Indonesian Ministry of Environment and Forestry. Entering more than one national park/conservation area will require longer permit processing time and incur more expenses. Other types of permits are also needed to export material samples, such as DNA samples. However, BRIN urges that foreign researchers conduct their analysis in Indonesia. Thus, exporting samples may not be feasible or allowed. In 2023, some grantees spent almost six months before they could export their samples. Grantees must secure these additional permits on their own. Grantees must make sure that their hosts are knowledgeable of the process and can provide support after their return to the US. 

Data Management/Storage

Upon finishing research, foreign researchers may also be asked to submit data collected from their field research in Indonesia to BRIN through an online research repository. Foreign researchers and their Indonesian collaborators are also expected to jointly publish the results of their research in an accredited international or national academic journal.

Fulbright Commission/U.S. Embassy Contact
American Program, AMINEF: infofulbright_usa@aminef.or.id
Additional Online Resources
Indonesian Universities (4ICU) : https://www.4icu.org/id/
Foreign Research Permit Procedure : https://klirensetik.brin.go.id/
Find potential host: https://stu.aminef.or.id/alumny/directory/indonesian