Indonesia is gearing up to make its mark on the global higher education stage. The country’s higher education and immigration ministries are joining forces to tackle some long-standing hurdles that have made it tricky for international students to study in Indonesia. Universities acting as visa sponsors have been swamped with paperwork, visas take a long time to process, fees are high, transparency is limited, and coordination between agencies has often been weak. All of this has slowed Indonesia’s ability to attract foreign talent.

There’s hope on the horizon, though. According to local media, the government may soon allow international students to apply for and pay for visas directly using a university-issued acceptance letter. This simple change could significantly reduce the administrative burden on universities, letting them focus on what really matters: academics and student support.

“We want more foreign students in Indonesia, so administrative processes must improve,” said Hermawan K. Dipojono from the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology. “Universities should focus on academics, while services must be simpler, faster, and more predictable. Visas form the first impression international students have of Indonesia.”

This move would be a first step, but it’s part of a broader plan to create more adaptive, solution-oriented services, according to Mukhamad Najib, director for institutional affairs at Indonesia’s Higher Education Directorate.

Reports suggest the government is exploring additional changes, such as lowering student visa fees, waiving some immigration charges for scholarship recipients at public universities, removing exit requirements for academic transfers, and allowing students to take on part-time teaching, research, or internship roles.

Despite Indonesia being on track to become the world’s third-largest higher education system after China and India within the next decade, it still lags behind neighbours like Malaysia and Vietnam when it comes to attracting international students. Malaysia has become a regional magnet, with over 155,000 international students and a 26% increase in applications over the past two years. Vietnam, smaller but ambitious, hosts around 22,000 students and is improving its appeal through part-time work rights, affordable costs, safety, and English-language programs.

Right now, Indonesia has only around 6,000 international students, but the country is positioning itself as a new player in transnational education. Plans are in motion to open 10 international branch campuses in the coming years, a move that coincides with the UK–Indonesia bilateral strategy, which could open doors for British students to study in Indonesia.

“There’s just as much that UK students can learn from Indonesia as vice versa,” said Summer Xia, director of the British Council Indonesia and Southeast Asia. “It’s really important for us to build Indonesian literacy in the UK among the future generation so that we know how to engage effectively with such an important global player.”

With these initiatives, Indonesia is not just streamlining paperwork, it’s stepping onto the global education stage, ready to welcome the world.