Scholarships for Indonesians: LPDP, Chevening, Australia Awards, DAAD, MEXT and GKS
Key requirements and post-study duties of LPDP, Chevening, Australia Awards, DAAD, MEXT and GKS for Indonesian students, and how to spot scholarship scams.
Summary
- LPDP sits under Indonesia's Ministry of Finance and states that all its services are free of charge.
- Chevening scholars must return to their home country for at least two years after the scholarship ends.
- Australia Awards scholars must leave Australia for at least two years after completing the scholarship.
- MEXT (Japan) and GKS (Korea) can be applied for through embassy recommendation or university recommendation.
- A scholarship is not a route to work abroad; several require you to return home after study.
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On this page
- Which scholarships suit people who want a career in Indonesia?
- What is the LPDP scholarship and what must recipients do?
- What are the main Chevening requirements for study in the UK?
- What are the Australia Awards requirements for applicants from Indonesia?
- How do you look for a DAAD scholarship to study in Germany?
- How does the MEXT scholarship to Japan work?
- What is the Global Korea Scholarship (GKS)?
- Can a scholarship abroad be used as a way to work there?
- What are the signs of a scholarship scam?
- Which careers can this route lead to?
- Which routes to work abroad ask for this route?
- How do the post-study obligations compare?
Which scholarships suit people who want a career in Indonesia?
Scholarships that require you to return suit people building a career in Indonesia. LPDP asks its scholars to return and contribute in Indonesia, Chevening requires scholars to return home for at least two years, and Australia Awards requires scholars to leave Australia for at least two years after study. Choose a scholarship whose purpose fits your work plans, then read that year's official guidelines.
What is the LPDP scholarship and what must recipients do?
LPDP (Lembaga Pengelola Dana Pendidikan, the Indonesia Endowment Fund for Education) sits under the Ministry of Finance and manages scholarships and research funding. Its home page says stage 2 of 2026 scholarship registration opened on 30 June 2026 and that all its services are free. According to February 2026 media reports, recipients must return and contribute in Indonesia for the period set in their contract; the old formula for that period was reported to have changed, so read the latest LPDP guidebook.
What are the main Chevening requirements for study in the UK?
Chevening is the UK Government's master's scholarship. Its eligibility page (read 7 October 2026) requires you to commit to returning to your home country for at least two years after the scholarship, have at least two years' work experience after your undergraduate degree, hold a degree that qualifies you for a UK master's, and apply to three UK courses with at least one unconditional offer by the deadline.
What are the Australia Awards requirements for applicants from Indonesia?
Australia Awards in Indonesia requires master's and PhD applicants to be Indonesian citizens living in and applying from Indonesia, not applying for a visa to live in Australia, and without a long-term Australia Awards scholarship in the previous four years. GPA and IELTS, TOEFL or PTE thresholds differ by category, and test results must still be valid on 1 January 2027 for the current round.
How do you look for a DAAD scholarship to study in Germany?
DAAD, the German Academic Exchange Service, has a regional office in Jakarta that gives information and advice for Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Timor-Leste. Its website (read 7 October 2026) lists DAAD scholarships for Indonesia, including a postgraduate music scholarship and German university summer courses with a deadline of 30 October 2026. Requirements differ by programme, so read the page of the programme you want.
How does the MEXT scholarship to Japan work?
The Japanese Government (MEXT) scholarship has seven types, including research, undergraduate, teacher training and Japanese studies, according to the official Study in Japan website. You apply through embassy recommendation or university recommendation. Tuition is exempted and a round-trip air ticket is provided. Research-student applicants must be under 35. Follow the latest application guidelines from the embassy.
What is the Global Korea Scholarship (GKS)?
GKS is the Korean Government scholarship managed by NIIED under Korea's Ministry of Education. The 2026 graduate guidelines say the master's programme is one year of Korean language plus two years of study, and the doctoral programme one year of Korean plus three years of study. There is an embassy track and a university track; Indonesia is among the countries in the embassy-track quota, and applications go through the Study in Korea website.
Can a scholarship abroad be used as a way to work there?
Do not plan on it. Several scholarships require you to go home: Chevening for at least two years in your home country, Australia Awards for at least two years outside Australia, and LPDP requires a contribution in Indonesia. To work abroad, use an official work route recorded on SISKOP2MI or the destination's work-visa rules, not a student visa.
What are the signs of a scholarship scam?
The clearest signs are a request for money to guarantee acceptance, a registration fee paid to a personal account, and forms on websites that are not the provider's official domain. LPDP says all its services are free. Apply only through official sites: lpdp.kemenkeu.go.id, chevening.org, australiaawardsindonesia.org, daad-indonesia.org, studyinjapan.go.jp or the Japanese embassy, and studyinkorea.go.kr.
Which careers can this route lead to?
20 careers on KarirAman list Scholarships for Indonesians as an education or training route, grouped by field. The route is commonly asked for in these careers, but the exact requirements always follow the official vacancy.
IT and data
- AI Engineer Medium scam risk
- Business Analyst Low scam risk
- Cybersecurity Analyst Medium scam risk
- Data Analyst Low scam risk
- Data Engineer Medium scam risk
- Data Scientist Medium scam risk
- DevOps Engineer Medium scam risk
- Product Manager Low scam risk
- Software Developer Medium scam risk
Healthcare
- Dentist Low scam risk
- Nutritionist Medium scam risk
- Psychologist Low scam risk
Education
- Early Childhood Teacher Low scam risk
- Teacher Medium scam risk
- University Lecturer Medium scam risk
Finance and accounting
- Accountant Low scam risk
- Accounting Staff Low scam risk
- Financial Analyst High scam risk
Legal
- Legal Officer Medium scam risk
Animal care
- Veterinarian Low scam risk
Which routes to work abroad ask for this route?
4 legal routes to work abroad list Scholarships for Indonesians as related education or training. Each route shows its status as of its last check.
Checklist before applying for a scholarship
- You have read this year's official guidelines, not someone else's summary.
- You fill in forms on the provider's official website.
- You understand the post-study obligations, including any duty to return.
- Your language test results are valid on the required date.
- Nobody asks for money to guarantee you a place.
How do the post-study obligations compare?
| Scholarship | Provider | Obligation after study | Official site |
|---|---|---|---|
| LPDP | LPDP, Ministry of Finance | Return and contribute in Indonesia (per media reports; check the LPDP guidebook) | lpdp.kemenkeu.go.id |
| Chevening | UK Government | Return to home country for at least two years | chevening.org |
| Australia Awards | Australian Government (DFAT) | Leave Australia for at least two years | australiaawardsindonesia.org |
| DAAD | DAAD, Germany | Differs by programme; read the programme page | daad-indonesia.org |
| MEXT | Government of Japan | Follow the latest application guidelines | studyinjapan.go.jp |
| GKS | NIIED, Korea's Ministry of Education | Follow the current GKS guidelines | studyinkorea.go.kr |
Frequently asked questions
Does applying for an LPDP scholarship cost anything?
No. LPDP's home page says all LPDP services are free and asks the public not to give its staff gratuities of any kind. Do not pay anyone who sells a guaranteed place; apply only through LPDP's official website.
When will Chevening applications open again?
On 7 October 2026, Chevening's Indonesia page said applications for the 2027-2028 academic year were closed. Watch Chevening's official website and accounts for the next opening.
Can I start working in Australia right after graduating on an Australia Awards scholarship?
No. The Australia Awards policy handbook (November 2025) requires scholars to leave Australia for at least two years after completing the scholarship. Otherwise the scholar owes the Australian Government the full cost of the scholarship.
Who wrote and reviewed this page?
Sources
The facts on this page come from these sources. Dates show when we opened them.
- LPDP: Lembaga Pengelola Dana Pendidikan (beranda) Lembaga Pengelola Dana Pendidikan, Kementerian Keuangan · accessed
- Apa itu kewajiban 2n+1 LPDP? Penjelasan dan aturan kontribusinya (Metro TV, 2026-02-24) Metro TV · official statement via media · accessed
- Chevening Scholarships: eligibility Chevening (UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office) · accessed
- Australia Awards in Indonesia: general requirements (PhD and Masters) Australia Awards in Indonesia (Australian Government DFAT) · accessed
- Australia Awards Scholarships Policy Handbook (November 2025) Australian Government DFAT (copy hosted by Australia Awards Vanuatu) · accessed
- DAAD Regional Office Jakarta (Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, East Timor) DAAD (German Academic Exchange Service) · accessed
- Japanese Government (MEXT) Scholarship: Study in Japan official website Study in Japan (JASSO, government-approved information site) · accessed
- 2026 Global Korea Scholarship Application Guidelines for Graduate Degrees (NIIED) NIIED, Ministry of Education of Korea (copy hosted by the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs) · accessed
How to cite
KarirAman (2026). Scholarships for Indonesians: LPDP, Chevening, Australia Awards, DAAD, MEXT and GKS. Updated 8 October 2026. https://kariraman.com/en/education/scholarships/
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