Indonesia’s Darmasiswa Scholarship

Last year, when my travel plans were thwarted by ludicrously high ticket prices, I let my dreams of exploring Bali fall to the wayside in favor of cheaper options. This year, however, I was prepared. I began scouting tickets as early as December of last year, and I’m happy to say my trip is booked for hundreds of dollars cheaper than the going price the previous year.

I’ve spent a whole year imagining the beautiful beaches on Bali and reading about the rich Indonesian culture. As a vagabonder, it feels a bit ridiculous to have only the meager vacation time allotted from my work to explore Bali. I catch myself in fancies, musing about teaching options in Indonesia – anything that would grant me a significant time in the country.

This is when I came upon the Darmasiswa Scholarship Program. The program’s main purpose is to “to promote and increase the interest in the language and culture of Indonesia among the youth of other countries.” The 6 month or year-long scholarships do not result in a degree or license of any kind, but simply provide scholarship recipients with the chance to get acquainted with the rich arts traditions in Indonesia or study the local language. Applicants can choose their study base from a list of Universities across Indonesia. Some universities may request that you teach a meager 5-10 hours of English per week while studying at their institution.

Scholarship guidelines are simple. You must be 35 years of age or younger with a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent. The largest criteria for selection is a true passion in a related arts field that you wish to enrich through your studies in Indonesia. This is a great opportunity to learn and experience the beauty of Indonesia without the stress of a typical degree program.

(image credit: baliwww.com)