How to Study Nursing in Indonesia for International Students

Studying the ways in which one may save or improve another person’s life is one of the noblest professions that any person may opt to take. Having the right expertise for the job is no easy task, and getting to a point where knowledge may mean the difference between life and death is something that is achieved through rigorous study, practice, and training.

Nursing is one of the most crucial healthcare professions necessary in any society as proven by its worldwide existence and legacy. Being a nurse entails not only the care and maintenance of sick individuals, but also the application of knowledge needed to assist doctors in administering services that each ill, disabled, or dying person may require.

Generally, to become a nurse, one must go through the requirements of studying in an institution or school and thereafter be awarded a degree or diploma after a specified period of time. This also depends upon the student’s capability to comply with all of the specified academic requirements an institution may have. Some countries also require their aspiring nurses to take licensure exams in order to be considered a registered nurses

Indonesia, in particular, is home to thousands of registered nurses that have been trained and taught to provide top-tier professional healthcare services. In Indonesia, one may become either a vocational nurse or a professional nurse. The choice depends on numerous factors. In this article, we will be looking at how you can study nursing in Indonesia.

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What Degrees are there for Nursing in Indonesia?

In an effort to improve the standards of healthcare in Indonesia, their legislators passed a law back in 2014 creating specific educational guidelines that institutions must follow in order to properly educate students who want to practice the profession.

To become a nurse in Indonesia, there are two options. The first option is by going through a vocational nursing program, while the second option is by going through a professional nursing program. Through the vocational program, aspiring nurses will go through a 3-year program and obtain a diploma upon completion of all its requirements. For the professional nursing program, a student shall go through a 4-year course with an added professional program for about 10 to 12 months. The professional program involves a more in-depth study on other skills such as medical surgery, maternity, and emergency management, among others.

After completing either the vocational or professional degree, graduates will then have to take a licensure examination which is different for each of the two degrees. Upon passing the exam, a registration certificate as either a vocational or professional nurse shall be given.

Though only a vocational course is required as a minimum to become a nurse in Indonesia, schools such as the Universitas Indonesia offers a Master of Nursing Study Program and a Doctor of Nursing Program. According to their site, UI is the first university in Indonesia to offer the doctorate program. Hasanuddin University also offers a Nursing Master Study Program as well as a Bachelor of Science in Nursing leading to Professional Nurse, with the bachelor’s degree ideally being completed within 4 years, and the professional program in 1 year. These universities are some great options to consider when you are considering to study nursing in Indonesia.

Cost of Studying Nursing

The cost of studying in the Bachelor’s program coupled with the professional program for nursing in Indonesia consists of a tuition fee worth IDR 100,000 to 7,500,000 without costs for admission fees. For living expenses, a good estimate would be at around 500$ or IDR 37,000. Some universities like Universitas Indonesia offers a tuition-payment scheme that depends on a student’s financial ability, called the BOP-B System (Equitable Academic Operational Fee).

Requirements to Study Nursing in Indonesia

As for the requirements for international students wanting to study nursing in Indonesia, the Universitas Pelta Harapan requires online registration through their site, as well as a registration fee. According to their site, they also require the submission of different relevant documents, such as academic records, an admission statement, and a parents’ identity card.

For the Hasanuddin University, some of the requirements for admission into the bachelor’s nursing program requires passing any of the three entry options which involve looking at academic achievements and portfolios. Their program, entitled Bachelor of Science in Nursing Leading to Professional Nursing, may only be taken up by those who have been selected after taking a national university entrance exam called the SNMPTN, or by those who have graduated from high school with a Certificate of Passed or Surat Keterangan Lulus, among other options.

Furthermore, other universities like the Universitas Indonesia mentions in their admissions brochure that the student should have Indonesian citizenship to study specific courses, including nursing. International students who are not citizens nor acquainted with the Indonesian language are only limited to studying other programs in UI like medical science, dentistry, and engineering.

In What Languages Do You Study Nursing?

Indonesian schools currently do not offer nursing courses in the English language, and only offer a limited number of courses taught wholly in the English language, based on UPH’s website and UI’s admissions brochure. Thus, for those opting to study in Indonesia, proficiency and knowledge of the Indonesian language is a must.

Best Nursing Schools in Indonesia

1. Universitas Pelita Harapan

UPH is a private university located in Tangerang and is considered to have the best nursing school in Indonesia. It is a university that prides itself in the integration of Christian values in its modes of teaching, and offers a range of undergraduate, graduate, and online courses. UPH also has an admissions portal dedicated solely to international students, and offers a wide range of courses taught wholly in the English language. However, their nursing program is not part of the list of wholly-taught English courses. The university promises to produce internationally-capable nurses knowledgeable in the fields of various diseases, drugs, and information necessary for an effective nurse.

Keeping in line with their holistic and Christian-centered approach, UPH also includes credits on Liberal Arts as part of the Nursing curriculum. Subjects regarding the Liberal Arts are taken up after the 4-year undergraduate Nursing course.

2. Hasanuddin University – Faculty of Nursing

  • Nursing Program Link
  • Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Leading to Professional Nurse (PN)
  • Master of Nursing

Hasanuddin University was established back in 1956, and is located in Makassar, Indonesia. Hasanuddin University was named after the Sultan Hasanuddin, who was a former King of the Gowa Kingdom. The university is home to one of the largest Indonesian nursing schools. It works closely with numerous clinics in its pursuit of quality nursing education.

Aside from its BSN-PN program, its Master of Nursing program promises to produce nurses of a global stature. The program was opened fairly recently back in 2010 and is ideally completed within a span of 4 semesters with 42 credits. At this nursing school in Indonesia, you’ll have a variety of degrees to study nursing.

3. Universitas Indonesia

  • Nursing Program Link
  • Degrees offered:
    • Regular undergraduate nursing degree with professional program for the nursing profession
    • Master of Nursing Study Program
    • Doctor of Nursing Program

Universitas Indonesia is one of the oldest nursing schools in Indonesia offering a bachelor’s degree in nursing. It is located in Depok, Indonesia. It was established in the year 1849, and is known for being the leading university in terms of scientific and modern research. UI is a large campus that protects the ecology present within its 320-hectare space. It is also a member of the Association of Pacific Rim Universities, ASEAN University Network, and the Association of South East Asia Institution of Higher Learning.

UI offers numerous undergraduate programs aside from nursing, such as engineering, law, among others. They also consider the student’s financial ability to pay tuition fees, which is why they implement a system that imposes a tuition fee within a certain range. Their nursing program is currently available only to students with Indonesian citizenship, since international courses are only limited to a few choices as listed in their brochure. UI also requires that nursing students finish a total of 144 credit units before being credited with the degree.

 

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