Jakarta. The number of Indonesian students pursuing short-term and graduate studies in the United States grew in the 2023-2024 academic year, according to the Institute of International Education's annual Open Doors report released Monday.

Short-term exchange students saw the largest increase, jumping 28.6 percent, driven by the growing participation of US universities in the Indonesia International Student Mobility Award (IISMA) program. Graduate programs and work-study opportunities for Indonesian students also recorded a 10 percent rise.

In total, Indonesia sent 8,348 students to the US during the academic year, ranking second in Southeast Asia and 23rd globally. India and China remain the top contributors, with 331,602 and 277,398 students, respectively.

“The United States is open to Indonesian students at all levels of study,” said US Ambassador Kamala Shirin Lakhdhir. “As we celebrate 75 years of diplomatic relations, I hope to see more Indonesians studying at US universities, strengthening the bridge between our countries and cultures.”

The report also highlighted a 320 percent increase in US students studying in Indonesia, signaling a return to pre-COVID levels and growing interest in Southeast Asia. Indonesia ranked ninth in the Asia-Pacific region for hosting American study-abroad students.

Education cooperation remains a cornerstone of the US-Indonesia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. This year, the US Mission to Indonesia expanded EducationUSA advising services to Medan and Surabaya, boosting outreach capacity by 30 percent as part of the 75th-anniversary celebrations of bilateral relations.

To mark International Education Week, the US Mission will release a special episode of the EducationUSATalks podcast featuring Ambassador Lakhdhir. Additionally, EducationUSA will host scholarship and student life information sessions in Medan, Aceh, Ambon, Makassar, Malang, Surabaya, Samarinda, and Jakarta. More details are available on EducationUSA’s Instagram account, @EducationUSAIndonesia.