Number of recipients
In addition to being a prestigious academic exchange program, the Fulbright Program is designed to expand and strengthen relationships between the people of the United States and citizens of other nations and to promote international understanding and cooperation. To support this mission, Fulbright Scholars may be asked to give public talks, mentor students, and otherwise engage with the host community, in addition to their primary activities.
The BRIN-Fulbright U.S. Scholar Research Award provides American scholars opportunities to conduct research in a variety of fields in Indonesia. The award is a collaboration between the Indonesian government's National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN) and AMINEF, the Fulbright Commission in Indonesia, under an MoU signed by the two in March, 2024.
BRIN was established by former President Joko Widodo in 2019. Their main task is to conduct integrated research, development, studies, as well as invention and innovation. One of their main programs is to collaborate with foreign researchers to conduct research in various fields related to Indonesian studies.
Through the BRIN-Fulbright U.S. Scholar Research Award, the American scholars will affiliate and collaborate with Indonesian researchers at BRIN. The research projects may focus on scientific, historical, or contemporary topics in Indonesia, or may be comparative across countries, and may involve archival, field, or lab research.
In addition to the actual research, BRIN-Fulbright awardees may be asked to give public talks, train Indonesian research team members, help BRIN’s research centers to develop or strengthen research programs, engage with the academic community at BRIN or universities, or undertake other scholarly activities.
BRIN-Fulbright U.S. Scholar Research awardees will be chosen after a merit-based selection process involving (a) peer review committees convened by the Institute of International Education (IIE) in the US, and (b) a committee comprised of staff appointed by BRIN and AMINEF.
The research can be conducted anywhere in Indonesia, dependent on Indonesian government policies. Certain areas of the country, such as the Mountain Province of Papua, may be restricted under those policies.
Researchers must be affiliated with one of the research organizations in BRIN. The list of BRIN's research organizations can be found in their website: BRIN - Badan Riset dan Inovasi Nasional
Applicants can contact Fulbright Commission for more detailed information about BRIN and their research organizations.
The grant is for a minimum of five and a maximum of ten months of research.
Research grants can begin anytime from September 2025 through May 2026, conditional upon receipt of a research permit and visa approval by the Indonesian government.
Grants may include support for immediate family dependents (see Award Benefits below). Scholars accompanied by school-aged children during the grant period need to be flexible with the starting date of their grant, since that date may not always coincide with the beginning of the school year in Indonesia.
The award is open to all fields of study.
Additional funding will be available to BRIN-Fulbright U.S. Scholars, as follows.
Domestic Travel Program
Funding for academic-related travel (up to three trips) within Indonesia will be available. Each trip must have scholarly focus, such as visiting an academic institution, and must include lectures or other scholarly programs. Each trip and scholarly program must be approved by BRIN and AMINEF prior to travel. Staff of BRIN or AMINEF can assist with contacts at other institutions.
Host Engagement Project
BRIN-Fulbright U.S. Scholars are also encouraged to carry out engagement projects with BRIN through its various institutes, organizations, and research centers during their grant period. These projects need to be approved by BRIN and AMINEF.
Additional Research Support
BRIN-Fulbright U.S. Scholars can also apply for additional research support and use the funds to cover research expenses such as research assistants, equipment, transportation, etc.
Support for Research Counterparts
The BRIN-Fulbright award may also provide funding for an Indonesian research counterpart at BRIN to collaborate actively in any field research.
All applicants must meet the Program eligibility requirements (click to review the requirements).
Applicants do not need to provide a letter of invitation from BRIN at the time of application but should be in the process of securing such a letter. Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact potential research counterparts at research centers at BRIN in order to find common interest in research topics.
Applicants are encouraged to consult the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) “Can-Do Statements” to determine if they are qualified.
Applicants are encouraged to register qualified language evaluator, such as a language instructor or a translator, to conduct the external assessment in the application. Being a native speaker alone does not qualify an individual to conduct the assessment.
Applicants who are native speakers do not need to complete an external evaluation.
BRIN-Fulbright U.S. Scholars will receive $2,500 per month as a research stipend and $1,400–$1,800 per month for housing, to be arranged by the grantee.
The housing allowance varies depending on the number of accompanying dependents and the location of the research project.
Round-trip international travel will be arranged and covered for BRIN-Fulbright U.S. Scholar grantees by AMINEF using a U.S. flag carrier in economy class only.
Travel for one accompanying dependent is also provided. The accompanying dependent must be present in Indonesia during the full grant period to qualify. According to Indonesian immigration law, only spouses with marriage certificates and children under 17 years qualify as dependents. To obtain a visa for a child, a marriage certificate of the parents will also be required.
One-time excess baggage allowance: $750
One-time research/relocation allowance: $750
For BRIN-Fulbright U.S. Scholar awards, AMINEF will reimburse scholars for dependent tuition up to a maximum of $5,000 per school-age child in grades K-12, for up to two children per family. To be reimbursed, receipts from the school(s) in Indonesia where the children are enrolled must be presented. This is a one-time reimbursement. Please note that while this amount may cover costs at many local Indonesian public and private schools, it may not cover the full tuition costs of many international schools. Any tuition above the one-time $5,000 allowance per dependent is the sole responsibility of the BRIN-Fulbright Scholar.
Dependents must accompany the grantee for at least 80% of the period abroad and a minimum of one semester to qualify for additional dependent benefits.
Dependents must accompany the grantee for at least 80% of the period abroad and a minimum of one semester in order to qualify for additional dependent benefits. Dependent benefits are not provided to Flex grantees.
For metropolitan areas, especially the larger cities in Java and Bali, the estimated cost of living per day (meals and transportation) is between $30-$50. The rental cost for apartment or housing is $500-$1,500 per month. As for the smaller cities, especially outside of Java and Bali, the estimated cost of living per day (meals and transportation) is between $20-$30. The rental cost for apartment or housing is $300-$700 per month.
A monthly local transportation allowance of $400-$500 will be provided based on the research site.
A one-time permit allowance of $250 to $500 for the Fulbright scholar and additional permit allowance for one dependent will be available. BRIN will help the grantee to acquire the necessary ethical clearance, research permit, and visa from Immigration, as well as recommend affiliated local research or academic institutions.
BRIN-Fulbright U.S. Scholar grantees are encouraged to take advantage of a two-week intensive Indonesian language course in Indonesia during their grant period. AMINEF will assist in arranging this training and the BRIN-AMINEF award will include payment to the training provider as well as transportation and accommodation if the training site is other than the Scholar's research site.
Final grant amounts will be determined prior to the start of the academic year and are subject to the availability of funds. BRIN, the United States Department of State and AMINEF reserve the right to alter, without notice, the number of awards and the exact details of award allowances.
Final grant amounts will be determined prior to the start of the academic year and are subject to the availability of funds. The United States Department of State and the Fulbright Commission in the host country reserve the right to alter, without notice, participating countries, number of awards and allowances.
Indonesia is the world's fourth most populous nation and third largest democracy. With more than 17,000 islands, this vast archipelago is rich in natural resources and possesses exceptional biodiversity. Its culture and heritage--with numerous ethnic groups and hundreds of local languages--matches its natural variety of life. Since political reform begun in 1998, Indonesia has worked to strengthen its democratic governance, and as the largest economy in Southeast Asia, it is critical to regional stability.
Finding housing in Indonesia is perhaps not always easy, but many housing agencies can help scholars navigate this process. Host institutions also can assist since they know more about the local environment. Apartments are more common in larger cities, while in smaller cities, options range from rental homes, boarding and guest houses, and home stays.
Most cities now have online transportation service that can be accessed through apps, like Gojek and Grab. In large cities, buses, trains, and taxis are common and in most places, it is possible to hire a car and driver for longer journeys in and out of town.
For scholars who bring dependents, there are more options for International (English-language) schools in larger cities, such as Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya, Yogyakarta, and Denpasar.
For more information about living in Indonesia, please access this link.
Dr. Juiching Wang (U.S. Scholar 2016) conducted research on
Dolanan Anak, traditional Javanese Children's singing games,
and its implementation in the school teaching and curriculum.
Visit our Scholar Directory to view and search all Fulbright alumni. You can also learn more about Fulbright Alumni Ambassadors.