American colleges target Indonesian students

American colleges target Indonesian students

JAKARTA (JP): Representatives from 100 American state and
private universities took part in a one-day fair on Saturday to
enroll Indonesians searching for academic excellence.

Thousands of people visited the fair at Kartika Chandra Hotel
for a glimpse of the facilities being offered by big names like
State University of New York, Michigan State University, Oregon
State University and Indiana State University, as well as the
lesser colleges.

Organizers of the fair said there is a growing interest in
studying in the United States among young Indonesians.

While growing prosperity has often been cited as the main
reason for the increasing number of Indonesians turning to
overseas universities, the shortage of university seats at home
is also a factor.

"Many students in Indonesia want to go to the university, but
the seats here are limited," said Kay Ikranagara, executive
director of the International Education Foundation (IEF) which
organizes the fair annually.

Other countries have held similar fairs promoting their own
universities in Jakarta and other major cities in Indonesia.

The fair is intended to provide information on higher
education facilities in the United States. The 100 universities
have sent their representatives to personally meet with
prospective students, Ikranagara said.

Some words of advice from the IEF: Anyone intending to study
in the United States should take the time and effort to choose
and to apply to schools that meet their needs.

There are over 3,500 schools in the United States offering
nearly 500 different fields of study to foreign students.

The U.S. embassy runs educational advising service centers in
Jakarta, Surabaya and Medan.

According to the IEF, to join an undergraduate program, one
must have attended at least 12 years of primary and secondary
education. Most institutions require foreign students to take a
Test of English as Foreign Language (TOEFL). For an undergraduate
program, the minimum TOEFL is set at between 500 and 550, and for
a graduate program, the TOEFL requirement is around 550.

The average cost for undergraduates is $17,000 a year, while
for graduate students it is $23,000.

But costs vary from state to state, and university to
university.

The Oregon State University, Corvallis, where there are
currently 213 Indonesians studying, estimates the total cost for
an undergraduate student at $18,630 a year, with $11,070 going
for tuition fees, $4,587 for room and board, $810 for books and
supplies, and $2,163 for personal and miscellaneous expenses.

To study at Purdue School of Engineering and Technology, in
Indianapolis, Indiana, a student needs $7,890 if staying at a
public residential facilities and $18,309 at private residential
facilities. The school is part of the Indiana State University,
where six Indonesians are currently studying. (05)