Indonesia Ranks 12th in Asia for English Proficiency, Lagging Behind Neighbours

Indonesia’s English proficiency remains behind many Asian nations, placing below Nepal, Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Pakistan in a regional ranking. According to the 2025 English Proficiency Index (EPI) released by EF Education First and shared by Seasia Stats, Indonesia ranks 80th globally with a score of 471, placing it in the low proficiency category.

Malaysia leads the list of non-native English-speaking countries in Asia, achieving a score of 581 and ranking 24th worldwide. The Philippines follows in second place with a score of 569, with Hong Kong (538), South Korea (522), and Nepal (514) completing the top five.

Further down the list, Bangladesh scored 506, Vietnam 500, Pakistan 493, Sri Lanka 486, India 484, and Bhutan 473. Indonesia’s score of 471 represents a three-point increase from the previous edition but still leaves the country behind most of its Southeast Asian neighbours.

Singapore was excluded from the 2025 ranking after being reclassified as a native English-speaking country by EF Education First. The EPI is the world’s largest ranking of English proficiency, compiled from test results of approximately 2.2 million adults across 123 countries and territories.