The Jakarta school landscape
The flagship is Jakarta Intercultural School (JIS), founded in 1951 and arguably the most respected international school in Indonesia. Other top schools include British School Jakarta (BSJ), ACG School Jakarta, Sekolah Pelita Harapan (national plus international tracks), Mentari Intercultural, and Australian Independent School (AIS).
Indonesian regulations prohibit Indonesian nationals from attending schools labelled "International" without special approval. Most premium expat schools therefore work primarily with foreign-passport families, while Sekolah Pelita Harapan and similar national-plus schools admit Indonesian children alongside international curricula.
Looking for affordable Jakarta schools under $10K?
22 schools in Jakarta offer high-quality international curricula for under $10,000 per year.
Most popular neighbourhoods for families
Pondok Indah is the heart of expat family life with JIS, BSJ and several other premium schools nearby. Kebayoran Baru hosts ACG and Australian Independent. BSD City (south Jakarta) is a planned community with multiple international schools. Kemang and Cilandak offer central residential options. See our guide to living in BSD City with international schools, or for a central business-district base, living in SCBD with international schools. Read our guide to living in Cilandak with international schools.
