Studying in Bali: universities, student life and living costs

1. Universities and institutes to explore

Start with the institution and programme, not a holiday neighbourhood. The six options below are a starting point from the institutions’ own information, not a ranking or a complete directory. A university may have several campuses, and its international office address is not necessarily where your classes take place.

International degree programmes, exchange semesters and language or cultural courses have different admissions and credit arrangements. Confirm teaching language, current course availability and the exact campus directly with the programme coordinator. An English-language website does not mean that every degree is taught in English.

Sources: Udayana University: international programmes · Udayana: BIPAS at the Nias campus in Denpasar · Warmadewa University: international programme · Undiksha: international admissions · Undiknas: international undergraduate programme · ISI Bali: arts, design and international programmes · Politeknik Negeri Bali: Darmasiswa programme

2. Admission, tuition and credit transfer

Ask for a written programme pack with the teaching calendar, orientation dates, exam period, attendance requirements and full fee schedule. Tuition may be charged by semester, course or programme. Check registration fees, field trips, studio or laboratory materials, insurance and visa administration separately. We do not publish a single tuition estimate because these are different academic products.

For an exchange, get written approval from your home university before paying: which modules count, how credits transfer and whether the transcript will arrive in time. Ask who handles nomination and what happens if a subject is cancelled. For a full degree, check entry qualifications and recognition relevant to the country where you expect to work.

Confirm the application deadline for your actual intake rather than recycling last year’s dates. Request the institution’s official payment instructions and refund rules, including what happens if admission or visa approval is delayed. A scholarship may cover tuition without covering rent, travel or every living expense.

Sources: Udayana University: international programmes · Undiksha: international admissions · Ministry of Higher Education: international student guide

3. Student visas and permission to study

Ask the host institution’s international office to identify the correct visa and any study-permit steps for your programme before you book non-refundable travel. Indonesian Immigration distinguishes higher education, including E30B, from non-formal education under E30. A full degree, exchange, language course and placement should not automatically be treated as the same immigration case.

Have the university confirm admission documents, sponsorship, passport validity, financial evidence, insurance requirements and the order of applications. Ask what registration, address reporting or stay-permit actions are required after arrival. Follow the current official eVisa instructions for your nationality and activity.

Do not assume a tourist entry covers your course, an internship or paid work. If you intend to earn money or take a placement alongside studying, describe that activity to the university and Immigration before accepting it. CHB arranges accommodation; an accommodation booking does not establish immigration eligibility.

Sources: Indonesian Immigration: formal and non-formal education visas · Indonesian Immigration: official visa portal · Ngurah Rai Immigration: remote-worker and student services

4. Where to live: build your week around the campus

Get the teaching address and weekly timetable before choosing a rental. Check the journey at your actual class times, including the route home after evening classes. A straight-line map distance is a poor substitute for a realistic commute; rain, local events and road access can change the journey.

For Denpasar courses, start with nearby neighbourhoods and compare Sanur only if the route works. For Jimbaran or Bukit-based teaching, investigate Jimbaran and the surrounding south-Bali area. If your classes are in Singaraja, start your housing search in north Bali; a Canggu or south-Bali base is not a practical default for daily attendance.

Canggu, Pererenan and Umalas can appeal to students who value their social routine there, but check the commute before choosing them for a Denpasar or Jimbaran course. Ask the university about dormitories, recommended boarding houses (kost) and student support as well as private rentals. CHB’s available collection is not a directory of campus housing.

• Compare CHB rental areas
• Plan your transport

5. Student living costs: use the right comparison

The Ministry’s international student guide gives a national basic-living estimate of Rp1,700,000–Rp5,300,000 per month. That is an Indonesia-wide student reference, not a current quote for a Bali private villa or a promise for every campus. Undiksha’s 2025 prospectus separately gives a Singaraja accommodation allowance of Rp500,000–Rp2,000,000; confirm the current amount, period and housing type with the university.

A shared private villa is a different budget. The worked example below assumes three students share a hypothetical Rp18,000,000 monthly rental equally. These are planning inputs chosen to show the calculation, not surveyed market averages, a CHB offer or a claim that a suitable home is available at that price. Replace each input with a written quote.

• See current CHB monthly rental examples

Sources: Ministry of Higher Education: international student guide · Undiksha: student life and Singaraja living allowance (2025 prospectus)

6. Upfront costs and sharing a home

Plan cash needed before arrival separately from your monthly budget: tuition instalments, application and immigration charges, flights, insurance, rental deposit and any advance rent. The illustrative monthly total above excludes these. Ask which payments are refundable and keep an emergency reserve that is not already committed to the deposit.

For a shared villa, agree who signs, how the deposit is split, how utilities are recorded and what happens if someone leaves early. Confirm permitted occupancy and guests in writing. Dividing an advertised whole-villa price by the number of bedrooms does not make individual rooms separately bookable, and it does not authorise subletting.

Match the lease to orientation, teaching and exams, with enough time to settle in and move out. CHB offers one month or longer, with property-specific minimums. Ask about the exact end date and any partial-month charge instead of assuming that an annual quote can be divided into monthly payments.

• Check deposits and rental agreements

7. Everyday student life in Bali

Check the study space as carefully as the bedroom: a usable desk and chair, light, ventilation, noise, storage and internet at the hours you study. Agree a quiet-hours routine with housemates. Visit local food shops, laundry services and the route to campus before committing to a longer lease.

Ask your institution about orientation, student organisations, language support and who to contact if something goes wrong. Confirm health cover and access to care for your stay with the university and insurer. Keep copies of important documents in a secure place, with emergency contacts available offline.

You do not need to make scooter riding part of your student identity. Check licence, insurance and safety requirements before driving, and compare ride-hailing, a driver or university transport where available. Budget for transport that you can actually use.

Learn a few everyday Indonesian phrases, respect dress and access rules at religious sites, and ask before photographing people or ceremonies. Plan around Nyepi and follow local guidance. Student life is easier when your rental, studies and neighbourhood fit together.

• Read the etiquette and Nyepi guide

Sources: Ministry of Higher Education: international student guide · Australian Government: Indonesia driving and motorcycle advice · Indonesia Travel: understanding Nyepi

8. Find a monthly home for your study dates

Send CHB your institution, exact teaching campus, arrival and departure dates, number of occupants and total monthly housing budget. Say whether you need separate bedrooms, quiet study space, a kitchen or a particular transport route. Ask the team to confirm availability, minimum stay, occupancy and all included costs for each shortlisted home.

If you need a low-cost dormitory, a single room near a campus or housing outside our current coverage, start with the university’s international office. We can discuss the homes in our published collection without implying a university partnership, student discount or guaranteed campus commute.

• Browse monthly villa rentals
• Discuss your study dates with CHB