Student FAQs

Is the Professional Placement compulsory?

• Yes, the professional placement is a compulsory part of the Agriculture Semester Program.

Where will I be placed?

• Students will be asked to submit their sectors of interest for the placement in their application.

Why type of host organisations are offered?

• ACICIS partners with many different types of host organisations for the Professional Placement. See a list here of potential host organisation on offer here.

When will I find out what organisation my placement will be with?

• Students will find out about their placement when they arrive in-country. ACICIS will arrange for students to visit their host organisation before beginning their placement.

When will I undertake my placement?

• Students may undertake the ASP Professional Placement either alongside their IPB classes (e.g. one to one-and-a-half day/s per week around classes), or as a ‘block’ at the end of their semester.

Some students in the past have completed an ACICIS Field Study program as part of their honours degree.

However, this would be dependent on your home university. It is best to get in touch with your home university study abroad office or faculty administration office to discuss this option.

Students can only undertake this program as a second semester option. It is recommended that students complete a semester on the Flexible Language Immersion Program at UGM in Yogyakarta prior to commencing the East Java Field Study.

Watch this video to hear about what to expect on the Field Study Program.

The DSIP offers students the opportunity to undertake either an eight-week community development fieldwork module known as ‘Student Community Service (SCS)’, or an eight-week professional development placement with a local community-based organisation, as part of their semester in Yogyakarta.

Where will I be placed?

• Students who select the placement option will be asked to submit their sectors of interest for this placement in their application. We will also consult you during pre-departure as to what type of organisation you are most interested in being placed with. ACICIS will place you with an organisation that suits these interests.

Why type of host organisations are offered?

• ACICIS partners with many different types of host organisations for the Development Placement. See a list here of potential host organisation on offer here.

When will I find out what organisation my placement will be with?

• Students will find out about their placement when they arrive in-country. During the first few weeks of the program, students will be taken to meet potential host organisations, and then select where they would like to be placed.

Who determines the SCS projects?

• Faculty workshops coordinated by LPPM determine the projects for each semester. Faculty lecturers then put forward proposals in consultation with students. Communities may approach UGM, or alternatively programs may be designed to meet the conditions set by specific donors. Most projects are semester specific, although more complex projects may roll over for number of semesters. That said, it is really you and your student group (unit) that determine what projects that you will work on, as the details of SCS activities are worked out with the host community during the initial two weeks of the program.

Who participates in SCS?

• All UGM undergraduate students must complete the SCS semester, usually in their final year of study. A typical SCS unit will consist of 30 students drawn from four disciplinary clusters. This group is then sub-divided into smaller teams of 5-6 people. A typical project may be located in ‘Village A’ with the 30 participants then divided into smaller units that are placed in four or five sub-village units.

Do I choose what project I will join?

• Yes and no. Each semester approximately six to ten projects will be available. However, the announcement of projects is only made approximately two weeks prior to departure for the field. Applicants cannot, therefore, choose their projects prior to departure from abroad. Students will be consulted on their preferences for field placements. However, final placement is at the discretion of ACICIS staff. While all efforts are made to accommodate student preference, ACICIS risk management and pastoral care requirements are taken into account. The quota system (whereby each unit must consist of a minimum number of participants from four discipline clusters), also influences placement decisions.

Where will the project be located and how will I get there?

• Projects will be located in the province of Yogyakarta. No site will be more than two hours from the UGM campus. You will travel to the site with your unit. This will be arranged during the briefing prior to departure.

Do I have to pay for rent and meals in the village?

• No. The sub-unit pays for all of this out of money which ACICIS pays to LPPM. However, the group budget for meals is usually not enough, so students may be asked to top it up over the course of the program. The sum is marginal.

Where will I live?

• During the first six-weeks of the program, you will rent a room in a boarding house close to Gadjah Mada University (UGM). You may elect to maintain this room for the entire semester, or you may move out when you depart for the village. In the village, you may be placed with a host family or the sub-unit may be allocated a house which becomes a communal living space. Male and female students are housed separately in line with local norms. During the pre-departure briefing, your unit coordinator will tell you all the things that you will need to take to the site (for example, students may be told that they will need sleeping mats, sheets, towels etc.). ACICIS staff will assist DSIP students in getting all of this organized. For more information about accommodation options near UGM, see here.

How do I get around in the village?

• In the village you do not need transportation as everything is very close. It is not always easy, however, to arrange transport in and out of the field placement sites. Students may return to the city (or UGM) by public transport (bus or train), but it may take a few connections. Usually, a fellow student with a motorbike will give students a ride back into town if necessary. You may take a motorbike to the village, but it is not recommended.

Will I be the only ACICIS student in my unit?

• It will depend on how many ACICIS students participate in the SCS (Student Community Service) stream. Should there be enough students participating, there is a possibility that more than one students will be placed in the same unit.

What if I do not want to take all my belongings to the Field Placement site?

• You can box them up and make arrangements to store them with ACICIS or a friend in Yogyakarta. If you would like to take a bicycle or other large items to the village, hiring a ute for a couple of hours is relatively cheap.

Will I be able to buy necessities in the village?

• Yes! There will be shops selling all the necessities of life (food, drinks, toiletries, groceries) and small restaurants (warung) where you can eat (although meals are included in the program). You can top up phone credit at the corner store and access Wi-Fi internet with a modem on your laptop (yes, you can take your laptop). You will learn to live without certain conveniences (such as hot water, a private bedroom, western-style toilet, muffins and espressos for breakfast), but otherwise life on-site is very pleasant.

Can we take a holiday during SCS or leave the location?

• No. The placement is eight weeks, fulltime. Students are allocated five days off during this time. You may not take a holiday or invite guests (visitors from overseas) to the village. Do not organize for family or friends to visit during this time. Technically you are not allowed to leave the site beyond your five day allowance. In reality, the rules tend to be a bit more flexible and students are able to head into to town for a half day or so if no activities are scheduled.

Observational and critical thinking abilities. SCS units are composed of students from four disciplinary clusters: science and technology, health, agriculture, and social sciences. Most DSIP students will be from the latter, which is generally regarded as the most important. Engineering is easy. Managing technology transfers is tricky. Social scientists play a critical role in surveying needs, engaging with the community, and monitoring development initiatives.

Several methods of choosing regular curriculum subjects are suggested. One possibility is for students to choose a subject about which they know nothing and study it at a basic level, for example, Ethnography of Java. The readings would be in Indonesian. Another method is to choose subjects in which the concepts are already understood, for example, Sociology, and study it at basic level to focus on the language. Alternatively, choose a higher level subject in your own area of specialization and really stretch yourself.

As the Flexible Language Immersion program is focused on Indonesian language acquisition, students must select courses in which all lectures, tutorials, and assessment are in Bahasa Indonesia, and as far as possible, all texts as well. In practice, however, the set readings for many subjects are in English as books available in Indonesian may not be available. Whilst ACICIS discourages students from studying subjects where the readings are in English, this can’t always be avoided. ACICIS encourages students to take as many subjects in Indonesian as possible to maximize the immersion experience. Students must consult ACICIS Yogyakarta staff before finalizing their subject choices. Home institutions have the right to determine guidelines for their own students who should notify ACICIS staff of these. It is not possible for students to find out precisely which courses are offered at UGM in any particular semester prior to departure, and ACICIS will not attempt to convert or translate Indonesian university units into Australian or other university equivalents.

In addition to the courses outlined above, ACICIS offers several cultural activities which all ACICIS students at UGM may choose to join according to their interests. Information about these activities is provided during Orientation.

ACICIS requires students to study at least 12 credit points (known as “SKS”), and no more than 15. Most subjects are worth 2 or 3 credit points, so students should take four to six semester subjects. Students may make their own choices, but will need to obtain approval from the ACICIS Resident Director. For the Indonesian Language subject choice, the Resident Director will take advice from UGM based on the placement test.

Beginners (with no or little previous Indonesian language) should choose the full 12 credit points of language offered, at either beginners or intermediate level. A total of 12 contact hours per week, over 14 weeks amounts to 168 hours of instruction.

Intermediate student (with less than 4 semesters of university level Indonesian language, or equivalent) should choose at least 10 credit points of language at intermediate or advanced level.

Advanced students (with 4 or more semesters of university level Indonesian language, or equivalent) should choose about 4 credit point of advanced language (somewhere between 0 and 8 credit points depending on language competency). The better the student’s language, the less language classes will be needed.

Where will I be placed?

• Students who select the placement option will be asked to submit their sectors of interest for this placement in their application.

Why type of host organisations are offered?

• A range of different types of host organisations for the Professional Placement are available. See a list here of potential host organisation on offer here.

When will I find out what organisation my placement will be with?

• Students will find out about their placement when they arrive in-country.

Will the placement be credited to my semester?

• Yes, the Professional Placement is a total of 6 SKS worth of credits. Students will enrol in this unit.

There are no prior requirements for the course in terms of pre-service teaching hours or pre-requisite units. The program is open to all students from all universities. Students will require to have at least intermediate Indonesian skills.

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Where will I be placed?

• Students who select the placement option will be asked to submit their sectors of interest for this placement in their application.

Why type of host organisations are offered?

• A range of different types of host organisations for the Professional Placement are available. See a list here of potential host organisation on offer here.

When will I find out what organisation my placement will be with?

• Students will find out about their placement when they arrive in-country.

Will the placement be credited to my semester?

• Yes, the Professional Placement is a total of 3 SKS worth of credits. Students will enrol in this unit.

When will I undertake my placement?

• Students can undertake the placement for 1-2 days per week during the semester. Students enrolled in the January-June semester will have the option to undertake the placement as a 5-week block at the end of their semester of studies.

Students are required to submit their subject selection at the time of application. ACICIS will then work to enrol you in these subjects at the university in Bandung. In some circumstances, the university in Bandung may change their subject offerings before the semester begins. If this is the case, ACICIS will contact you to ask you to resubmit your subject selection.

Students can undertake the placement for 1-2 days per week during the semester. Students enrolled in the January-June semester will have the option to undertake the placement as a 5-week block at the end of their semester of studies.

Some students in the past have completed an ACICIS Field Study program as part of their honours degree.

However, this would be dependent on your home university. It is best to get in touch with your home university study abroad office or faculty administration office to discuss this option.

If interested, WJFS students can take up to two classes at UNPAR as part of their semester of study. To see a list of subjects available each semester, see here.

ACICIS will contact you during the pre-departure process to confirm what units you would like to take during your semester.

Watch this video to hear about what to expect on the Field Study Program.

ACICIS students often take their children and spouses with them when they go to Indonesia to study for a semester.

Read more about taking your family to Indonesia here.

If you are planning on taking family members to Indonesia, ACICIS will assist in obtaining an appropriate visa for your child/spouse. You will need to contact the ACICIS Secretariat (enquiries@acicis.edu.au) to request a Family Member application package, and submit this by the application deadline for your semester program.

If you have missed the application deadline, please contact the ACICIS Secretariat (enquiries@acicis.edu.au) as soon as possible to enquire whether a late application is possible.

Please note, however, that ACICIS deadlines are set to meet strict host university enrolment and immigration processing timelines. Therefore we may be limited in our ability to accept late applications.

Yes, a number of students have completed ACICIS programs and gained credit towards their Honours degrees. This, however, is at the discretion of the student’s home university.

The majority of Honours students have completed semester-long field study programs, whereby the student completes a single research project on a topic of their own choosing. These programs are largely self-guided and hence most suitable for Honours students. ACICIS therefore suggests that students interested in taking ACICIS as part of an Honours year look into the West Java Field Study Program or the East Java Field Study Program and discuss possible credit arrangements with their home university contact person well in advance of the application closing date.

Honours students have generally found that a semester in Indonesia has significantly enriched their studies and final dissertations. However, students must remember that an Honours year is very demanding. Therefore students who elect to take an ACICIS program as part of an Honours year must prepare adequately so as not to run themselves short of time. Foremost, their chosen topic for their field study and dissertation must be approved by ACICIS and their home university prior to their departure to Indonesia. Students must ascertain whether they are required to gain approval from their ‘home’ university’s ethics committee prior to undertaking fieldwork and commence any ethics approval process as early as possible.

Secondly, ACICIS strongly advises Honours students to undertake preliminary research at their university library prior to departure for Indonesia. This will give students a better frame of reference when making fieldwork enquiries and allow them to access source materials that may be unavailable in Indonesia. Finally, Honours students are strongly advised to liaise regularly with their home university supervisor while in Indonesia to ensure that their studies ‘in-country’ remain relevant to the aims of their Honours year.

Before commencement of your Semester Program:

The short answer is no.

Due to strict Indonesian immigration requirements pertaining to the VITAS visa used by ACICIS semester program students, you may not arrive in Indonesia until three days prior to orientation.

After conclusion of your Semester Program:

Students are welcome to travel around Indonesia for one month following the conclusion of the final exam period. If you’re undertaking two semesters of study with ACICIS, you are free to travel around Indonesia during the vacation period between semesters and for a month following your final semester.

Note that due to visa regulations, your final exit from the country must be arranged from your last city of study. You need to return at least two weeks prior to your departure date to organise an exit permit. Once this exit permit is issued you must leave Indonesia within a short period (usually within seven days). It is therefore not possible, for example, to complete a semester in Yogyakarta and have a two week holiday in Bali immediately prior to returning to Australia. If you leave Indonesia without obtaining an exit permit you will likely be classified as an immigration offender and jeopardise your ability to return to Indonesia in the future.

Most students undertaking study with ACICIS do so as part of their undergraduate studies. However, ACICIS does and has accepted numerous postgraduate students onto its in-country programs over the years. These have included students pursuing graduate diploma qualifications, master’s degrees, and PhDs.

Postgraduate students have undertaken in-country programs as accredited components of their postgraduate qualifications (with prior approval from their home university) or as unaccredited preparation for postgraduate fieldwork and research. Please note, that these students have done so as participants in undergraduate level programs offered by Indonesian universities. ACICIS does not currently offer semester long programs at a postgraduate level (eg. master’s-level coursework programs).

Postgraduate students undertaking study with ACICIS may not use their time in Indonesia while on an ACICIS program to conduct fieldwork or postgraduate research in Indonesia. Conducting research of this nature in Indonesian requires a separate level of approval from the Indonesian government, specifically from RISTEK, the ministry responsible for issuing research permits.

See here for more information about obtaining a research permit for Indonesia.

No. Semester students are on sponsored study visas that do not cover paid internship or work activities. For paid internships, students should seek visa sponsorship from the host organisation and re-enter the country. Working is strictly prohibited on a study visa. The penalties are stiff if you are caught. You cannot convert your study visa to a work visa. You will need to exit and re-enter the country on a new visa arranged by your employer. ACICIS will not assist students on visa matters not related to its ‘in-country’ programs.