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Exterior of the main campus building at golden hour, shot from the entrance drive. Signage reads "GEDUNG CAPT
A photograph from Perkasa Flight School

Country guide

Indonesia

Asia

Home-region training for Southeast Asian students: accommodation in the course fee, links to Asian airlines and a study visa you apply for online.

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  • USD 70k–74k Total budget, estimated
  • 14–16 Months of training
  • DGCA Indonesia CPL + MEIR License
  • ITAS Student visa

01 Overview

Flight training in Indonesia.

For students from Southeast Asia, training in Indonesia takes on three of the biggest barriers to becoming a pilot: cost, distance and paperwork. Perkasa Flight School, which describes itself as Indonesia's first and only internationally approved flight academy, was established in 2012 and has trained pilots since 2013. Its alumni fly for Batik Air, Citilink, Wings Air, Super Air Jet and Susi Air, and it trains cadets for Vietjet and Myanmar Airways International. The course fee includes accommodation, and the school plans 14-16 months from first lesson to a commercial license with multi-engine and instrument ratings. The trade-off is honest: a DGCA Indonesia license follows ICAO standards, but flying for an airline outside the region usually means converting it first. This is a pathway for a career in Asia-Pacific, not a license to fly anywhere.

Key facts

Primary license
DGCA Indonesia CPL (ICAO standards)
Typical duration
14-16 months (Perkasa)
Course fee (CPL MEIR, Perkasa)
From USD 67,000, accommodation included
English requirement
TOEIC 450+ to start, ICAO Level 4 for the license
Medical requirement
DGCA Class 1 medical
Training bases (Perkasa)
Cilacap, Pangandaran, Semarang (Java)
Visa for non-Indonesian students
Limited stay visa, e-ITAS on arrival
Career pipeline
Alumni at Batik Air, Citilink, Wings Air, Super Air Jet, Susi Air

02 Costs

What training in Indonesia costs.

Perkasa's CPL MEIR course, the commercial license with a multi-engine instrument rating, costs from USD 67,000, and the fee includes accommodation. Add the USD 905 registration and entrance testing fee, living costs of roughly IDR 3-7 million a month (about USD 165-390), the visa and the first medical, and the estimated total budget for the course fee and 12 months of living is about USD 70,000-74,000. The course runs 14-16 months, so add the living costs of the months after the first year and your flying kit.

Rent is the cost that moves most when you train abroad, and here it is already in the course fee. Course fees alone in Australia and New Zealand start higher, before rent, and wages and living costs in Java are lower. A lower price is not a lower standard: training follows Indonesia's ICAO-based rules on Cessna 172, Piper Warrior and Piper Seneca aircraft.

Estimated costs · USD / IDR

  • Course fee: CPL MEIR (Perkasa) From USD 67,000. Commercial license with multi-engine instrument rating, accommodation included. Ask whether ATPL theory is part of your package. Estimated range USD 67,000
  • Registration and entrance testing (Perkasa) About IDR 16.3 million. Covers the medical check-up, TOEIC, psychological test, aptitude simulator test, written test and interview, plus 4 days and 3 nights of accommodation in Jakarta and airport pick-up. Estimated range USD 905
  • Living costs beyond the included accommodation About USD 165-390 a month at October 2026 rates, for food, transport and personal costs. Lower near the training bases, higher in Jakarta. Estimated range IDR 3,000,000–7,000,000 per month
  • Study visa and stay permit (non-Indonesians only) Government fee for a one-year (IDR 6,000,000) or two-year (IDR 8,500,000) stay, about USD 335-470. Agency or courier costs come on top. Indonesian citizens need no visa. Estimated range IDR 6,000,000–8,500,000
  • First Class 1 medical About USD 195, from the 2025 fee for a pilot candidate's medical at the aviation medical centre in Jakarta. Perkasa's entry medical is part of its registration fee. Estimated range IDR 3,500,000
  • Textbooks, headset and navigation kit About USD 445-835. An estimate: ask the school what its fee already covers. Estimated range IDR 8,000,000–15,000,000
  • License conversion (only if you plan to fly outside the region) Depends on the authority you convert to: expect exams, a flight test and sometimes extra hours. Get a quote from a school under that authority before you budget. Estimated range Not listed

Estimates as of October 2026: verify every figure with the school before you commit. The estimated total budget adds the course fee, 12 months of living costs and the fixed costs in the table for the visa, the medical, exams and insurance; a longer course adds the living costs of the extra months. Perkasa's fees are in US dollars; rupiah amounts use the exchange rate on our site in October 2026 (about IDR 18,000 per USD), and the rate moves. Check visa fees on evisa.imigrasi.go.id before you apply.

Your own total for the route and the school you have in mind, living costs included: an honest range in about 30 seconds, no email needed.

Estimate your budget for Indonesia

03 Visa

Your student visa for Indonesia.

If you are not Indonesian, you need a limited stay visa (VITAS) to train in Indonesia. When you land on it, you receive a limited stay permit (ITAS), your residence permit for the course. Both are electronic now: the school sponsors you, the visa is applied for on Indonesia's official e-Visa portal, and the e-ITAS is issued at the immigration checkpoint when you arrive.

Indonesians need no visa at all. Visa-free entry for ASEAN citizens, including students from Brunei, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam, covers short visits only, so they apply for the same study visa as students from Hong Kong, India, South Korea and Taiwan. The steps are fewer than for most Western student visas.

VITAS

Limited stay visa for study and training (VITAS)

The visa you need to train in Indonesia if you are not Indonesian. Your school acts as your guarantor, and the application is made online on the official e-Visa portal. Since July 2025 Indonesia has a visa index for non-formal education, E30, which covers vocational and professional training; the school confirms which index applies to your course.

Duration

A stay of one or two years. For a course of 14-16 months, ask the school whether it applies for two years or for one year with an extension.

Who can apply

  • A guarantor: your school, once it has accepted you
  • A passport valid for at least six months
  • Proof of funds for living costs in Indonesia, at least USD 2,000 or the equivalent
  • A recent colour photograph
  • Any further documents the school asks for its sponsorship, such as your medical and school certificates

Pros

  • Applied for online, with the school as your sponsor
  • Government fee of IDR 6,000,000 for one year or IDR 8,500,000 for two (about USD 335-470, October 2026)
  • No interview-style genuine student assessment like Australia's
  • Your stay permit comes with a re-entry permit, so you can travel home during breaks

Trade-offs

  • Tied to your sponsoring school: changing schools means a new sponsorship
  • Visa-free entry for ASEAN citizens covers short visits only, not training
  • Rules and fees can change at short notice: check evisa.imigrasi.go.id before you apply and before each extension
  • Indonesian is not required, but daily life outside the school is easier with some basic Bahasa Indonesia
Official information

ITAS

ITAS (Limited Stay Permit)

Your residence permit for the time you train. With an e-Visa it is issued electronically (e-ITAS) at the immigration checkpoint when you arrive, together with a re-entry permit, so there is no separate conversion at an immigration office. A printed card is available from an immigration office if you want one.

Duration

One or two years, as granted with your visa. An extension is applied for before the permit runs out, with the school's sponsorship.

Who can apply

  • Arrive on your valid limited stay visa
  • Stay enrolled with your sponsoring school
  • Register your address with the local authorities after arrival; the school's admin team shows you how

Pros

  • Issued on arrival, with no office visit needed
  • Includes a re-entry permit, with no extra paperwork for trips home
  • Covers the whole course when it is granted for two years

Trade-offs

  • An extension needs your school's active sponsorship, so switching schools mid-training is complicated
  • Overstaying brings daily fines and can lead to removal, so watch the expiry date
Official information

04 Requirements

English and medical: what you need.

English

You need English at two points:

  • To start at Perkasa: a TOEIC score of at least 450. The TOEIC test is part of the school's entrance testing, so you find out where you stand before you commit.
  • For the DGCA Indonesia pilot license: ICAO English Language Proficiency Level 4. Training at Perkasa is in English, so your aviation English grows as you fly.

The minimum score gets you in; it does not make the course easy. Ground school, radio calls and exams are all in English, so the stronger your English on day one, the smoother your training.

Medical

Indonesia's rules (CASR Part 67) require a Class 1 medical certificate for the commercial pilot license. Class 1 is the strictest standard and follows ICAO rules; Class 2 covers private and student pilots. Perkasa checks you against the Class 1 standard before training starts, so you know early whether a career license is open to you.

The Ministry of Transportation's Aviation Medical Centre (Balai Kesehatan Penerbangan) in Jakarta carries out aviation medicals, with examiners appointed by the DGCA. Perkasa's entry medical is part of its USD 905 registration fee. On its own, a first pilot medical costs about IDR 3.5 million (about USD 195, October 2026).

Perkasa does not accept applicants with colour blindness. Other common reasons for refusal follow ICAO standards: some heart conditions, a history of seizures, and eyesight that cannot be corrected to the standard. If you have any doubt, take a Class 1 check at home before you apply.

05 Training there

Training and living in Indonesia.

Worth knowing

The Perkasa difference: accommodation included, 1:5 aircraft ratio, 14-16 months

Perkasa includes accommodation in its course fee, which takes one of the biggest variable costs of training abroad off the table. It runs one aircraft for every five cadets, which means more flying and fewer waits, and plans 14-16 months for its ab initio course. Established in 2012 and training since 2013, it holds DGCA Indonesia's pilot school certificate PSC-141-017 and approvals from the aviation authorities of Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos and Papua New Guinea. Its fleet of Cessna 172, Piper Warrior and Piper Seneca aircraft flies from three bases on Java: Tunggul Wulung Airport (Cilacap), Nusawiru Airport (Pangandaran) and Jenderal Ahmad Yani Airport (Semarang). Alumni fly for Batik Air, Citilink, Wings Air, Super Air Jet and Susi Air in Indonesia and for Pacific Airlines and Air Arabia abroad, and the school trains cadets for Vietjet and Myanmar Airways International.

Why Indonesia for Southeast Asian students

  1. Lower total cost

    A course fee from USD 67,000 with accommodation included, and living costs of roughly IDR 3-7 million a month. Course fees alone in Australia and New Zealand start higher, before rent. The estimated total budget, with 12 months of living, is about USD 70,000-74,000.

  2. Close to home

    From Jakarta, Singapore is under two hours by air, Kuala Lumpur about two and Bangkok about three and a half. Java keeps the same time as Thailand and Vietnam, one hour behind Brunei, Hong Kong, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Taiwan, so calls and trips home are easy.

  3. A route into Asian airlines

    Perkasa alumni fly for Batik Air, Citilink, Wings Air, Super Air Jet and Susi Air, and the school trains cadets for Vietjet and Myanmar Airways International. Approvals from the aviation authorities of Vietnam, Myanmar, Laos and Papua New Guinea come on top of its DGCA Indonesia certificate.

  4. A visa decided on documents

    You apply online with the school as your sponsor, proof of funds and your passport. There is no interview-style genuine student assessment like Australia's. Immigration still decides, so apply early and with complete documents.

  5. Flying all year

    Java's tropical climate has no winter, so you can fly all year. In the wet season, roughly November to March, storms build in the afternoon, so morning slots count. Cross-country flights cross coast, mountains and farmland.

  6. ASEAN proximity matters

    If you plan to fly for an airline in Asia, training in the region keeps you close to that market and to your family during the course, and trips home in breaks stay affordable.

Worth knowing

The honest trade-off: license conversion if you want to fly outside Asia

A DGCA Indonesia CPL follows ICAO standards, so other authorities convert it, but conversion takes exams, a flight test and sometimes extra hours, and its cost and time depend on the destination. Students trained under FAA, CASA or EASA rules skip that step in those regions. If your plan is a career in Asia-Pacific or the Middle East, Indonesia is a strong choice. If you want to fly long-haul for a major carrier outside Asia from day one, it is a detour, and our free school advisory will tell you so.

Timeline: the typical Perkasa 14-16 month pathway

  1. Months 1-2: Ground school and first flights Theory under Indonesia's CASR rules: air law, aerodynamics, meteorology and navigation. Flying starts on single-engine aircraft and builds toward your first solo.
  2. Months 3-5: PPL and time building The Private Pilot License flight test, then cross-country navigation flights across Java while you prepare for the commercial theory exams.
  3. Months 6-10: CPL and instrument rating Commercial maneuvers and flying on instruments, in the aircraft and in Perkasa's Redbird full-motion simulators, toward the CPL flight test.
  4. Months 11-14: Multi-engine instrument rating Twin-engine training on the Piper Seneca. Perkasa also teaches ATPL theory, so ask whether it is part of your package.
  5. Months 15-16: License and the move to an airline Final checks and license issue. Perkasa's airline links, its alumni at Indonesian carriers and its cadet programmes with Vietjet and Myanmar Airways International, help with the next step, though no school can promise a job.

Worth knowing

For Indonesian nationals: this is your most accessible path

Indonesian students need no visa, train in their own country and time zone, and stay close to family. With Perkasa alumni at Batik Air, Citilink, Wings Air, Super Air Jet and Susi Air, Indonesia is often the most direct path for Indonesian students, unless a career plan needs a foreign license. Our free school advisory can help you weigh that choice.

07 7 questions

Questions about training in Indonesia.

Is the DGCA Indonesia license recognized internationally?

It follows ICAO standards, so other countries can convert it, but it does not let you fly for a foreign airline straight away. Indonesia's DGCA writes its rules as CASR (Civil Aviation Safety Regulations), based on ICAO standards.

The US FAA has rated Indonesia Category 1 since August 2016, and the EU took every Indonesian airline off its air safety list in June 2018. To fly for an airline under another authority (FAA, CASA, EASA, Hong Kong or Singapore), you convert the license with that authority's exams and a flight test, sometimes with extra hours.

Cost and time depend on the destination, so get a quote from a school under that authority before you budget.

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I am not Indonesian. Will I struggle with daily life during training?

Most students settle in quickly. Training runs in English, and Perkasa has trained students from Vietnam, Malaysia, India, South Korea, Japan, Myanmar and beyond, so you will not be the only international cadet.

Outside the school, daily life in Java's smaller towns is easier with some Bahasa Indonesia, and basic conversation is quick to pick up.

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Why is Perkasa cheaper than Australian or New Zealand schools?

Mostly because accommodation is in the course fee and Java costs less to live and work in. Wages and living costs are lower than in Australia or New Zealand, and the school houses its cadets instead of leaving them to the rental market.

None of this means lower standards: Perkasa trains under Indonesia's ICAO-based rules on Cessna 172, Piper Warrior and Piper Seneca aircraft, with Redbird full-motion simulators. Compare the total budget, not the course fee alone: Perkasa's CPL MEIR course is from USD 67,000 with accommodation included.

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Can I fly for Cathay Pacific or Emirates after Perkasa?

Possibly, but not straight away. You first convert your license to the authority the airline flies under, then meet the airline's own cadet or experience requirements, which for long-haul carriers often means more hours.

Perkasa alumni fly for Air Arabia, so the Middle East is within reach, but if a major long-haul carrier outside Asia is your specific goal, training under that carrier's authority from the start is usually smoother. For airlines in Indonesia and the region, the path from Perkasa is more direct.

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What are the entry requirements at Perkasa?

Minimum age 17. A high school diploma or an international equivalent. A TOEIC score of at least 450.

No colour blindness, and a medical check against the Class 1 standard. Pass the selection: psychological test, aptitude simulator test, written test and interview. Perkasa's registration fee of USD 905 covers the medical check-up, the TOEIC and every selection test, plus 4 days and 3 nights of accommodation in Jakarta and airport pick-up.

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How does the visa process work for non-Indonesian students?

id). You need a passport valid for at least six months, proof of funds of at least USD 2,000 and a recent photograph. You fly in on the visa, and your stay permit (e-ITAS) and re-entry permit are issued at the immigration checkpoint on arrival.

The government fee is IDR 6,000,000 for a one-year stay or IDR 8,500,000 for two years (about USD 335-470, October 2026). Allow several weeks, and check the portal for current rules before you apply.

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Where will I live during training?

In Perkasa's cadet accommodation: a single room is included in the course fee. Where you live depends on your training base: Cilacap (Tunggul Wulung Airport) and Pangandaran (Nusawiru Airport) on Java's south coast, or Semarang (Jenderal Ahmad Yani Airport) on the north coast.

Ask the school how long accommodation is covered and what it costs if your training runs longer than planned.

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