Australia Awards Indonesia

Q. What is meant by Placement?
A. The process of securing a place in a course at a university in Australia.

Q. Who carries out a Placement?
A. This is conducted by the The ADS Pre-Award Teamr in the ADS Office.

Q. When does this occur?
A. This occurs usually about 2-3 months before the commencement of your IAP. For semester 2 commencements, university course selections must be submitted to Pre-Award Officer (Alkadri Perdana) by mid-February. For semester 1 commencements, university selections must be submitted to Placement staff by mid- August.

Q. Who is the ADS Pre-Award Team?

A. Pre-Award Manager: Ms. Reisa Vitti ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )

B. Pre-Award Officer 1: Mr. Alkadri Perdana ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )

C. Pre-Award Officer 2 (Medical and Visa) : Mr Ponco Aji ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )

Q. How can I fully access information on courses that are available for study at Australian Universities?
A. You should go to the ADS website at http://www.australiaawardsindo.or.id/ and click on “Other/Links”. This will provide you with a number of Australian education institution course databases. It is suggest you start with the Studylink database and consult with the Information Technology teacher in your Pre-Departure Training if you have any questions regarding this.

Q. How can I access counseling on the selection of my university course?
A. The ADS office will provide services on a limited basis of a Human Resources Development Officer for this purpose. You will need to send an email to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it who will facilitate a response from the ADS office.

B. The ADS Pre-Award Team will provide with mobilization briefing in the middle of the pre-departure training at IALF Jakarta & Bali. Pre-Award Team is facilitating a fortnightly roster to provide awardees with counseling session. The Roster will organized by ADS office and IALF during the pre-departure briefing.

Q. Is there anything that I need to be aware of during the placement process?
A. The most important thing to remember is to read the university admission requirements carefully. Some universities will require additional information to that already supplied to the ADS office with your ADS application. If you do not supply the required information as specified by the university, this will considerably slow down the placement process for you.

Q. How can I check on the status of my placement during this period?
A. During the placement period your placement status can be found on the ADS website at http://www.australiaawardsindo.or.id/ on Latest Updates or Awardees or Download section.

Q. Who pays for the medical checkup?
A. AusAID is covered an initial medical checkup.  The additional medical checkup as requested will be considered by AusAID as per case basis.

Q. When should I have my medical checkup?
A.  You must have a medical checkup prior to departure to Australia. Medical checkup is occurred to the appointed panel doctor or hospital which will arranged by ADS Office.  You will have a medical checkup arrangement during your pre-departure training in Jakarta and Bali. Pre-award officer (Ponco) will communicate with you in the future. The result of medical checkup and the X Ray are valid for 12 months

Q. Can my own doctor perform the medical checkup?
A. No you must use an Australian Embassy recognized doctor. The list of approved doctors is available from the ADS Placement Coordinator, from the IALF and also from the Australian Embassy website: http://www.immi.gov.au/contacts/overseas/i/indonesia/panel-doctors.htm

Q. How the processes to undertake the medical check-up?
A. You will need HAP Letter (Health Assessment Portal) to be able to conduct the medical checkup at the appointed Panel Doctor or Hospital. In order to get HAP Letter, you will need to submit 157A form and 956A form to ADS Office for PDT in Jakarta and IALF Office for PDT in Bali. ADS officer (Ponco) will liaise with you during your PDT regarding the deadline to submit the forms.

Please bring with you the HAP Letter and ID card (valid KTP or passport) when you come to the appointed panel doctor or hospital

Q. Will the doctor provide me with the result of the medical checkup?
A. No, the results will be forwarded directly to DIAC at the Australian Embassy. If a medical problem is discovered, you will be contacted and a course of treatment recommended. It is your responsibility to undertake and pay for this treatment. In some cases your departure to Australia may be delayed or postponed as a results of this treatment.

Q. Do my spouse and children have to undertake a medical checkup?
A. Yes they do, however children under 11 are not required to have an x-ray.

Q. Can I defer commencement of my studies in Australia?
A. This is a frequently asked question and the answer is usually NO. Often awardees will request deferral for reasons such as:

• An employer who will not authorize release from work in the period following completion of the Pre-Departure Program
• Other work opportunities that have become available to the awardee

Requests however are handled on a case-by-case basis, but you must remember the conditions under which you were awarded an ADS – that is that you are available to undertake your scholarship from the commencement of Pre-Departure Training through to the completion of your scholarship in Australia.

Q. Does the ADS office apply for my passport on my behalf?
A. No, organizing the passport is your responsibility.

Q. When do I apply for my passport?
A. Public Servants can only apply for a passport (blue) after they have received a full offer from a university. However you can ask for a Surat Pengganti Offer from the ADS office to start the process of obtaining a passport after you receive a Conditional Offer from the university. Non-public servants can apply for a passport (green) at any time.

Q When do I submit my passport to the ADS office?
A. We must receive the passport at least 3 weeks before your departure to Australia.

Q. Where do I collect my passport after the visa has been issued?
A. The passport will be ready for collection at the ADS office (Jakarta departures) or from the IALF (Denpasar departures). The air tickets will also be available for collection with the passport.

Q. Do I pay the Fiskal Tax when I depart from Indonesia?
A. No, scholarship awardees are exempt from the Fiskal Tax. This is automatic for holders of a blue passport – however holders of a green passport must follow the procedures as outlined in the document Prosedur Pengurusan Bebas Fiskal availabe from the ADS office or from the IALF.

Q. Is it my responsibility to obtain a student visa?
A. No, the ADS office will arrange your visa. AusAID covers the cost of your visa. The ADS office will also arrange the visa for your spouse and children, however you must cover the cost of these additional visas.

Q. When do I apply for a visa?
A. It is recommended that you apply for a student visa (Form 157A) early in your Pre-Departure Training. The visa application form will be given to you by the ADS Placement Officer.

Q. What airline will I travel with?
A. You will travel on Qantas or Garuda depending upon which airline has the travel schedule most suitable for the timing of the start of your IAP.

Q. Where do I collect my air ticket?
A. You will collect the air ticket (and passport) from ADS Jakarta or IALF Bali depending upon your point of departure.

Q. Who is the contact person for ticketing?
A. The contact person for visa is Mr Ponco Aji ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it ) and ticket information is Mr. Alkadri Perdana ( This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )

Q. Who pays for the medical checkup?
A. AusAID is covered an initial medical checkup.  The additional medical checkup as requested will be considered by AusAID as per case basis.

Q. When should I have my medical checkup?
A.  You must have a medical checkup prior to departure to Australia. Medical checkup is occurred to the appointed panel doctor or hospital which will arranged by ADS Office.  You will have a medical checkup arrangement during your pre-departure training in Jakarta and Bali. Pre-award officer (Ponco) will communicate with you in the future. The result of medical checkup and the X Ray are valid for 12 months

Q. Can my own doctor perform the medical checkup?
A. No you must use an Australian Embassy recognized doctor. The list of approved doctors is available from the ADS Placement Coordinator, from the IALF and also from the Australian Embassy website: http://www.immi.gov.au/contacts/overseas/i/indonesia/panel-doctors.htm

Q. How the processes to undertake the medical check-up?
A. You will need HAP Letter (Health Assessment Portal) to be able to conduct the medical checkup at the appointed Panel Doctor or Hospital. In order to get HAP Letter, you will need to submit 157A form and 956A form to ADS Office for PDT in Jakarta and IALF Office for PDT in Bali. ADS officer (Ponco) will liaise with you during your PDT regarding the deadline to submit the forms.

Please bring with you the HAP Letter and ID card (valid KTP or passport) when you come to the appointed panel doctor or hospital

Q. Will the doctor provide me with the result of the medical checkup?
A. No, the results will be forwarded directly to DIAC at the Australian Embassy. If a medical problem is discovered, you will be contacted and a course of treatment recommended. It is your responsibility to undertake and pay for this treatment. In some cases your departure to Australia may be delayed or postponed as a results of this treatment.

Q. Do my spouse and children have to undertake a medical checkup?
A. Yes they do, however children under 11 are not required to have an x-ray.

Q. Do I need permission to have my spouse and children accompany me to Australia?.
A. Yes, you need to receive permission from the ADS Institution Officer before you make arrangements for your spouse and children to accompany you to Australia.

Q. Who arranges the schooling for my children?
A. This is your responsibility. The ADS Contact Officer at the university may be able to advise you on the location of schools in the area in which you have chosen to live. You are encouraged to research schooling options for your children in advance.

Q. Do I have to pay for school education for my children?
A. No, school education is free for awardees' children. It is paid for by each State Government. You may need to cover some small additional charges yourself.

Q.What records do I need to show to the school at which my children enroll?
A. You will need to present an Immunization Card and school reports for an application to a Government School in Australia. Both sets of documents will need to be translated into English, so that school staff in Australia can read them.

Q. What about childcare services?
A. Again, you will need to talk to the ADS Institution Officer about this. Generally there are childcare facilities on campus but it is often difficult to get a place at these facilities. You may need to look for childcare facilities outside the university campus and these can be very expensive.

There is a government subsidy available to off-set the cost of childcare – go to:
http://www.familyassist.gov.au/Internet/FAO/fao1.nsf/content/payments-ccb-how_much-less_32485.htm
Most awardees utilize the network of Indonesian students in their Australian university community to assist with the provision of childcare services.

NOTE: In December 2006, DIAC introduced financial requirements for AusAID scholarship recipients. If you are planning to travel to Australia with two or more children, you will need to discuss the financial requirements with the Placement staff.

In summary though if you are planning to take three or more children to Australia, you will be required to prove that you have access to the following funds which are in addition to your scholarship entitlements:

Q. Is financial assistance provided to travel back to Indonesia to meet with my immediate family members, if I study in Australia without them?
A. Yes there is, this is called the Reunion Airfare. However there are conditions attached to this benefit:

• It is only available to awardees who are enrolled in programs of 2 years duration;
• It is only available to awardees who have left their immediate family members (ie wife/husband or wife/husband & children) in Indonesia;
• It is only available after the first 12 months of study;
• It is only available to awardees who have successfully passed 80% or more of their units in the first 12 months of study.

Q. Can an awardee use the Reunion Airfare to visit another country?
A. No the Reunion Airfare is only available for a return visit to Indonesia.

Q. If the Reunion Airfare is not used, can the awardee receive a cash payment instead?
A. No, this is not possible.

Q. Can the awardee change their mind about receiving a Reunion Airfare?
A. No, an awardee must notify AusAID of their intention to take up a Reunion Airfare when they sign the Student Contract after receiving an Unconditional Offer from an Australian University. If this has not been done, an awardee cannot change their mind and request a Reunion Airfare during the period of the scholarship.


Note: Changes will occur to the Reunion Airfare effective 1 January 2009. If your commencement date in Australia is Semester 1 or Semester 2, 2009 the ADS office will provide you with updates to the existing Reunion Airfare policy.