Admissions pressure at Jakarta's premium schools follows a predictable pattern: three high-pressure entry points (Nursery, Year 1, Year 7) and relative ease everywhere else
JIS and BSJ are the two schools where waiting lists are longest and most persistent. ISJ's smaller year groups can make individual places harder to secure, even without a formal waiting list
The August-October application window is the busiest period across all schools. Families who apply outside this window - particularly January to March for the following academic year - face less competition
Upper primary (Years 4-6) and upper secondary (Years 10-12) are consistently the easiest entry points at every premium school
The mid-tier schools (NAS, ACG, NJIS) rarely have admissions pressure at any year group - families can generally secure places at short notice
*ISJ currently runs to Year 8. Secondary campus opening September 2028. NAS currently runs to Year 7.
High = waiting list likely, 6-18 month lead time recommended.
Moderate = places may be available but competition exists, 3-6 month lead time.
Low = places typically available, shorter lead time sufficient.
School-by-School Analysis
JIS
JIS has the largest year groups in Jakarta - approximately 200 students per grade in the later years. This scale means more places exist, but demand at the key entry points is also high.
Highest pressureEarly Years 1 (age 3) and Kindergarten (age 5). These are the two intake points where the school's reputation and the desire to "get in early" create the strongest demand. Families begin the application process 12-18 months ahead.
Moderate pressureMiddle School (Grades 6-8). Some year groups can be tight, particularly Grade 6, which is a natural transition point for families arriving in Jakarta with older children.
Low pressureUpper Elementary (Grades 3-5) and High School (Grades 9-12). Corporate turnover creates regular openings. Families leaving Jakarta after a two- or three-year posting free up places that are filled by new arrivals.
BSJ
BSJ has smaller year groups than JIS - approximately 100-150 per year at secondary - which means fewer places exist at each level.
Highest pressureK1 (ages 2-3), Year 1 (age 5) and Year 7 (age 11). The K1 entry is BSJ's primary intake. Year 1 sees a major fee jump ($11,713 at K2 to $24,083 at Year 1), which creates some natural attrition - but the places that open are filled immediately. Year 7 is competitive because families specifically target BSJ for its Cambridge IGCSE pathway.
Moderate pressureYears 8-11. BSJ maintains relatively consistent demand through the secondary years, partly because families commit to the IGCSE-to-IB pathway and stay.
Low pressureUpper primary (Years 4-6) and occasional openings at Sixth Form for students with strong external IGCSE results.
ISJ
ISJ's deliberately smaller year groups - the school is targeting approximately 500 pupils at optimal enrolment - mean individual places are harder to secure, even though the school does not face the same volume of applications as JIS or BSJ.
Highest pressurePre-Nursery (age 2) and Nursery (age 3). These are ISJ's primary entry points, and the limited number of places per year group means they fill quickly.
Moderate pressureReception (age 4) and Year 1 (age 5). Some families enter at these points if they missed the nursery intake.
Low pressureYears 4-8 (when space exists). As ISJ grows toward its optimal enrolment, more places may become available in the middle years.
AIS
AIS's calendar-year cycle (January-December) means its admissions rhythm is different from the August-start schools.
Moderate pressurePreschool 3 (age 3). The primary intake point, but AIS's lower fee point at early years ($5,975-$7,702) and larger potential catchment means it faces less pressure than JIS or BSJ at the same age.
Low pressureMost year groups. AIS generally has availability across the primary and secondary years. The school's Pejaten location, slightly south of the core Pondok Indah/Kemang expat area, means it draws from a different geographic catchment.
Mid-tier schools
NAS, ACG, NJIS - rarely oversubscribed at any year group. These schools offer confirmed places at short notice, making them the practical fallback for families who cannot secure a place at a premium school immediately. Families use mid-tier schools as a bridge while waiting for a place at their first-choice premium school.
Seasonal Patterns
Admissions activity at Jakarta international schools follows a seasonal cycle.
August-OctoberThe busiest period. The new academic year has started (at August-start schools). Families who arrived late or who have been on waiting lists are actively pursuing places. Admissions offices process the backlog.
November-DecemberActivity slows. Most families are settled. Admissions offices shift to processing applications for the following year.
January-MarchThe strategic window. This is when admissions offices at premium schools begin processing applications for August entry. Families who apply during this window - rather than waiting until May or June - have the best chance of securing a place before year groups fill.
April-JuneLate applications. Year groups at premium schools may already be full for the August intake. Waiting lists form. Families arriving at this point may need to consider alternative schools for the first term.
The pattern for AIS is shiftedits January start means the equivalent strategic window is July-October of the preceding year.
What Creates and Releases Pressure
Pressure builds from
Corporate relocations - a wave of new families arriving for the same September/October start
Economic growth in Indonesia - more Indonesian families choosing international schools
Reputation effects - strong IB results or university placements increase demand
Word of mouth - the expat community is tight-knit and recommendations spread quickly
Pressure releases from
Corporate departures - two- and three-year postings ending, freeing places in the upper years
Family relocations - a posting change to Singapore, Dubai or back home creates an opening
Fee sensitivity - some families move to lower-cost schools as children reach secondary and fees peak
School capacity expansion - when schools add classes or expand year groups (rare at premium schools, which maintain class size limits)
The net effect: the early years stay tight because demand is structural (families entering the system). The upper years stay fluid because turnover is constant (families leaving Jakarta). The middle years - Years 4-8 - are the transition zone, where supply and demand are closest to balanced.
Planning Around the Bottlenecks
If you are 18+ months outApply to your first-choice school at the nursery or Year 1 entry point. Secure a place or a position on the waiting list. If you are targeting BSJ Year 7 for the IGCSE pathway, begin the process 12 months ahead.
If you are 6-12 months outApply to two or three schools simultaneously. Include one mid-tier option as a confirmed fallback. The premium schools may have places - particularly in Years 4-8 - but you need to check specific year groups, not general availability.
If you arrive at short notice (under 3 months)Call schools directly and ask about specific year groups. NAS, ACG and NJIS will almost certainly have places. Premium schools may have openings in upper primary or secondary. Accept the best available option and transfer later if a preferred school has a place.
If your child's entry point is a bottleneckConsider entering at a less competitive year group if the school will accept it - a child who turns 5 in September might be eligible for either Reception or Year 1, depending on the school's birthday cut-off policy. Some schools assess and place flexibly.
Does paying the application fee early improve my chances?
No. Application fees are administrative - they get your file opened, not your child prioritised. What matters is the completeness of the application, the timing relative to the school's assessment schedule, and whether the year group has space.
Can I reserve a place years in advance?
Some schools accept early registration for nursery - BSJ, for example, allows families to register interest well before the child reaches entry age. This does not guarantee a place, but it ensures your family is in the system. Ask admissions about their early registration process.
Do schools share waiting list positions?
Most schools will tell you whether you are on the waiting list. Some will give an approximate position (e.g., "top five"). They are unlikely to give an exact number or a guaranteed timeline. Waiting lists move when families leave - which is unpredictable.
Is admissions pressure getting worse?
At the premium tier, yes - the combination of growing Indonesian demand and sustained expat numbers means more families competing for the same number of places. At the mid-tier, the trend is the opposite - more schools and more capacity mean families have more options. The market is stratifying: harder to get into the top four, easier to find a place elsewhere.
Should I accept a place at my second-choice school while waiting for my first choice?
Yes. Accept the available offer, enrol your child, and remain on the waiting list at your preferred school. Schools in Jakarta are experienced with transfers and will not hold it against you. A child settled in a good school - even if it is not the parents' first choice - is better than a child on a waiting list with no school. --- *This analysis draws on published admissions information, school calendar data, and editorial engagement with admissions offices across Jakarta. Where specific data is not publicly available, we have drawn on market intelligence and noted the limitation. We work hard to make every figure, date and description on this page accurate. We don't always get it right. If you spot an error - a fee that's changed, a fact that's out of date, something we've got wrong - please tell us. Use the feedback button above or email us directly. We'll check it and update the article.*
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