International School Waitlists in Jakarta — How Long and What to Do

How Waitlists Work

Jakarta's international schools do not operate a centralised admissions system. Each school manages its own waiting list independently. There is no city-wide waiting list number, no transparent ranking, and no obligation for schools to tell you your exact position.

When a school is full in a given year group, new applicants who meet the entry criteria are placed on a waiting list. The school contacts families when a place opens - usually because a current student has left. Some schools prioritise waitlist families in a strict chronological order. Others apply criteria: siblings of current students, children of alumni, specific nationalities, or applicants who have already completed assessments.

Priority factors vary by school. At JIS, for example, families with a current JIS sibling may be given priority. At BSJ, the admissions team manages the list holistically. ISJ's smaller year group sizes mean places are fewer and the wait can be longer, but the school's intentional enrolment cap also means fewer families competing for each spot.

You are not told your position on the list at most schools. Ask, and you will typically get a range - "you are in the top five" or "we have a number of families ahead of you" - rather than a specific number.

Which Schools and Year Groups

The pressure points are consistent year to year.

JIS - Early Years 1 (age 3), Kindergarten (age 5) and Grade 1 are the tightest. Wait times of 6-12 months are not unusual at these levels. Upper elementary and middle school have more movement, partly because JIS is the largest school in Jakarta (2,500+ students) and turnover creates regular openings.

BSJ - Kukangs/K1 (ages 2-3) and Year 7 are the most competitive. Families targeting BSJ specifically for its secondary programme often apply at Year 7, creating a bottleneck. Sixth Form entry (Year 12) for the IB Diploma is also competitive because of limited places and strong demand.

ISJ - The school's enrolment model is deliberately smaller. Year groups are capped at a level that allows staff to know every child. This means fewer places to begin with. Pre-Nursery (age 2) and Nursery (age 3) typically fill first. If your target year group is full, the wait can be longer at ISJ than at larger schools simply because fewer families leave in any given term.

NAS, ACG, NJIS - Waiting lists are less common. These schools typically have capacity across most year groups. If your first choice has a waitlist, one of these schools may offer a strong interim option.

For a detailed breakdown of which year groups are hardest to enter across all schools, see our guide on admissions pressure by year group.

What to Do While Waiting

Sitting on a waiting list does not mean sitting still.

Accept a place at your second-choice school. This is the single most important piece of advice. Your child needs to be in a school. Enrol them. If and when a place opens at your first choice, you can transfer. Most schools have notice periods of one term - plan the transition accordingly.

Stay in contact with the admissions office. A polite check-in every 6-8 weeks keeps your application visible. Do not call weekly - that creates friction. But do not disappear for six months either. Admissions teams manage long lists. The families who stay in touch are the ones they reach first when a place opens.

Complete everything the school asks for. If the school requests updated reports, recent assessments, or new documents, provide them promptly. Incomplete files slow things down.

Ask about less obvious entry points. If Year 1 is full, ask about Year 2 or Year 3. Sometimes adjacent year groups have space. A child entering a year later than planned is not ideal, but it gets them into the school.

Prepare for the transfer. When the call comes, it often comes quickly - "we have a place, can your child start next Monday?" Have your paperwork ready: current school reports, medical records, KITAS documentation, uniform orders. Schools that see a family ready to move tend to prioritise them.