This page compares the education systems of Denmark and Indonesia.
Education System Overview
| Category | Denmark | Indonesia |
|---|---|---|
| System Type | Public/private mix with decentralized municipal delivery. National legislation sets the main rules for compulsory education, while municipalities operate the public Folkeskole system and publicly supported private schools provide an alternative. [Ministry of Education] | Mixed public/private system with decentralized school delivery. National ministries establish curriculum, standards and policy, while provincial and district governments manage much of public-school provision. Religious and private providers operate alongside the state sector. |
| Governing Body | Ministry of Children and Education for school and upper-secondary education; municipalities for public primary and lower-secondary schools; and the Ministry of Science, Higher Education and Digital Affairs with the Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science for most tertiary education. [Danish Ministry] | Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen) for general school education; Ministry of Religious Affairs (MoRA) for the madrasah system; and the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology (Kemdiktisaintek) for higher education. |
| Government Expenditure on Education (% of GDP) | 6.4% of GDP in 2022, the latest value in the World Bank/UNESCO UIS government-expenditure series. [World Bank] | 1.3% of GDP in 2023, the latest value in the World Bank/UNESCO UIS series. [World Bank] |
Education Structure & Compulsory Schooling
| Category | Denmark | Indonesia |
|---|---|---|
| Compulsory Age Range | Compulsory education normally begins in August of the calendar year in which a child turns 6 and ends after completion of Grade 9, normally around age 16. Denmark requires education rather than attendance at a particular type of school. [Ministry of Education] | The established statutory basic-education requirement covers approximately ages 7–15. National policy is expanding access toward 13 years of education, including one preschool year and education through senior secondary level. [Kemendikdasmen] |
| Total Compulsory Duration (Years) | 10 years: one compulsory preschool class, known as Grade 0, followed by Grades 1–9. Grade 10 is optional. [Ministry of Education] | 9 years under the established statutory basic-education requirement. The government's 13-year education policy extends the policy target to one year of preschool, six years of primary, three years of junior secondary and three years of senior secondary education. [Kemendikdasmen] |
| Pre-primary Education (ECE) Access | Optional before compulsory preschool class. Participation is high: 94.7% of 3-year-olds were enrolled in early childhood education in 2023. [OECD] | ECE remains outside the established nine-year statutory requirement, while the 13-year policy prioritizes one preschool year before primary school. Gross PAUD participation was approximately 36.2% in 2025; this indicator covers the broader PAUD population rather than only children aged 3–5. |
| Primary + Secondary Education Structure (Years) | 1 + 9 + 3 is the common general route: one compulsory preschool-class year, Grades 1–9 of compulsory school and usually three years of general upper-secondary education. An optional Grade 10 is also available. Vocational routes have different durations. [Ministry of Education] | 6 + 3 + 3: six years of primary education, three years of junior secondary education and three years of general or vocational senior secondary education. Some vocational programs operate for four years. |
| Vocational vs. General Upper Secondary Split (%) | Approximately 19% vocational / 81% general among 15–19-year-old upper-secondary students in the latest directly comparable OECD distribution. Danish VET students are often older than students in general upper-secondary education, so this age-based measure does not represent all VET participation. [OECD] | Approximately 33.5% vocational / 66.5% general, based on 2024/25 upper-secondary enrollment across vocational and general/religious pathways. |
Academic Calendar & Instruction Time
| Category | Denmark | Indonesia |
|---|---|---|
| Academic Year Start (Typical Month) | August | July, with exact dates set through provincial and local education calendars. |
| Academic Year End (Typical Month) | June | June, with regional variation. |
| Instruction Weeks per Year | Approximately 40 weeks in the most common Folkeskole calendar. [Ministry of Education] | Approximately 36 effective instructional weeks; the exact requirement varies by school level, regional calendar and program. |
| Instruction Days per Year | Approximately 200 days in the most common school-year arrangement. [Ministry of Education] | — |
Grading System
| Category | Denmark | Indonesia |
|---|---|---|
| Primary/Secondary Grading Scale | 7-point scale: -3, 00, 02, 4, 7, 10, 12. Grades 02, 4, 7, 10 and 12 are passing grades when a pass requirement applies. [Ministry of Education] | No single mandatory national A–F or fixed numerical passing scale. Schools use learning-achievement criteria, including KKTP, with numerical results, descriptors, rubrics and competency evidence used according to school and subject assessment arrangements. |
| Higher Education Grading Scale | The same 7-point scale is used across state-regulated higher education, with pass/fail assessment also permitted in specified courses. [Danish Agency] | Institution-specific. A 4.00 GPA scale with letter grades is widely used; individual universities determine grade boundaries and intermediate grades. |
Language of Instruction
| Category | Denmark | Indonesia |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Instruction Languages (K–12) | Danish is the main language of instruction in ordinary public schooling. | Bahasa Indonesia is the principal national language of instruction. Regional languages may support instruction in early education where appropriate. |
| Other Official / Minority Instruction Languages (K–12) | German is used in recognized German-minority schools in Southern Jutland. International and bilingual schools may teach partly or fully in English or another language. | Regional and local languages may be used as supporting instructional languages. English is primarily taught as a foreign language and is scheduled to become a compulsory primary-school subject from the 2027/28 academic year. [Kemendikdasmen] |
School Provision & Access (K–12)
| Category | Denmark | Indonesia |
|---|---|---|
| Public School Enrollment Share (K–12, % of Students) | At compulsory-school level, approximately 82% of pupils attend the municipal/public sector, based on the Ministry's reported 18% share attending free private primary and lower-secondary schools. [Ministry of Education] | Approximately 66.5% across primary through senior-secondary education in 2024/25, based on official enrollment totals by school status. Public-school shares differ considerably by education level. |
| Public School Tuition Fee (Annual, Local Currency) | $0. Municipal Folkeskole education is free of charge. [Ministry of Education] | $0 tuition for compulsory basic education in government schools. Families may still face permitted ancillary costs or locally administered charges outside standard tuition. |
| Public Schools Nationwide Availability | Yes. Municipalities are responsible for providing public compulsory education throughout Denmark. [Ministry of Education] | Yes. Public primary and secondary schools operate across Indonesia's provinces and districts, complemented by the public religious-school network. |
| Private School Enrollment Share (K–12, % of Students) | Approximately 18% of compulsory-school pupils attend a free private primary and lower-secondary school. These schools receive public subsidies and may charge parental fees. [Ministry of Education] | Approximately 33.5% across primary through senior-secondary education in 2024/25, based on official student totals by school status. |
| Private Schools (Geographic Concentration) | Nationwide, with free private schools operating in both urban and regional areas. | Nationwide, with substantial private, foundation and religious-school provision in densely populated and urban areas. |
International Schools (K–12)
| Category | Denmark | Indonesia |
|---|---|---|
| Number of International Schools (Total) | 26 recognized international basic schools in the Ministry's official category. [Ministry of Education] | — |
| Number of IB World Schools | 20 IB World Schools currently offer at least one IB programme in Denmark; 17 offer the Diploma Programme. [IB] | 81 IB World Schools currently offer at least one IB programme in Indonesia. [IB] |
| Main International Programmes Offered | International Baccalaureate (IB), Cambridge International and school-specific British, American or bilingual programs. | International Baccalaureate (IB), Cambridge International, British, American, Australian, Singaporean and other school-specific international or bilingual curricula. |
Resources & Learning Environment (K–12)
| Category | Denmark | Indonesia |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Teacher Qualification (Public Schools) | For the standard Folkeskole teacher pathway, a four-year Professional Bachelor's degree in teacher education totaling 240 ECTS, including teaching practice. Upper-secondary teacher qualification requirements differ. [Danish Agency] | A minimum academic qualification of S-1 bachelor's degree or D-IV applied bachelor's level is the national professional benchmark, alongside teacher-certification requirements for eligible professional teachers. |
| Average Class Size (Primary) | Approximately 19 students in 2023. [OECD] | Approximately 21 students per class group in the latest nationally published comparable primary dataset. |
| Average Class Size (Lower Secondary) | Approximately 20 students in 2023. [OECD] | Approximately 28 students per class group in the latest nationally published junior-secondary dataset. |
| Average Class Size (Upper Secondary) | — | Approximately 30 students overall as an indicative upper-secondary figure; general senior-secondary classes average about 32 students while vocational classes are closer to 27. |
System Performance & Learning Outcomes (OECD/PISA)
| Category | Denmark | Indonesia |
|---|---|---|
| PISA Participation Years | 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018, 2022, 2025. [OECD] | 2000, 2003, 2006, 2009, 2012, 2015, 2018, 2022, 2025. Indonesia's first assessment was conducted in 2001 through the PISA 2000 Plus administration. [OECD] |
| PISA 2018 Scores (Mathematics / Reading / Science) | 509 / 501 / 493 | 379 / 371 / 396. |
| PISA 2022 Scores (Mathematics / Reading / Science) | 489 / 489 / 494. [OECD] | 366 / 359 / 383. [OECD] |
| PISA 2025 Scores (Mathematics / Reading / Science) | 471 / 460 / 478. [OECD] | 364 / 365 / 389. [Kemendikdasmen] |
| PISA Performance Trend 2000–2025 | Performance was lower in 2025 than in 2022 in mathematics, reading and science. Mathematics declined by 19 points, reading by 29 points and science by 16 points. OECD reports that 2025 performance in all three subjects was lower than in any Danish PISA assessment conducted before 2022. [OECD] | Indonesia's raw scores changed from 366 / 359 / 383 in 2022 to 364 / 365 / 389 in 2025 for mathematics, reading and science respectively. OECD analysis finds the 2022–2025 changes statistically about the same in all three subjects. Results in 2025 remained below Indonesia's 2015 performance. [OECD] |
| Strongest Subject Area (PISA 2025) | Science — 478 points. [OECD] | Science — 389 points. [Kemendikdasmen] |
Higher Education System
| Category | Denmark | Indonesia |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Higher Education Institutions (Total) | 25 core institutions across the main state-regulated categories: 8 universities, 7 university colleges, 7 business academies and 3 architecture/art institutions. Additional specialized institutions fall under other administrative arrangements. [Danish Agency] | 4,303 institutions in the 2025 national higher-education statistics. [Kemdiktisaintek] |
| Number of Universities (Research Universities) | 8 universities: University of Copenhagen, Aarhus University, University of Southern Denmark, Roskilde University, Aalborg University, Technical University of Denmark, Copenhagen Business School and IT University of Copenhagen. [Danish Agency] | 981 institutions classified as Universitas. Indonesia does not publish a separate statutory category specifically named “research universities.” [Kemdiktisaintek] |
| Number of Universities of Applied Sciences / Colleges | 7 university colleges and 7 business academies. Denmark does not use a single formal “University of Applied Sciences” category equivalent to some other European systems. [Danish Agency] | The 2025 statistics record 2,885 college/applied institution types: 2,000 Sekolah Tinggi, 389 polytechnics, 465 academies and 31 community academies. Indonesia does not use a single “university of applied sciences” category. [Kemdiktisaintek] |
| Main Institution Types | Universities, university colleges, business academies and architecture/art institutions, alongside additional specialized tertiary providers. | Universities, institutes, Sekolah Tinggi, polytechnics, academies and community academies. [Kemdiktisaintek] |
| Tertiary Enrollment Share by Ownership | Public institutions: 99.6% / government-dependent private institutions: approximately 0.3% / independent private institutions: approximately 0% in 2023. [OECD] | Public/government-managed: approximately 50.3% | private-managed: approximately 49.7% of registered students in 2025. The official breakdown is 40.99% PTN, 7.17% public religious institutions and 2.18% government-service institutions versus 44.95% PTS and 4.71% private religious institutions. [Kemdiktisaintek] |
| English-Taught Degree Programmes (Bachelor + Master, Total) | 500+ English-taught higher education programs across Danish institutions. [Study in Denmark] | — |
| Share of Tertiary Programmes Taught in National Languages (%) | — | — |
| Share of Tertiary Programmes Taught in English (%) | — | — |
| Main Global Ranking Used | QS World University Rankings 2027. [QS] | QS World University Rankings 2027. [QS] |
| Universities in Top 100 (Selected Ranking) | 1 in QS 2027: University of Copenhagen (=90). [QS] | 0 Indonesian universities in the global top 100 of the QS World University Rankings 2027. [QS] |
| Universities in Top 500 (Selected Ranking) | 5 in QS 2027: University of Copenhagen (=90), Technical University of Denmark (105), Aarhus University (=128), University of Southern Denmark (=283) and Aalborg University (=329). [QS] | 7 Indonesian universities in the global top 500 of the QS World University Rankings 2027; Universitas Padjadjaran entered the top 500 at #496. [QS] |
| Universities in Top 1000 (Selected Ranking) | 5 in QS 2027. Roskilde University is ranked in the 1001–1200 band, while Copenhagen Business School and IT University of Copenhagen do not have an overall QS World University Ranking position in this edition. [QS] | 12 Indonesian universities in the global top 1000 of the QS World University Rankings 2027. [QS] |
| National Accreditation / QA Agency (Higher Education) | Danish Accreditation Institution (Danmarks Akkrediteringsinstitution), which conducts accreditation work within Denmark's higher education quality-assurance system. | BAN-PT (National Accreditation Agency for Higher Education), complemented by discipline-specific Independent Accreditation Agencies (LAM). Accreditation processes continued their transition to the SAPTO 2.0 system during 2026. [BAN-PT] |
| International Students (Total) | Approximately 30,000 international tertiary students in 2023, the latest OECD internationally comparable total. [OECD] | 8,050 foreign students were studying in Indonesian higher education institutions at the end of 2025. [Kemdiktisaintek] |
| International Students Share of Total Tertiary Enrollment (%) | 9.9% in 2023, down from 10.7% in 2018. [OECD] | Approximately 0.07%, based on 8,050 foreign students and 10,754,154 registered tertiary students in 2025. [Kemdiktisaintek] |
Education Costs (Indicative)
| Category | Denmark | Indonesia |
|---|---|---|
| Public University Tuition Fees – Domestic / Regional (Annual, Local Currency) | $0 for Danish students and generally for eligible students from the EU/EEA and Switzerland in public higher education. [Study in Denmark] | A representative 2026/27 regular undergraduate UKT range at Universitas Indonesia is approximately $57–$1,590 per year, converted from IDR 500,000–14,000,000 per semester. Fees vary by institution, program and assigned contribution tier, and some programs charge more. [Universitas Indonesia] |
| Public University Tuition Fees – International / Non-EU (Annual, Local Currency) | Typically $8,000–$21,000 per year for fee-paying full-degree students, equivalent to the official published range of DKK 45,000–120,000. Exact fees are set by institutions. [Study in Denmark] | Indicative foreign-student bachelor's tuition at Universitas Gadjah Mada is approximately $2,840–$5,280 per year, converted from IDR 25–46.5 million per semester. One-time institutional development fees are additional and vary by program. [UGM] |
| Typical Tuition Fees for English-Taught Programmes (Annual, Local Currency) | $0 for eligible EU/EEA/Swiss students; generally $8,000–$21,000 per year for other full-degree students. [Study in Denmark] | Indicative public-university international or English-medium programs are approximately $1,760–$5,280 per year in current ITB postgraduate and UGM international undergraduate examples, excluding one-time charges and partner-university costs. [ITB] |
| Language School Costs (Monthly, Local Currency) | — | Approximately $200–$225 per month equivalent for UGM's 2026 INCULS regular Indonesian-language program, based on IDR 13,692,300 for a 15–17 week semester. [UGM] |
Major Education Updates & Policy Changes
| Category | Denmark | Indonesia |
|---|---|---|
| 2000–2010: Key Updates & Reforms | ||
| 2010–2020: Key Updates & Reforms | ||
| 2020–2024: Key Updates & Reforms | ||
| 2025–2026: Key Updates & Reforms |
General Overview (Narrative)
| Category | Denmark | Indonesia |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | Denmark has a decentralized public/private education system in which municipalities operate the public Folkeskole within national legislation. Compulsory education lasts 10 years, beginning with preschool class in the year a child turns six and continuing through Grade 9. Municipal schools provide free education, while about 18% of compulsory-school pupils attend publicly supported free private schools. General upper-secondary programs and vocational education provide the main routes after compulsory school. Danish is the principal instructional language, with German-minority and international-school provision also available. In PISA 2025, Denmark scored 471 in mathematics, 460 in reading and 478 in science; all three results were lower than in 2022. Higher education includes eight research universities, seven university colleges and seven business academies, with 99.6% of tertiary students enrolled in public institutions in 2023. Current school changes include greater local flexibility, fewer compulsory leaving examinations and revised subject plans, while a new epx upper-secondary route is being prepared for introduction in 2030. | Indonesia has a large public/private education system in which national ministries set curriculum and standards while provincial and district authorities manage much of school delivery. The standard structure consists of six years of primary, three years of junior secondary and three years of senior secondary education, with both general and vocational pathways. The statutory basic-education requirement remains nine years, while national policy is expanding access toward a 13-year model that includes one preschool year and education through senior secondary level. Public schools educate about two-thirds of primary and secondary students, alongside a large private and religious-school sector. Bahasa Indonesia is the main language of instruction. In PISA 2025, Indonesia scored 364 in mathematics, 365 in reading and 389 in science; OECD found no statistically clear change from 2022 in the three subjects. Higher education included 4,303 institutions and 10.75 million registered students in 2025. Current changes include deeper-learning approaches, optional Coding and AI subjects, TKA implementation and continued expansion of the 13-year education policy. |