This page compares the education systems of United Kingdom and Indonesia.
Education System Overview
| Category | United Kingdom | Indonesia |
|---|---|---|
| System Type | The United Kingdom has a devolved public/private education mix. England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland operate separate education systems, with their own school rules, curricula, qualification systems, and administrative arrangements. UK-level statistics are combined only where definitions allow meaningful aggregation. [UK DfE] | Mixed public/private system with decentralized school delivery. National ministries set core standards and policy, while provincial and district governments manage major parts of public-school provision. |
| Governing Body | England: Department for Education (DfE) / Scotland: Scottish Government / Wales: Welsh Government / Northern Ireland: Department of Education. Higher education funding, regulation, and student support also use separate nation-specific bodies and rules. [UK DfE] | 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. [Kemendikdasmen] |
| Government Expenditure on Education (% of GDP) | UK government expenditure on education was approximately 4.1% of GDP in the 2024–25 financial year. This is a UK aggregate and does not imply identical funding arrangements across the four education systems. [UK DfE] | Approximately 1.3% of GDP in 2023, the latest value reported in the World Bank/UNESCO Institute for Statistics series. [World Bank] |
Education Structure & Compulsory Schooling
| Category | United Kingdom | Indonesia |
|---|---|---|
| Compulsory Age Range | England: compulsory school age is generally 5–16, followed by a separate requirement to remain in education or training until 18. [GOV.UK] / Scotland: school education is generally compulsory from about 5–16, with children usually starting P1 between roughly 4½ and 5½. [Scottish Government] / Wales: compulsory school age is generally 5–16. / Northern Ireland: children normally begin primary school at 4 or 5 and remain in compulsory education until the applicable school-leaving date around age 16. [Education NI] | The statutory compulsory basic-education requirement covers approximately ages 7–15. Indonesia is separately expanding policy toward 13 years of compulsory education, including one preschool year and senior secondary education. [BPK] |
| Total Compulsory Duration (Years) | England: about 11 years of compulsory school-age education, followed by the separate education or training participation duty to 18 / Scotland: generally about 11 school-age years / Wales: generally about 11 school-age years / Northern Ireland: the statutory model provides at least 12 years, consisting of seven primary and five post-primary years. [Education NI] | 9 years under the established statutory basic-education requirement; the current national policy direction is 13 years, structured as one preschool year plus 6 years primary, 3 years junior secondary, and 3 years senior secondary. [Kemendikdasmen] |
| Pre-primary Education (ECE) Access | There is no single UK-wide ECE entitlement or directly comparable enrollment percentage. England: all 3- and 4-year-olds are entitled to funded early education. [GOV.UK] Scotland: funded early learning and childcare is available before school, with eligibility linked to age and school-entry rules. [Scottish Government] Wales: funded nursery education is available for 3- and 4-year-olds, with additional funded childcare available to eligible families. [Welsh Government] Northern Ireland: the government funds a pre-school place for every child whose family wants one, but attendance is not compulsory. [Education NI] | ECE is generally non-compulsory under the established statutory framework, while the 13-year policy prioritizes one preschool year for ages 5–6. Gross PAUD participation reached approximately 36.2% in 2025; this is a broad PAUD participation indicator rather than a strict ages 3–5 net-enrollment rate. [PAUDPEDIA] |
| Primary + Secondary Education Structure (Years) | England: Reception, then Years 1–6 + Years 7–11, followed by post-16 routes; the National Curriculum is organized through four Key Stages. [GOV.UK] / Scotland: P1–P7 + S1–S6, with broad general education through S3 and a senior phase from S4 to S6 under Curriculum for Excellence. [Scottish Government] / Wales: Reception, Years 1–6 + Years 7–11, followed by post-16 routes under the Curriculum for Wales. [Welsh Government] / Northern Ireland: P1–P7 + Years 8–12, with optional Years 13–14 for post-16 study; the statutory curriculum is divided into Foundation Stage and Key Stages 1–4. [Education NI] | 6 + 3 + 3: 6 years of primary school, 3 years of junior secondary school, and 3 years of general or vocational senior secondary education. Some vocational programs may run for 4 years. [Kemendikdasmen] |
| Vocational vs. General Upper Secondary Split (%) | No harmonized UK-wide percentage should be used. England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland classify academic, technical, vocational, college, and apprenticeship routes differently. The UK DfE also notes that qualification systems and headline measures differ between the four nations, limiting direct comparison. [UK DfE] | Approximately 33.5% vocational / 66.5% general, based on 2024/2025 senior-secondary enrollment totals across SMK and general/religious upper-secondary pathways. [Kemendikdasmen] |
Academic Calendar & Instruction Time
| Category | United Kingdom | Indonesia |
|---|---|---|
| Academic Year Start (Typical Month) | England: typically September, with dates set locally / Scotland: typically August, with dates varying by local authority. [Scottish Government] / Wales: typically September; the 2026–27 approved calendar begins on September 1, 2026. [Welsh Government] / Northern Ireland: typically September; schools resume on September 1, 2026 for 2026–27. [Education NI] | Typically July. Exact starting dates are established through provincial/local education calendars. [Kemendikdasmen] |
| Academic Year End (Typical Month) | England: typically July, with local variation / Scotland: usually June or early July. [Scottish Government] / Wales: typically July; approved 2026–27 dates end around July 20–21 depending on the local authority group. [Welsh Government] / Northern Ireland: the summer holiday begins July 1, placing the normal end of teaching in late June. [Education NI] | Typically June of the following calendar year, with exact dates varying by province and local education authority. |
| Instruction Weeks per Year | No single statutory UK-wide total. Term dates, local calendars, staff development days, and operational requirements are administered separately. A single figure such as 39 weeks should therefore not be presented as a United Kingdom value. [Scottish Government] | Approximately 36 effective instructional weeks for a typical full school year; the precise total varies by grade, regional calendar, holidays, and school program. |
| Instruction Days per Year | No single UK-wide instruction-day figure applies to all four systems. National and local rules differ, and some calendars include separate teacher-development or school-development closure days. [Education NI] | Approximately 180 instructional days on a five-day-school equivalent basis; actual totals vary by regional calendar and school-week arrangement. |
Grading System
| Category | United Kingdom | Indonesia |
|---|---|---|
| Primary/Secondary Grading Scale | England: GCSEs use the 9–1 scale, with 9 highest; most A levels use A*–E. [GOV.UK] / Scotland: National 5, Higher, and Advanced Higher courses use A–D; other courses and awards may use pass/fail arrangements. [Qualifications Scotland] / Wales: GCSEs use A*–G; the Made-for-Wales qualification reforms retain a Welsh qualification system distinct from England. [Careers Wales] / Northern Ireland: CCEA GCSEs use letter grades; other regulated GCSEs taken in Northern Ireland can use different grading arrangements. [UK Regulators] | No single mandatory national A–F or fixed numeric passing scale. Under Kurikulum Merdeka, schools and teachers use learning-achievement criteria known as KKTP, which may combine numerical results, descriptors, rubrics, and competency evidence. [Kemendikdasmen] |
| Higher Education Grading Scale | Universities set their own assessment regulations, but UK honors bachelor’s degrees commonly use First, Upper Second (2:1), Lower Second (2:2), and Third classifications. This should not be treated as one centrally imposed percentage scale for every institution or course. [Universities UK] | Institution-specific, although a 4.00 GPA scale with letter grades is widely used. A common model ranges from A = 4.0 to E = 0, with some universities using intermediate grades. [ITB] |
Language of Instruction
| Category | United Kingdom | Indonesia |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Instruction Languages (K–12) | England: primarily English / Scotland: primarily English, with Gaelic-medium education available / Wales: English and Welsh, including Welsh-medium and dual-language schools / Northern Ireland: primarily English, with Irish-medium education available. In January 2026, Wales recorded 403 Welsh-medium schools and 73 dual-language schools. [Welsh Government] | Bahasa Indonesia is the principal national language of instruction. Regional languages may support instruction during early stages where appropriate. [BPK] |
| Other Official / Minority Instruction Languages (K–12) | Scotland: Gaelic-medium provision operates within the Scottish system / Wales: Welsh-medium education forms a substantial part of public provision / Northern Ireland: Irish-medium schools provide education through Irish. [Education NI] | Regional/local languages may be used as supporting instructional languages, particularly in early education. English is primarily taught as a foreign language; it is scheduled to become a compulsory primary-school subject from the 2027/2028 academic year. [Kemendikdasmen] |
School Provision & Access (K–12)
| Category | United Kingdom | Indonesia |
|---|---|---|
| Public School Enrollment Share (K–12, % of Students) | No single directly comparable UK-wide percentage should be assigned under one school-type definition. England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland classify state-funded, maintained, grant-aided, academy, and other school categories differently. The UK DfE reports 29,532 maintained schools across the UK for 2024/25 but keeps nation-specific definitions in the underlying data. [UK DfE] | Approximately 66.5%, calculated from 2024/2025 primary, junior-secondary, and senior-secondary enrollment by school status. Public shares were about 73.2% at primary, 60.9% at junior secondary, and 57.3% at senior secondary. [Kemendikdasmen] |
| Public School Tuition Fee (Annual, Local Currency) | $0 for ordinary state-funded compulsory school provision. In UK usage, the term “public school” can also refer to certain independent fee-charging schools, so this field refers specifically to state-funded schools. | $0 tuition for compulsory basic education in government schools under the national education framework. Permitted ancillary costs and locally administered support arrangements can vary. [BPK] |
| Public Schools Nationwide Availability | Yes. State-funded school provision operates throughout England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, but administration, school categories, admissions rules, curricula, and funding arrangements are handled within each nation’s education system. [UK DfE] | Yes. Public primary and secondary schools operate nationwide across Indonesia’s provinces and districts, complemented by the public religious-school network. |
| Private School Enrollment Share (K–12, % of Students) | No single harmonized UK-wide percentage should be used without defining which independent and non-state categories are included. Official school statistics are published separately for the four nations. [UK DfE] | Approximately 33.5% across primary through senior-secondary education, derived from official 2024/2025 student totals by school status. [Kemendikdasmen] |
| Private Schools (Geographic Concentration) | There is no standard official UK-wide concentration measure for independent schools. Distribution differs by nation, region, school type, and the definition used, so an England-only concentration should not be presented as a United Kingdom pattern. | Nationwide presence, with particularly extensive provision in densely populated and urban areas and through community, foundation, and religious education networks. |
International Schools (K–12)
| Category | United Kingdom | Indonesia |
|---|---|---|
| Number of International Schools (Total) | There is no single official UK-wide total based on a common legal definition of “international school.” Independent schools may offer international programs without belonging to one national international-school category. | Approximately 146 directory-listed international schools as of 2026; this figure represents a specialist international-school directory rather than an official government census. [International Schools Database] |
| Number of IB World Schools | 128 schools across the UK offered International Baccalaureate programs in 2026, serving nearly 100,000 students. [IB] | Approximately 80 IB World Schools listed for Indonesia in 2026. [IB] |
| Main International Programmes Offered | International Baccalaureate (IB) is the clearest UK-wide documented international program. Individual schools may also offer international or foreign-curriculum qualifications, but availability varies by provider rather than through one UK school system. [IB] | IB, Cambridge International, British, American, Australian, Singaporean, French, and bilingual/internationalized Indonesian curricula are among the principal options. |
Resources & Learning Environment (K–12)
| Category | United Kingdom | Indonesia |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum Teacher Qualification (Public Schools) | England: QTS is legally required in maintained schools and non-maintained special schools, while academies and some other schools have different rules. [GOV.UK] / Scotland: all teachers in public education must be registered with the General Teaching Council for Scotland. [Scottish Government] / Wales: QTS applies to qualified teaching in maintained-school provision, with registration requirements administered in Wales / Northern Ireland: teacher qualifications and eligibility are approved under Northern Ireland’s separate registration arrangements. [Education NI] | 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. [Kemendikdasmen] |
| Average Class Size (Primary) | No single comparable UK-wide primary class-size average is published under one common definition. For context, the combined 2024/25 release reports pupil-to-teacher ratios—not class sizes—of 18.0 England / 13.3 Scotland / 18.9 Wales / 17.1 Northern Ireland. [UK DfE] | Approximately 21 students per class group nationally, based on the official primary student-to-class-group ratio dataset. [Data Indonesia] |
| Average Class Size (Lower Secondary) | No harmonized UK-wide lower-secondary class-size figure. Nation-specific statistical publications use different school phases and reporting definitions; pupil-to-teacher ratio should not be substituted for class size. | Approximately 28 students per class group at junior-secondary level. [Data Indonesia] |
| Average Class Size (Upper Secondary) | No harmonized UK-wide upper-secondary class-size figure. Post-16 provision also differs between school sixth forms, colleges, and nation-specific qualification routes. | 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 students. [Data Indonesia]; vocational reference: [Data Indonesia] |
System Performance & Learning Outcomes (OECD/PISA)
| Category | United Kingdom | Indonesia |
|---|---|---|
| PISA Participation (First Year) | 2000. PISA can report a United Kingdom aggregate even though domestic school systems, curricula, and examinations are devolved. | 2001, through the PISA 2000 Plus administration; Indonesia has subsequently participated regularly in PISA. |
| PISA 2018 Scores (Mathematics / Reading / Science) | 502 / 504 / 505. [OECD] | 379 / 371 / 396. [OECD PISA 2018] |
| PISA 2022 Scores (Mathematics / Reading / Science) | 489 / 494 / 500. [OECD] | 366 / 359 / 383. [OECD] |
| Average PISA Rank 2000–2022 (Math / Reading / Science) | Not an official OECD measure. OECD publishes scores, distributions, uncertainty ranges, and year-specific comparisons rather than one official “average PISA rank” covering 2000–2022. A fixed rank range should therefore not be presented as a measured UK statistic. [OECD] | Not officially published as a standardized OECD metric. Participant numbers and economies included differ by PISA cycle, so a single comparable 2000–2022 average rank is not reported by OECD. [OECD] |
| Strongest Subject Area (PISA 2022) | Science, with a UK mean score of 500, compared with 494 in reading and 489 in mathematics. [OECD] | Science, with a score of 383, compared with 366 in mathematics and 359 in reading. [OECD] |
Higher Education System
| Category | United Kingdom | Indonesia |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Higher Education Institutions (Total) | 304 higher education providers reported student data to HESA in 2024/25. This is a reporting-provider count rather than a claim that all 304 hold identical university status. [HESA] | 4,303 institutions in the 2025 national higher-education statistics. [Kemdiktisaintek] |
| Number of Universities (Research Universities) | No single official “research university” category exists for a UK-wide count. University title, degree-awarding powers, research activity, and HESA provider reporting are separate concepts. [GOV.UK] | 981 institutions classified as Universitas. Indonesia’s national statistics do not publish a separate statutory count specifically labeled research universities. [Kemdiktisaintek] |
| Number of Universities of Applied Sciences / Colleges | The UK does not operate a formal “University of Applied Sciences” sector equivalent to that used in some European systems. Degree-level education can be delivered by universities, specialist higher education providers, university colleges, and some further education colleges. | 885 vocational/applied institutions: 389 polytechnics, 465 academies, and 31 community academies. Indonesia also reports 2,006 Sekolah Tinggi, specialized higher-education schools/colleges. [Kemdiktisaintek] |
| Main Institution Types | Universities, specialist higher education providers, university colleges and colleges delivering higher education. Degree-awarding authority must be checked separately from the institution where teaching takes place. [GOV.UK] | Universities; institutes; Sekolah Tinggi; polytechnics; academies; and community academies. [Kemdiktisaintek] |
| Tertiary Enrollment Share by Ownership | No single harmonized UK-wide public/non-profit vs. private/for-profit percentage is published under the simple ownership split used in this field. Provider legal status and regulatory categories differ. | State/public-managed: approximately 50.3% | Society/private-managed: approximately 49.7% of registered students in 2025. National statistics classify institutions primarily by management/ownership group rather than a strict nonprofit-versus-for-profit distinction. [Kemdiktisaintek] |
| English-Taught Degree Programmes (Bachelor + Master, Total) | No official UK-wide program count is published by teaching language. English is the dominant teaching language across UK higher education, while Welsh-medium and some Gaelic-medium study is also available. | Not centrally published as a national total. English-medium International Undergraduate Programs and international/English-track master’s programs are reported primarily by individual universities. |
| Share of Tertiary Programmes Taught in National Languages (%) | No official UK-wide percentage. Teaching-language data should not be represented as “100% English,” because Welsh-medium and other language provision exists and institutional reporting is not organized as one UK-wide percentage. | No verified nationwide percentage is centrally published. Bahasa Indonesia is the predominant national instructional language, while individual institutions may operate bilingual or English-medium programs. |
| Share of Tertiary Programmes Taught in English (%) | Predominantly English, but no verified UK-wide percentage is published under one consistent program-level measure. | No verified nationwide percentage is centrally published. English-medium provision represents a specialized subset of programs, particularly international undergraduate and postgraduate tracks. |
| Main Global Ranking Used | QS World University Rankings 2027 is one widely used international ranking edition applicable in 2026. Other ranking systems use different methods and may produce different positions. [QS] | QS World University Rankings is used here as the selected international comparison framework. [QS] |
| Universities in Top 100 (Selected Ranking) | Edition-dependent. Use the live QS World University Rankings 2027 United Kingdom filter rather than retaining a hard-coded count from an older edition. [QS] | 0 universities in the global Top 100 of the QS World University Rankings 2027. [QS] |
| Universities in Top 500 (Selected Ranking) | Edition-dependent. The live QS 2027 UK-filtered ranking is the appropriate reference because membership of the top 500 changes between editions. [QS] | 7 universities in the global Top 500 of the QS World University Rankings 2027. [QS] |
| Universities in Top 1000 (Selected Ranking) | Edition-dependent. The live QS 2027 UK-filtered ranking should be used rather than carrying forward a 2025 or 2026 count. [QS] | 12 universities in the global Top 1000 of the QS World University Rankings 2027. [QS] |
| National Accreditation / QA Agency (Higher Education) | The Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education (QAA) maintains the UK Quality Code as a shared reference point, while regulatory and funding arrangements remain nation-specific rather than being controlled by one UK regulator. [QAA] | BAN-PT (National Accreditation Agency for Higher Education), complemented by discipline-specific Independent Accreditation Agencies (LAM). [BAN-PT] |
| International Students (Total) | The UK hosted almost 749,000 international tertiary students in the OECD’s 2025 country profile data. Separately, HESA recorded 2,863,180 total UK higher education student enrollments in 2024/25. [OECD] | No standalone, current nationwide international-student total is published in the 2025 public higher-education dashboard. International-student study-permit administration is maintained through the ministry’s dedicated foreign-student service. [Kemdiktisaintek] |
| International Students Share of Total Tertiary Enrollment (%) | Approximately 23% of tertiary students were international in the OECD’s United Kingdom profile. [OECD] | Not centrally published as a verified current nationwide percentage; therefore, a national share cannot be stated reliably from the 2025 public statistics. Total registered tertiary enrollment was approximately 10.75 million students. [Kemdiktisaintek] |
Education Costs (Indicative)
| Category | United Kingdom | Indonesia |
|---|---|---|
| Public University Tuition Fees – Domestic / Regional (Annual, Local Currency) | England: about $13,000 equivalent for the 2026/27 standard full-time maximum at eligible fee-cap providers. [GOV.UK] Wales: about $13,000 equivalent for the 2026/27 maximum covered by the main fee-loan limit. [Welsh Government] Northern Ireland: about $6,600 equivalent for eligible Northern Ireland students studying at publicly funded institutions in Northern Ireland in 2026/27. [NI Direct] Scotland: the undergraduate first-degree tuition rate is roughly $2,400 equivalent, normally paid by SAAS for eligible Scotland-domiciled students studying in Scotland. [SAAS] USD figures are rounded equivalents; statutory fees and support are set in local currency and exchange rates vary. | Approximately $60–$1,600 per year for regular means-tiered undergraduate tuition in a representative public-university program; exact UKT charges vary substantially by university, program, and assigned fee band. [Universitas Indonesia] |
| Public University Tuition Fees – International / Non-EU (Annual, Local Currency) | International undergraduate tuition is typically about $15,000–$51,000 per year, while international postgraduate tuition is commonly about $12,000–$40,000 per year, using rounded USD equivalents of the current published UK ranges. Fees vary by university and course. [British Council] | Approximately $1,700–$7,500 per year as an indicative range across foreign-student bachelor’s tuition categories at a major public university, excluding any one-time institutional-development charges. [UGM] |
| Typical Tuition Fees for English-Taught Programmes (Annual, Local Currency) | For international students, mainstream English-taught undergraduate programs commonly fall within approximately $15,000–$51,000 per year, with postgraduate programs commonly around $12,000–$40,000. Course type and institution can materially change the fee. [British Council] | Approximately $3,000–$8,000 per year for many English-medium/international undergraduate tracks at major public universities. Dual-degree arrangements, medicine, and partner-university components can cost more. [ITB] |
| Language School Costs (Monthly, Local Currency) | No official UK-wide monthly rate. English-language course prices depend on weekly teaching hours, provider, location, accommodation arrangements, and course length, so a single monthly UK figure should not be presented as an official benchmark. | Approximately $180–$210 per month equivalent for a university-based Indonesian-language course, based on UGM INCULS semester tuition spread across a 15–17 week term. [UGM] |
Major Education Updates & Policy Changes
| Category | United Kingdom | Indonesia |
|---|---|---|
| 2010–2020: Key Updates & Reforms | ||
| 2020–2024: Key Updates & Reforms | ||
| 2025–2026: Key Updates & Reforms |
General Overview (Narrative)
| Category | United Kingdom | Indonesia |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | The United Kingdom does not operate one uniform school system. England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland control their own compulsory-school rules, curricula, qualification structures, assessment arrangements, teacher requirements, and many funding policies. England generally uses Reception, Years 1–11, GCSEs, and A levels, with a separate requirement for young people to remain in education or training until 18. Scotland uses P1–P7 and S1–S6 under Curriculum for Excellence, with National 4/5, Higher, and Advanced Higher qualifications. Wales uses the Curriculum for Wales and is introducing Made-for-Wales GCSEs. Northern Ireland follows Foundation Stage and Key Stages 1–4, with its own GCSE, AS, and A-level arrangements. School calendars differ as well: Scotland normally starts in August, while England, Wales, and Northern Ireland generally start in September. State-funded schooling is the main route throughout the UK, but school categories and administrative rules differ. Higher education has UK-wide reach, while regulation, domestic tuition support, and student-finance rules remain nation-specific. PISA can report a UK aggregate, but domestic school examinations should not be modeled as one common UK assessment system. [UK DfE] | Indonesia has a large, mixed, and decentralized education system. National ministries establish curriculum, quality, and policy frameworks, while provincial and district governments manage much of public-school delivery; the Ministry of Religious Affairs operates the extensive madrasah sector. The standard school structure is 6 years of primary, 3 years of junior secondary, and 3 years of senior secondary education, with both general and vocational pathways. The established compulsory basic-education framework covers ages 7–15, while current policy is moving toward a 13-year model that adds one preschool year and extends participation through senior secondary school. Public schools educate roughly two-thirds of students across primary and secondary levels, alongside a substantial private, foundation, and religious-school sector. Bahasa Indonesia is the principal instructional language, with regional-language support permitted and English education expanding. Higher education includes more than 4,300 institutions across universities, institutes, colleges, polytechnics, and academies. Recent reforms emphasize Kurikulum Merdeka, deeper learning, competency-based assessment, digital learning systems, coding and artificial intelligence options, broader preschool and secondary participation, and preparation for compulsory primary English from 2027/2028. |