In brief
Jakarta’s 2026 HSK study visa and career expo drew around 3,000 Indonesian students and parents. The event showcased 21 Chinese universities, including Peking and Tsinghua, while sharing stories of students like 16‑year‑old Calysta Wijaya and graduate Dexter Godwin. Indonesian educators report rising interest in Chinese, though the path from language proficiency to university admission remains uncertain.
Jakarta hosted the 2026 Indonesia HSK study visa and career expo on Sunday, gathering about 3,000 Indonesian students, Chinese‑language learners, and parents eager to learn about study opportunities in China. The fair featured 21 Chinese institutions, including Peking University and Tsinghua University, and highlighted offerings such as undergraduate programmes, scholarships, and career services for Indonesian visitors.
Among the visitors was 16‑year‑old Calysta Jacqueline Wijaya, who is in her first year of high school and has been learning Chinese for 11 years. “I want to study pharmacy in China,” Calysta told Xinhua. She intends to bring professional knowledge back to Indonesia to help more people. Calysta is working to raise her Chinese Proficiency Test, or HSK, score before applying to Chinese universities.
Calysta’s classmate, 15‑year‑old Richard Dharma Hungnata, also speaks fluent Chinese. Richard has studied the language since primary school and, after visiting Beijing and Shanghai, is impressed by China’s development. A math and physics enthusiast, he aims to pursue engineering at a Chinese university. Richard plans to take the HSK exam after his second year of high school, hoping for a high score to strengthen his applications.
The event’s Chinese‑language centre, led by teacher Zheng Wenting, reflected a growing trend among Indonesian parents. Zheng noted that, over the past decade, enrollment at her institute rose from about 50 students per intake to nearly 500 today, driven by increasing parental interest in Chinese learning and in facilitating study in China. She observed that students now frequently target Chinese universities as part of their higher‑education plans.
Success Stories and Future Outlook
At a booth for the Beijing‑based China University of Petroleum, Jin preliminary, Dexter Godwin—a 29‑year‑old Indonesian graduate—shared his experience. Dexter studied petroleum engineering in China and now works in Indonesia, illustrating the career path Chinese language skills can unlock. He remarked that a solid background in Chinese helped him secure employment in the industry and highlighted Chinese technical terminology as a bridge between research and professional practice.
While the expo highlighted these positive outcomes, the information presented stops short of detailing how many of the 3,000 attendees will ultimately be admitted into Chinese universities or secure relevant internships. The HSK examination remains a gatekeeping factor, and Xinhua noted that candidates must still meet each institution’s specific academic criteria. The long‑term success of students like Calysta and Richard in achieving admission and career placement is not yet known, leaving the ultimate impact of the expo an open question.
What is clear, however, is that Chinese language lessons have become a common component of Indonesian secondary education, and that many students view Chinese universities as viable destinations for higher education. The increasing enrollment at language centres and the visibility of alumni success stories suggest a strong momentum behind this trend, though the specific outcomes for each student and how they will navigate the competitive admission process remain to be seen.
