Indonesia is producing more graduates every year, but the global job market asks for something most conventional curricula do not fully prepare students for. The ability to work across cultures, communicate confidently in English, and adapt to environments that look nothing like home. That is the gap UMB's International Undergraduate Program was designed to close.
UMB currently offers two IUP tracks, making it the university with the most international-track undergraduate classes in Bengkulu Province. Both programs are open to Indonesian citizens who want a degree experience that goes beyond the standard classroom.
The Two Programs
IPEE — International Program on English Education
Offered under the Faculty of Teacher Training and Education (FKIP), IPEE prepares students to become English educators with a genuinely international perspective. Graduates leave not just with strong language skills, but with the cross-cultural fluency and global teaching competencies that open doors in international schools, language institutions, and education-related organizations worldwide.
IPCS — International Program on Communication Studies
Offered under the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP), IPCS trains students in communication with a focus on global media, intercultural messaging, and international broadcasting contexts. It suits students who want to work in media, public relations, corporate communications, or any field where understanding diverse audiences is part of the job.
What Makes IUP Different
Separate international classes
IUP students study in dedicated classes, separate from the regular program cohort. All instruction is delivered in English, and the classroom dynamic reflects that. Discussions, assignments, presentations, and assessments all run in English from day one.
8 General Education courses from the American curriculum
Both IPEE and IPCS incorporate 8 specially designed General Education courses drawn from the American university general education framework. These courses sit outside the core major curriculum and are built to develop skills that travel. Critical thinking, cross-cultural communication, academic writing in English, ethics in a global context, and the kind of intellectual flexibility that helps graduates adapt to fast-changing professional environments. Students who go through these courses consistently find them among the most practical parts of their degree.
Wider access to student mobility
IUP students have broader opportunities to participate in student exchange programs, short-term mobility, and collaborative academic activities with UMB's partner universities abroad. The IUP structure is specifically designed to connect students with international experiences during their study period, not just after graduation.
Direct engagement with international academics and practitioners
Through UMB's growing network of international partners, IUP students interact with visiting lecturers, guest speakers, and practitioners from other countries on a more regular basis than students in the regular track. These interactions, whether in class sessions, seminars, or collaborative projects, give students a feel for how professionals in their field actually operate across different contexts.
Same tuition as the regular program
All of the above comes at exactly the same cost as the regular class. There is no premium for the international track. Students pay standard UMB tuition rates regardless of whether they are enrolled in IUP or the conventional program.
Who Should Apply
IUP is for Indonesian students who are serious about building an international-grade academic experience without leaving the country, at least not for the whole degree. If you are comfortable working in English, curious about the world beyond your own region, and want your university years to actually prepare you for a global career, either IPEE or IPCS is worth a close look.
Applications for IUP follow the same general admissions process as the regular program. For more information, contact the UGE team or visit www.umb.ac.id