Apple Developer Academy Indonesia
Apple Developer Academy Indonesia
Apple Developer Academy Indonesia is a cohort-based educational program run in partnership with Apple and Indonesian universities. It trains participants — called "developers" regardless of prior technical background — in the full product cycle: research, design, coding, and launch, with an emphasis on Apple platform development (Swift, Xcode, iOS/macOS).
The program runs in cohorts. As of mid-2025, Kohort 8 is active and Kohort 9 is accepting applications. Each cohort is roughly one academic year.
Campuses
Four active locations in Indonesia:
| Campus | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| BINUS University | BSD, Tangerang | Primary campus; BINUS students get 50% of quota reserved, but external applicants are accepted |
| Universitas Ciputra (UC) | Surabaya | Onsite FGD |
| Infit Learning | Batam | Online FGD (semi-international) |
| BINUS | Bali | Online FGD (international cohort) |
| TBA | Jakarta | New campus, recently announced |
What It Selects For
The Academy explicitly targets a T-shaped developer profile: broad understanding across product thinking, design, coding, and business — with depth in one specialty. Prior coding experience is not required. The application process tests potential, growth mindset, empathy, and collaborative capacity more than technical output.
This shows up in the selection: a Figma mockup with strong research behind it carries more weight than a finished app with no articulated problem-solving process.
Selection Process
Three phases after an informal pre-registration period:
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Online Application — motivation statement (essay + topic given by Academy), resume/CV, and portfolio (using Academy-provided template; 1–5 projects). The portfolio question is not "what apps did you build" but "what problems did you solve and how."
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Online Entry Test — multiple choice across logic reasoning, basic programming knowledge (pseudocode, OOP, data structures), design fundamentals, and business basics. Logic questions are the hardest section. Taken in AM or PM session; open mic and video required for integrity.
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Focus Group Discussion (FGD) — the most heavily weighted phase. Applicants split into two groups, develop solutions to the essay topic, then exchange constructive criticism. Assessed on creativity, collaboration, and communication. Offline for BSD and Surabaya; online for Bali and Batam.
Curriculum Character
Design thinking is the dominant methodology. Alumni report that the first project challenge is roughly 80% research and design — one Kohort 7 alumni's first month-long challenge had no coding requirement at all. The program teaches that the research-and-design phase is where most of a product's value is determined; coding is downstream execution.
Role rotation is built in: participants move between coder, designer, and product manager roles across different projects. This intentionally builds T-shaped capability rather than narrow specialization.