The Bali Dyslexia Foundation (BDF) is a registered charity created in order to support children with learning difficulties from disadvantaged backgrounds within Indonesia. Working alongside the Ministry of Education, BDF focuses on providing teacher training as well as continuous professional development programs (CPD) to improve educational outcomes. As an educational extension of BDF, the North Bali School of the Arts (NBSA), provides inclusive education that reflects BDF’s commitment to high-quality community impact across Indonesia.

There are three unique programs available to potential interns, these are: Charity Development & Sustainability, Marine & Ocean Conservation, and Marketing & Communications. To learn more, visit our page outlining the details of each program. 

Lovina is a peaceful coastal town situated on the north of Bali island providing a relaxing break from the busy and tourist hotspots characteristic of the south (approximately a 4 hour drive from Denpasar airport). However, there is still a wealth of activities that interns enjoy participating in both after work and on weekends, including: dolphin watching, waterfall hikes, wild swimming, and relaxing at luxurious beach clubs. Also, the town boasts affordable dining and shopping within the charming center. 

To ensure the community spirit is maintained and for practical ease, we prioritise applicants who select to stay on campus in shared accommodation, alongside the main cohort. More specifically, our on-site campus features shared cabins between 2-5 interns per cabin, each including its own bathroom.

Within the intern accommodation package includes basic food staples in the shared intern kitchen, including noodles, bread, rice, crisps, eggs, milk, teas/coffee, sauces, and vegetables. Also, cooking appliances and kitchen crockery are available for intern use. There is currently no washing machine on campus; however, just a short two minute walk away there are reliable laundry services that will wash and dry your clothes sometimes for less than one Great British Pound (24,000 IDR).

As well as selecting the flights of your choice to match your internship dates, prior to arrival, interns must obtain a C6B visa, complete an arrival card, and pay the Balinese tourist levy (150,000 IDR). To make the process easier, BDF partners with a visa agent who will guide prospective interns through the visa application process approximately one month before their arrival. Please contact us before your arrival to obtain these details. 

Our internships are unpaid, however, interns receive a daily stipend of 100,000 IDR (approximately £4 GBP) to help cover basic living expenses. This value can go a long way locally, as meals can cost as little as 25,000 IDR, making it useful for purchasing essential food and toiletries. Although our internships are unpaid, interns gain hands-on work experience while developing practical and digital skills that are highly relevant to today’s job market. These experiences also strengthen their CVs and enhance future career prospects.

Bringing a laptop is not essential, as the NBSA campus provides spare laptops for interns to use. However, many past interns recommend bringing their own devices in order to access personal applications, software subscriptions, and files while working on digital projects. Having your own laptop can also be convenient for personal use and entertainment during your stay. 

Exploring Bali and the rest of Indonesia is highly encouraged during your internship. Interns have travelled to the luscious landscape of Ubud, hiked Mount Batur, explored the beaches and temples of Uluwatu, or even visited the Gili Islands, Nusa Penida, and Java. Travelling is a way of life during your internship with BDF, if you select to do so.

As many of our student interns are from the UK, the months between June and September are typically our busiest period, with approximately 10-15 interns joining us at a time due to its alignment with the UK summer holidays. However, we welcome smaller groups of interns throughout the year from a diverse range of backgrounds. 

Neurodivergent students and interns are welcomed warmly at NBSA, where we strive to provide a supportive environment which celebrates different styles and methods of learning. In terms of medical and physical disabilities, prospective interns are advised to contact BDF staff ahead of arrival to discuss any concerns or requirements regarding accessibility. Previous students with disabilities have successfully participated in our programs through flexible working hours and location, however, the surrounding area to the campus is not fully wheelchair accessible, which may be a consideration for some students.