The CLS Indonesian Program provides students opportunities to learn Bahasa Indonesia both inside the classroom and in an immersive cultural setting during an intensive eight-week language program. The structure of the program is designed to cover the equivalent of one academic year of university-level Indonesian study. Students participate in approximately eighteen hours per week of formal classroom instruction where they focus on four major skills: speaking, listening, reading and writing in Bahasa Indonesia.

The CLS Indonesian Program is hosted in Malang, Indonesia by Universitas Negeri Malang (UM), one of the oldest teaching institutions in Indonesia. UM has hosted CLS since 2010 and is one of the premiere institutions in Indonesia for preparing future teachers of Indonesian as a second language. CLS participants routinely share appreciation for being able to participate in university life and note how welcome UM staff and faculty have made them feel. In addition to teachers, some of the most enthusiastic program affiliates in Malang are language partners. Each CLS student is paired with two Indonesian students who are also studying at UM. These small groups meet twice each week to practice language informally and to get to know the city. In the past students enjoyed visiting local markets, museums, and cafes with their language partners after class.

Students can look forward to expanding their understanding of Indonesian history and culture by participating in hands-on activities organized by UM, such as batik textile production, gamelan music, and traditional dance. Students also have the opportunity to visit important sites in and near Malang to learn about different aspects of life of East Java.

Housing for all students is provided in local, Indonesian-speaking host families. Living with a host family provides students a window into the lives of people of different ages, occupations, and backgrounds. In the past, students have shared that they took advantage of their time in a host family to learn how to cook Indonesian foods, discuss family and regional histories, and explore other parts of the city together on free weekends.