Learn to Build Apps for Free in Bali While You Work
Free 10-Month Program + Monthly Stipend + You Keep Your Clients
Let's be real, the digital nomad thing isn't always as glamorous as the Instagram posts make it look. You're probably juggling client work, visa runs, unreliable wifi, and constantly wondering what's next. What if you could hit pause on all that and actually build something that gives you more control over your future?
There's this program in Bali called the Apple Developer Academy at BINUS. They'll teach you to build apps over 10 months, assist with your visa situation, lend you equipment to work with, and even throw in monthly cash to help with living costs.
The best part? Whatever you build is completely yours. Apple just wants more Swift developers in the world to keep their ecosystem healthy. No equity grabs, no hidden contracts, no catch.
Why This Makes Sense for Nomads
Most of us got into this lifestyle because we wanted freedom and flexibility. But let's be honest - constantly chasing clients, dealing with payment delays, and competing on price gets old fast. Learning to build apps gives you a different kind of freedom.
Instead of trading time for money forever, you can create something once and sell it repeatedly. Build a useful app, get it in the App Store, and earn while you sleep. Or use the skills to land higher-paying remote dev work. Either way, you're not stuck in the freelancer hamster wheel anymore.
The program covers three areas that actually matter:
App Development: Learn Swift and build real iOS apps from scratch. No fluff, just practical skills you can use immediately.
Design: Make your apps look professional and user-friendly. This matters more than most developers think.
Business: Figure out how to turn your new skills into actual income. They teach you to think like an entrepreneur, not just a coder.
The Setup That Actually Works
Classes are 4 hours a day, Monday to Friday. You choose morning (8 AM to noon) or afternoon (1 PM to 5 PM). That's it. The rest of your time is yours.
Here's the beautiful part: you can still work your current clients or projects during your free hours. Pick the morning session and work afternoons and evenings with US clients. Choose afternoon classes and handle European clients in the morning. The flexible schedule means you don't have to completely abandon your income while learning.
Compare that to your current situation. How many hours are you actually working between client calls, admin tasks, and hunting for new projects? Probably way more than 4 hours a day. This program gives you structure while keeping your flexibility.
The visa situation is handled for you. If you've been doing visa runs or stressing about overstaying, you know how valuable this is. Student visa keeps you legal for the full 10 months without any border runs to Singapore.
Money Reality Check
Here's what they give you:
Complete training (worth thousands) for free
MacBook and iPhone to use during the program
6 million rupiah monthly ($370 USD*) paid at month's end
What you cover:
Accommodation (shared places start around $300/month*)
Food and daily expenses ($300-500/month depending on lifestyle)
Visa application fees
Your flight to Bali
The monthly stipend doesn't cover everything, but it helps. Most nomads are already spending $800-1200/month in Bali anyway, so this isn't dramatically different from your current costs.
10 Months in Bali vs. 10 Months of Hustle
Think about where you'll be in 10 months if you keep doing what you're doing now. Same clients, same rates, same stress about finding the next project?
Or you could spend those 10 months in Bali learning skills that completely change your income potential. By the end, you'll have:
Real apps in your portfolio
Swift development skills (iOS developers make $70k to $120k+ remotely)
A network of other entrepreneurs and developers
10 months of visa-free living in one of the world's best nomad destinations
Bali isn't just a pretty place to live - it's become the unofficial capital of the nomad world. The infrastructure is there, the community is real, and the cost of living lets you focus on learning instead of worrying about money.
Canggu, Ubud, and Sanur are packed with other nomads building businesses, learning skills, and supporting each other. You'll be part of a community that gets what you're doing.
The program runs March to mid-December 2026, so you'll experience both dry and wet seasons. Plenty of time to explore other parts of Indonesia on weekends - cheap flights to Java, Flores, or Lombok are always available.
Application Timeline
Applications open: June 23, 2025
Deadline: September 12, 2025 (4 PM Indonesian time)
Online test: Late September 2025
Interviews: TBA
You need three things:
Short essay (200 words) about why you want this
English resume (PDF, under 5MB)
Portfolio showing your work or interests
The portfolio doesn't need to be technical. Show them websites you've built, content you've created, businesses you've started, or projects you've completed. They want to see how you think and solve problems.
Who This Actually Works For
This isn't for everyone. You need to show up consistently and do the work. If you're looking for a 10-month vacation with some light learning, this isn't it.
But if you're tired of the feast-or-famine cycle of freelancing and want to build something more sustainable, this could be perfect. Especially if you're already comfortable with technology and curious about how apps actually work.
The program attracts people from all backgrounds: designers, writers, marketers, business owners, and career changers. The common thread is wanting to build something real instead of just getting by.
The Long Game
Here's what graduates typically do:
Launch their own apps (some make decent money)
Get remote iOS development jobs ($60k to $100k+ annually)
Freelance as app developers (much higher rates than most nomad work)
Join startups as technical co-founders
Build apps for their existing businesses
Even if you don't become a full-time developer, understanding how apps work makes you more valuable in almost any digital role. You'll speak the language of product development and understand what's actually possible.
The nomad lifestyle is getting more competitive. Clients expect lower rates, more nomads are chasing the same opportunities, and visa situations are getting trickier everywhere.
Learning to build apps gives you a skill that's in demand globally, pays well, and can be done from anywhere with decent internet. It's also something you can do alongside other work or turn into a full-time business.
Ready to Apply?
Applications are open for the 2026 program. This opportunity is competitive, lots of nomads are figuring out they need more sustainable skills.
Take your time with the application. Be honest about what you're hoping to achieve and why this makes sense for your situation. They want to see genuine motivation, not just someone looking for cheap education in a nice location.
Check the official Apple Developer Academy @ BINUS Bali website for complete details and the application portal.
Ten months from now, you could still be hustling for the same clients at the same rates, or you could have a completely different set of options. Your choice.
