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Study in Croatia

The Croatian higher education system has a long educational tradition preserved primarily through the work of its public universities.

Croatia has a binary higher education system, meaning that prospective students can choose between two types of higher education studies:

University studies consisting of academic programmes that are conducted solely at universities
Professional studies consisting of professional programmes conducted at polytechnics or colleges of applied sciences (exceptionally, professional programmes can also be implemented at universities)

The Croatian higher education system is now structured according to three cycles (undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate) and higher education studies in Croatia are organised according to the system of transferable credits, thus making it easier for international students (from Europe and beyond) to study in Croatia and have their studies recognised in their home countries.

Find the best information about what it’s like to study in Zagreb, including degree course offers, career opportunities, student life, living costs, and more.

Private and public higher education institutions

Croatia has both public and private higher education institutions.

Most Croatian universities are public institutions. However, private university education has recently started to develop in Croatia with the establishment of three private universities and numerous colleges of applied sciences.

Almost all polytechnics are public institutions, while most colleges of applied sciences are private institutions. Both polytechnics and colleges of applied sciences provide first and second cycle professional study programmes – these institutions differ only in the number of study programmes they provide, not in the type of programmes.

General application requirements

Prospective students who apply to undergraduate study programmes as degree-seeking students and who have completed the minimum of four years of secondary education outside Croatia can apply to higher education institutions in Croatia using the Central Application System.

Applicants who have completed their secondary education in a country that does not have an established system of external evaluation of secondary education are advised to take the State Matura exams in subjects proscribed for admission to a particular study program. Namely, the results of the State Matura exams influence the candidate ranking in the selection process for admission to most study programs.

Candidates should send the following documents to the Central Application Office (at the Agency for Science and Higher Education):

Completed application form
Identification information
Proof of completion of all secondary school levels by that date (certificate of each level)
Confirmation of the results of final examination
Confirmation of the results of national or international competitions
Confirmation of sport status

Please request detailed information about the application process from the higher education institution you wish to attend.

Find more information about applying to a university in Croatia.

University studies

Undergraduate university studies normally last for three to four years. Upon completion, students are awarded an academic title of Bachelor (prvostupnik) with reference to a specialisation, which qualifies a student for specialised work in art or science.
Graduate university studies normally last for one to two years. Upon completion of both undergraduate and graduate studies, students are awarded an academic title of Master (magistar struke) with reference to a specialisation.
Postgraduate university studies are divided into specialist and doctoral studies.
Specialist studies lead towards specialisation in a profession and last for one to two years. Upon completion, the student is awarded the title of University Specialist with reference to a specialisation (univ. spec.).
Doctoral studies last three years and are intended for scientific and research training aimed at the production of scientific excellence as well as renewal of teaching staff in the higher education system. Upon completion of doctoral study (and after defending the doctoral thesis), the academic title of Doctor of Science or Doctor of Arts is awarded (dr. sc. or dr. art.).
Integrated undergraduate and graduate university studies normally take five or six years. Upon completion, students are awarded a diploma and the academic title of Master (magistar struke) with an indication of the field of study.

Professional studies

Undergraduate professional studies last for two to three years. Exceptionally professional studies may last up to four years. Students are awarded a professional title of strucni pristupnik with a reference to a specialisation the professional title of Professional Bachelor (strucni prvostupnik) with a reference to a specialisation.
Specialist professional graduate studies last one to two years. Upon completion, students are awarded a title of a specialist of the respective profession.

Research

Research in Croatia is conducted at universities, public research institutes, research institutes, the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts and other institutions registered in the Register of Scientific Research Legal Persons.

About qualifications recognition

Recognition of foreign educational qualifications in Croatia is carried out for the purpose of continuation of education at Croatian higher education institutions (academic recognition) or for the purpose of employment in Croatia (professional recognition).

All higher education institutions that accept international students usually have an International Cooperation Office and prospective students should contact that office well before applying in order to obtain relevant information on what educational qualifications need to be recognised in order to apply for the study programme in question.

English language preparation for studying in Croatia

Develop your academic English language skills in order to meet the English language requirements at Croatian universities offering degree studies for international students. Choose an English language school anywhere in the world and pick your preferred English exam preparation course from diverse language course options. Universities accept these official English exams:

PTE Academic
IELTS
TOEFL
C1 Advanced

Living in Croatia

Let's take a closer look at tuition and living expenses in Croatia:

Tuition fees

Here's what you need to know about tuition fees:

each higher education institution can set its own tuition fees
public universities are less expensive when compared to their private counterparts
usually, EU/EEA and non-EU/EEA students pay the same fees
average costs for Bachelor's degrees range between 800–4,000 EUR/year at public universities
tuition costs for Master's degrees vary significantly based on what you study, where you study, and how long it takes to graduate
to get the latest info about tuition fees, always check the official university websites

Living costs in Croatia

As an international student, you need around 400–700 EUR per month to cover your living costs. Depending on your lifestyle, costs may go up or down. Here's a breakdown of average living expenses in Croatia:

accommodation: 150–300 EUR/month
food and groceries: 100–250 EUR/month
monthly transport pass: 47 EUR; students might get discounts
three-course meal for two at a mid-range restaurant: 40 EUR
1 loaf of bread: 1 EUR
1 litre of milk: 1 EUR
1 kg of apples: 1.30 EUR
1 kg of bananas: 1.40 EUR
1 cappuccino: 1.50 EUR

About Croatia

Croatia (Hrvatska), officially the Republic of Croatia (Republika Hrvatska) is situated in South-Eastern Europe at the crossroads of the Adriatic Sea and the Pannonian Plain.

Croatia is an ex-Yugoslav country that declared its independency from Yugoslavia in 1991 and is a member of the EU since 2013.

Croatia borders with Hungary in the north, Slovenia in the north-west, Serbia in the north-east, Bosnia and Herzegovina in the total length of the lower part of the Croatia’s crescent shape, Montenegro in the extreme south, and Italy and Slovenia on the Adriatic Sea.

Croatia is classified as an emerging and developing economy by the International Monetary Fund and a high income economy by the World Bank. Traditionally, Croatia is a tourism oriented country.

Historical heritage, natural beauty and a pleasant climate make up the framework which, together with high quality accommodation, gastronomic excellence and a rich supply of activities and entertainment, enables Croatia to attract the modern-day tourist.

Zagreb is the capital of Croatia and also the largest city in the country. It is situated in the north-west of the country, along the Sava River with a population of almost one million inhabitants. It is the political, economic, cultural and scientific centre of Croatia.

The official currency of the Republic of Croatia is the Kuna (shortened to “HRK” or “kn”) and it is subdivided into 100 Lipa (shorted to “lp”).

Universities, colleges and schools in Croatia

Osijek

Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek (1 Distance Learning course)

Zagreb

Algebra University College (2 Distance Learning courses)
Swiss School Of Business and Management (9 Distance Learning courses)
Zagreb School of Economics and Management (1 Distance Learning course)