Tuition fees and scholarships

SCHOLARSHIPS

In order to study at Croatian higher education institutions, international students must have sufficient financial means for the duration of their stay in Croatia from personal sources or scholarships sources available in their countries or internationally.

Some Croatian higher education institutions might offer some financial aid or partial tuition fee waivers for international students.  However, there are a number of scholarships available for exchange or degree students through Bilateral scholarships of the Republic of Croatia , through university bilateral agreements, through programmes such as CEEPUS and Erasmus+ managed by the Agency for Mobility and EU Programmes. More information can be found in the subsection “Exchange Programmes”.

TUITION FEES

Tuition fees for study programmes in Croatia are determined by each higher education institution. The level of tuition fees depends on the type of study programme and its duration. It is therefore important that prospective students directly contact the higher education institution they are interested in for precise information about tuition fees.

The range of tuition fees for international students varies depending on the higher education institution and field of study. Tuition fees for degree programmes in the humanities and social sciences can range from 1,100 EUR to 10,400 EUR per year, tuition fees in natural and technical  sciences range approximately between 1,000 and 6,000 EUR per year and tuition fees for medical studies range between 10,000 and 12,000 EUR per year. There might be additional application fees between 60 EUR and 300 EUR.

Scholarships to university students who are Croatians living abroad

The Central State Office for Croats Abroad annually offers scholarships for university students with Croatian heritage living outside of Croatia.

In the academic year 2025/2026, 2,000 scholarships were offered, of which 300 scholarships for study in Croatia (200 scholarships for Croatians living in Bosnia and Herzegovina, 60 scholarships for members of the Croatian national minority and 40 scholarships for members of the Croatian diaspora) and 1,500 scholarships for studies in Bosnia and Herzegovina, 30 scholarships for studies in Montenegro, 5 scholarships for studies in the Republic of Kosovo, 15 scholarships for studies in the Republic of North Macedonia and 150 scholarships for studies in the Republic of Serbia. Scholarships are awarded to students once for one academic year, i. e., for a period of 10 months in the monthly amount of 175 EUR.

Persons who are eligible to apply are university students who are Croatians living abroad and who are full-time students at public higher education institutions in Croatia and public higher education institutions in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, the Republic of Kosovo, the Republic of North Macedonia and the Republic of Serbia.

The application for the public tender must be submitted electronically (all documentation) and paper form (application form and mandatory documentation).

More information about the call for applications and the procedure, terms and criteria of award of scholarships can be found on the website of the Central State Office for Croats Abroad: https://hrvatiizvanrh.gov.hr/natjecaji-574/javni-natjecaj-za-dodjelu-stipendija-studentima-pripadnicima-hrvatskog-naroda-izvan-republike-hrvatske-za-akademsku-godinu-2025-2026/6514

Enrolment quotas for students who are members of the Croatian national minority

The following institutions of higher education have ensured special enrolment quotas for members of the Croatian national minority and the Croatian diaspora: University of Zagreb, University of Split, University of Rijeka, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University in Osijek, University of Zadar, Juraj Dobrila University in Pula, University of Dubrovnik, University North, Catholic University of Croatia, University of Applied Sciences Lavoslav Ružička in Vukovar, and Algebra Bernays University.

This special quota is divided into two categories, as defined in Article 2 of the Act on Relations of the Republic of Croatia with Croats Abroad (Official Gazette Nos 124/2011 and 16/2012): one for the members of the Croatian national minority in 12 European countries (Republic of Austria, Republic of Bulgaria, Montenegro, Czech Republic, Italian Republic, Republic of Kosovo, Hungary, Romania, Republic of North Macedonia, Slovak Republic, Republic of Slovenia and Republic of Serbia) and one for Croatian emigrants and their descendants in overseas and European countries.

To enrol in a study programme within the special quota for members of the Croatian national minority and the Croatian diaspora, candidates should register and apply for the study programme of their choice on the  www.postani-student.hr/Ucenici/Prijava.aspx webpage.

It is essential to select the desired study program with the indication "Croats from abroad"; otherwise, they will not be able to apply for the programme under the special enrolment quota. Candidates can select up to 10 study programs, which should be prioritized. If all requirements are met, the system will grant the right to enrol in a study programme based on the priority ranking.

For a successful application process, in addition to registration and application via the Postani student system, candidates must send the required documentation by (physical) mail. All necessary documentation and steps in the process are available at https://www.studij.hr/sve-o-prijavama. As part of the application process, candidates must get their educational qualifications verified by the Agency for Science and Higher Education (Agencija za znanost i visoko obrazovanje). Information about this process is available at https://www.studij.hr/priznavanje. Deadlines for all steps in the process are available at https://www.studij.hr/kalendar.