Do not miss this opportunity to study abroad in Croatia with the cheap universities in Croatia for international students; tuition fees, living costs, visa requirements and how to apply to Croatian universities.
About Croatia
Croatia (Hrvatska), historically the Republic of Croatia (Republika Hrvatska), is located at the crossroads of the Adriatic Sea and the Pannonian Plain in South-East Europe.
Croatia is bordered by Hungary in the north, Slovenia in the north-west, Serbia in the north-east, Bosnia and Herzegovina in the southern part of Croatia, Montenegro in the far south, and by Italy and Slovenia by the Adriatic Sea.
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Croatia is listed by the International Monetary Fund as an open and emerging economy and by the World Bank as a high-income economy. Croatia is historically a country that is geared towards tourism.
Historical history, natural beauty and a friendly environment make up the foundation that allows Croatia to draw modern-day visitors, along with high-quality lodging, gastronomic excellence and a rich supply of activities and entertainment.
Zagreb is Croatia’s capital and the largest city in the country as well. It is located along the Sava River in the north-west of the world, with a population of almost one million inhabitants. It is Croatia’s political economic, cultural and science hub.
Living Expenses in Croatia
Depending on the form of accommodation (student dorm or private rented accommodation) and the city in Croatia, the average monthly living expenses in Croatia are estimated to be between 400 and 700 EUR.
To cover food, lodging, utilities, books, transport and miscellaneous expenses, these sums should be adequate. Of course, depending on their needs and lifestyle, students may invest more or less than the projected amounts.
Study Visa Requirements for Studying in Croatia
Students ought to have a permit for student residence. This is accessed from a Croatian consulate in your home country or can be done once you arrive in the country via a local police office. Prior to arriving, it is best to have this in place.
Nationals of countries subject to the visa requirement must also obtain a visa for entry to Croatia (Visa C). Data on countries subject to a visa requirement can be found on the Croatian Foreign and European Affairs Ministry’s website.
The application for a visa (Visa C) must be sent to the Republic of Croatia’s diplomatic mission or consulate in the home country of a foreign national. It is possible to request a visa application either in person or by e-mail. A list of missions and consulates is available on the Croatian Foreign and European Affairs Ministry’s website.
Where to Submit Residence Permit Application
Third-country nationals can apply for residency permits in one of two ways;
- To the diplomatic mission or consulate of the Republic of Croatia in the home country of a foreign citizen,
- If the student comes to Croatia to study at a higher education institution as a full-time student at the undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate level, at the appropriate police department or police station upon entering Croatia. The student may contact the International Relations Office of the host university for more details about this text.
When to Submit Residence Permit Application
Students sending an application to the Republic of Croatia’s diplomatic mission or consulate in their home country should do so prior to their expected arrival in Croatia.
The normal process will take 3 months or longer to complete (including time needed for all the necessary documents to be translated into Croatian). There is also a fast-track way to manage the application and at the diplomatic mission or consulate, students may request this in which case they pay a higher fee.
When entering Croatia during their short-term stay, students submitting an application to the appropriate police department or police station in Croatia should do so.
Study Abroad in Croatia; Required Application Documents
For the purpose of studying, the following documents must be submitted along with the application for temporary residence;
- One 35×45 mm color photograph
- Valid passport and photocopy of a passport or identification card (non-EU citizens) (EU citizens)
- Evidence of secured accommodation (e.g. written proof of secured accommodation in a student dormitory or apartment lease and proof of the landlord’s possession of a private accommodation apartment for students). Please notice that you must register your address at the Foreigners’ Office at the local Police Administration Office within 48 hours of your arrival in Croatia. Your address will be automatically registered when you stay in a hotel or student dormitory.
- Health Insurance proof
- Proof of adequate funds in order to support oneself
- Evidence of admission to an institution of higher education in Croatia, published in Croatian
Application Fee for Studying in Croatia
For the purpose of studying, the application fee for the temporary residence permit is about $73. International students receiving a grant from the Ministry of Research, Education and Sports of Croatia and the Mobility Agency and the EU programs are excluded from this tax, but they should pay EUR 3500 for the cost of issuing a residence card and EUR 300 for the duty stamp fee.
Length of Residence Permit
A temporary residency permit is normally issued for a term of one year or for an academic year.
How to Apply for Admission to Study Abroad in Croatia
Using the Central Application Framework, prospective students who apply for undergraduate studies as graduate students and who have completed a minimum of four years of secondary education outside Croatia can apply to higher education institutions in Croatia.
Applicants who have completed their secondary education in a country that does not have an external secondary education examination framework in place are recommended to take the State Matura exams for subjects that are excluded from being admitted to a specific study program.
In particular, the findings of the State Matura exams impact the ranking of candidates in the selection process for admission to most study programs.
Candidates can submit to the Central Application Office (the Department for Research and Higher Education) the following documents;
- Application form completed
- Details of identification
- Proof of completion by that date of all high school levels
- Confirmation of final examination results
- Confirmation of the outcomes of contests, national or international
- Confirmation of status of sports
Please request specific information from the higher education institution you wish to attend about the application process.
Graduate and Postgraduate Students
At the Office for Academic Recognition of Foreign Higher Education Qualification, international students wishing to pursue their graduate or postgraduate programs in Croatia must present their certificates for certification.
All universities that offer international students graduate and postgraduate programs have that department. Then the application is typically submitted to the university concerned.
Tuition Fees in Croatian Universities
In a higher education facility, the cost of going to school depends on different factors, including whether or not the school is private or public. Tuition and fees are set by the colleges themselves, not the government. Costs for foreign students can differ considerably from one school to another.
International students should expect to pay approximately 800 to 2500 euros for most undergraduate degree programs. The cost of technical schools appears to be much higher than that.
Science and medical programs are the highest-costing programs. The cost of post graduate education is higher, but it will differ greatly from one school to the next.
Cheap Universities and Colleges in Croatia for International Students
Public Universities in Croatia
- Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek
- Juraj Dobrila University of Pula
- University of Dubrovnik
- University of Rijeka
- University of Split
- University of Zadar
- University of Zagreb
Public Polytechnics in Croatia
- Polytechnic of Šibenik
- Međimurje Polytechnic in Čakovec
- Polytechnic in Karlovac
- Polytechnic in Požega
- Polytechnic in Rijeka
- Polytechnic in Varaždin
- Polytechnic “Lavoslav Ružička” in Vukovar
- Polytechnic “Marko Marulić” in Knin
- Polytechnic “Nikola Tesla” in Gospić
- Polytechnic of Zagreb
- Polytechnic School for Social Sciences at Zagreb
- Professional Health School of Higher Education in Zagreb
Public Colleges in Croatia
- College of Agriculture in Križevci
- College of Computer Science Management in Virovitica
- Police College
Private Universities in Croatia
- Catholic University of Croatia
- Dubrovnik International University
Private Polytechnics in Croatia
- Polytechnic “Baltazar Adam Krčelić”, Zaprešić
- Polytechnic “Hrvatsko zagorje” Krapina
- Polytechnic Velika Gorica
- VERN Polytechnic
Private Colleges in Croatia
- American College of Management and Technology
- Business College for Management in Tourism and Hospitality
- Business College “Minerva”
- Business School PAR
- Business College with Public Rights, Višnjan
- Business School “Zagreb”
- College for Inspection and Human Resource Management in Maritime Sciences
- College for Safety at Workplace
- College of AGORA
- College of Applied Computing
- College of Economics, Entrepreneurship and Management “Zrinski”
- College of Information Technology Zagreb
- College of International Relations and Diplomacy
- College of Management and Design “Aspira”
- Effectus – College for Finances and Law
- International Graduate Business School Zagreb
- Kairos College for Public Relations and Media Studies
- Professional Business School of Higher Education LIBERTAS
- Professional School of Higher Education for Business Administration Studies
- Professional School of Higher Education for Technology in Pula
- RRiF College of Financial Management
- Technical College in Bjelovar
- TV Academy – College of Multimedia and Communication in Split
- Zagreb College of Journalism
- Zagreb Polytechnic College
- Zagreb School of Economics and Management
