Admission Requirements for Higher Education in Croatia

The higher education institutions in Croatia determine their admission requirements and procedure. Read on to know about the Croatian higher education institutions:

Students who wish to go for undergraduate study in Croatian higher education institution must have completed appropriate type of secondary education. 

Students must hold a relevant undergraduate degree for entering the graduate study in Croatia. 

Students who have completed their graduate study are eligible to apply for the postgraduate study in Croatian universities. 

To apply to the first degree level of higher education, i.e. undergraduate study programme, there is a central application system.

Candidates who have completed their secondary education studies in a country that does not have an external evaluation system of secondary education must undertake a “State Matura exam” in subjects specified for admittance to the course.

Candidates must apply through a central application system for the undergraduate study, and send the following documents to the central application office at the Agency for Science and Higher Education:

• Completed application form
• Identification document
• Educational certificates: Indicating that you have completed secondary education.
• Final exam results
• Proof of sport status

Students must apply directly to the institution of their choice. Documents indicating completion of undergraduate studies

• Application form
• List of courses undertaken
• Grades received
• Motivation letter
• Interview

International students are required to undertake the Croatian language exam on B2 level depending on the requirement of the study programme offered by the Croatian higher education institution.  The higher education institution in Croatia determines the course of study that requires taking the Croatian language exam

Candidates who are accepted are given the acceptance documents. Details about the start date of the session, student identity card, health insurance information, accommodation and student residence permit is also provided.

The foreign qualifications and degrees must be recognised in Croatia in order to study in the higher education institutions of Croatia, or for work in Croatia. Academic or professional recognition is required.

Students who wish to pursue undergraduate study in Croatia and possess a foreign secondary school qualification from general or art high school must submit the recognition requests of their educational documents to the Education and Teacher Training Agency.

Students who wish to pursue undergraduate study in Croatia and possess a foreign secondary school qualification from vocational high school must submit the recognition requests of their educational documents to the Agency for Vocational Education and Training and Adult Education. 

Students who want to pursue graduate or postgraduate study programmes in Croatian higher education institutions and possess a foreign higher education qualification, are required to go for the academic recognition. The academic recognition is carried out by Croatian higher education institutions. To know about the recognition of foreign higher education qualifications, contact the Croatian ENIC-NARIC Office (Website: https://www.azvo.hr/en/enic-naric-office).