Education in Croatia is available to both local people and immigrants from other countries. Croatia is a full member of the European Union (EU), a country at the crossroad of both Central and Southeast Europe, the citizen’s education level is high at about 98.1%, and the country offers you safety, an amazing lifestyle, affordability, rich culture and heritage, exquisite beauty, and English-Language courses. The country’s capital and largest city are Zagreb. The country has many public and private centers and institutions for the education of different levels of accreditation.
Croatian universities are available to graduates (citizens or foreigners), with high scores in the final examination and certificates of complete secondary education interested in entering any Croatian university. Enrolment is based on the assessment of the progress of the result of the general examinations and language tests.
The benefits of studying in Croatia
- A High-level system of education
- The Diploma given are recognized in all European countries
- Free education and scholarship are possible
- Affordable cost of education, accommodation, and meals even in private universities
- 2-year programs are available
Croatian educational system
The system of education in the Croatian system is categorized into the following levels which include:
Pre-school education
Children from 1 to 6 years of age are accepted into public kindergartens.
Primary school
The education lasts for 8 years, the primary school education is free to citizens of the country and foreigners also living there.
Secondary school
This secondary school education is free to everybody living in Croatia, it is for 3-4 years and there are three types of secondary schools in Croatia which are: gymnasiums, vocational schools, and art schools. Graduates from secondary school take a unified state examination which can also serve as an entrance examination into the university, and they are also given certificates.
The educational system is superb, has good standards, and provides high-quality preparation for admission into the university. Statistic records show that 70% of secondary school students studying in Croatia find it easy to gain admission into the university.
Higher education
The award of an academic degree in any Croatian university is equivalent to Europe’s bachelor’s, master’s, and doctorate.
The first stage takes a student 4-6 years to gain a bachelor’s degree, the second phase takes 1-2 to obtain a master’s degree before proceeding to a doctorate in any field of the student’s choice.
Higher education institutions include 7 public universities, 3 private universities, 13 polytechnic institutes, and more than 30 colleges of higher professional education. Zagreb, Split, and Dubrovnik are more popular with foreign students.
The lectures and instructions are mostly in Croatian, though there are provisions for lectures in English, German, Italian and Hungarian.
Admission into Croatian universities
The admission system into Croatian universities is based on the result of a unified examination. Foreign citizens can also take this examination at will, especially when they have passed an equivalent examination in their home country.
To be enrolled in the university, the foreign student is assessed through his/her certificate, examination, language test, and in some cases interviews.
Croatia has a single electronic system to simplify the process of admission to universities for both locals and foreigners. They can register through the website www.postanistudent.hr. The intending student can register for any university in Croatia, submit a document electronically, sign up for an exam and check for his/her result.
Top Universities
The University of Zagreb is a large university hosting more than 45,000 students, the academic state includes over 8 thousand teachers. There are various programs including international exchange programs available to all caliber of students of the university.
The University of Spilt is also famous, but it is a bit expensive, though the institution offers its students financial support. The school is occupied by over 24,000 students and 1400 tutors. The school is open to both citizens and foreigners to apply for admission into the university.
The University of Rijeka is one of the leading universities in Croatia, ranked nationally as one of the best five in the country. The university’s student capacity includes over 20,000 and over 699 tutors. The university accepts students from both within and outside of the country, inasmuch, as the candidate is qualified.
