find your perfect postgrad program
Search our Database of 30,000 Courses
Postgraduate Study In Croatia
Find a postgraduate program in CROATIAPLEASE NOTE: As a result of Brexit, from Autumn 2021 postgraduate students from the European Union studying at a UK university will be charged the same tuition fees as international students. Meanwhile, UK students studying their postgraduate course at a European university are also likely to incur higher tuition fees than their EU counterparts. It is advisable to check with the individual universities in the UK and Europe for up-to-date information on tuition fees for all postgraduate programs.
Croatia is located where Central Europe and Eastern Europe meet each other along the coast of the Adriatic
Sea and borders Hungary to the north east and shares a maritime border with Italy. It's a small country with a population of around 4.3 million people and the major religion is Roman Catholicism. The climate in Croatia varies across the country, with the southern Adriatic coast benefitting from a warm Mediterranean climate, and then further north the central mountainous Dinara Region experiences very cold winters. The north of Croatia on the Pannonian Plains has the cold winters and warm summers that are associated with Central Europe.
Croatia is a member of the EU, but compared to many Western European nations it has had a tumultuous recent history. After the First World War Croatia became part of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, and in 1929 the King took over the government with a dictatorship. He changed the name of the country to Yugoslavia and in 1931 returned control to a single government. During the Second World War Yugoslavia was occupied by both Germany and Italy, and then taken over by the Allies toward the end of the war. After the war, Yugoslavia became a communist country and enjoyed more autonomy from Russia than other Eastern European communist countries at the time.
After the death of President Tito in 1980 the political situation in Yugoslavia began to break down and Croatia eventually declared independence from the rest of Yugoslavia in 1991. This led to a war with the different parts of Yugoslavia until 1995 when Croatia became an independent country along with Bosnia-Herzegovina and Serbia. After post-war reconstruction, Croatia joined international organisations like the World a Trade Organisation in 2000 and the EU in 2012. Since then tourism has become a significant part of Croatia's economy along with the service industries, shipbuilding, pharmaceutical processing and information technology. Despite being a member start of the EU Croatia hasn't adopted the Euro as its currency, and instead uses the Croatian Kuna.
Croatia has a vibrant and interesting higher education sector that has undergone substantial change over recent years to harmonise the undergraduate, postgraduate and PhD standards with the rest of Europe. Home and international students alike will find that Croatia has easy access to large parts of Europe for those interested in exploring further. As well as this the universities in Croatia offer a number of postgraduate courses in English, making it the ideal country to complete your postgrad studies at.
Find your PERFECT POSTGRAD PROGRAMNumber crunching postgraduate study in Croatia
130,000 university level students – so you’ll be in good company
81% of Croatians speak English – so you’ll be able to understand what’s going
128 higher education providers – giving you plenty of choice
Chance to study on the stunning Adriatic – Croatia has 36 institutions on the Adriatic coast
University education has been available here since 1396 – so it is a path well worn
Croatian universities & education
University education has a long history in Croatia, with the first university being established here in 1396. Students study at two different types of institution in Croatia, the universities are for purely academic subjects whilst for professional courses Croatia has colleges. Croatia has harmonised its university-level education with the rest of Europe in a process known as the Bologna Process, and now has a system familiar to students across Europe with university-level courses divided into undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral level. Most universities in Croatia are public institutions, but there are some private universities and private professional colleges.
There are a number of institutions in Croatia that offer postgraduate courses taught in English. For example, at Algebra University in the Croatian capital of Zagreb all postgraduate courses are conducted in English. Here students can cover a wide variety of subjects, including Software Engineering, Games Development, Data Science and Digital Marketing. The School of Economics and the School of Humanities and Social Science at the University of Rijeka also offer a variety of postgraduate courses taught in English, as do many departments at the University of Split, University of Zagreb and RIT Croatia.
University tuition fees & funding in Croatia
Students coming from the EU to study in Croatia are eligible to pay the same tuition fees as local students and the vast majority of postgraduate courses in English are at the public universities. This means that many students from other countries in the EU will find that tuition fees are very favourable compared with those charged at home. Tuition fees for Croatian and EU postgraduate students vary between around €800 to around €2,200 and up to €3,000+ for international students.
Many postgraduate students in Croatia self-fund their studies and this especially true of international students. There are government scholarships and bursaries available for students, and these are heavily dependent on the subject. Students studying or researching in a number of scientific fields are often eligible for some of this government funding. And don't forget that if you have been accepted on a postgraduate program at a Croatian university you are eligible to apply for one of our Postgrad Solutions Study Bursaries worth £500. Find out more here.
Living as a student in Croatia
Being an international student anywhere in the world has its obvious benefits not least of all the experience of living in a whole new country, however settling in to the new country is always a little tough. The friendliness of the Croatian people and the high quality of its universities should make settling into life in Croatia relatively easy. The fabulous coastline gives students plenty to do outside of their studies, as do the mountainous regions. The city of Dubrovnik is a must visit, with plenty of restaurants and bars to enjoy as well as beautiful architecture. The capital city of Zagreb also has plenty to offer boasting iconic churches, stunning architecture, museums, shops, bars and restaurants. Croatia's central location makes it easy to explore and travel around Central and Eastern Europe while you are based here. Many international students find life much cheaper in Croatia than in other parts of Europe and the United States, with meals out costing as little as £1. Accommodation and food in Croatia will depend on lifestyle choices, but it is quite easy to live on as little as €400 to €700 a month as a student here. If you are considering working in Croatia to support your postgraduate studies you will need to check with your institution, because for both Croatian and international students it is the institution that gives permission to students to work in paid employment, and this depends on your course and university. However, most courses and institutions do allow occasional work by students.
Student case study
Mohamed Hafez is studying a postgraduate program in Digital Marketing at Algebra University.
Speaking about his experience as a postgraduate student in Croatia to date Mohamed says, “I have just finished the most interesting semester of my life. Luckily I chose Algebra University and the city of Zagreb to do my masters studies in Digital Marketing. The city of Zagreb is a student paradise. The city is full of benefits for students, from transport to movie theatre discounts and many more. Zagreb is a perfect size city, everything you need is near you, the transportation system is perfect, you will always find a ride and everything is on Google maps, I always use my bike to get around. Also the prices in Zagreb are much more convenient compared to most of the European cities, and that’s a very important point for a student. And a student can find a job easily through the student service office which is very organised and convenient.”
Enthusing further about living in Croatia, Mohamed says, “You can always find interesting stuff to do in your free time. And what's more beautiful than Zagreb is the people of Zagreb, people are always very helpful and will do their best to help you or even to have a small conversation with you and that is very remarkable, friendly and decent. Almost everybody speaks English, it’s just amazing. Zagreb is full of hidden gems.”
Student visas & immigration
International students from EU countries do not require additional student visas, just those documents required by their university for application and attendance on their course. International students from further afield must apply for a student visa through the Ministry of Foreign And European Affairs and many students can apply for this online.
A checklist of what postgraduate students will need to provide include:
Passport & passport-sized photos
Proof of a secure residence
Proof of sufficient funds
Proof of health insurance
Proof of a place at university in Croatia
Food glorious food
Croatian cuisine is often referred to as the ‘cuisine of the regions’ because each different region has its own distinctive style. In some areas of the country the cuisine is heavily influenced by Italian food and the Mediterranean way of eating, especially in the south along the Adriatic coast. Further north the traditional food is more aligned with Hungarian, Austrian or German food. Eating and exploring the culinary highlights of Croatia is particularly enjoyable and you will find a wide range of tasty treats including black risotto, octopus salad and delicious charcuterie.
Find a postgraduate program in CROATIARelated articles
Postgraduate Study In The Czech Republic
