Croatian Education System and Requirements for Studying in Croatia

Croatian Education System and Requirements for Studying in Croatia

The constitution of the People's Republic of Croatia contains laws stating that all Croatian citizens have the right to free and compulsory education under equal conditions and in accordance with their abilities. Education in Croatia is compulsory for children between the ages of 6 and 14. Public schools in Croatia are free of charge and the state pays for health insurance for students. There are very few private schools in Croatia.

The education system in Croatia begins with kindergarten. Children begin eight years of compulsory primary education at the age of 6 or 7. After completing primary school, students can continue their education in four years of non-compulsory secondary schools, divided according to the curriculum by primary school grades.

Since 2010, admission to higher education institutions in Croatia has been determined by students' Matura scores. Croatian higher education institutions are divided into polytechnics, colleges, faculties and art academies. Since 2005, educational programs in Croatian higher education institutions have been designed in accordance with the Bologna process. With five-year university programs, students specialize in science, education, business, public sector, etc. and can continue their undergraduate education with a master's or doctorate degree.

According to the PISA test, which is applied by the OECD every three years, Croatia ranked 41st in PISA 2012; 37th in PISA 2015 and 29th in PISA 2018. Turkish citizens who want to study in Croatia can receive service from visam.net consultants for Croatia visa procedures .

What are the stages of education in Croatia?

Croatia education stages are listed below.

• Croatia preschool education
• Primary education in Croatia
• Croatian secondary education
• Undergraduate education in Croatia
• Croatia master education
• Doctoral education in Croatia
• Croatia internship training

What is the Pre-School Education System Like in Croatia?

In Croatia, pre-school education is provided in kindergartens, and within the scope of pre-school education, every child is required to attend kindergarten one year before primary school.

In Croatian preschool education, preparation for school, morality, social rules, sharing, hygiene, manual skills are taught through games. Kindergartens in Croatia are open every weekday from 07:00 to 17:00, but students cannot stay in kindergarten for more than 10 hours. The days that children go to kindergarten vary according to the parents' wishes.

Preschool education in Croatia is provided in public or private kindergartens. Registration for Croatian kindergartens begins in May each year and continues until September, when schools open. In public kindergartens, the closest kindergarten can be chosen according to the address of residence. The average monthly fee for private kindergartens in Croatia is 260 Euros.

What is the Primary School Education System Like in Croatia?

The Croatian primary education system consists of eight years and is compulsory for children. The age of starting primary school in Croatia is 6 or 7. In Croatian primary schools, Croatian, mathematics, science, social studies and art are taught by class teachers in the first 4 years. Between the 5th and 8th grades, additional courses such as history, geography, biology, chemistry, physics, vocational training, informatics and technology are taught by specialist teachers, and English, German, French or Italian are taught as a second language.

According to the primary school education system in Croatia, each student takes 13-16 lessons per year and takes at least 6 and at most 8 hours of lessons per day. The number of private schools providing primary school education in Croatia is quite low. Primary school education in Croatia is provided free of charge in public schools.

What is the Secondary School Education System Like in Croatia?

High schools within the Croatian secondary education system are optional. Many political parties in Croatia advocate that high school education should be made compulsory.

High school education in Croatia is provided in 3 different areas: general high schools, vocational high schools and art high schools. High school education in Croatia covers 4 years and the students' lesson hours vary depending on the type of high school they attend.

Annual tuition fees in private high schools in Croatia vary between 10,000 Euros and 20,000 Euros.

What are the requirements for studying in high school in Croatia?

The requirements for studying at a high school in Croatia are listed below.

• The student makes a list by choosing 5 schools he wants to attend.
• The order of preference is the schools that the student most wants to attend.
• The maximum score for Croatian high school registration is 80. The scores are determined according to the 8-year compulsory education grades and disciplinary grades.
• Students who fall below the score threshold cannot enroll in high schools in Croatia.

What Are the Best High Schools in Croatia?

The best high schools in Croatia are listed below.

• Air Force Technical School Rudolf Perešin (Zagreb)
• Art School Franjo Lučić (Zagreb)
• Music School Ferdo Livadić (Zagreb)
• Gymnasium Antun Gustav Matoš Zabok (Krapina-Zagorje)
• School of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine Arboretum Opeka (Varazdin)
• School of Architecture, Natural Sciences and Mining (Varazdin)
• School of Mechanical Engineering and Transportation (Varazdin)
• Lise Pavao Ritter Vitezović (Lika-Senj)
• High School Prelogue (Medimurje)
• Turisticka i ugostiteljska škola (Dubrovnik- Neretva)

How Much Does High School Education Cost in Croatia?

High school education prices in Croatia vary depending on the city and type of education. In Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, high school education prices are 18,000 Euros per year, in Split, high school education prices are 14,500 Euros per year, and in Osijek, high school education prices are around 12,000 Euros per year. The national average for high school education fees in Croatia is 15,000 Euros per year.

What is the Higher Education System Like in Croatia?

Within the scope of the higher education system in Croatia, undergraduate, master's and doctoral education is provided optionally for students who graduate from high school. Croatian state and private universities offer departments such as medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, engineering, law, business, finance, fine arts, teaching, sociology, veterinary medicine and public administration.

Students follow the course schedule and days, which vary depending on the department and university type. Croatian university fees vary between 5,000 Euros and 20,000 Euros per year.

What are the requirements for doing a master's degree in Croatia?

The requirements for doing a master's degree in Croatia are listed below.

• The graduated undergraduate diploma must be presented.
• A health report of the student must be submitted.
• The results of the international language exams taken must be submitted.
• The application form with photo and signature must be submitted.
• If the applied program is paid, a receipt showing that the fee has been paid must be submitted.

What are the Internship Programs in Croatia?

People studying at a university in Croatia and wanting to improve themselves in their areas of interest and expertise can apply for internship programs.

Croatia internship programs are listed below.

• Croatia erasmus internship program
• Croatia company internship program

Is it possible to do a paid internship in Croatia?

Yes, it is possible to do a paid internship in Croatia. The amount granted for a paid internship in Croatia is around 500 Euros.

What are the Best Schools in Croatia?

The best internationally recognized universities in Croatia are listed below.

• University of Zagreb
• University of Rijeka
• University of Split
• University of Osjek
• University of Zadar
• University of Pula Juraj Dobrila
• Dubrovnik University
• University of Sjever
• Croatian Catholic University
• University of Libertas

Well-established universities in Croatia are preferred by foreign students. Croatian universities offer various success scholarships to foreign students.

What Education Can Citizens of the Republic of Türkiye Receive in Croatia?

The most popular types of education preferred by citizens of the Republic of Türkiye in Croatia are listed below.

• English language education in Croatia
• Architectural education in Croatia
• Studying law in Croatia
• Medical education in Croatia
• Studying engineering in Croatia
• Studying psychology in Croatia
• Dentistry education in Croatia

How to Get English Language Education in Croatia?

There are language schools and university preparatory departments in Croatia that provide English language education. In language schools in Croatia, English education can be received in one-on-one private lessons or in classes.

Foreign nationals who want to learn English in Croatia prefer well-established language schools located in the big cities of Croatia. Course prices in Croatian language schools located in the capital Zagreb vary between 200 Euros and 1000 Euros depending on the course duration.

Can I Work While Studying in Croatia?

People who register for trainings longer than 3 months in Croatia can work up to 20 hours per week as long as the training program is active. The average hourly wage for part-time work in Croatia is 3.5 euros.

What does it take to work as a student in Croatia?

The requirements for working as a student in Croatia are listed below.

• It is necessary to be an active student in educational institutions in Croatia.
• Registration is required at the local student offices in Croatia.
• There is a working requirement of up to 20 hours per week.
• Part-time working hours should not conflict with the course schedule.

People who want to work full time in Croatia must have graduated from university. In order to work legally in Croatia, people must have a Croatian work permit .

What are the requirements for studying in Croatia?

The requirements for studying in Croatia are listed below.

• Getting accepted to an educational institution in Croatia
• Having a Croatian student visa
• There is no obstacle to obtaining a Croatia Schengen visa
• Having Croatia travel health insurance
• Knowledge of Croatian or English language

What are the requirements to study dietitian in Croatia?

The requirements for studying dietitian in Croatia are listed below.

• It is necessary to find a university that provides dietetics education in Croatia and get accepted to it.
• A student who will receive dietetic training at a private university in Croatia must pay the fee requested by the university administration on time.
• The student must have passed his/her high school education courses with good grades.
• The student must be over 18 years of age and not have any criminal record.

What are the requirements to study pharmacy in Croatia?

The requirements for studying pharmacy in Croatia are listed below.

• It is necessary to get acceptance from the university where you will study pharmacy in Croatia.
• In order to complete your pharmacy education in Croatia at a private university, tuition fees must be paid on time.
• The student must be a high school graduate and present his/her diploma.
• The student must be at least 18 years old.
• The student must have sufficient knowledge of English or Croatian.
• The student must not have a criminal history.

What are the requirements to study dentistry in Croatia?

The requirements that students who want to study dentistry in Croatia must meet are listed below.

• It is necessary to get acceptance from universities with dentistry faculties in Croatia.
• The tuition fee for the university where you will study must be paid.
• The student must be over 18 years of age and have a clean criminal record.
• The student must have graduated from high school and have a diploma.
• In order to study dentistry, students must have sufficient knowledge of English or Croatian and pass the threshold score by taking exams such as TOEFL or IELTS.

What are the requirements to study psychology in Croatia?

Below are the criteria for studying psychology in Croatia.

• The student must be over 18 years of age.
• The student must have a high school graduation diploma.
• The student must be accepted to Croatian universities.
• The student must pay the tuition fee for the university where he/she will study.
• It is required that the student's criminal record does not contain any criminal elements.
• In order to study psychology, students must know English or Croatian.

What are the requirements to study engineering in Croatia?

The requirements for studying engineering in Croatia are listed below.

• The student must be at least a high school graduate.
• Students who want to study engineering in Croatia must be over 18 years of age.
• The student must be accepted to engineering faculties of Croatian universities.
• The student must pay tuition fees to the university where he/she will study engineering.
• The student must have a clean criminal record.
• In order to receive engineering education, students must know English or Croatian.

How Much Does Croatia Overseas Education Consultancy Fee?

Croatian overseas education consultancy fees vary between 120 Euros and 400 Euros, depending on the type of education to be registered and the educational institution.

2026 Application Checklist

• Valid Passport: Must be valid for at least 6 months beyond stay.
• Proof of Funds: Bank statements or Blocked Account confirmation (2026 rates).
• Biometrics: Appointment confirmation and receipt.
• Health Insurance: Travel or private insurance covering €30,000+.
• Form IMM 5645: Fully completed Family Information form.