Located in Europe, Croatia has long been providing excellent higher education to students. The University of Zagreb, which was founded in 1669, is the oldest continuously operating university in Southeast Europe. The Croatian higher education system values research and development, and welcomes international students to help their country to improve.
Croatia (also known as Hrvatska) is a country that is classified as having a high-income economy and consistently ranks highly on the Human Development Index. Due to its membership of the European Union, the Croatian higher education system follows the Bologna Process. This means that higher education in Croatia is held to the same standards as other European countries, and will also mean that your qualifications should be recognised across Europe and the wider world.
Croatia has both public and private universities, as well as other higher education institutions, such as polytechnics. The public and private universities are focused on research and academic development in many different areas, whereas the polytechnics focus more on research and academic development in scientific and engineering disciplines.
There are 4 Croatian universities in the QS World University Rankings for 2023. The highest ranked is the University of Zagreb which is in the 801-1,000 group. Following Zagreb is the Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, the University of Rijeka and the University of Split, which are all in the 1,000+ group.
As an international student, you will need to have a temporary stay permit to study in Croatia. For more information about this, see our Croatia Student Visa Guide.
| Capital City | Zagreb |
|---|---|
| Currency | HRK, Croatian Kuna |
| Language(s) | Croatian |
| Universities on StudyLink | 2 universities |
| Major Student Cities | Split, Dubrovnik |
The official language of Croatian is Croatian. There are many other recognised languages throughout the country, including Serbian, Czech, Hungarian and Italian, among others.
Courses at universities in Croatia are offered in Croatian and English. If you choose to study in a language that is not your first language, you might be required to provide evidence of your language proficiency, for instance by taking an English Language test. If you do not meet the required standards, your university of choice may offer language courses to help you improve.
Even if you are able to study in English, you should make an effort to learn as much Croatian as possible. Communicating with locals and other students is a great way to practise. This is a skill that will look great on your CV/resume!
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