Study in Croatia: Education in Croatia

If you intend to study in Croatia, you need to know that the higher education system consists of university and vocational study programs of different lengths.

University study programs qualify students to work in science and higher education, private and public sector, and society in general, as well as to develop and apply scientific and professional knowledge. These programs have three levels: undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate. Vocational study programs enable students to attain appropriate knowledge and skills enabling them to work professionally and become directly engaged in the working process. These study programs are split into short professional studies, undergraduate professional studies, and specialist graduate professional studies.

University education is provided by Croatian universities – most of them public – whose autonomy and academic freedom are guaranteed by the Croatian Constitution. The majority of higher education funding is provided by the state, covering items such as salaries for faculty members, capital investment and running costs for academic institutions, research funds, student subsistence, and tuition fees, and other costs.

The Croatian higher education system comprises 10 universities (consisting of 63 faculties, 6 art academies, and 13 university departments), 15 polytechnics, and 25 colleges of applied sciences). In every university, teaching and research are generally carried out by one of the following constituent units:

• Faculties: organize and implement university education, carry out research and professional work in one or more scientific and professional fields. In addition to this, faculties may also organize and deliver professional studies.
• University departments: participate in the implementation of university studies, develop scientific, artistic, and professional work in a single field of science or in a multidisciplinary field of science, and participate in the implementation of university studies.
• Art academies: these institutions organize and develop high-quality artistic creativity and scientific research in arts. Art academies may also organize and conduct professional artistic studies.
• University institutes: perform scientific research in a single or a variety of fields that are related. The institutes are expected to perform highly professional work and instruct according to university policies and procedures.