Document Recognition in Bosnia and Herzegovina: Nostrification

Fee figures: catalogue of 6 October 2026.

To enrol in the first year at a Bosnian university with a school diploma from another country, you need the diploma to be recognised. In Bosnia and Herzegovina this procedure is called nostrifikacija (nostrification), and when only some school years were completed abroad it is called ekvivalencija (equivalence). Because education is decentralised, there is no single office for it. This guide explains who decides and what they ask for.

Who decides

The Ministry of Civil Affairs states that Republika Srpska, the ten cantons of the Federation and Brčko District each have full competence in education. For secondary-school documents this gives three paths:

Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina: the Federal Ministry of Education and Science in Mostar, with one exception below.
Sarajevo Canton: the Ministry for Education of Sarajevo Canton. The Federal Ministry notes that since January 2020 Sarajevo Canton no longer accepts decisions of the Federal Ministry for continuing school or employment in the canton, and carries out recognition itself.
Republika Srpska: the Ministry of Education and Culture in Banja Luka.

We could not confirm from an official page which body handles secondary-school recognition for Brčko District. Ask the university or the District's education department.

What CIP does

The Centre for Information and Recognition of Qualifications in Higher Education (CIP) in Mostar is the national ENIC/NARIC centre. It provides information on foreign institutions and qualifications and gives recommendations on the recognition of foreign higher-education qualifications, but the decisions rest with the competent ministries and the universities. CIP deals with higher education, so you do not apply to it for a school diploma. You will meet CIP if you later bring a foreign bachelor's degree to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Federation: documents and tax

The Federal Ministry's instruction (dated June 2026) lists for secondary-school documents:

a signed request form, available in Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian;
the diploma, as an original or a certified copy;
certificates for every completed grade, or other documents showing the course of schooling, such as a transcript;
a translation into one of the official languages, made by a court interpreter authorised in Bosnia and Herzegovina, if the documents are in a foreign language;
a copy of your passport, residence permit or other valid ID;
proof of a federal administrative tax of 35 KM;
a power of attorney, if someone files for you.

Copies must be certified by a competent authority in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Depending on the issuing country and document, the ministry may ask for additional certifications or evidence; for Kosovo documents it requires a UNMIK certification. The request can be handed in at the registry in Mostar on working days from 09:00 to 15:00, or sent by post. The ministry decides within the time limits of the Federation's Law on Administrative Procedure, counted from a complete request. The instruction gives no number of days.

Sarajevo Canton

The canton's rulebook on nostrification and equivalence (Official Gazette of Sarajevo Canton No. 10/2025) says that foreign nationals with a legal interest can apply, that the application is made on Form N/E 1 and that the ministry must conclude the procedure within 30 days of a proper request. The decision is final in the administrative procedure, but you can start an administrative dispute at the cantonal court within 30 days of receiving it. The form lists:

a sworn court interpreter's translation of the diploma;
certified copies of the originals, with the originals shown when you collect the decision;
a transcript of grades and, if the education ministry of the issuing country publishes one, a translated grading scale;
proof of payment, which the form states as 100 KM for a completed secondary school and 50 KM for a single grade.

The form is an older template, so confirm the amount with the ministry. The rulebook also says that certificates issued in the former Yugoslavia before 6 April 1992 do not need nostrification.

Republika Srpska

The ministry's guidance says the procedure starts with a request sent by post to the ministry in Banja Luka or handed in at its registry. Required documents are a certified copy of the diploma, certified copies of the certificates for all grades completed abroad or another school record, and a translation by an authorised translator. The request form is on the government portal. We did not find a fee or a time limit on the ministry's page, so call the ministry before you pay.

How the assessment works

The rulebook of Sarajevo Canton says that the ministry takes into account the education system of the issuing country, the curriculum of the school, the length of schooling and the conditions under which the certificate was acquired. Grades are converted with comparative scales. Plan for translation and certification costs, which come on top of the tax.

Timing and the university

Recognition can run in parallel with your application. The University of Sarajevo allows candidates with a foreign certificate to enter the competition before recognition, and requires it by the start of the academic year. Other universities may be stricter, so ask the faculty. See how to get into a university in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

For legalisation of the original, see apostille and legalisation of documents. The federal instruction does not state an apostille requirement, so ask the ministry which certification your country's document needs. For translations, see sworn translations.

Where to look next

Official sources

Always check current information on the official website of the university before you apply.