How to Get Into a University in Kosovo as an International Student

Fee figures: catalogue of 6 October 2026.

Kosovo has no national application portal and no single admission score. Each university runs its own public call (konkurs), sets its own ranking rules and decides on its own places. The state sets the outer limits: the number of places is tied to the programme's accreditation, and the school-leaving exam, the State Matura, sits at the centre of the system.

What universities there are

Our catalogue lists 241 full-time bachelor's and integrated programmes at 23 institutions and campuses, both public and private. The public institutions are the University of Prishtina, the University of Prizren, the University of Peja, the University of Gjakova, the University of Gjilan, the University of Mitrovica and the University of Applied Sciences in Ferizaj. The rest are private colleges, most of them in Prishtina. The programme list follows the register of accredited programmes published by the Kosovo Accreditation Agency (KAA) for 2026/27.

Almost all teaching is in Albanian. Our catalogue lists 3 programmes taught in English; see bachelor's degrees in English in Kosovo.

The State Matura

Kosovo students finish secondary school with the State Matura, a written exam. A draft Law on the State Matura Exam, approved by the government on 3 April 2026, says that its compulsory subjects are the mother tongue, mathematics and English, plus elective subjects, and that passing it is a condition for admission to higher-education programmes in Kosovo. It is a draft, so check whether parliament has adopted it and in what form.

How much the Matura counts depends on the university:

At the University of Gjakova, applicants who sat the Matura get up to 30 points for it, up to 30 for school grades and up to 40 for the entry exam. Applicants without a Matura get up to 30 points for school grades and up to 70 for the entry exam. The ranking is out of 100 points.
RIT Kosovo, a private university, requires a pass in the Matura for enrolment but says the score does not affect the admission decision.
UBT, a private college, says its bachelor's calls usually open after the State Matura in June or July.

Applying from abroad

Applicants who finished secondary school outside Kosovo compete on the same conditions as Kosovo candidates, according to the University of Mitrovica and the University of Gjakova. The difference is paperwork: your school diploma must be recognised in Kosovo first. See document recognition for Kosovo. UBT puts it plainly: foreign diplomas must be recognised and found equivalent by the Ministry of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation before you apply. The draft Matura law also lets candidates who finished secondary school abroad sit the exam.

How a call works

At public universities the pattern is the same. You apply online first, print the form and take your documents to the faculty. The University of Gjakova asks for a birth certificate issued within the last six months, school transcripts for all years, the diploma, a copy of your ID and, for foreign schools, the recognition decision. Each candidate there may apply to one programme only, and applicants need at least 40% of the entry-exam points to be ranked. Seats are limited by the accredited quota, and some are reserved by rule for non-majority communities and for applicants from certain neighbouring areas.

Private colleges publish their own calls and dates. Calls are announced on each university's website, so check them there; the dates change every year.

Step by step

Shortlist programmes and read each university's current call.
Start recognition of your school diploma early, because every other step depends on it.
Apply online, then hand in the documents to the faculty.
Sit the entry exam, if there is one, and check the ranking lists.
Enrol, then apply for a residence permit. See student visa for Kosovo.

Where to look next

Official sources

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