Scholarships and Student Jobs in Croatia for International Students

Fee figures: catalogue of 6 October 2026.

Funding for international degree students in Croatia is limited and mostly tied to nomination by your home country. Student work is easier to arrange than a scholarship, but it is small money. This guide covers what the Croatian authorities publish for 2026.

Croatian Government scholarships

The Ministry of Science, Education and Youth and the Agency for Mobility and EU Programmes (AMPEU) offer the Croatian Government Scholarships, known as bilateral scholarships, to foreign students, teachers and researchers. They are open in any field of study at a public Croatian institution. Two pools exist:

Pool 1, bilateral agreements. Open to citizens of countries with a cooperation programme or agreement with Croatia. In the 2026/27 call these were Belgium (Flanders), Bulgaria, China, the Czech Republic, Germany (Bavaria), Greece, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Türkiye and Ukraine. Types range from one semester of Croatian language to full bachelor's studies (36 or 48 months) and master's studies (24 or 12 months). You must be nominated by the competent authority in your country, so the first step is to ask it.
Pool 2, Croatian language. For international students who are studying Croatian or Slavic studies abroad and are nominated by their Croatian language teacher.

The deadline for 2026/27 was 10 April 2026, and the awarded stays run from October to September. The call for the next year was not yet published when we checked; follow the AMPEU website.

Holders of these scholarships do not pay the €46.45 fee for the temporary stay permit. See the student visa for Croatia.

Exchange and university scholarships

Study in Croatia lists several routes to a scholarship for exchange or degree students: the bilateral scholarships above, scholarships under university bilateral agreements, and CEEPUS and Erasmus+, which are managed by the Agency for Mobility and EU Programmes. Details are in its section on exchange programmes. Ask your home institution and the Croatian institution you are applying to which of them applies to you.

Croats living abroad

The Central State Office for Croats Abroad offers scholarships to university students of Croatian heritage. In 2025/26 there were 300 scholarships for study in Croatia: 200 for Croats living in Bosnia and Herzegovina, 60 for members of the Croatian national minority and 40 for the diaspora. The amount was €175 a month for 10 months, once, for full-time students at public institutions. A separate enrolment quota exists for this group at several institutions; see how to get into a university in Croatia.

Tuition waivers

Study in Croatia says some institutions offer financial aid or partial tuition waivers to international students, and that you should ask them directly. A scholarship also counts for the residence permit: a third-country student can show a scholarship instead of proving monthly funds. See scholarships and financial aid in Europe for programmes open from your country.

Student jobs

International students can work through the Student Service of the local Student Centre, which matches students with employers. It is open to EU citizens and to third-country nationals. The jobs are part-time and temporary.

According to Study in Croatia:

the minimum net pay in 2026 is €6.56 an hour
work on Sundays, public holidays and at night, from 10 pm to 6 am, is paid 50% more
the employer pays the Student Service's fees and charges, 18% on top of the net amount the student receives
from 2026 a student can earn up to €12,000 net a year without the income being taxed; above that, tax rules apply, and a double taxation treaty between Croatia and your country may avoid paying twice

Study in Croatia describes only this route for students. Third-country students should confirm with their Student Centre and the police administration what their residence permit allows before they start. See working while studying in Europe.

Where to look next

Official sources

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