Study Medicine in English in Croatia: Zagreb, Split and Rijeka
Fee figures: catalogue of 6 October 2026.
Three Croatian universities teach medicine in English: Zagreb, Split and Rijeka. Our catalogue lists 3 English-taught medicine programmes out of 9 in Croatia; the others are taught in Croatian or German. All three English programmes are six-year integrated courses that lead to a doctor of medicine degree and charge everyone the same fee. This guide uses the calls for the 2026/27 intake; dates for 2027 had not been published when we checked.
The three programmes
| University | Length | Places in 2026/27 | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zagreb, School of Medicine | 6 years | maximum 60 | €12,000 a year if paid at once, €12,200 in two instalments |
| Split, School of Medicine | 6 years | 70 planned | €12,000 a year |
| Rijeka, Faculty of Medicine | 6 years, 360 ECTS | maximum 50 | €12,000 a year |
Admission is only into the winter semester, and the academic year starts in October. In our catalogue English-taught medicine costs €12,000 a year for EU and non-EU students alike. Croatian-taught medicine at the same universities is free for EU citizens but needs Croatian; see how much it costs to study in Croatia.
How selection works
- Zagreb tests you on a written exam in biology, chemistry and physics, taken online: 120 questions, 40 from each subject. To pass you need at least 15 correct answers in each subject and 61 in total. The 2026 sessions were in January, May, June, July and August, with applications due at least 15 days before. Applicants who completed a pre-medical college or have an MCAT score of at least 125 in each section, or a bachelor's in natural sciences with good credits in biology, chemistry and physics, may be exempt from the exam. Applicants who are not native English speakers or did not graduate from an English-speaking school need a test such as TOEFL, IELTS 6 or Duolingo 105.
- Split reviews your documents: a CV, a motivation letter, school certificates and proof of English where needed. Applicants who meet the criteria are invited to an online interview. The 2026 deadline was 1 July, and a fall intake with a deadline of 18 August had two places left. Applicants send documents by e-mail to the school, pay a €200 application fee and also register on Postani student.
- Rijeka runs an entrance exam on biology, chemistry and physics, held in Rijeka and abroad in a hybrid format. The 2026 exams were on 8 May, 3 July and 4 September; the autumn exam takes place only if places remain. You need at least two years of biology, chemistry and physics or related subjects in secondary school. The application fee for the exam is €200, and an optional preparatory course the week before costs €800.
Recognition and enrolment
You also register on Postani student and send the request for recognition of your school certificate; Zagreb says applicants with a foreign school certificate must have it recognised in order to enrol. See recognition of foreign school certificates in Croatia. Zagreb publishes the joint list of the national system on 15 July and sends the letter of acceptance and the student contract only to candidates on it. The first year's fee at Split must be paid within a week of the acceptance letter, and it is not refundable. Zagreb asks for a first instalment of €2,500 to accept the conditional offer. Check each school's refund rules before paying.
Zagreb also asks for a medical certificate showing you meet its health requirements, for example eyesight, colour vision and hearing, and for vaccination records. Enrolment takes place in September, and visa and housing delays are not accepted as reasons to start late.
Dentistry, pharmacy and veterinary medicine
- Dentistry in English: Zagreb and Rijeka, at €10,000 to €12,000 a year. Rijeka admits 12 students, and selection includes an entrance exam and a psychomotor ability test.
- Pharmacy in English: Zagreb, €10,000 a year. The Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry asks for a €200 application fee and English at B2.
- Veterinary medicine in English: Zagreb, €10,500 a year.
See studying medicine in English across Europe for how Croatia compares with other countries.
Where to look next
- Bachelor's degrees in English in Croatia
- How to get into a university in Croatia
- Student visa for Croatia
- Medicine programmes in Croatia
Official sources
- Zagreb School of Medicine: admission requirements and entrance exam
- Split School of Medicine: call for 2026/27
- University of Rijeka: call for programmes in English, 2026/27
Always check current information on the official website of the university before you apply.