University of Belgrade
Univerzitet u Beogradu
Serbia's oldest and largest university: 31 faculties, 11 institutes and admission by entrance exam plus school grades.
- Students
- 91,512
- International
- 5%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 18.1:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- €3,500
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1808
About UB
The University of Belgrade (UB) is the oldest university in Serbia. It traces its origins to the Higher School founded in 1808 by Dositej Obradović and has held university status since 1905. Today it is a comprehensive state university with 31 faculties and 11 research institutes, offering more than 760 study programmes at every level, and it educates more professionals than any other university in Serbia.
The faculties are grouped into four fields: technology and engineering (from the School of Electrical Engineering to the Faculty of Architecture), sciences and mathematics, social sciences and humanities (including Law, Philology, Philosophy and Economics and Business), and medical sciences (Medicine, Dental Medicine, Pharmacy and Veterinary Medicine). Each faculty runs its own admissions under a single university-wide call, ranking applicants out of 100 points: up to 40 for secondary-school grades and up to 60 for an entrance exam.
Most degrees are taught in Serbian, but UB says it offers nearly 100 study programmes in English, including integrated degrees in Medicine, Dental Medicine, Pharmacy and Veterinary Medicine and a bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering. Fees are low by Western European standards, and the university's own pitch is academic breadth combined with affordable living in a lively regional capital.
Why students choose UB
English-taught integrated degrees for 2026/27: Pharmacy (3,500 euros a year), Veterinary Medicine (5,000 euros), Dental Medicine (7,000 euros) and Medicine (8,000 euros).
Scale and breadth: 31 faculties, 11 institutes such as the Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences and the Mihajlo Pupin Institute, and more than 760 study programmes.
Transparent admission: a 100-point ranking made up of school grades (up to 40 points) and an entrance exam (up to 60 points).
More than 250 bilateral agreements and more than 300 Erasmus+ mobility projects open routes to exchanges abroad.
Admissions
Academic year 2027/28 entry (first-year undergraduate and integrated studies)
Selectivity
UB publishes no overall admission rate. Each study programme has a fixed quota of state-funded (budget) and self-financing places, and applicants are ranked by points: you need at least 51 points to take a budget place and at least 30 points for a self-financing place. Competition varies widely by faculty.
Typical entry requirements
| Serbian four-year secondary education | Completed four-year secondary school; some programmes specify which school types qualify. Ranking by school grades plus entrance exam |
|---|---|
| Foreign secondary diploma | Needs a decision recognising the foreign school certificate, or proof the recognition procedure has started, when you apply |
| International Baccalaureate | Accepted after recognition; IB total of 24-45 converts to 8-20 ranking points |
| Language of instruction | Foreign citizens must show a certificate of proficiency in Serbian or in the programme's language at enrolment; English-taught programmes require at least B2 (CEFR) English or secondary schooling in English |
| English language | English-taught programmes (e.g. Mechanical Engineering in English) require upper-intermediate B2 English, shown by a language certificate or by completing secondary school in English. The calls do not set specific IELTS or TOEFL scores. |
Deadlines
- First admission period (2026 dates) Non-binding PassedRegistration 19-23 June 2026
Entrance exams 24-30 June; final ranking lists by 6 July; enrolment by 10 July 2026. Medicine in English also admits in the July and September periods.
- Second admission period (2026 dates) Non-binding PassedRegistration 28-31 August 2026
For places left after the first period; exams 1-2 September, enrolment by 10 September. Dental Medicine in English enrols in the September period.
- Third admission period (2026 dates) Non-binding PassedRegistration 16-17 September 2026
Final period for any remaining places; exams 18-21 September.
These are the 2026/27 call dates, the latest published. The call for 2027/28 entry is normally announced in spring (the 2026/27 call was approved by the Senate on 15 April 2026), with similar June, late-August and September periods. Foreign applicants should start recognition of their school certificate well before registration.
How to apply
Apply directly to the faculty under the University of Belgrade's unified call for enrolment. You register as a candidate in person or as the faculty directs, submit school records, the final exam certificate, proof of the entrance exam fee and (for foreign qualifications) a recognition decision or proof it has been requested, then sit the faculty's entrance exam. Final ranking lists are published on the university website, and admitted candidates enrol within a few days, paying tuition if they are self-financing.
What admissions looks for
- Strong secondary-school grades across all years, which give up to 40 ranking points.
- A high entrance exam score in the subjects the faculty sets, worth up to 60 points.
- For foreign qualifications, a recognition decision (or proof the procedure has started) at application.
- For English-taught programmes, at least B2 English.
Tips for applying to UB
- 1 Start the recognition of a foreign school certificate early; you must show at least proof it has begun when you register.
- 2 Prepare specifically for your faculty's entrance exam, since it carries more weight (60 points) than school grades.
- 3 English-taught programmes have small quotas (for example 10 places each in Mechanical Engineering and Pharmacy in English), so apply in the first period where possible.
- 4 Check whether a bilateral agreement covers you: foreign citizens pay tuition for the whole degree unless an international agreement says otherwise.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
Serbian citizens (and members of the Serbian minority from neighbouring countries, plus holders of the Serbia for Serbs from the Region scholarship) can study free of tuition on state-funded places if they rank within the quota and score at least 51 points. Foreign citizens pay tuition unless an international agreement provides otherwise. Affirmative enrolment programmes exist for students with disabilities and Roma students.
- 51 of 100 points
- Minimum score for a state-funded place
- 30 of 100 points
- Minimum score for a self-financing place
- 5,000 euros per academic year, same for Serbian and foreign citizens
- Mechanical Engineering in English, 2026/27
Academics
Academic calendar: Two semesters
Medicine (integrated, in English)
A six-year, 360-ECTS integrated degree in English: 100 self-financing places plus 30 under international agreements in 2026/27, 8,000 euros a year, and an entrance exam of Chemistry and Biology tests plus an interview in English.
Dental Medicine (integrated, in English)
360 ECTS, 20 self-financing places in 2026/27 at 7,000 euros a year (5,000 in the 2025/26 table), with Chemistry and Biology entrance tests; enrolment is in the September admission period.
Veterinary Medicine (integrated, in English)
330 ECTS with 30 places in 2026/27 at 5,000 euros a year; 60-question Chemistry and Biology entrance exam.
Pharmacy (integrated, in English)
300 ECTS, 10 places in 2026/27 at 3,500 euros a year.
Mechanical Engineering in English (bachelor's)
A 180-ECTS bachelor's with 10 places in 2026/27, a Mathematics entrance exam and B2 English required.
Software Engineering (School of Electrical Engineering)
A Serbian-taught 240-ECTS bachelor's at the School of Electrical Engineering; 282,000 RSD a year for self-financing Serbian students and 3,000 euros for foreign citizens in the 2025/26 fee table.
Research
- UB's 11 institutes include the Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences, the Institute of Physics Belgrade, the Mihajlo Pupin Institute and the Institute of Molecular Genetics and Genetic Engineering.
- The university reports that in certain fields, such as food technology, it ranks among the top universities worldwide in the Shanghai (ARWU) subject rankings.
- Multidisciplinary graduate studies have been organised at university level since 1970, started by the School of Medicine, Faculty of Mathematics and School of Electrical Engineering.
Schools & faculties
- School of Electrical Engineering
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
- Faculty of Architecture
- Faculty of Organizational Sciences
- Faculty of Mathematics
- Faculty of Physics
- Faculty of Economics and Business
- Faculty of Law
- Faculty of Philology
- Faculty of Philosophy
- Faculty of Medicine
- Faculty of Pharmacy
Student life
UB has no single campus: its faculties are spread across Belgrade, with the Rectorate in Captain Miša's Mansion on Studentski trg in the old centre. Student halls are run by the separate Students' Centre Belgrade, and the Rifat Burdžević dormitory sets aside rooms for foreign students. The Erasmus Student Network section ESN BelUPgrade helps international students with housing, residence registration and social life, and the Faculty of Philology's Center for Serbian as a Foreign Language runs intensive Serbian courses for students planning to study in Serbian.
- ESN BelUPgrade, with about 50 volunteer members, supports international and exchange students.
- Intensive Serbian courses at the Center for Serbian as a Foreign Language.
- More than 250 bilateral agreements and more than 300 Erasmus+ mobility projects.
- Foreign residents must register their address with the police within 24 hours of arrival; dormitories do this for you.
Housing. Student dormitories are run independently by the Students' Centre Belgrade, so students arrange rooms directly with it or rent privately.
Location
Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, sits where the Sava meets the Danube and has about 1.23 million people in its urban area, making it the largest city in the Western Balkans. The university describes it as affordable, with a strong arts scene and famous nightlife. Most faculties are within reach of the city centre by public transport.
Nearest airport: Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport (BEG)
Notable alumni
- ZĐ Zoran ĐinđićPrime Minister of Serbia 2001-2003; studied at the Faculty of Philosophy
- DK Danilo KišNovelist; the first University of Belgrade graduate in comparative literature (1958)
- DM Desanka MaksimovićPoet; studied at the University of Belgrade
- KG Kiro GligorovFirst President of North Macedonia; graduated from the Law School
- BM Branko MilanovićEconomist known for research on global inequality; PhD from Belgrade (1987)
- AR Abdul Rahman MunifNovelist of Cities of Salt; PhD in oil economics from the Faculty of Economics
- AF Aleksandra FaustAI researcher, former Research Director at Google DeepMind; BSc in mathematics and computer science
Frequently asked questions
How much does the University of Belgrade cost for international students?
Foreign citizens, including EU citizens, pay tuition. For 2026/27 English-taught programmes cost 3,500 euros a year (Pharmacy) to 8,000 euros (Medicine), and in the 2025/26 fee table Serbian-taught programmes cost foreign students 600 to 3,600 euros a year (5,000 euros for Dental Medicine).
Does the University of Belgrade teach in English?
Most programmes are in Serbian, but UB offers nearly 100 English-taught programmes, including integrated Medicine, Dental Medicine, Pharmacy and Veterinary Medicine and a bachelor's in Mechanical Engineering. English-taught programmes require B2 English.
Is there an entrance exam at the University of Belgrade?
Yes, for most programmes. The exam is set by each faculty and is worth up to 60 of the 100 ranking points; school grades provide the remaining 40.
When do I apply to the University of Belgrade?
Registration for the first admission period was 19-23 June in 2026, with further periods in late August and mid-September if places remain. The 2027/28 call is expected in spring 2027.
Do I need to get my foreign diploma recognised?
Yes. When you apply you must submit a decision recognising your foreign secondary-school certificate, or proof that the recognition procedure has started.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
Explore nearby in the world top 100
Universities ranked close to UB in the QS World University Rankings 2027.