University of Zagreb
Sveučilište u Zagrebu
Croatia's oldest and largest university, where Croatians, EU citizens and international students compete for set quotas.
- Students
- 62,046
- International
- 4%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 15.8:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- €5,000
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1669
About UNIZG
The University of Zagreb dates its foundation to 23 September 1669 and describes itself as the oldest and biggest university in South-Eastern Europe. It is a comprehensive public university made up of 31 faculties, three art academies (Dramatic Art, Fine Arts and Music) and further constituent units, covering everything from medicine, engineering and computing to law, the humanities and the arts. The university says it produces more than half of Croatia's annual research output.
Most teaching is in Croatian, and admission to every programme is capped: each year the Senate sets quotas for Croatian and EU citizens, for foreign nationals and for Croats living abroad. For 2026-27 the university offered 13,237 first-year places, 512 of them in the quota for foreign nationals. Croatian and EU applicants are ranked mainly on their State Matura results through the national application system, Postani student.
For international students the main routes in are English-taught degrees: Medicine, Dental Medicine, Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy, bachelor's degrees in Business and Economics at the Faculty of Economics and Business, and Computing and Electrical Engineering at the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing (FER). Each faculty runs its own admissions, so the university suits students who research their faculty carefully and are comfortable with a large, decentralised institution spread across the city.
Why students choose UNIZG
English-taught Medicine (EUR 12,000 a year), Dental Medicine and Pharmacy (EUR 10,000) and Veterinary Medicine (EUR 10,500), all at integrated master's level.
Three-year English-taught bachelor's degrees in Computing and in Electrical Engineering and Information Technology at FER, with 30 places for EU and 20 for non-EU students in each.
An English-taught Bachelor Degree in Business at the Faculty of Economics and Business, accredited by EFMD since 2011, for EUR 5,000 a year.
Life in Croatia's capital, with the university estimating about EUR 600 a month in a dormitory or EUR 1,100 in private housing.
Admissions
Entry autumn 2027
Selectivity
The university does not publish an overall acceptance rate. Every programme has a fixed quota set by the Senate (13,237 first-year places in 2026-27, of which 512 for foreign nationals), and applicants are ranked on State Matura results or equivalent school results plus any faculty entrance exams. English-taught programmes have their own small quotas, e.g. 24 places in Dental Medicine and 30 EU plus 5 non-EU places in Veterinary Medicine.
Typical entry requirements
| Croatian State Matura / EU school-leaving exams | Completion of a four-year secondary school; ranking by Matura (or recognised equivalent) results, with programme-specific required subjects and levels. |
|---|---|
| Foreign secondary qualifications | Must be recognised in Croatia through the Agency for Science and Higher Education (AZVO) as part of the central application, unless automatic recognition applies. |
| FER English-taught bachelor's | Completed secondary school with mathematics equivalent to the higher-level State Matura and at least two years of physics, plus English proof, a CV, a motivation letter and an online interview for non-EU applicants. |
| English language | IELTS 5.5 · TOEFL iBT 60 Requirements vary by faculty. FER bachelor's: IELTS 5.5 with no section below 5.0, TOEFL iBT 72 (writing 17) or Cambridge B2 First. Medicine in English: TOEFL iBT 60, IELTS 6.0 or Duolingo 105, or a C1 certificate; native speakers and graduates of English-medium schools are exempt. |
Deadlines
- FER English-taught bachelor's, non-EU applicants (2026 intake, for reference) Non-binding Passed1 July 2026
Deadline for the FER online application, the Postani student application and document submission, and the request for recognition of a foreign school certificate. An earlier deadline of 22 May 2026 applied to some candidates who finished school before 2026.
- National July application round (2026 intake, for reference) Non-binding Passed15 July 2026, 13:59
Main Postani student deadline for Croatian and EU applicants; programmes with extra aptitude tests usually closed registrations by 31 May 2026. A September round (to 16 September 2026) filled remaining places.
- Medicine in English: last online entrance exam for 2026 entry (for reference) Non-binding Passed20 August 2026
Application deadline for the online exam on 31 August 2026. Earlier 2026 exams were held on 12 May (applications by 26 April), 8 June and 6 July (applications by 20 June 2026); online exam applications must arrive at least 15 days before the exam.
The 2027 call for enrolment had not been published when checked on 30 September 2026. The dates shown are from the 2026 cycle. For 2026 entry the Medicine in English call was posted in spring 2026 and online exams ran until 31 August 2026; check the School of Medicine's news page for the 2027 exam schedule.
How to apply
Croatian and EU citizens apply through the national system Postani student (NISpVU), run by the Agency for Science and Higher Education. Non-EU applicants to English-taught programmes also apply directly to the faculty: FER uses both Postani student and its own online application with an interview, while the School of Medicine takes paper applications by post with a EUR 300 application fee, school transcripts, a CV, a medical certificate and proof of funds.
What admissions looks for
- Strong State Matura (or equivalent) results in the subjects your programme ranks on.
- For Medicine in English, a pass in the Biology, Chemistry and Physics entrance exam and a medical certificate of fitness to study.
- For FER, solid higher-level mathematics and at least two years of physics, a motivation letter and an interview.
- A recognised secondary school certificate: foreign qualifications must go through AZVO recognition before enrolment.
Tips for applying to UNIZG
- 1 Start the recognition of your foreign school certificate early through Postani student; you cannot enrol without it.
- 2 For FER, list your chosen English-taught programme as your first choice in Postani student, as the faculty advises.
- 3 For Medicine in English, take an early online exam date and ask for the faculty's exam handbook after paying the application fee.
- 4 Check each faculty's own page for fees and deadlines: the university states that it does not offer financial assistance to foreign citizens.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
The university states that it does not currently offer financial assistance to foreign citizens, who must show they can fund their stay. Full-time Croatian and EU students in Croatian-taught programmes have their tuition covered by the state subsidy if they meet its conditions (first-time enrolment in year one, or at least 55 ECTS earned the previous year); Croats living abroad and, under a bilateral agreement, citizens of North Macedonia receive the same subsidy.
- None offered by the university
- Financial aid for foreign citizens
- About EUR 600 in a dormitory, EUR 1,100 in private housing
- Monthly living costs (university estimate)
- EUR 300
- Medicine in English application fee
Academics
Academic calendar: Two semesters (winter and summer)
Medicine (MD), in English
Six-year, 360-ECTS programme with an online entrance exam; EUR 12,000 a year.
Dental Medicine, in English
Six-year integrated programme with 24 places and a psychomotor skills assessment; EUR 10,000 a year.
Veterinary Medicine, in English
Six years, with 30 places for EU and 5 for non-EU citizens; EUR 10,500 a year.
Pharmacy, in English
Five-year Master of Pharmacy set up under EU Directive 2005/36/EC, so graduates qualify as pharmacists across the EU/EEA; EUR 10,000 a year.
Computing and Electrical Engineering and Information Technology (FER), in English
Three-year, 180-ECTS bachelor's degrees with 50 places each; EUR 5,574 in the first year.
Bachelor Degree in Business (FEB), in English
Four-year, 240-ECTS programme accredited by EFMD since 2011; EUR 5,000 a year.
Research
- The university says it accounts for more than 50% of Croatia's annual research output.
- The INSIGHT project with the BMW Group applies AI to battery cell production.
- Borongaj Campus, officially opened in 2007 and described by the university as the biggest investment in Croatian education in 150 years, is planned to serve more than 20,000 students.
Schools & faculties
- School of Medicine
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing
- Faculty of Economics and Business
- Faculty of Law
- Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
- Faculty of Science
- Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and Naval Architecture
- Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry
- Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
- School of Dental Medicine
- Faculty of Political Science
- Academy of Dramatic Art
Student life
The University of Zagreb has no single campus: faculties are spread across the capital, from the historic Rectorate on Republic of Croatia Square to the School of Medicine at Šalata and the growing Borongaj Campus. Students with the "iksica" student card eat at subsidised prices in university restaurants and residence halls across the city. The university estimates a dormitory room at about EUR 135 a month, but warns that international students usually have to find private accommodation. Zagreb has 15 theatres, a dozen concert halls and festivals such as the Zagreb Film Festival, and many faculties run their own student clubs; FER, for example, has the KSET club.
- Subsidised meals in university restaurants with the "iksica" student card.
- Faculties spread across central Zagreb, with the Borongaj Campus under development.
- A Welcome Week for incoming students; a recent one drew more than 340, mostly Erasmus+ students from France, Ukraine and Germany.
- Three art academies (Dramatic Art, Fine Arts and Music) that stage public performances and exhibitions.
Housing. International students generally have to arrange private accommodation; a dormitory room costs about EUR 135 a month when available.
Location
Zagreb is the capital and largest city of Croatia, with about 767,000 people, on the Sava River below Medvednica mountain. It is the country's cultural centre, with 15 theatres, a dozen concert halls and many galleries and museums. Trams and trains connect the city, and the university puts monthly transport at about EUR 15. Living costs are moderate by EU standards: around EUR 600 a month with a dormitory place or EUR 1,100 with private housing.
Nearest airport: Zagreb Franjo Tuđman Airport (ZAG), about 17 km south-east of the city
Notable alumni
- IA Ivo AndrićNobel Prize in Literature (1961); undergraduate degree in South Slavic history and literature from Zagreb
- KG Kolinda Grabar-KitarovićPresident of Croatia 2015-2020; BA in English and Spanish and master's in international relations
- ZM Zoran MilanovićPresident of Croatia since 2020 and former prime minister; law graduate
- AP Andrej PlenkovićPrime Minister of Croatia since 2016; law graduate
- IĐ Ivan ĐikićMolecular biologist and director of the Institute of Biochemistry II at Goethe University Frankfurt; MD from the School of Medicine
- MR Miroslav RadmanBiologist known for research on DNA repair; studied experimental biology and molecular biology
- DU Dubravka UgrešićNovelist and essayist; university graduate
- SD Slavenka DrakulićJournalist and novelist; graduated in comparative literature and sociology
Frequently asked questions
Can international students study in English at the University of Zagreb?
Yes. English-taught degrees for school leavers include Medicine, Dental Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, Pharmacy, Business, Economics, Computing and Electrical Engineering and Information Technology; most other programmes are taught in Croatian.
How much does it cost to study medicine in English in Zagreb?
Tuition is EUR 12,000 a year paid in full (or EUR 12,200 in two instalments), plus a EUR 300 application fee.
Is the University of Zagreb free for EU students?
Tuition is covered by the state for Croatian and other EU citizens who study full-time in a Croatian-taught programme, provided they are enrolling in year one for the first time or earned at least 55 ECTS the previous year and do not already hold a degree at the same level. English-taught programmes charge fees to everyone.
What is the entrance exam for Medical Studies in English at Zagreb?
An online test of 120 questions in Biology, Chemistry and Physics; you need at least 15 correct answers per subject and 61 overall. Applicants with MCAT scores of 125 or more per section or a relevant science degree can be exempt.
Does the University of Zagreb offer scholarships to international students?
The university states that it does not currently offer financial assistance to foreign citizens, who must show they can fund their studies and stay.
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.
- University of Zagreb: Homepage
- University of Zagreb: About University
- University of Zagreb: International degree seeking students
- University of Zagreb: Studies and courses in English
- University of Zagreb: Study Programmes in English 2026/27 (PDF)
- University of Zagreb: Natječaj za upis 2026./2027. (call for enrolment, PDF, in Croatian)
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