can help – fill in your details and we’ll call you back.
Serbia is landlocked and borders Hungary to the north; Romania and Bulgaria to the east; Macedonia to the south; and Croatia, Bosnia, and Montenegro to the west; it also claims a border with Albania through the disputed territory of Kosovo. The capital of Serbia, Belgrade, is one of the largest cities in Southeast Europe. As of a 2011 census, Serbia (excluding Kosovo) had a total population of 7.2 million.
From the agricultural regions of the Pannonian Plain in the north, across the fertile river valleys and orchard-covered hills of Šumadija, the landscape of Serbia continues southward, gradually giving way to mountains rich in canyons, gorges and caves, as well as well-preserved forests. Serbia’s beautiful mountains, national parks, rivers and lakes are the perfect location for an active outdoor holiday – from hunting and fishing to extreme sports.
Serbia has some of the best-performing universities in the world and grants globally recognized degrees. If you’re planning a career anywhere in Europe, it would be a good decision to build your foundation in Serbian universities. Some of the most popular programs include IT, Computer Science, Engineering, and Economics.
Besides high-quality education, education in Serbia is relatively affordable compared to other countries. You can expect an average of 2500 EUR or 2900 USD for annual school fees. The Serbian government and many private organizations offer scholarships for foreign university students as well.
Like most countries in Eastern Europe, Serbia is known for having an exciting social, art, and food scene. It is representative of the Old Continent with its medieval architecture and long-time traditions. Nonetheless, you can expect much cultural diversity among its people and an openness to modern ideas and technology.
Founded in 1808, the University of Belgrade is the oldest and the best university in Serbia for international students. It comprises 31 faculties, 11 research institutes, and seven university centers dedicated to the social sciences, medical sciences, sciences and mathematics, and technological and engineering sciences. It consistently aces global university rankings as well, especially in the areas of physics and mathematics. Today, the university proudly supports around 4,800 academic staff members who are specialists in their fields, as well as over 97,000 enrolled students from all over the world.
The University of Belgrade has grown with the city through the decades, and many of its buildings are registered as important historic architecture. Nonetheless, it has adapted to the challenges of modern education while preserving tradition at the same time. This endeavor makes the university a flagship brand of Serbian higher education.
The University of Novi Sad is the second-largest public university and one of the most important research institutions in Serbia. It educates over forty-six thousand undergraduate and graduate students across all science disciplines (medical, natural, technical, and social sciences), as well as in the fine and applied arts. The university also has specialized institutes for forestry, food technology, and BioSense that focus on blending agriculture and ICT.
Today, students of the University of Novi Sad have access to high-spec laboratories, modern libraries, and the Matica Srpska Library, which is the oldest cultural and scientific center in the country. This top university in Serbia also supports its students with campus accommodation and a Student Healthcare Institute.
The University of Niš is a state-governed higher learning institution in Serbia. It was founded in 1965 under the patronage of the University of Belgrade to become the center of academic activity in Eastern and Southern Serbia. As one of the best universities in Serbia for international students, it offers study and research opportunities across 13 faculties dedicated to Medicine, Engineering, and Law & Economics. Hence, this university has counted over 75,000 graduates since its foundation including nearly 2,000 international students.
The University of Niš was granted several national and international accreditations in the past decade and is comparable to foreign universities in terms of professional work, research activity, quality study programs, and renowned faculty.
The University of Kragujevac is one of the largest public universities located in Serbia’s automotive industry capital and nearby towns. The multi-campus institution offers over 100 courses in almost all major subjects of teaching, including natural and social sciences, engineering, medicine, and the arts. Besides a total of 12 faculties, the university comprises several research and education centers focusing on career development, lifelong learning, and business support, to name a few.
International students are encouraged to apply at the University of Kragujevac and join enrolled students from the United States and European Union member countries. In fact, this university in Serbia supports incoming and outgoing students through various international networks, such as Erasmus+, TEMPUS, and many others.
The State University of Novi Pazar is one of the youngest universities in Serbia established only in 2006. It is the only integrated university in the country and unites technical sciences, philosophy, and law & economics into a comprehensive higher education unit. Today, it has over 50 accredited study programs across ten departments and more than 4000 students enjoying an inclusive campus.
As one of the top universities in Serbia, SUNP recognizes the importance of internationalization and has laid out various support programs to facilitate staff and student mobility. It has partner universities from all over the world as well, and international students can expect a multicultural and open-minded environment at SUNP.
Schools in Serbia offer programs in different subject areas. The overall Best Global Universities rankings evaluate nearly 50 subject areas, including oncology, physics and computer science. See how schools in Serbia rank for subjects you’re interested in studying.
The higher education system of Serbia is represented by 40 universities with 932 study programs. In addition 412 Bachelor programs at 40 universities, 299 Master programs at 29 universities, and 221 PhD programs at 24 universities.
A bachelor’s degree is a four-year study which completes after four years of consecutive full-time study. Graduate students who wish to complete a bachelor’s degree course to further their career either in industry or education will undoubtedly attend a university which they have chosen to aid them academically. After which students will commit to a full-time four-year study program, only after completing their selected course over a consecutive number of four years of uninterrupted successful full-time study, resulting in graduates preselected subject being completed and meeting the approval of the final examining body, postgraduates will be awarded the status of bachelor by the university.
The most popular Bachelor disciplines in Serbia.
DISCIPLINE | UNIVERSITIES |
Computer Science | 27 |
IT | 25 |
Management | 21 |
Engineering | 17 |
Economics | 16 |
Law and Jurisprudence | 16 |
Arts | 14 |
Education and Teaching | 13 |
Business | 13 |
Finance and Banking | 11 |
Design | 11 |
Administration | 10 |
Sports | 9 |
Health | 9 |
Environmental Studies | 9 |
Technology | 9 |
Applied Sciences and Professions | 8 |
Programming | 8 |
Medicine | 8 |
PR | 7 |
Psychology | 7 |
Media Communications | 7 |
Mathematics | 7 |
Accounting | 7 |
Philology | 7 |
Why seek a master’s degree? Many graduates seek master’s degrees to advance in their chosen fields as well as earning the advantage of receiving a higher salary. Postgraduates sit master’s degrees to change career fields. For example, let’s say a graduate student has earned a bachelor’s degree in English, but now they have decided to become a counsellor: complete a master’s degree in counselling. A master’s degree will allow students to develop expertise in a new area, there are a great many opportunities for graduate study at the master’s level and there is both consistency and variety in programs and thus the ability to enter a new career.
The most popular Master disciplines in Serbia.
DISCIPLINE | UNIVERSITIES |
Computer Science | 18 |
IT | 16 |
Economics | 15 |
Law and Jurisprudence | 14 |
Management | 14 |
Arts | 11 |
Engineering | 11 |
Education and Teaching | 11 |
Business | 10 |
Finance and Banking | 7 |
Health | 7 |
Sports | 7 |
Programming | 7 |
Design | 6 |
Administration | 6 |
Biology | 6 |
Psychology | 6 |
Philology | 6 |
Physics | 6 |
Mathematics | 6 |
Medicine | 6 |
Earth Sciences | 5 |
Agriculture | 5 |
Chemistry | 5 |
Technology | 5 |
The most popular PhD disciplines in Serbia.
DISCIPLINE | UNIVERSITIES |
Computer Science | 13 |
IT | 11 |
Law and Jurisprudence | 11 |
Management | 11 |
Economics | 11 |
Arts | 8 |
Engineering | 7 |
Programming | 6 |
Business | 6 |
Finance and Banking | 6 |
Education and Teaching | 5 |
Medicine | 5 |
Health | 5 |
Sports | 5 |
Philology | 5 |
Psychology | 5 |
Biology | 5 |
Physics | 5 |
Mathematics | 5 |
Tourism | 4 |
Architecture | 4 |
Chemistry | 4 |
Natural Sciences | 4 |
Dentistry | 4 |
Design | 4 |
Serbia joined the Bologna Process in 2003 and thus initiated a gradual reform process, which received its legal support in 2005 by the adoption of a new Law on Higher Education. This law formally introduced the European Credit Transfer System, three-cycle system of study and diploma supplement. From 2007/08 all new students study under the new reformed study programmes at all higher education institutions.
Three-cycle system of study
In the field of medical science (the studies of medicine, dentistry and veterinary medicine) studies are organized through integrated studies that last 6 years and must carry a minimum of 360 ECTS. Also, integrated pharmacy studies with 300 ECTS have been introduced.
The academic year normally starts in October with lectures lasting until June and it consists of two semesters. The full-time workload for one academic year is 60 ECTS credits.
ECTS makes teaching and learning in higher education more transparent across Europe and facilitates the recognition of all studies. The system allows for the transfer of learning experiences between different institutions, greater student mobility and more flexible routes to gain degrees. It also aids curriculum design and quality assurance.
After completing a course of study at higher education institutions in Serbia, apart from their diploma graduates receive a diploma supplement.
Diploma supplement is a document describing the knowledge and skills acquired by holders of higher education degrees which provides additional information to that included in the official degrees / diplomas and/or transcript, making it more easily understood, especially by employers or institutions outside the issuing country.
General entry requirements for:
As a general requirement, to enter a Bachelor or an Integrated study programme one has:
• to have completed four-year secondary education, and
• to pass the entrance exam.
Specific admission prerequisites usually include specific knowledge in certain disciplines and should be checked for each individual programme a student is interested in. Entrance exams are usually held in early July (the first round) and early September (the second round, if there are places left).
The ranking of candidates depends on both the entrance exam and their results at the previous level of education.
For Master programmes lasting one year with 60 ECTS a candidate has to have obtained a Bachelor diploma with at least 240 ECTS points.
For Master programmes lasting two years with 120 ECTS a candidate has to have obtained a Bachelor diploma with at least 180 ECTS points.
Admission requirements vary from programme to programme (usually in regard to the area of previous education) and should be checked on the web pages with information on particular programmes.
A basic requirement to enrol at Doctoral studies is that the candidate has successfully completed a Master programme and obtained at least 300 ECTS. Additional requirements, such as a minimum grade point average, number of papers published in scientific journals, etc. are determined by each institution and presented on the web pages of particular doctoral study programmes.
Studies of Serbian residents at public institutions (both universities and colleges) can either be financed by the State or the students pay tuition for their studies. Students who study at private higher education institutions pay fees as determined by the higher education institution.
Foreign students pay tuition for their studies and in some cases there is a difference between the amounts paid by local and foreign students.
Tuition fee is determined by the institution and usually ranges from EUR1000 to EUR7000 per year. To get up-to-date information on the tuition fee for the programme you chose, please consult the institution’s website.
The quality of Serbian universities is widely recognised, as evidenced by the prestigious world ranking lists of higher education institutions. According to the latest ranking of universities around the world (2018) on the Shanghai ranking list (shanghairanking.com), the University of Belgrade is placed among the best 400 universities in the world. Considering the subject rankings of the same list, in the field of Food Science and Technology, the University of Belgrade is ranked as 43rd best university in the world and 20th in Europe, and the University of Novi Sad is among the best 150. Additionally, in the field of Mathematics, the University of Belgrade is the top 300, while the University of Kragujevac and the University of Niš are among the best 500. The University of Belgrade is also ranked in the field of Agriculture among the best 300 universities in the world.
Other global university rankings, such as URAP (University Ranking by Academic Performance), which rates academic quality of 2500 best universities, features the University of Belgrade as 256th, and the University of Novi Sad as 880th in the overall ranking. Similarly, in CWTS Leiden Ranking, those two universities are among top 700 (Belgrade is 149th and Novi Sad 697th) and they also have notable places in various subject fields, such as Mathematics, Computer Science, Natural Sciences, Engineering, Biomedical and Medical Sciences.
The Republic of Serbia is a full member of the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN), the largest and one of the most important particle physics laboratory in the world. Membership in CERN enables the participation of members of the academic and scientific community of Serbia in various activities and competitions of this prestigious international organization. At the moment, there are four scientific institutions from Serbia actively participating in CERN projects and experiments, of which three are a part of the University of Belgrade (Vinča Institute of Nuclear Sciences, Institute of Physics and Faculty of Physics) and one of the University of Novi Sad (Faculty of Natural Sciences).
To learn more about the mobility opporunities for scientific researchers in Serbia visit the website of the Euraxess Centre in Serbia.
Are you from India? You might need a student visa…
…But, well, you see, our army of scientist monkeys didn’t finish the student visa research for Serbia yet!
Don’t worry, everything is ok. We’re on it, and we’re doing all we can to make your search for the right international degree in Serbia a little easier and more enjoyable.
Still, you can always beat us to the punch and:
All in all, what else can we say but: good luck and never forget to have fun during your studies!
Thanks and good luck!
Contact us for more information and visa apply
