International students are not allowed to attend classes at university until they have procured a residence permit.
Third country nationals
Third country students are not allowed to attend classes at university until they have procured a residence permit.
Third country nationals intending to study in Croatia must regulate their temporary residence for the purpose of studying if their stay in Croatia is longer than 90 days.
Accommodation of third country nationals on a short-term stay needs to be registered within one day from the day of arrival of the third country national by a legal and physical person who offered accommodation to the third country national. If the person in charge of the registration cannot perform the registration of accommodation, the third country national needs to register his/her own accommodation within two days from entring the Republic of Croatia.
Visa requirements
Nationals of countries subject to the visa requirement also need to procure an entry visa for Croatia (Viza C). Information on countries subject to the visa requirement can be found on the web site of the Croatian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs. The issuance of visas is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs.
The visa application (Viza C) must be submitted to the diplomatic mission or consulate of the Republic of Croatia in the foreign national’s home country. The visa application can be submitted either in person or via e-mail. A list of missions and consulates is available on web site of the Croatian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs.
Where to submit residence permit application
Third country nationals can submit residence permit application in one of two ways:
- To the diplomatic mission or consulate of the Republic of Croatia in the foreign national’s home country
- To the appropriate police department or police station upon entering Croatia if the student is coming to Croatia to study at a higher education institution as a full-time student at an undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate level. For more information about this document, the student should contact International Relations Office of the host university.
When to submit residence permit application
Students submitting an application to the diplomatic mission or consulate of the Republic of Croatia in their home country should do so prior to their scheduled arrival in Croatia. The usual procedure takes 30 days from the day of submitting a properly filled out request (the official needs to issue a decision within that period). Exceptionally, this can last 60 days if there is an administrative procedure included at the request of the party.
Students submitting the application to the appropriate police department or police station in Croatia should do so upon entering Croatia during their short-term stay.
Application documents
The following documents must be submitted with the application for temporary residence (Form 1a) for the purpose of studying:
- One colour photograph 35x45 mm
- Valid passport and photocopy of a passport
- Proof of health insurance:
- European Health Insurance card
- Health insurance certificate issued by the Croatian Health Insurance Fund
- Certificate of a foreign health insurance provider stating the right to health care in accordance to EU regulations of the social security system or international social security contract
- Proof of private health insurance or travel insurance for citizens of countries with which the Republic of Croatia has not concluded a social security contract. Upon the approval of their temporary residence they are obliged to contact the competent office of the Croatian Health Insurance Fund in order to determine the right to health insurance according to regulations on health insurance of third country nationals in the Republic of Croatia.
- Proof of sufficient funds to support oneself: a scholarship or proof of having access to finances in the amount of at least 1,200 kuna per month during 12 months. The proof of receiving a scholarship is issued by the legal entity granting the scholarship and the proof of finances is issued by a bank in the form of a bank statement.
- Proof of admittance to a higher education institution in Croatia written in Croatian language, or a certificate indicating the student is in a student or youth exchange program.
Important: A third country citizen on temporary stay needs to register his/her residence and address within 3 days from entering the Republic of Croatia.
Regarding the documentation for registering residence we suggest consulting the following link of the Ministry of Interior Affairs.
Students with a valid permit issued by another member state of the European Economic Area (EEA) which is included in the EU or multilateral program which covers measures of mobility or an agreement between two or more higher education institutions can spend a part of his/her studies on a higher education institution in the Republic of Croatia during a period of 360 days, without the need to regulate the temporary residence status, unless this represents a danger for the pubic order, national security or public health. The student must inform the responsible police department, that is police station, of the purpose of the stay according to the place of residence when registering short-term residence.
Students with a valid permit issued by another EEA state member, and is not included in the EU or mulilateral program which covers measures of mobility or an agreement between two or more higher education institutions, has to submit a request for issuing temporary residence permit with the purpose of studying in order to spend a part of the studies on a higher education institution in the Republic of Croatia.
Application fee
The application fee for the temporary residence permit for the purpose of studying is 350kuna (around 45 EUR). Consular fee for granting temporary residence is 420,00 kuna (around 55 Euros). International students receiving a grant from the Croatian Ministry of Science and Education and the Agency for Mobility and EU Programmes are exempted from this fee but they should pay for the cost of the issuance of the residence card in the amount of 240,00 HRK (approximately 35,00 EUR).
Duration of residence permit
The temporary residence permit is usually granted for the duration of one year or for the duration of the academic year.
Nationals of European Economic Area (EEA) Member States
Students who are nationals of EEA member state have the right to stay in the Republic of Croatia up to three months from the date of entering the Republic of Croatia if the student owns a valid travel document or identity card. If the student plans to reside in the Republic of Croatia longer than three months, he/she must declare temporary residence (Form 1b) to the responsible police department, that is police station according to the place of residence, within eight days prior to the expiration of the three-month residence.
The receipt on registration of temporary residence will be issued (without a fee) if there is:
- A valid identitiy card or travel document,
- Is registered at a higher education institution in the Republic of Croatia, comes within the student exchange or youth mobillity or comes for an internship through an authorised organisation based on international or interuniversity agreements,
- Attaches a statement for support and
- Health insurance
Sources: Ministry of the Interior of the Republic of Croatia; Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Republic of Croatia
