The Republic of Serbia actively implements programs that allow foreign students, as well as Serbs living in the region, to study for free at state universities.

As part of the “World in Serbia” project , foreign students are provided with free study at universities in the Republic of Serbia that are founded by the state, in all study programs and levels.

The “World in Serbia” project is an initiative of the Government of the Republic of Serbia of national importance and refers to the awarding of scholarships by the Government of the Republic of Serbia to candidates from countries in Africa, Asia, Central and South America, which are members or observer states of the Non-Aligned Movement. Currently, 536 scholarship holders from 127 countries are actively studying within the framework of the World in Serbia Project.

The scholarship enables the realization of the right to free education in the Republic of Serbia, in accordance with the selection of the candidate, accommodation and meals in the student standard system of the Republic of Serbia, a monthly stipend, as well as health insurance.

As a prerequisite for education in the Serbian language, scholarship students, upon arrival in the Republic of Serbia, and before enrolling in their desired studies at higher education institutions, attend free intensive Serbian language courses. This is an opportunity for foreign students to improve their Serbian language skills, and foreign students who are not part of the Project can also study in English language study programs.

Every year, the Ministry of Education announces a competition for the award of “The World in Serbia” scholarships, and in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through consular missions, informs candidates and collects applications.

Students are accommodated in student dormitories that are part of student centers in Belgrade, Novi Sad, Niš and Kragujevac, where they are provided with meals and additional facilities in accordance with the standards of the institutions.

Scholarship holders receive assistance in the form of active coordination by the Ministry of Education in the procedures for translating diplomas from previous studies, as well as guidance to the Qualifications Agency, which deals with further steps in the validation of documentation.

By pursuing a policy of good neighborliness and openness towards equal cooperation with all countries in the region, the Republic of Serbia is permanently interested in the free development of the Serbian national community in neighboring countries.

The project “Serbia for Serbs from the Region” represents a path for strengthening good neighborly relations, caring for members of the Serbian community and spreading European values ​​in the field of human and minority rights. To this end, the Republic of Serbia awards 80 annual scholarships for members of the Serbian national community from countries in the region: Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Albania and Hungary.

This scholarship provides free education at one of the universities in Belgrade, Novi Sad, Kragujevac and Niš that were founded by the state, in all study programs and levels of study. In addition, students are entitled to free accommodation in student dormitories, meals, health insurance and a monthly pocket money. Students on this project are also provided with free nostrification of diplomas.

If you want to learn more about the diploma recognition process, check out this article .

In addition to the aforementioned programs, CEEPUS (Central European Exchange Programme for University Studies) is also worth mentioning, a Central European university exchange program that provides students and professors of higher education institutions with the opportunity to participate in academic mobility. Combined mobility means that part of the mobility is carried out in physical form and part in virtual form.

The main objective of this programme is to improve education at higher education institutions in the programme member countries. CEEPUS enables exchanges in the form of credit mobility (mobility with the aim of acquiring ECTS credits), research stays, implementation of teaching activities, as well as so-called summer schools.

CEEPUS member states are: Austria, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Serbia, Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, Czech Republic. The program was established in 1994, based on an international agreement, and more than 75 thousand student and faculty exchanges have been implemented through this program. The third cycle of the CEEPUS program (CEEPUS III) was renewed in 2018, and its expected duration is seven years.

In the Republic of Serbia, this project is being implemented by the Tempus Foundation in cooperation with the Ministry of Education. The address for information on the aforementioned project is the Tempus Foundation.

Finally, we would like to mention the scholarship program based on bilateral agreements that are awarded to foreign students once a year, according to a previously announced competition. Candidates come from countries such as the People’s Republic of China, Russia, Ukraine, Slovenia, Slovakia, Poland, Bulgaria, Hungary, the Republic of Korea, Italy, Greece, Romania, Germany. Scholarship holders can attend master’s, doctoral studies or other types of professional training. The intended period of stay is 3 to 12 months. Scholarships provide scholarship holders with free training, accommodation and meals in the student standard system of the Republic of Serbia, health insurance and a cash portion in the amount of 15,000.00 dinars per month.

Each year, this scholarship is approved for approximately 60 foreign citizens.

All scholarships are published on the Ministry’s website in the Scholarships and Loans – International Scholarships section.