Croatia offers special university admission quotas for young people of Croatian descent living abroad. The program allows eligible students to apply to Croatian universities without taking the country’s state graduation exam.
The initiative targets members of Croatian national minorities, emigrants and their descendants. It aims to strengthen their connections with Croatia through education, language and cultural exchange.
According to information published by Study in Croatia on October 6, the program continues for the 2026/2027 academic year.
A total of 11 Croatian higher education institutions participate in the initiative.
Students must meet specific eligibility requirements and provide documents confirming their Croatian heritage.
Who Can Apply for Croatia’s Special University Admission Quotas?
The program covers two main groups of applicants.
The first includes members of Croatian national minorities living in 12 European countries. These are Austria, Bulgaria, Montenegro, the Czech Republic, Italy, Kosovo, Hungary, Romania, Macedonia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Serbia.
The second group includes Croatian emigrants and their descendants living around the world.
Therefore, young people of Croatian descent from the United States, Canada, Australia and Argentina may also qualify.
For the 2026/2027 academic year, participating institutions include:
- University of Zagreb
- University of Split
- University of Rijeka
- Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek
- University of Zadar
- Juraj Dobrila University of Pula
- University of Dubrovnik
- University North
- Catholic University of Croatia
- Lavoslav Ružička University of Applied Sciences in Vukovar
- Algebra Bernays University
Applicants must use Croatia’s Postani student online admission system.
They should select study programs marked “Hrvati izvan RH”, meaning Croatians outside the Republic of Croatia.
Each applicant can choose up to ten programs and rank them by preference.
If students qualify for several programs, the system assigns them the highest-ranked available option.
Croatian State Graduation Exam Is Not Required
One major advantage is the exemption from Croatia’s state graduation exam, known as državna matura.
Instead, applicants who completed secondary school abroad must provide proof of their qualifications.
They must also complete the recognition process through Croatia’s Agency for Science and Higher Education.
However, individual universities may require additional examinations or documents.
Applicants should therefore check the admission requirements of their preferred institutions.
Another essential document is a certificate confirming Croatian ethnicity or ancestry.
Croatia’s Central State Office for Croats Abroad issues this certificate.
Candidates generally need identification, proof of residence abroad, a birth certificate and secondary school records.
They must also provide evidence of Croatian heritage.
Those claiming Croatian ancestry through parents or grandparents may need additional family records.
The special admission quota system began in the 2018/2019 academic year.
Since then, Croatia has used the initiative to encourage educational opportunities for younger generations of its diaspora.
Beyond university education, the program aims to strengthen cultural connections and build lasting personal and professional relationships with Croatia.
Students can find application details, available places and university requirements through the official Study in Croatia admission information website.
