Croatia is among the European countries that offer plenty of opportunities to international students. Its higher education institutions have a significant focus on innovation, research, and diversified field of study. Beyond academics, you’ll also gain meaningful experiences as you explore the Croatian culture and enjoy its beautiful landscapes.

It is no secret that people here enjoy a high quality of life, affordable costs, and of course, sumptuous cuisines! While some of its cities have fewer crowds than its neighboring countries, Croatia is still well-connected to them. With a student visa and temporary resident permit, you can even fly to nearby Schengen states.

So, get your pen and notepad ready and take note of how to apply for a student visa in Croatia.

What documents do you need to apply for a student visa in Croatia?

When applying for a student visa in Croatia, you need to prepare the following:

Application Form

You can download the application form and submit it personally at the Croatian embassy or consulate in your home country. You can also electronically submit your application through the visa request page of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of Croatia.

Passport or Travel Document

You’ll also need your passport to apply for a student visa. It should have a validity that extends for at least three months after your visa expiry. Additionally, your visa should be issued within the last ten years. Lastly, it should have at least two blank pages.

Other Required Documents

You’ll need to present documents that prove your:

  • Purpose of stay in Croatia, such as your admission letter from a Croatian university
  • Paid visa fee
  • Travel health insurance
  • Ensured accommodation
  • Sufficient means of subsistence to cover your living and school expenses, and return to your home country
  • Means of transport and intention to return to your home country

Besides these, you should also prepare a passport-sized colored photo and photocopy of your passport.

How much money do you need for a Croatia Student Visa?

The Croatian student visa application fee costs $91. Besides this fee, you need to present proof that you have enough funds to stay and study in Croatia. You can submit a bank account statement, that shows at least $1,400, or a confirmation of scholarship. For the tuition costs, you can prepare for the following:

  • Undergraduate courses – $4,500 to $8,200
  • Graduate courses – $4,700 to $11,700
  • Health and Medicine courses – $8,200 to $11,700

As for your living costs, you can expect around $500 to $800 per month. It should cover your food, accommodation, utilities, transportation, and miscellaneous expenses. You can check out the average monthly costs of a student in Croatia:

  • Rent: $470
  • Transportation: $55
  • Meals: $250
  • Internet: $24
  • Utilities: $180

Check Also: Programs in Europe for International Students

Steps on Applying for a Student Visa in Croatia

Here are the steps to apply for a student visa in Croatia:

1. Confirm Requirements at a Croatian Mission in Your Country

Before starting on your application, confirm the requirements you need to submit. You can contact the Croatian mission in your country to do this. Visit this link and choose your country from the drop-down list. There, you will find the phone number, email address, and the website of the selected mission. You’ll also see the working hours of the embassy and office hours for consular services. If a mission only accepts applications by appointment, you’ll find that indicated, too.

If there are no Croatian missions in your country, you can apply for a student visa for Croatia through a Visa Processing Center. You can check here if there’s a VFS Global visa processing center in your home country.

Suppose there are no visa processing centers and Croatian missions in your country, you can apply for a visa through an embassy or consulate located in a neighboring country.

2. Complete the Application Form and Prepare Supporting Documents

After confirming the documents, you need to submit, start working on your application form. You can either download it from the website, print it, and fill it out. Or, you can go to the online application form and complete it electronically. Ensure providing true and accurate information, and complete your requirements in a timely manner. Ideally, you can start your application as early as six months before your intended departure to Croatia. As such, you’ll have sufficient time to go over your requirements and provide supporting documents in case the embassy requires those.

3. Submit your Application Documents in Person

You’ll need to submit your application in person and before your entry to Croatia. You’ll also need to pay the application fee when you submit your application. Make sure to check if the embassy, consulate, or visa processing center requires an appointment for visa applicants.

4. Wait for the Visa Approval

After submitting your application, keep your contact information active in case the embassy reaches out for additional requirements. It can take up to three months before they can come up with a decision to approve a Croatian student visa application. Considering this time frame, make sure to prepare your application as early as you can.

While waiting for approval, you can also start organizing the requirements for a temporary residence permit. You’ll need this if you intend to stay in Croatia for more than 90 days since the country does not allow visa extensions when you get there. The residence permit basically informs authorities there that you are legally allowed to stay in the country for more than 90 days.

Here are the requirements for a temporary resident permit:

  • Proof of purpose of your temporary stay, such as the admission letter from your host university
  • Valid passport
  • Proof of sufficient funds
  • Health insurance
  • Proof of no-criminal record from your home country police agency
  • Medical reports proving that you don’t have any diseases posing threat to public health in Croatia

Make sure to bring these documents with you when you finally go to Croatia.

5. Fly to Croatia and Register for Temporary Resident Permit

Once you receive your student visa for Croatia, you’re ready to fly to Croatia and start your studies there. Within three days from your arrival in the country, make sure to visit the nearest police administration or office. You’ll need to register for a temporary resident permit there so bring the requirements with you. You’ll also need to pay around $55 for the registration and another $38 for the biometric residence permit. Once the local police administration approves your application for a temporary stay, you will receive a resident card, valid for one year or the duration of one academic year.

 

We hope this article on how to get a student visa in Croatia was informative and insightful. Make sure to also check out the Available Programs in Europe for International Students!

About the Author: Hyun Lee

Hyun is the founder at Global Scholarships. He has received a full-tuition scholarship at Birmingham-Southern College as well as $1,000 Burger King Scholarship for his undergraduate degree and has been offered a fully funded scholarship consisting of tuition, living stipend, and health insurance for computer science Ph.D. program at North Carolina State University. Read more about his scholarship journey here.

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