Croatian Government Scholarships 2026/2027 | Eligibility and How to Apply

The Croatian Government Scholarships 2026/2027 represent one of Europe’s most generous international student funding programmes. Administered jointly by Croatia’s Ministry of Science, Education and Youth and the Agency for Mobility and EU Programmes, this fully-funded initiative covers tuition costs, provides monthly stipends, and subsidises housing for international students, doctoral candidates, and postdoctoral researchers. All funding comes directly from the Croatian State Budget, making it one of the most reliable scholarship programmes on the continent.

This scholarship is designed for students and researchers at every academic level, from undergraduates looking to spend a semester abroad to PhD candidates seeking a full three-year doctoral programme in Europe. It also welcomes postdoctoral researchers for short or extended research visits. Whether you are from a country with a bilateral agreement with Croatia or a student enrolled in a Croatian language course anywhere in the world, there is a pathway available for you.

This post covers everything you need to know: who is eligible, which countries qualify, what benefits are included, what documents to prepare, and how to apply before the April 10, 2026 deadline. Read to the end so you do not miss any critical detail.

Scholarship Overview

ELIGIBILITY

To apply for the Croatian Government Scholarships 2026/2027, every applicant must meet the following requirements. Read through each one carefully before beginning your application.

• Age Requirements: You must be at least 18 years old by October 1, 2026. If you are applying for semester or partial PhD scholarships (Types A1, A2, C2), you must be under 34 years of age. If you are applying for full-degree Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD programmes (Types B, C1), you must be under 30 years of age. There is no age limit for postdoctoral visits (Types D and E) or the Dubrovnik Summer Seminar (Type F).
• Citizenship: You must hold citizenship of the country that nominates you for the scholarship. You cannot apply as a dual citizen under a country that is not your primary nominating nation.
• Academic Standing: You must have completed at least two semesters at your home institution before applying. You cannot apply if you have not yet started or just started your degree.
• Enrolment Status in Croatia: You must not currently be enrolled in a study programme in Croatia and must not hold a Croatian residence permit at the time of application.
• Restricted Full-Degree Tracks: Full-degree Bachelor’s, Master’s, and PhD scholarships (Types B and C1) are only available to members of the Croatian national minority in Hungary, Romania, and the Slovak Republic, and to citizens of China. All other nationalities may apply for partial or semester-based tracks.
• Host Institution Requirement: For PhD and postdoctoral research tracks (Types C2, D, and E), you must secure a host professor or mentor at an accredited Croatian public institution and include a formal Letter of Invitation in your application.
• Funding Combination Restriction: This scholarship cannot be combined with any other grant, stipend, or financial support covering the same period. This includes Erasmus+ and CEEPUS funding. You must choose one.
• Institution Type: All studies or research must take place at accredited public Croatian universities or research institutes. Private institutions do not qualify.

ELIGIBLE COUNTRIES

This scholarship is open to citizens of countries with bilateral agreements with Croatia, as well as Croatian language students from any country worldwide through a separate application pool.

Pool 1 – Countries with Bilateral Agreements with Croatia:

Europe: Belgium (Flanders), Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Germany (Bavaria), Greece, Hungary, Italy, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovak Republic, Ukraine

Middle East and Asia: Israel, China, Turkiye

Western Balkans: Kosovo

Pool 2 – Croatian Language Students:

If you are currently enrolled in a Croatian language course at any university in the world, you may apply through Pool 2 regardless of whether your country has a bilateral agreement with Croatia. You will need a recommendation letter from your Croatian language professor to qualify.

ELIGIBLE FIELDS OF STUDY

This scholarship is open to all fields of study at accredited public Croatian universities and research institutes. There are no subject restrictions mentioned in the official programme documentation.

For postdoctoral researchers applying under Types D and E, your field of research must align with the work of your host professor or research institution in Croatia. The Letter of Invitation from your Croatian host will reflect this alignment.

BENEFITS

The Croatian Government Scholarships 2026/2027 provide a comprehensive support package depending on your scholarship type. Here is a full breakdown:

Tuition Fees: Fully waived for all scholarship categories. You pay nothing for tuition at your Croatian host institution.

Monthly Stipend:

• Undergraduate and Master’s students (Types A1, A2, B): EUR 300 per month
• Doctoral students (Types C1, C2): EUR 320 per month
• Postdoctoral researchers (Types D): EUR 480 per month
• Short research visits (Type E): EUR 30 per day for stays of 3 to 29 days
• Note: Monthly payments do not cover July and August. You must be physically present in Croatia for at least 15 uninterrupted days in a given month to receive the full monthly stipend.

Subsidised Accommodation: All scholarship holders get access to subsidised housing in student residence halls across Croatia.

Subsidised Meals: Scholars benefit from subsidised meals at student restaurants throughout the scholarship period.

Summer Seminar in Dubrovnik (Type F): This two-week programme includes free accommodation, free meals, a full cultural programme, and a tuition-free language course. No monthly stipend is provided since all major costs are covered directly.

Travel Costs: Travel to and from Croatia is NOT covered. You are responsible for your own transportation costs.

Important Note: The monthly stipend is a contribution to your living costs, not a full expense coverage. The programme strongly advises all scholarship holders to have personal savings equivalent to at least two months of living expenses in Croatia before arriving.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

The exact documents required depend on your scholarship type (A, B, C, D, E, or F). Below is a comprehensive list of all documents across all categories. Confirm which apply to your type before submitting.

1. Valid passport copy (showing your citizenship)
2. Completed application form (auto-downloaded as PDF upon submission through the online portal)
3. Curriculum Vitae (Europass format preferred)
4. Letter of Interest (personal statement explaining your goals and reasons for applying)
5. Official academic transcripts from all previous institutions
6. Proof of current enrolment at your home institution (showing at least two completed semesters)
7. Language proficiency certificate (Croatian or the language of instruction at the host institution)
8. Nomination Letter from your national nominating authority (Pool 1) or Recommendation Letter from your Croatian language professor (Pool 2)
9. Letter of Invitation from a Croatian host professor or research institution (required for Types C2, D, and E)
10. Detailed Research Work Plan (required for PhD and postdoctoral applicants)
11. Letters of Recommendation from academic supervisors (required for research-track applications)
12. Degree certificate(s) from previously completed studies

HOW TO APPLY

Follow these steps carefully. Missing any one of them can result in your application being rejected or incomplete.

Step 1: Confirm Your Scholarship Type Review the seven scholarship types (A1, A2, B, C1, C2, D, E, F) and identify which one matches your current academic level and goals. This determines your eligibility, documents, and stipend amount.

Step 2: Confirm Your Eligibility Check your age, citizenship, enrolment status, and academic standing against the eligibility requirements listed above. If you are currently enrolled in Croatia or hold a Croatian residence permit, you cannot apply.

Step 3: Determine Your Application Pool If your country is on the bilateral agreement list, you apply through Pool 1. If you are a Croatian language student at any university worldwide, you apply through Pool 2. Some applicants may qualify for both, but you must choose one.

Step 4: Contact Your Nominating Authority For Pool 1 applicants, contact your country’s national ministry, education agency, or competent authority responsible for bilateral educational agreements. They must formally nominate you by sending a Nomination Letter to Croatia’s Agency for Mobility and EU Programmes. Do this early, as government offices can take time to process requests.

For Pool 2 applicants, contact your Croatian language professor and request a formal Recommendation Letter. This document serves as your nomination.

Step 5: Secure a Host Institution (PhD and Postdoc Applicants Only) If you are applying for Types C2, D, or E, you must identify and contact a professor or researcher at an accredited public Croatian institution who is willing to host you. Get a formal Letter of Invitation from them before submitting your application.

Step 6: Gather All Required Documents Collect every document on the required documents list that applies to your scholarship type. Use the Europass format for your CV. Ensure all transcripts and certificates are official copies. Have your language proficiency certificate ready.

Step 7: Prepare Your Letter of Interest and Work Plan Write a clear, focused Letter of Interest explaining why you are applying, what you hope to achieve, and how this scholarship aligns with your career goals. PhD and postdoctoral applicants must also prepare a detailed Research Work Plan describing what they intend to study or research in Croatia.

Step 8: Register and Log In to the Official Online Portal Go to the Agency for Mobility and EU Programmes official online application system. Create an account or log in if you already have one from a previous cycle.

Step 9: Complete and Upload Your Application Fill in all required fields in the online application form and upload every document required for your scholarship type. Double-check that all files are correctly attached and clearly labelled.

Step 10: Save Your Confirmation PDF After submitting, a PDF copy of your completed Application Form will automatically download to your device. This is your proof of submission. If you do not receive this PDF, your application was NOT successfully submitted. Go back and try again.

Step 11: Ensure Your Nomination Letter Arrives Before the Deadline Your Nomination Letter (Pool 1) must reach the Agency for Mobility and EU Programmes in Zagreb by email or post no later than April 10, 2026. Confirm with your nominating authority that they have sent it.

Step 12: Wait for Results and Check Your Email After the deadline, the Agency and Ministry will assess all applications. First-time applicants are prioritised over repeat beneficiaries. Results are communicated by email during June and July 2026. Successful candidates receive a Letter of Award, Letter of Acceptance, and a General Info Package.

KEY DATES AND TIMELINE

APPLICATION DEADLINE

The application deadline for the Croatian Government Scholarships 2026/2027 is April 10, 2026.

All documents must be uploaded through the Agency for Mobility and EU Programmes official online application system by this date. Nomination Letters from national partner institutions must also reach the Agency by email or post no later than April 10, 2026.

Applications submitted after this date will NOT be accepted.

Do not wait until the final week to start your application. Government nomination processes can take time, and technical issues with online portals are common near deadlines.

SELECTION CRITERIA

The Croatian Government and Agency for Mobility and EU Programmes evaluate applications based on the following:

1. Academic Merit: Your academic record and transcripts from your home institution are central to the assessment. Strong grades across your completed semesters give you a significant advantage.
2. First-Time Applicants Get Priority: Candidates who have never previously received this scholarship are given priority over repeat applicants. If this is your first time applying, that works in your favour.
3. Quality of the Letter of Interest: A well-written, specific, and goal-oriented Letter of Interest shows the committee that you have a clear purpose for studying or researching in Croatia.
4. Research Alignment (for PhD and Postdoc Applicants): For research tracks, your Work Plan and the relevance of your proposed research to your Croatian host institution’s work will be assessed. The quality of the Letter of Invitation from your host professor also carries weight.
5. Nomination Quality: For Pool 1 applicants, the strength and completeness of the nomination submitted by your national authority matters. Ensure your nominating body submits on time and includes all required information.
6. Compliance with Requirements: Applications that are complete, correctly formatted, and fully compliant with the rules for their specific scholarship type move forward faster. Incomplete applications risk being set aside.

IMPORTANT TIPS

1. Start the nomination process immediately. Whether you need a national ministry to nominate you (Pool 1) or a professor to write a recommendation (Pool 2), these things take time. Contact the relevant party today, not next month.
2. Know your scholarship type before you do anything else. The seven types have different age limits, durations, documents, and eligibility rules. Applying for the wrong type wastes your time and theirs.
3. Double-check the bilateral agreement list. If you are unsure whether your country qualifies for Pool 1, contact your national ministry of education or the Croatian embassy in your country for confirmation.
4. Save your submission PDF immediately. This is the only proof that your application was received. If the PDF does not download after submission, your application did not go through. Resubmit and try again.
5. Do not combine this with Erasmus+ or CEEPUS. If you are currently receiving or planning to apply for any other scholarship or stipend for the same period, you cannot hold this scholarship at the same time. You must choose one or the other.
6. Have personal savings ready. The stipend is a contribution, not a full living allowance. Croatia’s cost of living varies by city. Budget for at least two months of personal expenses before your scholarship payments begin.
7. PhD and postdoc applicants should secure their host professor early. Croatian professors at public universities and research institutes receive many requests. Reach out well before the April deadline to give them time to issue a Letter of Invitation.
8. Use the Europass CV format. The programme specifically recommends Europass for your curriculum vitae. Using a different format may not disqualify you, but using the recommended format shows attention to detail and professionalism.
9. Write your Letter of Interest with specifics. Vague personal statements hurt your chances. Mention exactly what you want to study, which Croatian institution appeals to you, and how this scholarship connects to your career goals.
10. Keep copies of every document you upload. In case of any dispute or request for verification after submission, you want to have access to exactly what you sent.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

OFFICIAL LINK

Apply through the link below:

https://mzom.gov.hr/highlights/calls-417/scholarships-of-the-republic-of-croatia-call-for-applications-in-the-academic-year-2026-2027/7588

Need Personal Guidance to Study or Work Abroad?

You can now book for a personal guidance for your scholarship applications, visa requirements, or if you’re financially ready to study or work abroad and just need someone to walk you through the process.

Book Consultation

- SPONSORED ADVERT -