Updated: August 2011

1. Professional Degree Recognition &
Professional Qualification

The recognition of foreign higher education qualifications is
carried out for the purposes of employment
(professional recognition) or continuation of education
(academic recognition) in the Republic of Croatia, and it
is based on the Act on the Recognition of Foreign
Educational Qualifications (Official Gazette, No. 158/03, 198/03, 138/06 and 45/11).

The Agency for Science and Higher Education within is in charge of the Croatian
ENIC/NARIC Office, which conducts the professional recognition procedure.
The Office is part of the European Network of National Information Centres
on recognition and mobility.

The Agency for Science and Higher Education is required to make a decision on the
recognition of higher education within 60 days from the submitting of the application
for professional recognition.

Croatian ENIC/NARIC Office (in English)

Professional recognition
Guidelines for initiating the procedure of professional recognition of foreign higher education qualifications:
1. Fill out application form
2. Collect documents required for professional recognition of foreign higher education qualifications
3. Pay administrative fee
4. Submit documents

List of documents:
1. Original or certified copy of the foreign qualification
2. Certified translation of the foreign qualification into Croatian
3. Official grade transcript in original, issued by the higher education institution
4. Certified translation of the grade transcript into Croatian
5. Official curricula with course of study and short content of each subject (issued from higher institution or printed from the web site of institution) and translated into Croatian (no certified translation required)
6. Admission requirements (if the official version does not exist, write them yourself)
7. Diploma supplement in original, if available, and certified translation of Diploma supplement into Croatian
8. CV in Croatian pointing out the course of education and work experience (when applying for the recognition of Ph.D. list your published scientific papers and where they have been published)
9. Certified copies of previously acquired higher qualification(s), if any obtained
10. Certificate of citizenship (original or certified copy of “domovnica” or passport for foreigners)
11. Proof of payment of administrative fees
12. For applicants who have changed their first and/or last name) Copy of the marriage certificate or official decision of the competent authority
13. One copy of all enclosed documents including the application form, except official curricula
14. Candidates applying for the recognition of Master’s/Postgraduate study must enclose one (1) copy of their master thesis (on paper, floppy disk or CD)
15. Candidates applying for the recognition of doctoral degrees must enclose one (1) copy (paper, on floppy disk or CD) of their doctoral thesis.

The procedure consists of several steps:
1. After receiving and processing the application the Croatian ENIC/NARIC Office advises the applicant on required supplements if the application is incomplete.
2. The Croatian ENIC/NARIC Office examines the accreditation of the institution wherein a foreign higher education qualification is acquired, accreditation of the study program in question, authenticity of the foreign higher education qualification for which recognition is being requested, entitlements and possibilities that the qualification ensures in the country of issue.
3. The Agency for Science and Higher Education issues a decision on the recognition of the foreign higher education qualification.
4. The decision on professional recognition of the foreign higher education qualification is mailed to the applicant’s address specified in the application for recognition.

Administrative fee
Professional recognition of foreign higher education qualifi cations on completed undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate university and professional study program: 65€.
The fee for the issuance of the clarification of higher education qualification: 30 €.

2. Academic recognition of foreign qualifications and degrees

Prospective students who wish to apply for postgraduate study programmes and have a foreign higher education qualification or degree, will need to undergo the process of academic recognition for the purpose of continuation of education in Croatia.
All higher education institutions that accept international students usually have an International Cooperation Office and prospective students should contact that office well before applying in order to obtain relevant information on which educational qualifications need to be recognised in order to apply for the study programme in question.

Students who apply for exchange programmes usually do not need to have their previous educational qualifications recognised. Agreements between higher education partner institutions and the application procedures for an exchange programme normally prescribe the precise admissions requirements for exchange students.

For all other information about applying for the recognition of foreign higher education qualifications and degrees, please contact Croatian ENIC NARIC Office  >English >National ENIC/NARIC office.

List of offices in charge of academic recognition at Croatian universities > Studying in Croatia > Foreign qualifications and degrees > Academic recognition.