The Republic of Serbia actively implements programs that enable foreign students, as well as Serbians living in the region, to study free of charge at public universities.

As part of the ”World in Serbia” project, foreign students are allowed to study free of charge at universities in the Republic of Serbia that were founded by the state, including all study programs and study 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 and observer states of the Non-Aligned Movement. Currently, 536 scholarship holders from 127 countries are actively studying in Serbia as part 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 candidates, accommodation and food in the student standard system of the Republic of Serbia, a monthly financial allowance, 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 study programs at higher education institutions, attend free intensive Serbian language courses. It is an opportunity for foreign students to improve their Serbian language, and foreign students who are not part of the Project can also study in English.

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

Students are accommodated in student dormitories that are part of student centres in Belgrade, Novi Sad, Niš and Kragujevac, where they are provided with food and additional facilities in accordance with the standards of the respective institution.

Scholarship holders receive assistance in the form of active coordination of the Ministry of Education in the procedures of translation of diplomas from previous studies, as well as referrals to the Qualifications Agency, which deals with the further steps of document recognition, i.e. nostrification.

Leading a politics of good neighbourliness 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 neighbouring countries.

The project „Serbia for Serbians from the region“ represents a way to strengthen good neighbourly relations, care for members of the Serbian community and spread European values ​​in the field of human and minority rights. With this aim, 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 enables free education at one of the universities in Belgrade, Novi Sad, Kragujevac and Niš, which are founded by the state, including all study programs and study levels. In addition, students have the right to free accommodation in student dormitories, food, health insurance and a monthly allowance. Also, students on this project are provided with free nostrification of diplomas.

If you want to know more about the diploma recognition procedure, see this article.

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

The main goal of this program is to improve education at the higher education institutions of the member countries of the program. CEEPUS enables exchanges in the form of credit mobility (mobility with the aim of gaining ESPB points), research residencies, implementation of teaching activities, as well as the so-called summer schools.

CEEPUS member states are as follows: Austria, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Macedonia, Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Serbia, Slovenia, Croatia, Montenegro, and Czech Republic. The program was established in 1994, on the basis of an international agreement, and through this program over 75,000 exchanges of students and teaching staff were realized. 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 implemented by the Tempus Foundation in cooperation with the Ministry of Education. The right address for obtaining more information about the mentioned project is the Tempus Foundation

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

Each year, these scholarships are approved for about 60 foreign citizens.

All scholarships are published on the website of the Ministry in the section Scholarships and loans - International scholarships.