Higher Education Institutions in Croatia
Croatia's higher education system consists of both public and private institutions, offering diverse academic and professional study programs. While the majority of universities in the country are public, private higher education has been growing in recent years with the establishment of private universities and numerous colleges of applied sciences.
Structure of Higher Education in Croatia
Croatia follows a three-cycle higher education structure—undergraduate, graduate, and postgraduate—aligned with the Bologna Process. However, the system is also binary, meaning students must choose between university studies (which encompass all three cycles) and professional studies (which cover only the first and second cycles).
Most polytechnics in Croatia are public institutions, while colleges of applied sciences are predominantly private. Both polytechnics and colleges of applied sciences offer professional study programs at the first and second cycles, differing mainly in the number of programs they provide rather than their type.
Higher Education Institutions in Croatia
Public Universities
- Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek
- Juraj Dobrila University of Pula
- University North
- University of Dubrovnik
- University of Rijeka
- University of Split
- University of Zadar
- University of Zagreb
Public Polytechnics
- College of Applied Sciences “Lavoslav Ružička” in Vukovar
- College of Slavonski Brod
- Karlovac University of Applied Sciences
- Marko Marulić Polytechnic of Knin
- Međimurje Polytechnic in Čakovec
- Polytechnic “Nikola Tesla” in Gospić
- Polytechnic of Šibenik
- Polytechnic of Požega
- Polytechnic of Rijeka
- University of Applied Health Sciences in Zagreb
- Zagreb University of Applied Sciences
Public Colleges
- College for Management in Tourism and Informatics in Virovitica
- College of Agriculture in Križevci
- Police College
Private Universities
- Bjelovar Polytechnic University
- Croatian Catholic University
- Libertas International University
Private Polytechnics
- Baltazar Polytechnic in Zaprešić
- Polytechnic Hrvatsko Zagorje in Krapina
- Polytechnic Velika Gorica
- VERN’ University of Applied Sciences
Private Colleges
- Algebra University College
- Aspira University College
- Business College “Libertas”
- Business College “PAR”
- College for Finance and Law “Effectus”
- College for Information Technologies, Zagreb
- College for Safety
- College for Technology and Business – Pula Polytechnic
- College of AGORA
- College of Inspection and Personnel Management in Split
- College of International Relations and Diplomacy Dag Hammarskjöld
- Edward Bernays College of Communication Management
- European Business School Zagreb
- Evangelical Theological Seminary in Osijek
- RIT Croatia
- RRiF College of Financial Management
- TV Academy – College of Multimedia and Communication in Split
- University College of Economics, Entrepreneurship and Management “Nikola Subic Zrinski”
- Zagreb School of Business
- Zagreb School of Economics and Management
Croatia offers a well-structured and diverse higher education system, allowing students to choose between university and professional studies. With a growing number of private institutions complementing established public universities, students have access to a wide range of academic and professional opportunities.
