CroatiaStudy

Study residence permit in Croatia

Temporary stay for third-country nationals admitted to Croatian schools and universities. It allows you to study and to work part-time. The status is recognised when the qualifying period for permanent residence is calculated. The legal status of a student makes it possible to extend the stay for the duration of the studies through regular renewals.

Source: mup.gov.hr — Temporary stay of third-country nationals

How to obtain a study residence permit

Students from foreign countries may study in Croatia after obtaining temporary stay through a consulate or through the police authorities. The route to the status depends on whether a visa is required.

Through a consulate (if a visa is required)

Your nationality requires a visa to enter the EU
The application is filed at the consulate before arrival
You receive notification of the decision
You travel to Croatia with the visa document

Through the police (if no visa is required)

Your nationality is on the list of visa-free countries
You arrive in Croatia with a valid passport
You file the application at the police administration for the place of study
You receive notification of the decision on the spot

When the programme is not a fit

A working migrant who is not studying

Residence permit for work (privremeni boravak radi rada)

A parent of a minor student

Residence permit for family reunification (privremeni boravak radi obiteljskog spajanja)

Looking for work or education outside an accredited programme

Consult a Croatian consulate to clarify your status

What it costs

Approval of temporary stayChecked on the Ministry of the Interior's programme page	46,45 EUR
Biometric document (standard processing)Ordinary processing time	31,85 EUR
Biometric document (accelerated processing)	59,73 EUR
Issuance of the documentAdministrative fee	9,29 EUR
Naturalisation as a citizenWhen applying after the conditions are met (8 years of residence, language, test)	+139,36 EUR
Total government feesThe sum of the mandatory rows in the table. “Naturalisation as a citizen” adds 139,36 EUR; the “Biometric document (accelerated processing)” branch replaces the “Biometric document (standard processing)” line — 115,47 EUR. Charges with no official price list are in the list below.	87.59–226,95 EUR

Paid separately

Health insurance — Mandatory, but it is not a state fee — it is paid to an insurance company
Certification and translation of documents — Paid separately at a notary's office or a translation agency

Documents to gather

All documents are submitted as originals or notarised copies with a Croatian translation.

A valid passport or a travel document replacing it (valid for at least 3 months longer than the requested stay)
A letter of enrolment at an accredited Croatian educational institution (a school or a university)
A health insurance policy valid in Croatia
Proof of financial means of subsistence (a bank statement, a sponsorship letter, a scholarship)
A certificate of no criminal record from the country of citizenship (issued within the last 6 months)
A certificate that there are no bans on entering Croatia

How the process runs

The process depends on whether a visa is required to enter Croatia.

1
Admission to an educational institution
usually 1-3 months
The applicant needs to obtain a letter of enrolment from an accredited educational institution in Croatia. The letter serves as the ground for the residence permit application.
2
Preparing the documents
2-4 weeks
Collect all the required documents, obtain the certificates of no criminal record and no entry bans, arrange health insurance, translate the documents and have them notarised.
3
Filing the application (option A: through a consulate)
processing times not stated
If your nationality requires a visa: submit the documents to the Croatian consulate in your country. The consulate accepts applications in person or by post. It reviews the application and issues the visa document allowing entry. Once approved, you can travel to Croatia.
4
Filing the application (option B: through the police)
processing times not stated
If no visa is required: arrive in Croatia, go to the police administration for the place of study within 3 days and file the residence permit application in person. The police review the documents and take a decision.
5
Registering the place of residence
3 days from entry
You must register your address with the police administration no later than 3 days after arriving in Croatia.
6
Issuance of the document
depends on the queue
If accelerated processing is chosen, the document is ready sooner. Ordinary processing takes longer. A separate fee is charged for issuing the document.
7
Starting studies and work
after receiving the document
With student residence permit status you are allowed to work up to 20 hours a week. Practical training that forms part of the curriculum does not count towards this limit. The employer needs neither a work permit for the student nor a notification of their engagement.
8
Renewing the residence permit
for each academic year
The residence permit is issued for up to one year. The student must apply for a renewal before the current status expires. The renewal requires proof that the studies are continuing and a current health insurance policy.

Timelines and rights

Work

With a student residence permit you work without a dozvola za boravak i rad and without a potvrda o prijavi rada — up to 20 hours a week. Practical training that is part of the curriculum does not count towards this limit.

Who you can bring with you

Family members of a student may obtain a residence permit for reunification, but that is a separate programme. The page for the main programme carries minimal information about them.

The student's spouse or partner

May apply for a residence permit for family reunification if married or in a registered partnership. Proof of sufficient means of subsistence is required.

The student's children

Minor children may be included in the parent's application. The consent of the other parent is required if they live separately.

Trips, renewal and the grace period

The application is filed at a Croatian diplomatic mission or consulate; nationals who need a visa to enter may, when studying at a university, also file the application at the police administration for their place of stay

A study residence permit is issued for up to one year. The student must apply for a renewal before the current permit expires. The renewal requires proof that the studies are continuing at the same or another accredited educational institution and a current health insurance policy. Other documents (a certificate of no criminal record) may be requested again, depending on the decision of the authority reviewing the application. The renewal procedure mirrors the initial filing: through a consulate (if there is no registration on Croatian territory) or through the police administration (if the student is already in Croatia and registered there). Each renewal carries the corresponding administrative fees.

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to permanent residence

Years of study count towards the qualifying period for dugotrajno boravište at half: 5 years at university give 2.5 years of qualifying residence. Over the qualifying period absences of up to 10 months in total and no longer than 6 months in a row are allowed.

Route to citizenship

A Croatian passport is granted through naturalisation: from the age of 18, after 8 years of continuous registered residence and holding stalni boravak status. You take Croatian at level B1 and a test of 15 questions on culture and social organisation — 10 correct answers are required. Release from the previous citizenship is required.

Frequently asked questions about Study residence permit

Can I work on a student residence permit?

Yes, third-country students may work up to 20 hours a week. No work permit and no notification of the employer to the authorities are required. Exception: if practical training is a compulsory part of the curriculum, it does not count towards the 20-hour limit.

How is time spent studying counted towards the qualifying period for permanent residence?

Time studying at a university counts at half when the qualifying period for dugotrajni boravak (long-term stay) is calculated. For example, five years of university study count as 2.5 years of qualifying residence. However, for the qualifying period for stalni boravak (permanent residence) the rules may differ — this needs to be clarified with the police authorities.

How long may I be absent from Croatia during my studies?

During the studies absences from Croatia of up to 10 months in total over the study period and of no more than 6 months in a row are allowed. Longer absences may lead to long-term stay being withdrawn or require the status to be re-arranged.

What are the requirements for Croatian citizenship after studying?

Naturalisation requires 8 years of continuous residence in Croatia with temporary or permanent residence status. You need Croatian at level B1 (or an exemption if you studied in Croatia or are over 65). You must pass a test of 15 questions on Croatian culture and history (at least 10 correct answers are required). Release (renunciation) from the previous citizenship is required, though a guarantee of Croatian citizenship can be obtained before the release.

Where do I file the residence permit application — at a consulate or with the police?

Where you file depends on whether a visa is required to enter Croatia. If your nationality requires a visa for the EU, file the application at the Croatian consulate in your country. If no visa is required, file the application at the police administration for the place of study after arriving in Croatia (within 3 days).

Other ways to move to Croatia

Every route in one list — migration programmes: Croatia.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.