Serbia stands as a mythical place with traces of medieval heritage filling its countryside. From Roman to Byzantine architecture, present in many of the royal cities, monasteries, castles, and medieval fortifications gives the illusion of ancient times.
Its dominating geography consists of mountains, lakes, hills traversed by rivers, and even the Alps in the West and South-West regions of the country, along with a humid and subtropical climate. The Serbian climate is influenced by the Mediterranean Sea, the Atlantic Ocean, and Eurasian landmasses. It offers cold winters and hot, humid summers.
Serbia provides a universal health care system as well as social security and an upper-middle-income economy. What else could you ask for as an international student?
Affordable Schools in Serbia for International Students
1. University of Belgrade
Founded in 1808, the University of Belgrade is Serbia’s flagship public university and is the most affordable universities in Serbia for international students. It is also a regional research hub with 30+ faculties spread across the capital. Its strengths run from engineering and computer science to economics, law, medicine, and the humanities. The university’s labs, libraries, and partnerships with industry and European institutions make Belgrade a good base for hands-on learning and research. The campus footprint is urban and well connected by public transport, and international students generally find a large English-speaking community, affordable living costs, and many student cultural events.
For foreign citizens, fees vary by faculty. Budget-friendly examples include Economics (around €1,500/year) at the Faculty of Economics and €2,000/year for the standard Electrical/Computer Engineering BSc at the School of Electrical Engineering (ETF). More specialized or English-taught options (e.g., Software Engineering) are around €3,000/year. Master’s programs in social sciences often start at €1,500, while engineering master’s programs are commonly €2,500.
2. University of Novi Sad
- Tuition Fees
- Tuition Fees: Bachelor’s: €2,000/year | Master’s: from €2,000/year
The University of Novi Sad is Serbia’s second-largest public university and is known for strong programs in mathematics, computer science, biology, chemistry, geography, and tourism. Novi Sad itself is a vibrant student city with a compact center, a lively cultural scene, and solid student housing options. PMF maintains active research groups, Erasmus+ exchanges, and English-taught courses in select departments, making it an approachable option for international students who want a balance of cost, quality, and livability.
The University of Novi Sad publishes clear fee tables for foreign citizens. Bachelor’s programs in core sciences and geography are set at €2,000/year. Master’s programs typically cost €2,000 in mathematics/CS/geography and €3,000 in tourism-focused tracks. Departmental pages list any exceptions or additional administrative costs.
3. University of Kragujevac
Set in a historic central-Serbian city, the University of Kragujevac is a public institution known for applied research and links to regional industry. The Faculty of Economics trains students in analytics, finance, management, and international business, and it frequently hosts guest lecturers from practice. Kragujevac’s manageable size, lower rents, and well-connected transport make it appealing to students who want a quieter base than Belgrade without losing academic rigor or employability connections.
The Faculty of Economics runs an English-taught bachelor’s program priced at €3,000 per year for foreign citizens and master’s programs commonly around €2,500.
4. Singidunum University
- Tuition Fees
- Tuition Fees: Bachelor’s: from €3,000/year | Master’s: typically from €3,000/year
Singidunum is a large private institution with multiple campuses (Belgrade, Novi Sad, Niš) and a broad portfolio of English-taught programs in business, IT, hospitality and tourism, and environmental management. The university is known for industry-linked curricula, guest speakers from practice, and strong soft-skills training embedded into courses. Career services, language support, and international mobility options are widely promoted.
Official fee decisions set a simple, flat structure for English-taught programs, around €3,000 per academic year for both bachelor’s and master’s across many faculties. Additional application and administrative fees may apply; consult the latest decision for your chosen campus and program.
FAQS About Studying in Serbia
What is the Education System Like in Serbia?
Serbia has divided its higher education into two types of systems: academic studies and applied studies. Academic studies are organized at universities and have a three-cycle system that includes bachelor studies, master studies, and doctoral studies (Ph.D.). Applied studies in Serbia are organized at universities or at colleges of applied studies. This system is of two cycles which include bachelor programs that last for three years, specialist applied studies (one year), and master applied studies (two years).
Do I Have to Learn Serbian to Study There?
Serbian is the official language of instruction in Serbia for all educational levels. However, there are programs for international students in English and other languages. Possibilities to study in foreign languages depend on each institution.
It is highly recommended to study at least a basic level of Serbian as study groups and activities are mostly made in Serbian. It is true that there are professors that organize consultations in foreign languages but for a full cultural experience, the best is to study in Serbian. There are intensive preparatory courses in Serbian of one-year or one semester long that may help to learn the language in a short period of time.
Is the Admissions Process Difficult at Serbian Universities?
To apply to higher education institutions in Serbia, it is required a Secondary School Certificate for Bachelor’s level studies and a Bachelor’s level diploma for Master’s level studies.
Foreign students must have a series of legal documents such as a valid travel document, a valid visa in the passport, and a certificate of vaccination. It is also mandatory to prove that you have sufficient funds to stay in Serbia and to have health care insurance.
What are the Living Costs in Serbia?
Living in Serbia is not expensive. Their official currency is the Serbian dinar (RSD). However, you’ll often see that prices are in Euros for international students.
Renting a one-bedroom apartment can cost between 200 USD and 300 USD. This will depend on the area of the city and the size of the place. Eating is also affordable. Regarding groceries, a monthly budget of 130 USD will be sufficient. A meal in a cheap restaurant costs 4 USD and eating a single meal in a nice restaurant can cost up to 17 USD.
Utilities will definitely depend on the season and the place you are living in. During winter, you could pay around 70 USD in utilities because of heating. However, there are buildings with other facilities like parking, which could cost more. As for transportation, you would spend around 30 USD per month if you use public transportation every day.
Moving to Serbia also includes paying for certain legal procedures like student visas or residence permits.
We hope that this article on cheap universities in Serbia was helpful! If you are interested, check out the Open Europe Courses for International Students.
