For non-EU students

For non-EU students

Visa

Information about travel documents and visa requirements for third-country citizens and details for diplomatic missions for each country can be found on the website of the Croatian Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs.

Visa application form is available on-line at crovisa.mvep.hr (available in English, Russian, Albanian and Turkish). Printed and filled out application form, along with other required documents, should be submitted to the competent Croatian Embassy/Consulate or visa centre or through an accredited tourist agency. After approval of all study application documents, the student will receive an acceptance letter necessary for visa application.

IMPORTANT! Visa application process might last from a few weeks to a few months. On-line application in due time is strongly recommended.

Residence permit

According to the national legislation, all foreign nationals (EU and non-EU) intending to study in Croatia must regulate residence during staying in Croatia (regulated residence is the prerequisite for the issuance of ToR to exchange students at the end of study period!). There are two types of residence permit:

There are two types of residence permits:

  • up to 90 days (short-term)
  • longer than 90 days (temporary)

Upon arrival, all students, except EU students with accommodation at the Campus Student Dormitory and Spinut Student Dormitory (permits are regulated directly by the dorm office), must initially report their short-term stay in Croatia to the Central Police Station within 48 hours (72 hours during weekends) upon entry into Croatia.

Central Police Station

Address: Trg hrvatske bratske zajednice 9

Office hours: Monday-Friday, 8.30 – 15.30 (summer office hours 8.30 – 14:30).

In order to avoid double issuing of OIB (Personal Identification Number) during application for residence permit, it is advised to inform the police clerk if you already have the OIB number issued.

At least 7 days before expiration of short-term residence permit, all students staying in Croatia for longer than 90 days (including students with accommodation at Student Dormitories) should apply for temporary residence for the purpose of studying, with the following documents:

Non-EU students

  • Application form filled in and signed – Form 1a:
  • Colour photograph 35×45 mm;
  • Administrative fee in the amount of 9,29 € (can be bought at newsstands);
  • Valid passport and copy of the first page with the photo;
  • Enrolment certificate (in Croatian) issued by FESB;
  • Acceptance letter (in original) from UNIST stating the purpose of your stay (ERASMUS+ students);
  • Letter of confirmation issued by the Agency for Mobility and EU Programmes (for CEEPUS and Ministry bilateral programmes students)
  • Proof of secured housing (e.g. written proof of secured accommodation in the student dormitory or an apartment lease and proof of the landlord’s apartment ownership (vlasnički list, not older than 6 months)
  • Proof of the health insurance (bilingual document coming from a home country that has a bilateral agreement on social and health security with Croatia) – see section Health insurance;
  • Proof of finances during their stay in Croatia – statement of bank account, scholarship confirmation OR similar – approx. 110 € per month.
  •  

Temporary residence permit fee for non-EU students is approx. 67 €. Non-EU students receiving a grant from the Croatian Ministry of Science and Education are exempted from this fee.

Temporary residence permit for non-EU students is issued in the form of a biometric ID card (the cost of issuing the card is 31,85 €).

IMPORTANT NOTES:

  • Non-EU students should collect all relevant original documents prior to arrival in Croatia. At the moment of application for temporary residence, documents should not be older than 6 months.
  • Passport (non-EU students) or ID card (EU students) expiration date should be at least 3 months after the departure date from Croatia to the home country.

OIB number

OIB is a personal tax number or “Osobni Identifikacijski Broj” in Croatian, which is required for issuing of FESB student ID and student X-card.

OIB is administrated by the Central Tax Administration office in street Domovinskog rata 2, 2nd floor, room 4, office hours: 08.00 – 10.30, 11.00 – 13.00.

Please bring both the original and copy of your passport/ID card and completed and signed application form.

OIB is issued immediately and free of charge.

Incoming students must apply for OIB (1st step) and apply for residence (2nd step) within 48 hours (72 hours during weekends) upon entry into Croatia. Locations of both offices (Tax Administration and Central Police Station) are within 5 minutes walking distance. It is very important to inform the police clerk that your OIB had been issued before residence registration.

Health insurance

Regulated health insurance is the prerequisite for being granted temporary residence permit.

Students can visit any state primary health care physician. The list is provided at this link (search GPs in Split).

The student medical centre is situated at the address Šibenska 3, tel.: +385 (0)21 560 689.

Emergency health care centres:

  • Dental care: Doverska 2, ground floor, tel.: +385 (0)21 460 977 – 24-hour emergency centre on Sundays and holidays
  • GP: Doverska 2, ground floor, tel.: +385 (0)21 468 012 – Sundays and holidays, 08:00 – 15:00
  • Central Hospital ER: Spinčićeva 1, tel.: +385 (0)21 389 522

In urgent cases, the emergency service phone number is 112.

For information about pharmacies working hours please go to sub-section Services working hours.

Non-EU students

Non-EU students must have insurance against the risk of illness, accidents, death and civil liability for the whole duration of their stay in Croatia.

Croatia regulates the issue of health care for non-EU foreign nationals during their stay in Croatia through agreements on social security signed with specific countries.

 

Countries with health care agreements with Croatia

Students from Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia, Serbia, Montenegro and Turkey will obtain the certificate which enables them to receive health care in Croatia. Upon arrival in Split, they should replace the certificate with the patient’s certificate (in Croatian: bolesnički list) at the (HZZO – Hrvatski zavod za zdravstveno osiguranje), address Obala kneza Branimira 14, office hours: Monday-Friday, 08.00 – 15.30. Upon submission of the patient’s certificate, student may obtain healthcare services from any doctor or health institution which has a contract with the HZZO within the scope established by bilateral agreement, but are required to pay participation fee, if these are prescribed by Croatian laws.

More information at the HZZO website. 

Countries without health care agreements with Croatia

In order to register with the HZZO, students should report to the HZZO’s appropriate branch office (Obala kneza Branimira 14 (Monday-Friday, 08.00-15.30). Students should present their student identification number, which is issued to each student at the central police station upon applying for temporary residence. The HZZO will then temporarily register the student and issue a certificate. This certificate must then be presented at the central police station before students can be granted temporary residence.

Once temporary residence has been granted, the HZZO issues a document based on which the student attains the right to full health care within the network of physicians and health institutions of the HZZO (necessary documents: a copy of the first page of the passport, a copy of the passport page with visa and a copy of the residence confirmation).

The monthly health insurance cost is approximately 55 €, for which the appropriate Tax Department of the Ministry of Finances sends money orders to the students’ registered places of residence in Croatia.

The Ministry of Science and Education covers the health insurance expenses for all foreign nationals that are grant receivers of the Ministry, if so foreseen in the grant contract.

To be fully insured in case of accidents when repatriation is necessary, student can arrange travel medical insurance for the entire study period in Split. In order to include eventual repatriation for medical reasons, urgent medical care and/or emergency treatment in a hospital, recommended minimum insurance coverage amount is 30,000 €.