Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Faculty of Medicine

Osijek lies in Slavonia, on the River Drava, far from the Adriatic and from the images most people associate with studying in Croatia. Flat countryside, agriculture, the Kopački rit nature reserve on the doorstep, and the baroque fortress town of Tvrđa right in the city centre. The Faculty of Medicine at Josip Juraj Strossmayer University has been training doctors for around 45 years, with over 1,000 students enrolled across its programmes and more than 240 staff in teaching and research. Clinical training takes place in close collaboration with Osijek University Hospital, where the majority of teaching staff are employed.

No English-language programme — but a German-language one

For German-speaking applicants, Osijek is a special case among Croatia's four medical faculties. Whereas Zagreb, Rijeka, and Split offer their medicine programmes in English, Osijek has no English-language medicine programme — instead, it offers a degree course taught entirely in German. The programme launched in 2021; in its inaugural cohort, 52 students were admitted following entrance examinations. The faculty also grounds its choice of language historically: German was the majority language spoken in Osijek in the late 19th century.

Five semesters in Osijek, six in Halberstadt

The programme spans twelve semesters and 360 ECTS credits, culminating in the title of Doctor of Medicine. It is organised in partnership with the AMEOS Group. The pre-clinical semesters 1 to 5 are spent in Osijek; the clinical semesters 6 to 11 take place at AMEOS Klinikum in Halberstadt, Saxony-Anhalt; and the twelfth semester returns to Osijek, where the degree is also conferred. Teaching takes place in groups of six to ten students, with a maximum of 60 students admitted per cohort. There is no Numerus Clausus, and applications are not submitted through Croatian portals but through the programme's own website, medizinstudieren.jetzt.

What you should weigh up

German-language instruction removes the double language barrier of English in the lecture hall and Croatian on the ward. However, it comes with other trade-offs to consider: at 8,000 euros per semester, the tuition fees are significantly higher than the 12,000 euros per academic year charged in Zagreb, Rijeka, and Split. The clinical component is tied to a single hospital group and a single location. And the programme is young — the first cohort started in 2021, which means experience with graduates is still limited. Those who expect studying in Croatia to mean an extended stay abroad should also factor in that roughly half the programme takes place in Germany.

Selection process

There is no Numerus Clausus. Selection is based on a points system with three components: up to 200 points for results in the school-leaving examination or Abitur, up to 500 points for aptitude assessment through tests and interviews, and up to 300 points for motivation and existing prior qualifications. The interview therefore carries considerable weight — significantly more than school grades. A completed secondary education with Abitur is required.

Application and deadlines

Applications are submitted through the programme's own website, medizinstudieren.jetzt, and not through Croatian admissions portals. The programme begins each winter semester; the application period for the 2026/2027 academic year is currently open. Specific deadlines are published by the programme itself and may shift from one cohort to the next.

Costs

Tuition fees amount to 8,000 euros per semester. It is worth doing the maths consciously: across twelve semesters, this makes it the most expensive of the four Croatian routes for German-speaking students. By comparison, the English-language programmes in Zagreb, Rijeka, and Split charge 12,000 euros per academic year.

Living costs

Since you only spend semesters 1 to 5 and the twelfth semester in Osijek, your budget will not consistently reflect Croatian price levels — for the clinical years, you will need to calculate based on German rents in Halberstadt and the surrounding area.

Programme structure

Twelve semesters, 360 ECTS credits, degree: Doctor of Medicine. Semesters 1 to 5 cover the pre-clinical component in Osijek; semesters 6 to 11 cover the clinical component at AMEOS Klinikum Halberstadt in Saxony-Anhalt; the twelfth semester takes place in Osijek once again. Teaching is conducted in groups of six to ten students. The curriculum covers general, basic science, pre-clinical, clinical, and public health subjects.

Language of instruction

The entire programme is taught in German. This is the defining difference from Zagreb, Rijeka, and Split. For daily life in Osijek and for communicating with Croatian patients during the early years, some knowledge of Croatian will still be helpful — it is simply not the language of instruction for the degree itself.

Degree and licence to practise medicine

Graduates receive a Croatian medical degree from the University of Osijek. According to the faculty, the programme is aligned with EU Directive 2005/36/EC, and Croatia has been an EU member state since 2013. The degree therefore falls under automatic recognition, meaning your studies will not be subject to a content-based review in Germany. You will nonetheless need to apply for a licence to practise medicine from the relevant regional authority. In practice, the language requirement tends to be less burdensome here than for English-language programmes, given that your training was conducted in German — though this does not automatically exempt you from providing proof.

Osijek on the Drava

Osijek is one of Croatia's larger cities, but it is no metropolis. The city centre is compact; the baroque fortress of Tvrđa, with its bars and cafés, is the social hub for students. Add to that the promenade along the Drava, plenty of green space, and the Kopački rit bird sanctuary right on the city's doorstep. Those looking for sea and nightlife will not find it here; those after peace and affordable everyday living will.

Accommodation and daily life

You will only live in Osijek during the pre-clinical semesters and the final semester — the clinical component is spent in Halberstadt. For the time in Slavonia, most students rent privately in a city with a considerably more relaxed housing market than Zagreb or Split.

Getting there and community

Osijek Airport is small and rarely has direct connections. The most common routes are via Zagreb by coach or train, or via Budapest, from where long-distance coaches run to Osijek. By car, Osijek is reachable via Hungary or via Zagreb. You will not need to seek out a German-speaking community here — it is your cohort, because the entire programme is taught in German.

Can I study Medicine in English in Osijek?

No. Osijek offers Medicine in Croatian and in German; there is no English-language medicine programme there. If you wish to study in English, Zagreb, Rijeka, and Split are the options in Croatia.

Where does the programme take place?

Semesters 1 to 5 are spent in Osijek, semesters 6 to 11 at AMEOS Klinikum in Halberstadt, Saxony-Anhalt, and the twelfth semester is back in Osijek. The degree is conferred by the University of Osijek. Approximately half of the programme therefore takes place in Germany.

How does the selection process work?

There is no Numerus Clausus. Up to 200 points are awarded for the Abitur, up to 500 points for aptitude tests and interviews, and up to 300 points for motivation and prior qualifications. The personal aptitude assessment therefore carries more weight than school grades.

What does the programme cost?

Tuition fees are 8,000 euros per semester. Across twelve semesters, this is noticeably more than the 12,000 euros per academic year charged in Zagreb, Rijeka, and Split. On top of that, living costs during the clinical years are calculated at German rather than Croatian price levels.

Is the degree recognised in Germany?

The programme is aligned with EU Directive 2005/36/EC, Croatia is an EU member state, and the degree therefore falls under automatic recognition. You will still need to apply for a licence to practise medicine from the relevant regional authority. Since your training was conducted in German, the language requirement is in practice the lesser hurdle.