University of Zagreb, School of Medicine

When people in Croatia talk about the medical faculty, they almost always mean Zagreb. Teaching began in December 1917, with the first lecture held in January 1918, and Zagreb remains to this day the oldest and largest of the country's four medical faculties. Since 1981 it has been located on Šalata, a hill in the north of the city, from which you can reach the affiliated hospitals in a matter of minutes. Studying here means being part of an institution that has shaped Croatian healthcare for over a century — with everything that is good about that, and with the administrative weight that large institutions sometimes carry.

Medical Studies in English

The English-language program has been running since 2002 and was officially confirmed as a full-time degree in 2005. It lasts six years, covers 360 ECTS credits, and concludes with the title Doctor of Medicine. Around 50 students from various countries enroll each year; the maximum intake is 60. The academic content follows the same rules as the Croatian-language program. Teaching takes place in small groups, with problem-based learning as a fixed part of the didactic approach. In the final year, clinical rotations are scheduled, which you can complete at Croatian institutions or abroad — for many students, this is the chance to see a second healthcare system from the inside.

The Entrance Exam Is the Real Hurdle

Zagreb selects rigorously. The written entrance exam covers biology, chemistry, and physics, consisting of 120 questions — 40 per subject. The faculty offers multiple exam dates spread across the year; for the 2026/2027 cohort these include January, May, June, July, and late August. You must register at least 15 days before your chosen date. Conveniently, the test is not only administered in Zagreb but also outside Croatia, including in Germany. Applicants who can show a relevant bachelor's degree, a pre-med program, or sufficient MCAT scores may be exempt from the exam under certain conditions.

What You Are Signing Up For

Zagreb is not a soft option with comfort built in — it is a large, research-strong faculty with corresponding expectations. Teaching runs in English; patients on the wards speak Croatian. That is precisely why the faculty has significantly expanded Croatian language instruction in the English-language program since 2009. Anyone who does not take that seriously will face a problem in the clinical section that cannot be organized away. Worth noting too: transfer in from another faculty is only possible into the second year, and the program starts exclusively in the winter semester. If Zagreb is your plan, you are working to a fixed start date and must pass the entrance exam — a place does not follow from the application alone.

Entrance Examination

Admission runs through a written test in biology, chemistry, and physics with 120 questions, 40 per subject. Several dates are scheduled for 2026, spread from January to late August. Registration must be submitted at least 15 days before the chosen date. Exams are also held outside Croatia, including in Germany. An exemption is available under certain conditions — for example with a relevant bachelor's degree, a pre-med program, or MCAT scores of 125 or above in each section.

Additional Requirements

Applicants for whom English is not a native language must demonstrate language proficiency through TOEFL, IELTS, the Duolingo English Test, or Cambridge or Oxford examinations. Health requirements also apply, covering vision, color vision, hearing, and vaccination status.

Deadlines and Start of Study

Enrollment takes place in September in Zagreb; the program begins in October. Entry is possible only in the winter semester, and transfers from other faculties are only accepted into the second year.

Fees and Living Costs

The tuition fee is 12,000 euros per academic year if paid in a single installment, or 12,200 euros if paid in two installments. The faculty does not publish reliable average cost-of-living figures. Rent is the largest expense: Croatian universities do not typically provide dormitory places for paying international full-time students, so you will be looking for private accommodation.

Structure and Teaching

The program lasts six years and covers 360 ECTS credits. Pre-clinical and theoretical subjects are followed by the clinical section; the English-language program follows the same rules as the Croatian-language one. Teaching is in English, in small groups, with problem-based learning as a fixed element.

Clinic and Croatian

In the final year you complete clinical rotations, either at Croatian institutions or abroad. The language of instruction does not change the fact that history-taking and ward rounds take place in Croatian. The faculty has therefore expanded Croatian language teaching in the English-language program since 2009. Plan the language as a real learning commitment, not a formality.

Degree and Approbation in Germany

The program concludes with the title Doctor of Medicine. Croatia has been an EU member since 2013; the Croatian medical degree therefore falls under automatic recognition under EU Directive 2005/36/EC. Your studies will not be reviewed again substantively in Germany. That said, not everything is automatic: you apply for the Approbation at the responsible state authority, and you need to provide evidence of German language skills — typically general language proficiency at B2 level plus a specialist language examination at the medical association (Ärztekammer). The details differ by federal state.

Zagreb as a Study Location

Zagreb is at once capital, administrative center, and university city — with a café culture, an upper town, markets, and a dense tram network. The faculty is located on Šalata in the north, close to the hospitals where you will later complete your clinical blocks. Those who need the sea can reach the Adriatic in a few hours.

Housing

Dormitory places are typically not available for paying international students at Croatian universities. The norm is a privately rented apartment or room in a shared flat, often with fellow students from the same cohort.

Getting There and the German-Speaking Community

Croatia has been part of the Schengen area and the eurozone since 2023; an ID card is sufficient for entry and there is no currency to exchange. Franjo Tuđman Airport has connections to several German cities, and by car you travel via Austria and Slovenia. German-speaking students are not uncommon in the English-language cohorts — the faculty administers its entrance exam in Germany among other locations, so many applicants come from German-speaking countries.

Do I need a specific Abitur grade for Zagreb?

There is no Numerus clausus as in Germany. What counts is the written entrance exam in biology, chemistry, and physics. A strong school-leaving certificate helps with studying, but it does not replace the exam.

How is the entrance exam structured?

The test consists of 120 questions, 40 each from biology, chemistry, and physics. Multiple dates are offered across the year; for 2026 these include January, May, June, July, and late August. You must register at least 15 days before your chosen date. The exam is also administered outside Croatia, including in Germany.

What does the program cost per year?

The tuition fee is 12,000 euros per academic year if paid in one installment, and 12,200 euros if paid in two. Add rent and living costs, which you organize privately.

Do I need to learn Croatian?

Teaching runs in English, but patients speak Croatian. The faculty has expanded Croatian language instruction in the English-language program since 2009, because communication on the ward does not work otherwise. Plan for a real learning commitment over several semesters.

Can I work in Germany with this degree?

Croatia is an EU member; the medical degree is subject to automatic recognition under Directive 2005/36/EC. You still apply for the Approbation at the responsible state authority and provide evidence of German language proficiency — typically B2 plus a specialist language examination. The exact process depends on the federal state.