In 2026, Serbia is becoming a more and more popular place for international students to study, especially those from Africa, Asia, and Central and South America. The Serbian government pays for all of the students’ expenses through its “World in Serbia” project so they can get degrees from its best public universities in Belgrade, Novi Sad, Niš, and Kragujevac.
1. The “World in Serbia” Project
This initiative is the Serbian government’s main scholarship programme for students from countries that are members of the Non-Aligned Movement or are observers of it.
Benefits and Coverage The scholarship is one of the most complete in the area. It includes the following for the 2026–2027 school year:
- Full Tuition Waiver: Pays for all of your Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD studies at state-funded universities.
- Monthly Stipend: A cash payment of 18,000 RSD (about €150) every month.
- Student dorms and cafeterias offer free housing and meals.
- Language Training: A free, intensive Serbian language course that all scholarship recipients must take during their first year.
- Health Insurance: Students under 26 get full coverage for all of their medical needs.
- Visa and Diploma Recognition: Free processing of residence visas and free recognition (nostrification) of diplomas from secondary school or higher.
Deadlines and Applications for 2026
- Deadline to Apply: The deadline for the 2026/2027 school year is usually in May 2026, with specific dates often falling around May 25.
- Requirements: Candidates must be nominated by the appropriate authority in their home country, which is usually the Ministry of Education. Without this nomination, you can’t apply directly to the Serbian Ministry.
- Age Limits: To apply for a bachelor’s degree, you must be under 21; for a master’s degree, you must be under 25; and for a PhD, you must be under 35.
2. “Serbs in the Region” Scholarship
This program is only for people from Serbia who live in nearby countries, like Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania, Albania, and Hungary.
Help with money Like the “World in Serbia” project, this scholarship lets students go to public universities for free. It pays for housing, food, health insurance, and a monthly allowance. The Ministry of Education and Serbian embassies in the countries where the selection process takes place work together to run it.
3. CEEPUS and Programmes for Two-Way Exchange
The CEEPUS (Central European Exchange Programme for University Studies) provides mobility grants to students already enrolled in universities in Central and Eastern Europe.
Scope of Help
- Length: Usually short-term (3 to 10 months) for research or credit mobility.
- Benefits: You get a monthly stipend of about 15,000 RSD, free housing, and help with meals.
- Target Audience: Students from member countries (like Poland, the Czech Republic, Austria, and others) who want to spend a semester at either the University of Belgrade or the University of Novi Sad.
4. Scholarships for merit at specific universities
In addition to government funding, Serbian universities participate in a number of international scholarship programs.
Belgrade University is the main host for international scholars because it is the best university in the country.
- Erasmus+: Gives grants based on merit to students from partner countries who want to study abroad.
- The Fulbright Programme gives U.S. students money to do research or teach in Belgrade.
- Internal Awards: Some faculties, like the Faculty of Medicine or Organisational Sciences, may give top-ranked international self-funded applicants a partial tuition waiver.
Novi Sad University: The Erasmus Mundus and Dora Plus programmes at the university often bring in students from other countries. International researchers who want to work with Novi Sad’s scientific institutes can apply for research-focused scholarships like the Canon Foundation Fellowships, which can pay up to €30,000 per year.
5. Papers Needed for 2026
You must send in documents for Serbian scholarships in either Serbian or English, and they must be certified translations.
- Proof of education: diplomas and transcripts from earlier levels of study. Usually, PhD applicants need to have an average grade of at least 8.5 out of 10.
- Health Certificate: A medical document that is no more than six months old and includes results for HIV and Hepatitis B.
- Proof of Language Proficiency: You need to show that you can speak English or Serbian at a conversational level (A1/A2 minimum for the first application).
- Letter of motivation and CV: Emphasising educational objectives and personal history.
6. Advice for applicants in 2026
Start with the nomination. Your first stop for the “World in Serbia” scholarship isn’t the Serbian portal; it’s your local Ministry of Education. The Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs will not process your application if you are not on your country’s “List of Proposed Candidates”.
The “Year of Preparation” Benefit While many master’s and PhD programmes are taught in English, most bachelor’s degrees are in Serbian. The required preparatory year is a great benefit because it lets you fully immerse yourself in the local culture, and then you can move on to a degree program with no tuition costs and a lot more social support.
Rights to Work and Study: International students in Serbia can usually work part-time in 2026. The monthly stipend of 18,000 RSD covers basic needs in the student standard system, but many students seek part-time remote work or local service jobs to help pay for travel and other personal expenses.
Final Thoughts
The World in Serbia project gives out some of the most complete “full-ride” scholarships in Europe. For the 2026/2027 cycle, the emphasis continues to be on merit-based selection and academic excellence, especially in the fields of medicine and technical sciences. If you get a government nomination and have all your paperwork in by the May deadline, you can get a world-class education for almost no money.
Are you trying to get an undergraduate degree in a field like medicine, or are you aiming for a master’s or PhD research programme?