Scholarship details
The Government of the Republic of Serbia is offering scholarships for Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral programs to the citizens of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) member countries including South Africa.
Serbia officially the Republic of Serbia is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe, at the crossroads of the Pannonian Plain and the Balkans, bordering Hungary to the north, Romania to the northeast, Bulgaria to the southeast, North Macedonia to the south, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina to the west, and Montenegro to the southwest, and claiming a border with Albania through the disputed territory of Kosovo. Serbia has a population of almost 7 million, with Belgrade as its capital and largest city.
There are 19 universities in Serbia (nine public universities with a total number of 86 faculties and ten private universities with 51 faculties). In 2018/2019 academic year, 210,500 students attended 19 universities (181,310 at public universities and some 29,100 at private universities) while 47,100 attended 81 “higher schools”.
Public universities in Serbia are: the University of Belgrade (oldest, founded in 1808, and largest university with 97,700 undergraduates and graduates), University of Novi Sad (founded in 1960 and with student body of 42,490), University of Nis (founded in 1965; 20,600 students), University of Kragujevac (founded in 1976; 14,000 students), University of Pristina (located in North Mitrovica), Public University of Novi Pazar as well as three specialist universities – University of Arts, University of Defence and University of Criminal Investigation and Police Studies.
Largest private universities include Megatrend University and Singidunum University, both in Belgrade, and Educons University in Novi Sad. The University of Belgrade (placed in 301–400 bracket on 2013 Shanghai Ranking of World Universities, being best-placed university in Southeast Europe after those in Athens and Thessaloniki) and University of Novi Sad are generally considered the best institutions of higher learning in the country.
Serbian rich historical and cultural heritage starts with prehistoric archaeological sites and its legacy from classical antiquity. Some of many medieval Serbian churches and monasteries are part of the UNESCO World Heritage list.
Eligibility
- Citizen of a of a NAM member/observer state
- Must be nominated by the South African Government through the Department of Higher Education and Training
- Must be under the age of 21 years old
- Applicants must have academic/vocational studies completed over four years for Bachelor’s program
- 60 European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System (ECTS) credits
- A wide array of study fields are on offer. Please refer to the List of participating Universities in Serbia document for available courses.
Requirements
Students must provide all of their official and legal documents. Especially when it comes to being an international student, where they will need to have a student visa when studying in Serbia.
Accredited colleges in Serbia are:
- College of Applied Studies Uzice
- University of Nis
- Union University
- Belgrade Business and Arts Academy of Applied Studies – Department of Business and Information Studies
- College of Economics and Administration
- Alfa University
- State University of Novi Pazar
- Academy of Arts Belgrade
- Metropolitan University
- University of Novi Sad Faculty of Technical Sciences
- State University of Novi Pazar
- Singidunum University
- Megatrend University
How to Apply
To apply, students must have these requirements to present:
- A CV with a motivational letter
- Certified copy of passport
- Certified copies of all post-school qualification certificate
- English or Serbian Language proficiency certificate
- Medical certificate not older than 6 months confirming that you have not contracted an infectious/contagious disease
All documents submitted must be clear and in PDF format (no photographs of documents will be accepted).
The academic year normally starts in October with lectures lasting until June and it consists of two semesters. The full-time workload for one academic year is 60 ECTS credits.
ECTS makes teaching and learning in higher education more transparent across Europe and facilitates the recognition of all studies. The system allows for the transfer of learning experiences between different institutions, greater student mobility and more flexible routes to gain degrees. It also aids curriculum design and quality assurance.
Reward – Extra Benefits
The recipients will be awarded with:
- Serbian language preparatory course (Serbian on-line course and Serbian language intensive course upon arrival in the Republic of Serbia)
- Tuition for basic academic undergraduate studies
- Monthly stipend to the value of 15.000,00 Serbian dinars (approximately R2 240)
- Student accommodation and food expenses
- Compulsory health insurance
- Residence Visa
- Free verification of secondary and higher education
The World in Serbia Scholarship does not cover traveling costs to and from the Republic of Serbia, city public transport costs and textbooks/working material expenses.
Many students in Serbia live either in student dormitories or in rented apartments. As a student coming to Serbia through a student exchange program check whether it is possible to book a room in student dormitories through that exact program. All students should have in mind that there is a selection process involved and that there is usually many students who want to live in dormitories. This decision will be made by the university where the student is enrolled.
Foreign nationals are entitled to urgent medical assistance during their stay in Serbia. The conditions of medical assistance are not the same for everyone, since this depends on the agreement that the Republic of Serbia has made with another country regarding the medical care of their citizens.
Deadline
The official deadline date for this scholarship is January 26, 2022.
It is possible for a student to lose this scholarship if they do not follow the rules and guidelines required of them.
Open Submission Window Time Frame
The open submission window time frame is from the previous year and into the current year. For example from November 2021 – until January 2022.
Students are encouraged to check the embassy of Serbia website frequently encase a deadline date has changed.
There are no extensions available with this scholarship and students should work within the time frame that is given.
Annual
This is an annual scholarship that awards around 10 candidates per year. The selection pick is almost up for 2022, so students may want to wait and apply for the 2023 turn.
Lucky for most students, Serbia offers a great currency exchange rate when it comes to college funds. Matter of fact, a few students will turn their currency into Serbian currency to prepare to pay any fees that may come up.
