Types of institutions and their status

The following types of institutions are engaged in higher learning:

• University - A university is an independent institution of higher learning uniting educational and scientific, professional, and artistic activity as the components of integral process of higher learning. At a university, all types and levels of study can be realized. An institution of higher learning has the university status if it realizes academic study programs at all levels of study in at least three scientific fields (natural sciences and mathematics, social sciences and humanities, medical sciences, technical-technologic sciences, and arts) and three areas (established within these fields by the National Council). Exceptionally, a university can be established in the field of art if it has at least three levels of study in at least three areas of art.
• Faculty, i.e. academy of art, within university - A faculty, i.e. academy of art, is an institution of higher learning or a unit of higher learning within a university, realizing academic study programs and develops scientific, professional, and artistic work in one or more fields. A faculty, or artistic academy, in legal transactions, appears under the title of its university and its own title, in accordance with the university statute.
•  Academy of vocational studies - An academy of vocational studies is an independent institution of higher learning, uniting in its activity educational, research, professional, and artistic work as the components of integral process of higher learning. An academy of vocational studies can realize basic vocational studies and specialist vocational studies. An institution of higher learning has the status of academy of vocational studies if it realizes at least five accredited study programs of vocational studies in at least three areas.
• College - A college is an independent institution of higher learning realizing academic basic, specialist, and graduate academic studies in one or more areas.
• College of vocational studies - A college of vocational studies is an independent institution of higher learning realizing basic vocational and specialist vocational studies in one or more areas.

The above mentioned institutions are all legal entities. The above mentioned institutions are independent institutions of higher learning, except for the faculties and academies of art.

Types and levels of study

Higher education is realized through academic and vocational studies, based on the approved, i.e. accredited, study programs of higher education.

At academic studies, academic study programs are realized, enabling students to use the knowledge and skills necessary for inclusion into the working process.

At vocational studies, vocational study programs are realized, enabling students to use the knowledge and skills necessary for inclusion into the working process.

First level studies are:

1)     basic academic studies;
2)     basic vocational studies.

Second level studies are:

1)     Graduate academic studies - master;
2)     Specialist vocational studies;
3)     Specialist academic studies.

Third level studies are doctoral studies.

Organization of studies

Bachelor

Basic academic studies are organized by all institutions of higher learning, as stipulatied in the Law on Higher Education.

Basic academic studies last three to four years.

Basic vocational studies last three years.

A study program of basic and specialist studies may specify graduation paper.

A person, upon completion of basic academic studies with at least 180 ECTS credits earns a professional title with the indication of the title of first level of academic studies in a given area of study - bachelor.

A person, upon completion of basic academic studies with at least 240 ECTS credits earns a professional title graduate with the indication of the title of first level of academic studies in a given area of study.

A person, upon completion of basic vocational studies earns a professional title with the indication of the title of first level of academic studies in a given area of study - bachelor appl.

Master

Graduate academic studies can be organized by universities, faculties, and colleges.

Graduate academic studies last one or two years, depending on the duration of basic academic studies.

A study program of graduate academic studies stipulates a graduation paper.

A person, upon completion of graduate academic studies, earns the academic title master, with the indication of the title of second level of academic studies in a given area of study - master.

Integrated studies (one-cycle programs)

Academic study programs in medical sciences can be organized in an integrated way within basic and graduate academic studies, with 360 ECTS credits at the most.

Doctorate

Doctoral studies can be organized by universities and faculties.

Doctoral studies last at least one year, with previous basic and graduate academic studies of at least five years.

Doctoral dissertation is the concluding part of a study program of doctoral studies, except for doctorates in arts, which are artistic projects.

Exceptionally, doctoral degree can be earned by a person with completed studies of medicine and specialization, based on defended dissertation resulting from the papers published in top-rated international journals.

Grading system

Student success in individual courses is continually monitored during the education process, being expressed in points.

By the fulfillment of pre-exam obligations and by passing the exam, a student can earn 100 points at the most.

A study program stipulated the proportion of points earned for pre-exam obligations and at exam, with pre-exam obligations carrying at least 30, and exam 70 points at the most.

Student success at exam is expressed by grades from 5 (failed) to 10 (excellent).

An institution of higher learning may stipulate other, non-numerical, grading systems, establishing the relation of this system with grades from 5 to 10.

A general document of an institution of higher learning settles more closely exam-taking and exam grading.

Formal conditions for continuation of higher education

A candidate for the admission to first level studies sits an admission exam or an exam checking predisposition and ability, in accordance with the general document of an independent institution of higher learning.

Candidate ranking for admission to the first level studies is established based on the success in secondary education and admission exam results or results at exam checking predisposition and ability. A candidate with passed general matriculation exam does not sit admission exam. Instead, the results of the matriculation are assessed in accordance with the general document of an independent institution of higher learning.

An independent institution of higher learning can require from a candidate with passed vocational or artistic matriculation to take the exam in some courses of general matriculation, instead the admission exam.

Based on the criteria set out in the public call, an independent institution of higher learning forms a ranking list of the applied candidates.

The right to be admitted to first level studies acquires the candidate ranking within the number of students from Article 84 of the Law on Higher Education. A student of first level studies of another independent institution of higher learning and a student who lost his student status in accordance with this law, can be admitted to first level studies after personal request, under conditions and in a manner stipulated in the general document of an independent institution of higher learning.

To the studies of second and third level a candidate may be admitted under conditions, in a manner and by the procedure stipulated in the general document of an independent institution of higher learning.