The Situation with Higher Education for Foreign Students in Montenegro
The situation with education for foreign students in Montenegro is rather poor. There seem to be many of them, but they are mostly from neighboring, Serbian-speaking countries. And it’s not because there is no interest in studying in Montenegro — the problem is that nothing has really been set up for accepting international students.
Most universities in Montenegro require knowledge of the Serbian language. That in itself isn’t unusual — almost all European countries have similar requirements. But the difference in Montenegro is that there are no preparatory (foundation) programs at the universities. In other words, there is a requirement to know the Serbian language, but no opportunity to learn it through a university’s own preparatory program. That’s the paradox.
How to Enroll in a Montenegrin University Without Knowing the Language
So, what can you do? There are a few options — let’s take a look.
You can apply to one of the universities that does not require knowledge of the Serbian language. There are very few of these in Montenegro, but they do exist. You can find descriptions of these universities and application procedures on our website.
But what if the program you want to study isn’t available at one of those universities? That’s a valid concern. Let’s take a step back and look at the overall situation — this will help you understand what I’m going to explain next.
As I mentioned before, for most Montenegrin universities (apart from the ones listed on our website), you need to know Serbian. However, there are no foundation programs at Montenegrin universities. Also, studying in a private language school does not provide grounds for getting a residence permit. And a tourist visa, which you can get through an embassy, only allows you to stay for up to three months.
So, how can you combine getting a residence permit (to live in Montenegro long-term) and learning Serbian?
It’s actually quite simple — there are a few ways to do it, and here they are:
Option 1:
Enroll in a university in Herceg Novi (you’ll find details on our website via the link above).
As I said earlier, you can enroll there without knowing Serbian.
I can already imagine you thinking: “You promised to explain how to get into other universities, not just this one!” And that’s exactly what I’m doing…
Nobody is forcing you to study in Herceg Novi until you get your degree. You can study there for just one year, during which time you’ll learn Serbian.
How to study without knowing the language is explained on our website — for example, [here] and [here].
(Example: [this page]).
By studying at a university, you will be able to get a residence permit and learn the language during your first year. All Russian and Ukrainian first-year students already speak Serbian quite well by their first exam session. In fact, this approach is no worse than studying in a preparatory program — if such programs existed in the country.
Once you’ve learned the language, you can then apply to any other university. This plan won’t take more time than if you were to do a foundation year, and the cost is also quite moderate.
Option 2:
You can obtain a residence permit on another basis — for example, through a fictitious job or by opening a company in Montenegro. Then, once in the country, you can study with a private tutor or attend mini-courses. The typical cost is 5–10 euros per hour.
