Studying in Bosnia and Herzegovina

What a year costs

Tuition varies by university, because fees are set by each university's governing board or by the cantonal government.

• University of Banja Luka: its cost list for 2026/27 (decision dated 2 June 2026) sets tuition for foreign citizens in the first cycle from 2,000 BAM (for example the Academy of Arts, visual arts) to 8,800 BAM (Medicine, Dental Medicine and Pharmacy taught in English), payable by semester. Second-cycle fees for foreign citizens run from 2,000 BAM to 8,000 BAM. Citizens of Serbia are not treated as foreign citizens for these fees.
• University of Sarajevo: its 2025/26 admissions call says fees are set by a decision of the Government of Sarajevo Canton, and does not list the amounts. We could not read the decision, so we do not quote a figure.

The currency is the convertible mark (BAM, locally KM).

Living costs. No government body in BiH publishes an official student living cost figure. The visa money test below is a legal minimum, not a budget.

The visa

Students staying longer than 90 days need temporary residence on the basis of higher education, granted by the Service for Foreigners' Affairs. If your nationality needs a visa, you enter on a long-stay (D) visa, which the Ministry of Security describes as allowing a stay of up to 180 days in a year and "a ground for applying for temporary residence".

The D visa fee is €95, as listed by the BiH embassies in Germany and Montenegro. The Podgorica embassy asks D visa applicants for a university confirmation of study among the documents. Fees can differ by mission and currency, so check with the embassy where you apply.

Temporary residence for higher education. The Law on Aliens (Article 55) grants it to foreigners enrolled at a BiH higher education institution, or coming on a student exchange, for up to one year at a time, renewable on the same conditions. The Service for Foreigners' Affairs lists these documents:

• the money: cash in a bank account of at least 400 BAM per month, or a guarantee statement certified by a municipality or notary from a BiH citizen or a foreigner with approved residence who undertakes to bear all your costs, or a scholarship or cost confirmation from the educational institution. For twelve months that is about 4,800 BAM, our calculation; the Service states the monthly figure only.
• health insurance valid in BiH
• accommodation: a rental contract, a landlord's statement or proof of property
• a medical certificate issued no more than three months before you apply, showing you have no disease that threatens public health
• 150 BAM administrative fee for approval or extension of temporary residence

Deadlines. The Service says you must apply in person at its field office no later than 15 days before your visa expires, and apply for an extension 60 days before your permit expires, and no later than 15 days before. Missing these deadlines makes your stay illegal and can lead to expulsion proceedings.

On arrival, the University of Sarajevo tells its incoming students to register their address (the "white card") within 48 hours of arrival, which costs 11.90 BAM, and to apply for the residence permit within the first one to two months.

Working while you study

The state Law on Aliens does not set out a work allowance for students. Employment of foreigners is governed by separate laws in the Federation of BiH, Republika Srpska and Brčko District. We could not confirm from an official source whether, or how many hours, a foreign student may work. Ask the Service for Foreigners' Affairs and the employment service in your entity before you take any job.

After you graduate

We found no permit to stay and look for work after graduating. The Law on Aliens allows temporary residence for higher education to be extended for up to two years after the prescribed length of your course, with proof that you have re-enrolled, so that you can finish. To stay and work you would need a job and a work permit.

Language

Bosnian, Croatian and Serbian are the official languages, and English-taught programmes are the exception. The University of Sarajevo asks foreign applicants to prove knowledge of these languages for programmes taught in them, and proof of English for programmes taught in English. The University of Banja Luka runs Medicine, Dental Medicine and Pharmacy in English.

When to apply

For 2025/26, the University of Sarajevo ran its first call for bachelor's and integrated programmes from 9 June to 4 July 2025 and a second call from 25 August to 12 September 2025, with master's applications from 25 August to 30 September 2025 (programmes without entrance exams). The University of Banja Luka said its 2026/27 call would be published on 10 June 2026. Foreign places can be few: the Sarajevo Veterinary Faculty offered five places for foreign citizens in 2025/26.

What to watch out for

Fees differ by university and entity. Get the fee for your exact programme in writing.

The residence deadlines are strict. Apply before your visa is 15 days from expiry, and put your renewal date in the calendar.

Medical certificate timing. It must be no more than three months old when you apply.

Work is uncertain. Do not rely on part-time earnings to pay your way.

Where these numbers come from

Rules change, sometimes at short notice. Every figure above carries the date we checked it. Check the official source before you rely on it, and confirm the tuition fee for your programme directly with the university.