Guidelines for Starting the Procedure for Assessment of Foreign Higher Education Qualification

1. Complete the application form
2. Collect documents required for the assessment of foreign higher education qualification
3. Pay the administrative fee
4. Submit documents

1. APPLICATION FORM

Application form is an official document necessary for starting the procedure for assessment of higher education qualification.

Please note, in case the applicant’s information changes
If you change your address, first or last name during the assessment process, please inform the National ENIC/NARIC office in writing. 

2. DOCUMENTS REQUIRED FOR ASSESSMENT OF FOREIGN HIGHER EDUCATION QUALIFICATION

1. Original or certified copy of the higher foreign qualification (we do not accept certificates or substitute documents of higher foreign qualification); documents have to be photocopied entirely – including notes on the background of the document, small prints on the corners of documents, diploma covers etc.).
2. Original or certified copy of the official document issued by the higher education institution containing the information on: subjects (exams) taken and grades, official name and duration of the study program and admission requirements (e.g. diploma supplement, transcript with regard to the above mentioned information or some other official document); documents have to be photocopied entirely – including notes on the background of the document, small prints on the corners of documents, diploma covers etc.).
3. Certified Croatian or English translations of the documents mentioned above in Points 1 and 2.
4. Certified copies of previously acquired higher education qualification(s), if any.
5. A copy of an identity card, travel document or other appropriate document that can be used to determine the identity of the holder of a foreign higher education qualification.
6. Certificate of citizenship, except in the case of stateless persons, asylum seekers, foreigners under subsidiary protection and foreigners under temporary protection and their family members.
7. Proof of payment of administrative fees.
8. Copy of the marriage certificate or official decision of the competent authority (for those applicants who changed their first and/or last name).
9. CV in Croatian or English language pointing out course of education and work experience (when applying for assessment of Ph.D. study program, list of scientific papers and where they were published is also required) – Template Europass CV-a.
10. A brief chronological description of your entire education (primary, secondary and higher education) – schools/colleges/universities you attended, duration of studies including any transfers, freezing of studies or extension of student status, as well as all other information relevant for your education path. This description is informative and does not need to be substantiated with any additional evidence.
11. Copy of all enclosed documents including the application form.

NOTES:

• Should any document be missing or we need you to send the original document the Office will send you a written request to enclose it.
• Certified translations are made by court interpreters certified for the language in which the qualification is issued.
• Translation of documents issued in English, Bosnian or Serbian language is not required if they are issued in Latin alphabet.
• Academic title written on the foreign higher education qualification does not need to be translated. If the academic title is not written in the Latin alphabet, it needs to be TRANSLITERATED into the LATIN ALPHABET – example of good practice.
• If qualification is not issued in Latin or Cyrillic alphabet, applicant needs to request, from competent higher education institution, new qualification issued in one of mentioned alphabets.
• We accept certified copies made by authorized public notary.
• Upon your formal request, if the application is complete, Croatian ENIC/NARIC office will issue a formal confirmation that the process of recognition is in progress.
• Collected documentation should be POSTED to the address:

AGENCIJA ZA ZNANOST  I VISOKO OBRAZOVANJE
Nacionalni ENIC/NARIC ured
Donje Svetice 38/V
10000 Zagreb
Republika Hrvatska

3. ADMINISTRATIVE FEE

The amount of fee, mode of fee allocation and exemption from fee for the assessment of foreign higher education qualifications are determined by the Ordinance on fees for recognition and assessment procedures, fee allocation, exemptions and other related issues.

Assessment of foreign higher education qualifications on completed undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate university and professional study program is 60 €

Guidelines for domestic payment orders:
The following data needs to be specified in the payment order:
Recipient: THE CROATIAN STATE BUDGET, Katančićeva 5, 10000 Zagreb, Republika Hrvatska
Recipient’s bank account number (IBAN): HR1210010051863000160
Model: HR64
Reference number: 5657-38487-83358955356
Payment description: Assessment of foreign higher education qualification
Payer: given name, surname and address of the payer should be written legibly

Guidelines for foreign payment orders:
The following data needs to be specified in the payment order:
Recipient: THE CROATIAN STATE BUDGET, Katančićeva 5, 10000 Zagreb, Republika Hrvatska
Bank name: HRVATSKA NARODNA BANKA, Trg hrvatskih velikana 3, 10000 Zagreb, Republika Hrvatska
Recipient’s bank account number (IBAN): HR1210010051863000160
BIC/SWIFT CODE: NBHRHR2XXXX
Reference number: 64 5657-38487-83358955356
Details of Charges (who bears the cost of foreign banks): OUR (all expenses are covered by the applicant)
Payment description: Assessment of foreign higher education qualification
Payer: given name, surname and address of the payer should be written legibly

Note:
In case you have overpaid or incorrectly paid the assessment fee, you can request a refund in writing (specify: given name and surname of the account holder, name of the bank, IBAN).

At your request, the Agency for Science and Higher Education will initiate the procedure of refunding the paid administrative fee from the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Croatia.

The Agency for Science and Higher Education cannot influence the payment deadline.

4. SUBMIT DOCUMENTS

Required documentation should be sent by post to the following address: 

AGENCIJA ZA ZNANOST I VISOKO OBRAZOVANJE
NACIONALNI ENIC/NARIC URED
Donje Svetice 38/5
10 000 Zagreb
Republika Hrvatska

IMPORTANT NOTICE for foreign nationals under temporary protection:

• you are exempt from paying the fee for the procedure of the assessment of foreign higher education qualifications on the basis of the Rulebook on the amount of the fee for the costs of recognition and evaluation procedures, the method of distribution of the fee, exemption from the payment of the fee and other issues of the costs of the procedure.
• With regard to the cost of translating documentsthat have to be submitted in the process of the assessment of foreign higher education qualifications, you can contact the Directorate for the Support and Improvement of the Education System of the Ministry of Science and Education, via e-mails: marijana.gojceta@mzo.hr and momir.karin@mzo.hr.

IMPORTANT NOTICE for persons who want to work in a regulated profession:

Persons who have acquired their qualification outside of Croatia, and who want to do a job that is not included on the list of regulated professions, can be employed on the basis of the official Opinion on Assessment of Foreign Higher Education Qualification issued by the Agency for Science and Higher Education.

Persons who want to work in a regulated profession (e.g. kindergarten teacher, primary school teacher, secondary school teacher, pharmacist, doctor of medicine etc.) in the Republic of Croatia, and have acquired their qualification outside of Croatia, cannot be employed on the basis of the Opinion on Foreign Higher Education Qualification issued by the Agency for Science and Higher Education, but on the basis of a Decision on the recognition of a foreign professional qualification issued by a competent authority.

Persons whose foreign professional qualification has been recognised by the decision of the competent authority, which gives them the right to access and perform some regulated profession, are not obliged to obtain the opinion on foreign higher education qualification of the Agency for Science and Higher Education in order to become employed in that regulated profession.