Types of Institutions

In accordance with the Law on Vocational Education, vocational education is implemented as:

• two-year lower vocational education;

• three-year or four-year secondary vocational education;

• two-year post-secondary vocational education, as continuation of secondary vocational non-university education.

The Master craftsman exam also belongs to the post-secondary non-tertiary vocational education.

Vocational education is carried out by schools entirely, or by schools and employers together, in accordance with curriculum. A school can carry out the entire vocational education or it can carry out the theoretical part in school premises and practical education or part of practical education at employer’s premises.

The scope of employer-based practical education is determined by curriculum. When vocational education is carried out by school, and in that process one part of practical education is carried out by employer, mutual rights and obligations between the school and the employer, as well as the rights and obligations of students, are regulated by agreement on practical teaching.

If practical education is carried out entirely by employer - dual education, mutual rights and obligations of students and employers are regulated by individual agreement on education concluded between the employer and student’s parent, guardian or adopter. The conditions that must be met by the employer are determined by the Centre for Vocational Education.

Dual education is delivered only for students in three-year curricula. Each year, 400 to 650 students and slightly over 200 employers are involved in dual education. In dual education, students of the first and second grades receive monthly compensation from the Budget of the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation amounting to at least 10% of average net salary in Montenegro for the first-graders and at least 15% for the second-graders. For the third-graders attending dual education, the employer is obliged to pay monthly compensation, which amounts to at least 20% of average net salary in Montenegro.

The total number of students in secondary schools in the 2025/2026 school year is 27,004, of which 7,736 students attend high school programs (28.65%), and 19,268 students attend vocational education programs (71.35%). Four-year professional education programs are attended by 14,722 (76.4%) students, and three-year educational programs leading directly to the labor market are attended by 4,546 (23.6%) students.

Although some two-year curricula have been adopted, they are not being implemented in schools because there are no students interested in enrolling in these curricula.

Students with special educational needs receive education according to vocational education curricula in secondary schools, with adapted manner of testing of students’ performance during the teaching year, as well as examination at the end of education. According to these curricula, students can also receive education in three resource centres (two in Podgorica and one in Kotor). Students are enrolled in secondary schools in accordance with the decision on orientation issued by relevant municipal commissions, in accordance with Rulebook on the manner, conditions and procedure of orientation of children with special educational needs.

Geographical Accessibility

In accordance with provisions of General Law on Education, public institutions that carry out vocational education curricula are established in accordance with the network of institutions, as all other institutions providing education. The network of institutions is an act adopted by the Government, on the basis of certain norms and criteria. The norms and criteria for determining the network of institutions include:

1. number and age of children within a certain area;
2. specific features of the area;
3. developmental specificities of the area;
4. provision of equal conditions for acquiring education;
5. financial possibilities of Montenegro.

A public institution may be founded by the Government, municipality, capital or royal capital. A private institution may be founded by a national or foreign legal entity or natural person.

The Montenegrin network of upper secondary education institutions that carry out vocational education curricula comprises of 42 public schools: 21 vocational school (which implement only vocational education curricula of different duration), 13 combined secondary schools (which implement both vocational and general secondary education curricula), two educational centres (which implement primary school curricula, in addition to curricula for general secondary and vocational education) and six art schools. 

In all municipalities of Montenegro (25), students have the opportunity to receive education according to vocational education curricula. 

Depending on the distance of students’ place of residence to school, students may exercise the right to accommodation in a dorm and partial transport allowance, in accordance with the Rulebook on the criteria, method, conditions and amount of compensation for exercising the right to accommodation and food in dormitories. Students are admitted to a dorm on the basis of a Call announced by the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation.

The right to partial transport allowance related to suburban and intercity transport costs, which amounts to 20% of the ticket price, can be exercised by students who travel five or more kilometers to school. Students whose parents or guardians, exercise right to social security in line with regulations on social protection, are entitled to partial transport allowance in the amount of 50% of the ticket price.

Admission Requirements and Choice of Schools

Law on Vocational Education prescribes the general conditions for enrolment of students in vocational schools. A person under the age of 17, who has completed primary education, may be enrolled in a school providing lower and upper vocational education, unless otherwise provided by this Law. Exceptionally, a school may also enrol persons up to the age 18, with the approval of the school’s teacher council. Certain curricula can prescribe special talents, psychophysical abilities, completion of a special education programme and work experience as special conditions for enrolment.

A person who has completed primary school, primary school according to a customized programme, or at least the seventh grade of primary school, and regularly attended classes up to the age of 15, may be enrolled in a two-year vocational school.

A person who has completed primary school may be enrolled in a three-year vocational school. A person who has completed two-year vocational education may be enrolled in an appropriate grade of a three-year vocational school.

A person who has completed primary school may be enrolled in a four-year vocational school. Exceptionally, a person who has completed a two-year vocational school or a three-year vocational school and completed supplementary and equivalency examination may be enrolled in the first, or the fourth grade of a four-year vocational school.

The Law on Vocational Education stipulates that the enrolment of students into a four-year vocational school is done on the basis of:

1. general performance in the final three grades of primary school;
2. performance at external knowledge assessment at the end of primary school;
3. performance in two subjects at the final three grades of primary school which are significant for acquiring education;
4. results from national and international competitions i.e. awarded recognition.

The criteria are valued by a certain number of points and are described in the Rulebook on the evaluation of criteria for enrolment of students in vocational school. The Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation sets the minimum number of points achieved by applying these criteria which is required for enrolment in a four-year vocational school for a school year (enrolment deadlines) by the end of the teaching year.

The number of points for the general performance in the three final grades of primary school is expressed in points which are calculated by multiplying the sum of average marks received in the three final grades by three (3). The total number of points is rounded off to two decimals. The maximum number of points a student can get according to this criterion is 45, and the minimum is 18 points.

Performance at external knowledge assessment conducted in the final grade, in mother tongue, mathematics and one subject chosen by student, is valued by giving 10 points for the excellent mark (5), 7 points for the very good mark (4), 4 points for the good mark (3) and 1 point for the sufficient mark (2). The maximum number of points a student can achieve according to this criterion is 30 and the minimum 12 points.

Performance in two subjects in the last three grades in primary school that are significant for acquiring education in a vocational school is valued by points, calculated by rounding off the sum of grades received in these subjects to two decimals. The maximum number of points a student can achieve according to this criterion is 30, the minimum 12 points.

The results of primary school students attained in individual competitions from subjects are valued by giving the following points to a candidate who has won one of the first three places in the last cycle of primary school, awards, i.e. medals:

1. international competition: first place, first award or golden medal – 20 points; second place, second award or silver medal – 18 points; third place, third award or bronze medal – 15 points;
2. national competition: first place, or first award – 15 points; second place, or second award – 13 points; third place, or third award – 10 points.

Exceptionally, a candidate who is a member of Roma and Egyptian population gets additional six (6) points according to the principle of affirmative action in line with an adequate strategic document.

Adults complete vocational education as part-time candidates by attending instructive and counselling classes and taking exams.

A foreign national who has a temporary or permanent residence in Montenegro can be enrolled under the same conditions as a Montenegrin citizen, in accordance with the Law on Vocational Education. A person who has completed primary school abroad can be enrolled after the recognition of the certificate they acquired, in accordance with the law. The school is obliged to provide students who are foreign citizens, as well those who are Montenegrin citizens but do not speak or understand the language in which instruction is delivered, with assistance in mastering the language.

The Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation may determine the number of enrolment places for citizens of another country within the student exchange program.

Age Levels and Grouping of Students

Students usually enter vocational upper secondary school at the age of 15. 

As of 2017/2018 school year, in accordance with the Law on Vocational Education, a class can have a maximum of 28 students. Exceptionally, a class can have up to 30 students, following the approval of the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation.

The Rulebook on the norms and standards for the acquisition of funds from of public revenues for institutions that implement publicly valid education programs stipulates that one class in vocational upper secondary education institution shall have at least 26 students, in accordance with the relevant curriculum.

Exceptionally, the Ministry may allow forming classes with smaller number of students for scarce areas of work. If a call for applications was announced in order to form a single class for a particular curriculum, the class may be formed with at least 20 students.

If students with special educational needs are included in a class, i.e. a group in a vocational school, the number of students in that class may be reduced by up to 10%, as compared to the smallest number of students in a class defined by this Rulebook. Maximum two students with special educational needs may be included in one class.

When forming groups for taking general education subjects in a vocational education institution, from students of the same grade, the group is formed up to the full number of students in one class defined by the Law, and the number of students in that group cannot be less than 26.

The number of students in a group for following professional theoretical subjects and practical instruction is determined in accordance with curriculum.

As a rule, the number of students in a group for elective subjects is equal to the number of students in a class, but there cannot be less than 20 students of one class.

A group for taking elective subjects in vocational schools can be formed from students of several classes of the same grade or different grades if the syllabus is the same. The number of groups for teaching foreign language is larger than the number of classes by one. If an institution has one or two classes of one grade, two or three groups for taking elective subjects can be formed.

The number of students in a group taking practical education within certain curricula is defined by these curricula, yet if this is not the case, the number of students in the group can be lower by 30% of the number of students defined by the mentioned Rulebook. The number of students defined by curricula can be 8, 12 or 16.

At institutions providing secondary music and ballet education, the number of students in the solo, instrumental and ballet group is at least 10, for choir at least 16, and orchestra at least 12 students.

Organization of the School Year

General Law on Education prescribes that a school year and teaching year, as a rule, start on 1 September. The educational work (teaching year) includes two semesters. The beginning of a teaching year, the time of organizing educational work and classification periods during the teaching year are defined by school calendar which is adopted by minister in charge of educational affairs at the beginning of each school year.

A teaching year lasts at least 180 working days, i.e. 220 working days with practical education. For the final year students (third and fourth grade) a teaching year least 165 working days. If the total number of periods for specific subjects defined by the curriculum has not been carried out, the teaching year is extended until the defined number of periods is completed, but not for more than 10 days.

For the 2025/2026 school year, the School Calendar defines that the school year begins on Monday, September 1, 2025, and ends on Friday, June 12, 2026. The school year for final grade students ends on Tuesday, May 19, 2026. Educational work is organized in two classification periods (semesters). The first semester begins on Monday, September 1, 2025, and ends on Friday, December 26, 2025. The second semester begins on Monday, January 19, 2026, and ends on Friday, June 12, 2026. The second semester for final year students begins on Monday, January 19, 2026, and ends on Tuesday, May 19, 2026. The winter break begins on Saturday, December 27, 2025, and ends on Sunday, January 18, 2026. The summer vacation starts on Saturday, June 13, 2026, and ends on Monday, August 31, 2026. For students who have concluded an individual contract on education, the time for organizing practical education is realized in accordance with the law and the individual contract on education. 

For students who have taken practical instruction in school workshops, practice is carried out during the summer break, and the summer break for these students begins after the completion of vocational (apprenticeship) training. The duration of training is determined by the curriculum.

Organisation of the School Day and Week

Teaching is conducted over a five-day working week. Exceptionally, in case of making up for a working day, teaching may also be organized on Saturday.

Students may have up to 32 periods in a week, yet the weekly load may not be over 35 periods, including both compulsory and elective activities. One period takes 45 minutes. For the same or related study areas block schedule classes may be envisaged. Students may have maximum seven periods of instruction in a day.  A school timetable of periods during the school week is decided at school level.

During a teaching day between the first and the second, the third and the fourth, and the fifth, the sixth and seventh period students have a 5 minute break (short break), and between the second and the third and the fourth and the fifth period, a 15 minute break (long break).

Educational work at an institution may be suspended only in justified cases (epidemics, natural disaster, etc.). For suspending the work of an institution in case of epidemics, it is necessary to obtain the opinion of a competent health institution. The decision on suspending the educational work up to five days is made by a principal of the institution, and longer than five days by the Ministry, i.e. by the founder in case of a private institution.

In accordance with Law on National and Other Holidays, a student is entitled to absence during state and religious holidays he/she celebrates.