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Eurydice

EACEA National Policies Platform:Eurydice
Types of higher education institutions
Montenegro

Montenegro

7.Higher education

7.1Types of higher education institutions

Last update: 31 March 2025

Higher education in Montenegro may be provided by the universities and other higher education institutions, which are licensed and accredited in accordance with the Law on Higher Education.

A university or some other institution is founded as a public or private institution and has the capacity of a legal person acquired after being entered into an adequate register. 

Public and private HE institutions are covered by the same Law on Higher Education. The Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation issues a license to an institution, changes it and divests an institution of it.

Higher education in Montenegro is provided at a total of 9 institutions of higher education, namely at 4 universities and 5 independent faculties.

For the time being higher education in Montenegro is acquired at four universities:

Independent faculties:

Please find attached the List of the accredited and licensed higher education institutions and study programs.

University of Montenegro is the only public university in Montenegro. It was officially established in 1974, comprising three faculties (economics, engineering, and law). Today, this University consists of 19 faculties and 2 research institutes, which are located in different towns throughout Montenegro. The seat of the University is in Podgorica. Around 21,000 students are currently enrolled at this university.

Currently, a total of 281 study programs according to the model (3+2+3) are being implemented at all institutions of higher education in Montenegro. Of the total number of study programs, 42% are conducted at the undergraduate level (117), 43% at the master's level (128) and 15% at the doctoral level (36). In the last ten years, on average, the annual number of enrolled students at all levels of study was about 24,500 and the number of graduates was about 4,800.

The largest number of study programs, 168 of them, are realized at the University of Montenegro, within 18 faculties and one art academy. The share of study programs conducted at the University of Montenegro, within the entire system of higher education in Montenegro, is 60%. The remaining 40% of study programs are realized at 3 private universities, 4 private faculties, as well as within one state faculty.

According to MONSTAT data, the number of enrolled students at all levels of study in the academic year 2023/2024. year is 20,230, out of which:

The number of students enrolled in undergraduate studies is 16,309;
The number of students enrolled in postgraduate studies (specialist studies and master's studies) is 3,689;
The number of students enrolled in doctoral studies is 232.

The number of graduate students in 2023 was 4,513, out of which:

The number of undergraduate students graduated was 3,084;
The number of graduate students in postgraduate studies (specialist studies and master's studies) was 1,414;
The number of graduate students in doctoral studies was 15.

From the total number of students enrolled in the academic year 2023/2024. year, as many as 68% of them enrolled in studies at the University of Montenegro.

Of the total number of students graduating in 2023, 69% of them also graduated from the University of Montenegro.

Study programs implemented at institutions of higher education in Montenegro go through external quality assurance conducted by the Agency for Control and Quality Assurance of Higher Education, through procedures: accreditation of study programs, re-accreditation of institutions of higher education, as well as through the licensing procedure of the institution and study program conducted by the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation.