The first cycle of study, leading to a bachelor’s degree, includes university and professional undergraduate studies. It prepares students for employment in certain professional jobs and prepares them to continue their studies at the graduate level.

University undergraduate or professional studies last three years, during which students earn 180 ECTS credits. A small part of university undergraduate study programmes in Croatia is conducted over a four-year period, during which students earn 240 ECTS credits.

Branches of study

According to the Register of Study Programmes in 2023, 418 accredited university undergraduate study programmes were offered in the fields of biomedicine and healthcare, biotechnical sciences, social sciences, humanities, interdisciplinary fields of science, interdisciplinary fields of art/fine arts, fine arts, natural sciences, technical sciences, and art field.

Number of study programmes by scientific field:

• Biomedicine and Healthcare: 20

• Biotechnical Sciences: 24

• Social Sciences: 82

• Humanities: 114 
• Interdisciplinary Fields: 24

• Arts: 1 

• Natural Sciences: 27 

• Technical Sciences: 75

• Art Field: 50

According to the Register of Study Programmes in 2023, 225 accredited professional undergraduate study programmes were offered in the fields of biomedicine and healthcare, biotechnical sciences, social sciences, humanities, interdisciplinary fields of science, interdisciplinary fields of art/fine arts, fine arts, natural sciences, technical sciences, and art field.

Number of study programmes by scientific field:

• Biomedicine and Healthcare: 24

• Biotechnical Sciences: 24

• Social Sciences: 90

• Humanities: 2 
• Interdisciplinary Fields: 1

• Technical Sciences: 80

• Art Field: 3.

Admission requirements

A person who has completed a corresponding secondary education programme lasting at least four years and passed the state graduation exam can enrol in a university or professional undergraduate study. A person who has completed a corresponding professional short-cycle study can enrol in a professional undergraduate study. Exceptionally, it is possible to enrol in an undergraduate study in the art field without having previously completed a corresponding secondary education based on the recognition of non-formal and informal learning. 

The enrolment conditions for a university or professional undergraduate study are determined by the higher education institution. Since 2010, instead of individual entrance exams most Croatian universities use national exams that are taken at the end of secondary school (state graduation exam). 

The higher education institution determines the study enrolment procedure, which guarantees the equality of all applicants. The higher education institution conducts study enrolment on the basis of a public call published on the higher education institution's website no later than May 1 of the current year, which contains the number of enrolment places, enrolment conditions, the deadline for applying to the call, and information on the enrolment procedure and documents required for enrolment.

Curriculum

The study is carried out according to the curriculum, which defines the structure and method of conducting the study in full or adjusted lecture timetable, and it is adopted by the higher education institution before the beginning of the academic year. 

It determines the list of compulsory and elective courses with designated teachers and associates, forms of teaching, language of teaching, locations of teaching, beginning and end dates of teaching and lecture timetable, method of taking exams and fulfilling study obligations, exam deadlines, list of exam literature and other important notifications about teaching.

The study curriculum, timetable, schedule of exam dates and other information necessary for attending classes and taking exams are given to students before enrolling in the course or enrolling in the next semester, trimester or academic year.

Teaching methods

Teaching at university and professional studies is carried out in accordance with the study programme and curriculum, which partly determines the form of its implementation (lectures, practicals, seminars, consultations, mentoring, exams, etc.). Teachers and associates in the employment relationship and external associates conduct classes. Employees who, under the direct professional supervision of teachers and associates, participate in the preparation of part of the lesson (professional associates, laboratory assistants, instructors, programmers and other auxiliary teaching staff), in accordance with the curriculum, can also participate in the classes.

Teaching is conducted in teaching groups according to the timetable prescribed by the curriculum. Teaching groups in undergraduate and graduate classes include:

• lectures – up to 150 students
• lectures at art academies – up to 50 students
• seminars – up to 30 students
• practicals – up to 50 students, with exceptions (foreign language practicals – up to 30 students, physical education practicals – up to 50 students, methodological practicals, applied kinesiology practicals, computer practicals, practicum practicals, field practicals – up to 15 students, language and speech practicals, laboratory, experimental, sectional and design practicals – up to 10 students, construction and clinical practicals – up to 6 students, special clinical practicals, individualised practicals at art academies – up to 4 students).

Progression of students

An individual course or other study obligation is evaluated with ECTS credits, which reflect the average total amount of work that the student must invest in order to achieve the expected learning outcomes of the course. One ECTS credit represents 30 hours of estimated average student work in achieving the learning outcomes. The criteria and conditions for the recognition and transfer of ECTS credits between different studies are determined by the general act of the higher education institution.

A student enrols in a full-time or part-time course. A full-time student usually acquires 60 ECTS credits in the academic year in accordance with the syllabus and attends classes in the framework of a full lecture timetable. A part-time student usually acquires between 30 and 60 ECTS credits in the academic year in accordance with the syllabus and attends classes in the framework of a full or adjusted lecture timetable.

A full-time student has the right to repeat each study year at most once. The student is obliged to complete the studies no later than double the duration of the studies.

Employability

Students who have obtained a first-cycle university degree can apply to university graduate study programmes, specialist professional graduate study programmes or can enter directly the labour market. 

Student assessment

The achieved learning outcomes of the student are checked and evaluated during classes and on the exam and are entered in the appropriate document and student records. Oral exams are public. Written exams are kept until the end of the academic year.

Learning outcomes achieved with outstanding success are graded excellent (5), which corresponds to the letter grade A. Learning outcomes achieved with above-average success are graded very good (4), which corresponds to the letter grade B. Learning outcomes achieved with average success are graded good (3), which corresponds to the letter grade C. Learning outcomes achieved with satisfactory success are graded as sufficient (2), which corresponds to the letter grade D. Learning outcomes that are not achieved with satisfactory success are graded insufficient (1), which corresponds to the letter grade F. 

The study programme can determine that a course is evaluated descriptively. Courses that are graded descriptively are not included in the calculation of the grade point average.

Certification

University or professional undergraduate studies end with taking an exam, completing other study obligations, and preparing and defending a final thesis or taking a final exam. The higher education institution is obliged to publish the final thesis within 30 days from the day of the defence in the national repository or the higher education institution's repository. 

Upon completion of the undergraduate studies, the student is issued a diploma and a diploma supplement. Certificate, diploma and diploma supplement are issued by the higher education institution free of charge, in Croatian and English, in signed and certified printouts and in digital form. The form and content of certificate, diploma and diploma supplement shall be determined by the Minister by regulation.

Upon completion of university undergraduate studies, the student acquires the academic title of University Bachelor (baccalaureus) with reference to a specialisation (univ. bacc.). Upon completion of professional undergraduate studies, the student acquires the professional title of Bachelor (baccalaureus) with reference to a specialisation (bacc.).