You will find below a list of the most popular international and bilingual schools for expats in Croatia with fee information. It includes nursery schools, primary and secondary (high) schools and you will find the right school to prepare for International Baccalaureate, and other diploma in Croatia. Some schools will follow the American or British curriculums with English speaking programs while others are regulated under the French or German education system.

Education in Croatia

Public primary and secondary education is free in Croatia, provided by the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports. Croatian elementary education consists of eight years, and it is compulsory since the Socialist Federative Republic of Yugoslavia. Children begin schools at the age of 6 or 7. The literacy rate in Croatia is around 98.1%.

From 1st through 4th grade, there one teacher per class with subjects like Croatian, mathematics, visual art (likovna kultura), nature and society (priroda i društvo), physical education, music education, religion and at least one foreign language (usually English). From 5th through 8th grades, different teachers teach different subjects such as history, geography, biology, chemistry, physics, informatics and in addition to English, often a second language (usually German, French or Italian).

International Schools

International schools can be the perfect solution for an expat student (multinational corporation executives, children of diplomats, NGO staff) in Croatia. There may be some local population, but the schools are usually geared for an international student body. Schools may follow a curriculum model from the US, UK, France or Australia/New Zealand. Primary instruction may be any language (and multiple languages are usually taught), but it is usually in English or French with additional languages offered. Many schools provide similar standards of schooling around the globe, providing for an easy transition between schools whether they are in France or Vietnam. Schools often provide internationally accepted accreditation such as the international baccalaureate.

Admission and enrollment procedures vary from school to school. Space is often limited and preference may be given to students based on nationality. Tuition tends to be expensive based on local standards, but offers high standards of learning, boast smaller class sizes, first-rate facilities, and extracurricular. Boarding facilities are available at some schools, but most only provide day classes.

Accreditation

The CoIS (Council of International Schools) is a non-profit association of international schools and post-secondary institutions which provides educational accreditation, teacher and leadership recruitment services, links to higher education, governance assistance and help with founding new schools.

Zagreb

American International School of Zagreb (AISZ)
Address: Vocarska 106
10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Tel: 385 (1) 4680-133
Tuition Rates: 4,650 - 13,600 kn per year

AISZ has separate English language Elementary, Middle, and High School programs. The curriculum follows an American academic program with subjects of Mathematics, Science, English, Social Studies, and more. The school offers the IB program. Support programs include ESL (English as a Second Language), a Resource specialist and a Guidance Counsellor.

The Learning Tree International Kindergarten (TLT)
Address: Lovcenska ulica 38
10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Tel: 091 464 6666
Tuition Rates: 2,300 - 3,500 kn per month

An international kindergarten accredited by the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports in Croatia. Caters to children from 2 to 6 with instruction in English.

French School in Zagreb

Ecole Française de Zagreb
Address: Fratrovac 36
10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Tel: 00385 (01) 234.77.10
Tuition Rates: 19,150 - 64,700 HRK per year

Part of the network of the Agency for the French Education Abroad (AEFE), this non-profit school offers instruction in French and official French curriculum. It is actually a constituent of the German International School of Zagreb. Croatian students are accepted as well as international students. Scholarships are also available.

German School in Zagreb

Deutsche Internationale Schule in Zagreb (DISZ)
Address: Fratrovac 36
10000 Zagreb, Kroatien
Tel: 385 12347655
Tuition Rates: Inquire at school

This school belongs to the network of German schools abroad which are funded by the Central Agency for Schools Abroad (Zentralstelle für das Auslandsschulwesen or ZfA) on behalf of the Foreign Office. There is a kindergarten, Grundschule, and Gymnasium. Instruction is in German, with Croatian and English also used for instruction.

Split

Split International School
Address: Bihaćka ul. 2,
21000, Split, Croatia
Tel: +385 91 6182877
Email: admissions@splitinternational.org
Tuition Rates: Inquire at school

Split International School offers both elementary and high school programs to international and local families. Classes are taught fully in the English language, and include a variety of courses including Maths, Science, English, History, Language, Arts, Design, and Physical/Health Education, as well as extracurricular activities. As an official IB candidate school, Split International teachers follow the curricular framework and teaching methodologies of the International Baccalaureate Program.