Record number of students from around the world arrive in Croatia to learn Croatian

A record number of students from Croatian diaspora families are learning Croatian in Zagreb this winter, with 147 scholarship recipients enrolled in the Croatian language course at the University of Zagreb’s Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences.

The programme is part of a wider initiative by Croatia’s Ministry of Demography and Immigration, which has approved a total of 700 scholarships for learning Croatian in the country during the 2026/27 academic year.

The scholarships are intended to help members of the Croatian diaspora and their descendants improve their language skills and strengthen their connections with Croatia.

The 147 students attending the winter semester represent the largest number of scholarship recipients to study in Zagreb in a single winter term.

Most are descendants of Croatian emigrants in the third or fourth generation, although the programme also includes their spouses. Participants come from various parts of the world, particularly South America and other countries with established Croatian diaspora communities.

The ministry has also reported an increase in the number of students arriving from Australia and New Zealand.

Many participants are aged between 20 and 30, and a significant number have completed higher education and gained their first professional experience.

For many, the opportunity offers more than language instruction, providing a chance to experience the country, culture and traditions of their ancestors first-hand.

Scholarships available across six Croatian cities

Croatian language courses supported by the ministry are offered at universities in Zagreb, Split, Rijeka, Osijek, Zadar and Pula.

A total of 325 scholarships have been allocated for courses in Zagreb during the 2026/27 academic year, including 161 for the winter semester and 164 for the summer semester. This represents almost half of all scholarships approved for Croatian language study in the country.

The scholarships cover tuition fees for Croatian language classes, as well as subsidised meals and accommodation.

Students are also offered extracurricular activities designed to introduce them to Croatian culture, traditions and heritage.

State Secretary at the Ministry of Demography and Immigration Mladen Barać said the record participation reflected the importance of maintaining connections between Croatia and its diaspora.

He said the programme aimed not only to help participants learn the language, but also to give them an opportunity to consider Croatia as a place where they could live, work and build their future.

Connecting younger generations with their roots

For students whose families emigrated from Croatia several generations ago, learning the language can provide a stronger connection with their family history.

Fabijan, a scholarship recipient from Colombia, said studying Croatian in the country had given him an opportunity to learn more about his family’s origins while meeting other young people with similar backgrounds.

He described the scholarship as an opportunity to experience everyday life in Croatia while developing his language skills.

For the winter semester, the ministry also plans to cover the costs of textbooks and extracurricular activities for scholarship recipients at the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Zagreb, subject to available funding.

An amendment to the existing agreement with the faculty is being prepared, with signing planned by the end of October 2026.