Schools in Serbia for Expat Families

Families moving to Serbia with school-age children have two realistic routes: an English-language international school, or a free local Serbian school with private language tutoring. The right choice mostly comes down to how long you are staying — and how old your children are.

How the Serbian school system works

The structure looks different from the UK or US, so it helps to map it out before you choose anything. Education is compulsory from primary school onward, and the system runs in two main stages.

• Preschool (vrtić) — kindergartens and nurseries for ages roughly 1–6.5. The final preschool year (the "preparatory programme", or PPP) is compulsory for all children, including foreign residents, before they start school.
• Primary school (osnovna škola) — eight years, starting at age 6.5–7. Grades 1–4 have one main class teacher; grades 5–8 switch to subject teachers. There is no separate "middle school".
• Secondary school (srednja škola) — either a four-year academic gimnazija (the path to university) or a 3–4 year vocational school. Entry depends on an 8th-grade national exam (mala matura) plus school grades.

One quirk that surprises every newcomer: many state primary schools run two shifts. Children attend either a morning shift or an afternoon shift — not both — and the shift can rotate week to week. It sounds chaotic; in practice families adapt within a term.

International schools in Belgrade

Belgrade has a solid cluster of English-language schools following internationally recognised curricula — the International Baccalaureate (IB), the British/Cambridge framework, or an American programme. These are the natural choice if your stay is short, your children are older, or you want a globally portable diploma.

Other names you may come across include QSI International School of Belgrade (US-style) and a French and an international Italian/German option for families needing those languages.

What international schools cost (approximate, 2026)

Fees vary widely by school and rise sharply with year group. As a guide for the 2026/27 year:

So ISB tuition runs from roughly €12,000 at the youngest end to around €28,000–€31,000 for the senior IB years, while a school like Chartwell sits closer to €8,000 (early years) up to about €14,500 (secondary). On top of tuition, budget for one-off application and registration fees, a refundable deposit, lunches, bus, uniform and trips. Figures are approximate and change yearly — always confirm directly with the school.

Serbian state schools: free, in Serbian, surprisingly good

Public schools cost nothing and are open to the children of foreign residents. Academic standards are genuinely strong, especially in maths and the sciences — Serbian pupils consistently punch above the country's income level in international competitions.

The honest catch is language. Teaching is entirely in Serbian, and unlike some EU countries there is little formal in-school support for non-Serbian speakers. The flip side: younger children (under 8 or so) typically become conversational within about six months and fluent within a year, which no international school can give you. Older teenagers find the jump much harder, which is why most longer-staying families with little ones go local and most with teenagers stay international.

The single best investment is private Serbian tutoring in the first few months — it is inexpensive (roughly €10–20 per hour) and dramatically smooths the landing. Many families also keep a weekly tutor in their home-country language to maintain that curriculum on the side.

Kindergartens and preschools

For under-7s you have state vrtići (cheap, income-linked, but heavily oversubscribed — waiting lists in Belgrade are real and you should apply early), and a growing number of private and bilingual/English nurseries. Private kindergartens typically run from around €300 up to €700+ per month depending on hours, meals and whether instruction is in English. Several international schools also run their own early-years sections, which can be the simplest way to reserve a primary place later.

Universities and studying in Serbia

For older teens, Serbia is an increasingly popular — and cheap — place to study. The University of Belgrade is the country's flagship; Novi Sad and Niš also have large universities. State tuition is far below Western Europe, and several faculties teach fully in English.

• English-taught Medicine and Pharmacy at the University of Belgrade attract many international students, with medicine fees in the region of €8,000/year for a six-year degree — a fraction of UK/US costs.
• Programmes in engineering, IT, business and law are also available, some in English; Serbian-taught degrees are cheaper still.
• EU and global recognition is solid for the major state universities, but check accreditation for any specific programme and your destination country's licensing rules.

Enrolling a foreign child: the basics

Whichever route you pick, enrolment hinges on two things: a valid residence basis for the child, and recognised previous schooling. Here is the typical flow.

Choosing where to live will quietly decide a lot of this — both your state catchment and your commute to an international campus. Our Belgrade neighbourhoods guide and the housing guide are worth reading alongside this page, and families settling outside the capital should look at Novi Sad, which also has international schooling.

The residence side — get it right before September

Schooling almost always depends on your family's residence status being in order, and that is the part most worth getting professional help with. Children are typically included on a family reunification / family residence permit, which needs to be filed correctly and on time so your kids can be enrolled without a scramble at the start of term.

For the wider picture on permits, see our visas & residency guide, and if you are funding the move through remote work or self-employment, the remote work and paušalac guides explain the income side.