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Last modified: 2026-09-28

# School Certificate and Diploma Recognition in Serbia: How Nostrification Works

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To enrol in a Serbian bachelor's programme, a foreign school-leaving certificate must be recognised by the ENIC/NARIC centre of Serbia's Qualifications Agency (Agencija za kvalifikacije) in Belgrade. You apply online or in person, pay $85 (RSD 8,900), and the legal deadline for a decision is 60 days from a complete application. You do not have to wait for the decision: faculties admit you to entrance exams with confirmation that recognition is under way. Documents need an apostille unless your country is on the Agency's list of bilateral exemptions, and translations must be made by a court interpreter in Serbia. University degrees are a separate case: for a master's they are recognised by the university you apply to, not by the Agency.

| At a glance | Details |
| --- | --- |
| Who recognises school certificates | ENIC/NARIC centre, Qualifications Agency, Majke Jevrosime 51, Belgrade |
| How to apply | online form, or in person / by post |
| Fee, secondary education | $85 (RSD 8,900); primary education $60 (RSD 6,100) |
| Decision deadline | up to 60 days from a complete application |
| Apostille | not needed for 20 countries with bilateral exemptions (incl. Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, France, Austria, Poland); otherwise apostille or full legalisation |
| Translation | court interpreter in Serbia, two stamped copies |
| For university entry | faculties accept proof that recognition has started |
| Degrees for a master's | recognised by the university: Belgrade $320 (RSD 33,000) or $340 (€300), Novi Sad $290 (RSD 30,000) or $295 (€260), plus $145 (RSD 14,900) state fee |

Freedom Square (Trg slobode) with the Svetozar Miletić monument in central Novi Sad, Serbia. Photo: Alexkom000 / [source](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:2026-06-09_Novi_Sad,_Trg_slobode_2.jpg), [CC BY 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0).

## What recognition is and when you need it {#section-1}

Recognition (priznavanje strane školske isprave) makes a foreign school document equivalent to the corresponding Serbian public document, giving you the same rights to continue education or to work. The Agency's decision itself has the force of a public document.

You need it:

- to enter a Serbian university, the focus of this guide;
- to place a child in a Serbian school, where primary-school documents or individual grades are recognised;
- for employment, when a job or law requires a confirmed level of education.

The Agency compares the foreign education system, length of study, curriculum and the rights the document gives at home. If the curriculum differs substantially from the Serbian one, recognition can be made conditional on exams, written work or a knowledge check. The Agency states, for example, that certificates of completed secondary education from Russia and other former Soviet republics are recognised at level 4 of the Serbian National Qualifications Framework (NOKS), the level of a completed four-year secondary education.

## Who applies and how {#section-2}

Anyone with a legal interest can apply, regardless of citizenship. For minors, the applicant is a parent, guardian or legal representative. A representative may act with a certified power of attorney and must show it, with their ID, when collecting the decision.

|  | Online | In person or by post |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Where | the Agency's electronic form (separate forms for primary and secondary) | Agency registry, Majke Jevrosime 51, 4th floor, Belgrade, weekdays 10:00–14:00; or registered mail |
| Language | Serbian Latin script; names in the original and in Serbian transcription | paper form, filled legibly in block letters |
| Documents | PDF scans | originals or certified copies plus translations |
| Receiving the decision | in person or by post, chosen in the form; uncollected decisions are posted after 30 days | in person (decisions and consultations weekdays 12:00–14:00) or by post |

The paper form asks for an address in Serbia, where the decision will be sent.

## Documents for university entry {#section-3}

1. Application for recognition of a foreign secondary-school document (online or paper).
2. School-leaving certificate and final-year report or transcript, original or certified copy; originals are returned when the procedure ends.
3. Translation into Serbian by a court interpreter in Serbia; by law the interpreter issues two copies, both with an original stamp. For university entry only the last completed year and the final certificate or matriculation diploma are translated.
4. Evidence of all previously completed grades (copies).
5. Proof of payment of $85 (RSD 8,900).
6. Birth certificate, plus a marriage certificate or name-change document if relevant.
7. Power of attorney or guardianship decision if a representative applies.
8. Apostille or legalisation where required (see below).

If you finish school in the year you apply and your final certificate arrives late, the Agency advises applying with what you have. You receive confirmation that recognition is under way, which faculties accept for entrance exams. The Agency mentions the French baccalauréat, the IB Diploma and A-levels explicitly. For US high school graduates who completed only grade 12 abroad, the Agency asks for the grade 12 transcript and diploma, or a principal's letter if the school issues no diploma.

Some faculties set their own copy rules. The University of Belgrade Faculty of Medicine asks for three certified copies of each document: two with the originals go to the Agency, the third to the faculty with the Agency's confirmation. See [studying medicine in Serbia](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-medicine-in-serbia).

## Apostille, legalisation or neither {#section-4}

| Documents issued in | Requirement |
| --- | --- |
| Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czechia, France, Greece, Hungary, Mongolia, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine | no apostille or legalisation (bilateral treaties) |
| Other Hague Apostille Convention countries | apostille in the issuing country |
| Countries outside the Convention and outside the list | full legalisation |

Documents from Montenegro, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina need no translation. The Serbian Ministry of Justice publishes the list of Hague Convention states.

## Step-by-step timeline {#section-5}

1. 6–8 months before the academic year: check that your certificate and transcripts will be issued in time.
2. 3–4 months before: order the translation from a court interpreter in Serbia; keep the original available for submission or collection.
3. Right after translation: pay the fee and apply. Keep the submission confirmation for the faculty.
4. Admission: apply to the faculty with the Agency's confirmation and sit the entrance exam.
5. Within 60 days of a complete application: the Agency issues its decision; missing documents extend the deadline.
6. After the decision: bring it to the faculty by the faculty's deadline. In 2026 the Novi Sad Faculty of Medicine required decisions by 31 October.

The Agency's decision is final in administrative proceedings; you can challenge it before the Administrative Court within 30 days of receipt.

## Paying the fee {#section-6}

In Serbia you pay in dinars using the sample payment slip on the Agency's website, at a bank or post office. If someone else pays for you, the applicant's full name must appear in the payment purpose.

From abroad you can pay in euros by SWIFT. Convert the dinar amount at the National Bank of Serbia middle rate on the payment day and choose OUR for charges. If a bank deducts its fee from the amount, the Agency treats the fee as unpaid. Payers in Russia should read [how to pay for studies abroad from Russia](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-how-to-pay-for-studies-abroad-from-russia) for lawful routes.

## How recognition ties into admission {#section-7}

Bachelor's. Faculties let you sit entrance exams with proof that recognition has started. The University of Belgrade Enrolment Rulebook (Article 6) allows conditional enrolment while recognition is pending. If recognition is refused or does not give access to the chosen programme, enrolment is void and tuition is refunded minus costs.

Master's and doctorate. Your bachelor's or specialist degree is recognised by the university you apply to. Belgrade charges $320 (RSD 33,000), or $340 (€300) if paid from abroad; Novi Sad charges $290 (RSD 30,000) or $295 (€260). Both add a state fee of $145 (RSD 14,900). See [master's degrees in Serbia](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-masters-in-serbia).

Employment. Professional recognition of a foreign degree is done by the Qualifications Agency, online only, for $125 (RSD 13,150).

Residence permit. The Ministry of the Interior does not ask for recognition; it asks for a certificate of enrolment. See [student residence permit in Serbia](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-student-residence-permit-serbia).

## Common mistakes {#section-8}

- Applying to the faculty before the Agency. Without the Agency's confirmation your university application is incomplete, and recognition takes up to 60 days.
- Translating outside Serbia. The Agency and faculties expect Serbian court interpreters.
- Skipping the apostille when your country needs one or adding one when it is not required.
- Paying from abroad without OUR. A deducted bank charge means the fee counts as unpaid.
- Not delivering the decision to the faculty on time. Faculties need the decision itself, not only proof of submission.
- Confusing school and degree recognition. The Agency recognises school documents; for further study, degrees are recognised by the university.

## FAQ {#faq}

### Can I get my school certificate recognised without travelling to Serbia?

You can apply online, but the translation must be made by a court interpreter in Serbia, and originals must be shown when you collect the decision if you submitted copies. In practice you or a representative with power of attorney needs to be in Belgrade at some point.

### How much does recognition cost?

The Agency's fee is $85 (RSD 8,900). Translation, copies and any power of attorney are extra.

### How long does it take?

Up to 60 days from a complete application, under the Law on General Administrative Procedure. Incomplete files take longer.

### Do I need the decision before the entrance exam?

No. Faculties accept confirmation that the procedure has started. The decision itself is delivered later, by the faculty's deadline.

### Does a school certificate from Kazakhstan need an apostille?

Yes. Kazakhstan is not on the Agency's list of countries with bilateral exemptions from legalisation, so the certificate needs an apostille issued in Kazakhstan; the translation is then made by a court interpreter in Serbia.

### Does recognition look at my grades?

Recognition confirms the level of education, not your marks. Grades matter at the admission stage: at the medical faculties in Belgrade and Kragujevac, for example, the school GPA gives up to 40 of 100 points.

### Is recognition required for a residence permit?

No. For temporary residence on the basis of study the Ministry of the Interior needs a certificate of enrolment. Recognition is for the university.

## Sources {#section-10}

- Qualifications Agency of Serbia, ENIC/NARIC centre: forms, basic information, payment slips — https://azk.gov.rs/stranica.php?id=95
- Qualifications Agency, basic information on recognition of school documents (NOKS level, apostille, bilateral exemptions) — https://azk.gov.rs/dokument.php?f=4wnx9701t7uowk.pdf
- Qualifications Agency, instructions for secondary-school recognition — https://azk.gov.rs/dokument.php?f=1b16u9tcln6s8c4.pdf
- Qualifications Agency Information Booklet (fees $60, $85 and $125 (RSD 6,100, 8,900 and 13,150); 60-day deadline; office hours; updated 15.10.2025) — https://azk.gov.rs/dokument.php?f=d9aih6nkc8owgwk.pdf
- Qualifications Agency, paying fees from abroad in euros — https://azk.gov.rs/dokument.php?f=185nn87sba74cow.pdf
- Welcome to Serbia portal, recognition of diplomas — https://welcometoserbia.gov.rs/recognition-of-diplomas
- University of Belgrade, Enrolment Rulebook (Articles 5–6) and recognition for further study — https://www.bg.ac.rs/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/pravilnik_o_upisu_na_studijske_programe_oktobar_2024.pdf, https://www.bg.ac.rs/recognition/
- University of Novi Sad, recognition of foreign higher education documents — https://www.uns.ac.rs/index.php/en/studies/recognition-of-diplomas/recognition-of-foreign-diplomas

Amounts converted at the ECB rate of 29.09.2026 (€1 = $1.1355) and the National Bank of Serbia middle rate on the same date (€1 = RSD 117.5386).

Admission planning, document preparation and deadline tracking are provided under an agreement with StudyU. Recognition is decided by the Qualifications Agency and admission by the university. For the overall process see [applying to Serbian universities](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-applying-to-serbian-universities).

During the free initial consultation, we clarify your goal, profile, timing, and budget and identify the next realistic step.

## Next steps

- [Studying Medicine in Serbia: Faculties, Fees and Admission for International Students](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-medicine-in-serbia)
- [Master's Degrees in Serbia: Programmes, Fees and Admission for International Students](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-masters-in-serbia)
- [Student Residence Permit in Serbia: How to Get Temporary Residence for Study](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-student-residence-permit-serbia)
- [Applying to Serbian Universities: Documents, Entrance Exams and Deadlines](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-applying-to-serbian-universities)
- [How to Pay for Studies Abroad from Russia: What Works in 2026](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-how-to-pay-for-studies-abroad-from-russia)
- [Free Education in Serbia for International Students: Who Qualifies and How to Get a Scholarship](https://www.studyu.org/en/blog-free-education-in-serbia)

Updated: September 2026