Discounts at Serbian universities are smaller than agent websites promise, but they do exist. The main ones are paying in instalments (8 to 12 instalments depending on the university), a one-time payment discount (for example 10% at the Faculty of Music in Belgrade), an early enrolment discount (10% at Metropolitan University for those who enrol and pay the first instalment before 31 March), sibling discounts, and merit scholarships (such as Educons for students with a GPA of 8.00 or above). At public universities, fees depend on the student’s country, and students from outside Europe fall in the “non-European countries” category. Here are the discounts documented on university websites, their conditions, and what we could not verify.
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Documented discounts at Serbian universities
| University | Type of discount or facility | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Faculty of Music, University of Arts in Belgrade (public) | One-time payment discount, or instalments | 10% when the fees are paid in full, or 8 monthly instalments |
| Faculty of Applied Arts, University of Arts (public) | No instalments for foreigners | The foreign-student fee (3,600 euros in 2026/2027) is paid in full at enrolment |
| Academy of Arts, University of Novi Sad (public) | Two instalments | Foreign-student fee of 1,800 euros (2026/2027), payable in two instalments |
| Metropolitan University (private) | Early enrolment | 10% of first-year fees for preliminary enrolment and paying 20% before 31 March |
| Metropolitan University | Sibling discount | 20% for the second family member and 30% for the third |
| Metropolitan University | Master’s | 10% for those who continue to a master’s there, and top students compete for a free master’s |
| Metropolitan University | Students with disabilities | 20% of bachelor’s fees |
| Metropolitan University | Instalments | 12 interest-free instalments: 20% first, then 11 equal instalments |
| Singidunum University (private) | Instalments | 11 instalments: 10% at enrolment, then 10 monthly instalments, with books included in the fees |
| Educons University (private) | Instalments and merit scholarships | 10 monthly instalments, and a scholarship for all years of study for students with a GPA of 8.00 or above |
Public universities: fees by student’s country
Public faculties set foreign-student fees by decisions of their councils, and some divide foreigners into categories. Example: the Faculty of Music in Belgrade for 2025/2026:
| Student category | Bachelor’s | Master’s | PhD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Countries neighbouring Serbia | 1,800 euros | 2,160 euros | 3,600 euros |
| Other European countries | 2,700 euros | 3,240 euros | 5,400 euros |
| Non-European countries | 3,600 euros | 4,320 euros | 7,200 euros |
So the real “discount” at public universities is the one-time payment discount and instalments, not a special reduction for any nationality. The University of Belgrade’s general conditions state that a foreigner pays fees throughout their studies unless an international agreement says otherwise. According to the University of Belgrade’s guide for foreign students, holders of Serbian government scholarships do not pay fees, and most bilateral exchange agreements and Erasmus+ programmes waive fees.
Important conditions before you rely on a discount
- Discounts cannot be combined: at Metropolitan, for example, a student gets only one discount.
- Attendance is a condition: at Metropolitan a student loses the discount after more than five absences in a subject during a semester.
- Do they apply to foreigners? Metropolitan’s discount pages do not state explicitly whether they apply to the international fee schedule, so ask the university in writing.
- Dates: the early enrolment discount is tied to a date (31 March in 2026) that changes every year.
- Merit scholarships depend on your GPA every year: if your GPA falls below the required level you may lose the scholarship the following year.
Base fees before discounts (for comparison)
- Bachelor’s at public universities for foreigners: mostly 1,000 – 3,600 euros a year.
- Medicine in English: 6,000 euros (Niš and Kragujevac), 7,000 (Novi Sad) and 8,000 (Belgrade).
- Singidunum: programmes in English 3,900 euros in 2026/2027.
- Metropolitan: information technology 2,990 euros and graphic design 3,990 euros in Serbian, per the international fee schedule.
Details in university fees in Serbia.
Full scholarships: bigger than any discount
If you come from a Non-Aligned Movement member country, the World in Serbia scholarship covers full tuition, housing, meals, insurance and a monthly allowance of 18,000 RSD, in return for studying in Serbian at a public university. There are also bilateral scholarships for specific countries. Read World in Serbia scholarship, bilateral scholarships and Study free in Serbia.
How to actually get the best price
- Compare public with private: many public programmes in Serbian are cheaper than private ones even after the discount.
- Ask about the full-payment discount: if your budget is ready, 10% of 3,600 euros saves 360 euros.
- Enrol early at private universities that offer an early enrolment discount.
- Get everything in writing: the full fees for all years, the discount, and the conditions for losing it.
- Account for exchange rates: fees are in euros and usually paid in dinars at the rate on the payment day.
- Do not pay an agent who promises an “exclusive” discount that the university itself has not confirmed.
Example: how much does the discount really save?
| Scenario | Fees before discount | Discount | After discount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Faculty of Music bachelor’s (student from outside Europe), full payment | 3,600 euros | 10% | 3,240 euros |
| Faculty of Music master’s, full payment | 4,320 euros | 10% | 3,888 euros |
| Graphic design at Metropolitan, early enrolment | 3,990 euros | 10% for the first year | 3,591 euros |
| Information technology at Metropolitan, second sibling at the university | 2,990 euros | 20% | 2,392 euros |
Figures before discount come from official decisions and fee schedules, and whether Metropolitan’s discounts apply to the international fee schedule needs confirmation from the university. The discount applies to tuition only; living costs (345 – 1,100 euros a month depending on the city) are usually the biggest part of the total, and choosing a cheaper city may save more than any discount. Read the best cities in Serbia for international students.
Instalments: what you should know
- Instalments make payment easier but do not reduce fees, and the full-payment discount is lost if you choose instalments.
- A late instalment may stop you registering for exams or getting documents, so ask about the consequences.
- Proof of financial means for your residence permit is required regardless of the payment plan.
- Keep the receipt for each instalment, because you may need it for residence renewal or when requesting an enrolment certificate.
Discounts we could not verify
Some websites circulate discounts “for Arab students”, “for enrolling through an agent” or fixed percentages for all private universities. We did not find these discounts on any official Serbian university page, so we do not list them. If an agent offers you a discount, ask the university’s admissions office to confirm it by email before any payment.
Payment and money transfers
Universities accept bank transfers, and most calculate fees in dinars at the National Bank of Serbia rate on the payment day. Opening a bank account in Serbia makes paying instalments easier. Read bank account and money transfers and first-year budget.
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Official cost context for planning your budget
The European Commission’s Study in Europe profile of Serbia states that tuition fees depend on the type of institution, the programme, and whether you come from the EU/EEA or from outside it, and that at public institutions studies in Serbian may be state-funded. It gives a general range of 750–20,000 euros a year for bachelor’s and master’s programmes, with doctoral fees set by each institution.
When you apply for a D visa, the official portal accepts a bank statement or declaration of funds equal to the minimum salary in Serbia for the year of application, proof of a scholarship, or a written guarantee as proof of means of subsistence (source). A confirmed discount or payment plan from your university, kept in writing, is useful supporting paperwork.
Frequently asked questions
Are there special discounts for international or Arab students at Serbian universities?
We found no official discount specific to any nationality. The available discounts are general: one-time payment, early enrolment, siblings and merit.
Can fees be paid in instalments?
Yes at most universities: 8 instalments at the Faculty of Music in Belgrade, 10 at Educons, 11 at Singidunum and 12 at Metropolitan.
Do discounts continue in the second year?
Metropolitan’s early enrolment discount applies to the first year only, and merit scholarships depend on your GPA each year, so check each university’s conditions.
Are university discounts guaranteed?
No. Universities set them every year and they may change. Rely on what the university confirms in writing.
Can several discounts be combined?
Not at Metropolitan, where a student gets only one discount. At other universities, ask in writing before enrolling.
Are public universities cheaper than private ones even after discounts?
Often yes for programmes in Serbian, because public bachelor’s fees for foreigners are mostly between 1,000 and 3,600 euros. For English-taught programmes the comparison depends on the subject, so compare the same programme using official figures.
Last updated: October 2026. Discounts come from the official pages and decisions of the universities mentioned.
Sources
- Faculty of Music Belgrade: foreign-student fee decision 2025/2026
- Metropolitan University: discounts and benefits
- Metropolitan University: fees and instalments
- Singidunum University: enrolment and instalments
- Educons University: admission announcement 2026/2027
- University of Belgrade: guide for foreign students