Croatia uses the euro and is in the Schengen area: citizens of Azerbaijan apply for a visa through VFS Global in Baku, then file for temporary stay for study with the police after landing, well inside the visa’s 90 days. An OIB opens transport passes, student cards and bank accounts. English is widely spoken by students, but offices and forms work in Croatian, and in Split the tourist season shapes rents from June.
Money
Euro (€)
Language
Croatian
Time
UTC+1, UTC+2 from the last Sunday of March
Plugs
Type C and F; 230 V
Tipping
Not expected; rounding up or about 10% for good service is welcome
112 answers in English, German, Italian, Hungarian and Slovak as well as Croatian; texting 112 is meant for people with a hearing or speech disability. 195 is maritime search and rescue.
Set these up before you fly
The essentials that take days to arrange or have to work the moment you land.
Written for students from Azerbaijan first: where a rule depends on nationality, the rule for Azerbaijani citizens is given and labelled.
ADA University · Spring 2027
Universities and places
University of Split
Split
2 places
The university’s dorm places are only for Erasmus+ students, so a student on an ADA bilateral exchange should expect to rent privately – ESN Split helps with the search.
The campus is at Ulica Filipa Vukasovića 1 in western Zagreb, not Jordanovac as older documents say; ZSEM has no housing of its own, so look for a room nearby, and spring applications close on 30 October.
Places, programmes and the minimum cGPA are from ADA’s list. Confirm them with the Office of Global Outreach and Partners before you apply: exchange@ada.edu.az
Payments & banking3
Croatia has used the euro since 2023; contactless cards work in most shops, but keep some cash for markets, bakeries and small cafés.
VO
Visa or Mastercard and some eurosEssential
Paying from day one, before any Croatian account exists
Before departure
Why you need it: A Croatian account needs an OIB first, so for the first week you live on a card from home, and buses, bakeries and markets still take cash.
Ask your bank in Baku to enable the card for use abroad and online
Bring a second card from a different network in case one is blocked
Withdraw euros from a bank’s ATM, not an independent cash machine with high fees
Before you rely on itCroatia has used the euro since 2023, and prices are no longer shown in kuna. Independent ATMs in tourist areas charge high fees and offer a poor conversion rate; choose to be charged in euros, not in manats.
Source: hnb.hr · the provider or a government body · Not yet confirmed at the source; check before relying on it
ZB
Zagrebačka banka Package for the Youth
Croatian euro account and debit card for under-29s
Optional
Why you need it: Non-residents under 29 can open it with a passport and OIB, which gives you a local IBAN for rent and transfers.
Free, paid extras · Free up to 25; €0.93 a month from 25 to 29 (2026)Varies by residence status
Get your OIB and a certificate of enrolment from the host university
Take them with your passport to a Zagrebačka banka branch
Install m-zaba once the account is open
Before you rely on itNo account opens without an OIB. The extra student benefits need a certificate from a Croatian university; ask the bank whether it wants anything more from a non-resident (its non-resident centre answers at zaba-nerezidenti@unicreditgroup.zaba.hr). Other banks (PBZ, Erste, OTP) have similar packages; for one semester, many students manage without a Croatian account.
Source: zaba.hr · the provider or a government body · Checked
KP
KEKS Pay
Send money to friends and pay bills without fees
Optional
Why you need it: Croatian students split dinners and trips in KEKS Pay, and it works with an account at any bank, not only Erste.
Before you rely on itThe site is in Croatian and does not say whether a foreign card or phone number is accepted; expect to need a Croatian number and, probably, a Croatian account.
Source: kekspay.hr · the provider or a government body · Checked
Essential apps4
Everyday apps here are the familiar European ones: ride-hailing, food delivery and the transport operators’ own apps.
Bo
Bolt
Ride-hailing in Zagreb and Split, paid by card in the app
Before departure
Why you need it: Taxis from the rank can be expensive and cash-only; Bolt shows the price before you book, which matters arriving late at night.
Install Moj ZET and sign up with an email address and a password
Buy a single ticket before boarding
Register the ticket again in the app each time you change tram or bus
Before you rely on itThe app is for single tickets; for a semester, a personalised student pass is cheaper than buying single rides.
Source: zet.hr · the provider or a government body · Checked
Transport4
Zagreb runs on ZET trams and buses, Split on Promet Split buses; intercity travel is mostly by bus rather than train.
ZZ
ZET (Zagreb trams and buses)Essential
Trams and buses across Zagreb, with time-based tickets
On arrival
Why you need it: ZSEM students live and commute by tram; a student monthly pass costs a fraction of paying per ride.
Paid · €0.53 for 30 minutes, €0.93 for 60 bought in advance; student pass €3.98 to make, then €13.27 a month (2026)Varies by cityVaries by residence status
Buy single tickets at a kiosk or in the Moj ZET app for the first days
Get a certificate of enrolment from ZSEM and your OIB
Have a personalised student pass made at ZET’s sales point at Ozaljska 105 (Ljubljanica tram stop) and top it up monthly
Validate on every boarding, including transfers
Before you rely on itTickets bought from the driver cost more (€0.80 for 30 minutes). ZET’s price list does not say who counts as a student; ZSEM tells its incoming students to get the pass, so take your enrolment certificate and ask at the counter.
Source: zet.hr · the provider or a government body · Checked
PS
Promet SplitEssential
City and suburban buses in Split, Solin and Kaštela
On arrival
Why you need it: The University of Split campus and student dorms sit outside the old town, and the bus is how most exchange students get there.
Paid · €1.50 a ride within Split bought in advance (valid 60 minutes), €3 from the driver; a full-price monthly card for Split is €35 (from June 2026)Varies by cityVaries by residence status
Buy single tickets in advance at a ticket office, a ticket machine or online; the driver charges double
Register your address in Split with the police, then get a certificate of full-time student status from the university as a PDF
Take your passport, a small photo and the certificate to a Promet sales office to have a personalised card made
If the student voucher is not added to the card, email ucenici.studenti@promet-split.hr
Before you rely on itFor 2026/27 the City of Split pays for a free annual voucher for full-time students with their residence or registered stay in Split. Promet does not say whether exchange students count as full-time students; ask Promet and your international office before buying monthly cards. Fares outside Split are higher and set by municipality.
Source: promet-split.hr · the provider or a government body · Checked
HC
HŽPP (Croatian Railways)
National trains, including Zagreb–Split, with an app for tickets
Optional
Why you need it: The train between Zagreb and Split is slow but scenic and often cheap, and suburban trains are handy around Zagreb.
Search the route and pick a seat where reservation is offered
Keep the ticket on your phone for the conductor
Before you rely on itThe network is limited and slower than the bus on most routes; for most trips between cities, buses are faster.
Source: hzpp.hr · the provider or a government body · Checked
IB
Intercity buses (AKZ and FlixBus)
Coaches between Zagreb, Split and the rest of the country
Optional
Why you need it: Buses are the usual way between Zagreb and Split and along the coast, and Zagreb’s main bus station sells tickets for most lines online.
Compare departures and buy tickets on akz.hr, Zagreb Bus Station’s own site
Book FlixBus routes in the FlixBus app or on flixbus.com
Arrive early, with some cash: some operators charge a small fee for luggage in the hold
Before you rely on itZagreb Bus Station is at Avenija Marina Držića 4; Split’s bus station is next to the ferry port and the train station. Summer coaches sell out, so book ahead for June trips.
Source: akz.hr · the provider or a government body · Checked
SIM, eSIM & internet2
Three networks and prepaid SIMs without a contract; a prepaid number has to be registered with your passport.
SH
Simpa (Hrvatski Telekom prepaid)Essential
Prepaid SIM with monthly data options, no contract
On arrival
Why you need it: You need a Croatian number for the police, landlords, ESN groups and delivery apps, and a prepaid SIM needs no OIB or bank account.
Buy a Simpa SIM at a Hrvatski Telekom shop, a kiosk or a petrol station
Register the number: foreign citizens send an MMS to 13144, from that number, with photos of the passport’s personal data page and address page
Activate a 30-day option (Simpa XS to XL) online, in the Moj Telekom app or by SMS to 13636
Keep enough credit for the option to renew: unused data then carries over, up to double the monthly allowance
Before you rely on itMonthly options run from 6 GB to 19 GB of data; prices change often, so check the shop. Registering the number earns a 5 GB welcome bonus. A1 and Telemach sell similar prepaid SIMs; coverage on the islands differs by network.
Source: hrvatskitelekom.hr · the provider or a government body · Checked
Ed
eduroam
Campus wi-fi at Croatian universities
Before departure
Why you need it: Croatian universities offer eduroam through CARNET, so lectures and libraries are online without using mobile data.
Ask ADA IT whether your account works on eduroam abroad
Install the eduroam CAT profile for your institution before leaving
Otherwise use the AAI@EduHr login the host university gives you
Before you rely on itWhether an ADA login works abroad was not confirmed; ask ADA IT. Host university accounts are issued after enrolment, often a few days in.
Source: carnet.hr · the provider or a government body · Not yet confirmed at the source; check before relying on it
Visa, registration & legal5
Visa before you fly, then temporary stay for study at the police administration and an OIB for almost everything else.
SV
Schengen visa (type C) for studyEssential
Entry visa to reach Croatia and apply for temporary stay there
Before departure
Why you need it: Both partner universities tell visa-required students to enter on a short-stay Schengen visa for study and then apply for temporary stay in Croatia.
Free · For citizens of Azerbaijan: €35 under the EU–Azerbaijan visa facilitation agreement, and no fee for students travelling to study (2026); VFS Global’s service charge is extraVaries by nationalityVaries by university
Wait for the host university’s acceptance letter, which states the study purpose
Book an appointment at the VFS Global centre in Baku, which takes Croatian visa applications
Apply no earlier than six months and no later than 15 days before travel; ZSEM warns it can take months, so apply as soon as the letter arrives
Bring the acceptance letter, insurance, proof of means and accommodation
Before you rely on itFor citizens of Azerbaijan: a visa is required, and applications go through VFS Global rather than the Croatian Embassy in Baku. Under the facilitation agreement a decision is due within 10 calendar days, or up to 30 if the file needs more checks. A type C visa allows at most 90 days, so file for temporary stay in Croatia well before it runs out. Temporary stay can also be requested through the embassy before travel; ask the embassy (croemb.baku@mvep.hr) which route it advises.
Source: bern.mfa.gov.az · the provider or a government body · Checked
PB
Privremeni boravak (temporary stay for study)Essential
Permit for a study stay over 90 days, filed with the police
On arrival
Why you need it: A spring semester is longer than the 90 days a visa allows, and every foreign student staying longer must regulate their stay with the police.
Paid · €46.45 for the approval, €31.85 for the biometric card, €9.29 issuance fee (2026)Varies by nationalityVaries by cityVaries by university
Before you fly, get a criminal record certificate (apostilled, with a certified translation if asked) and proof of means
Report your address to the police within three days of entry (see address registration)
File Form 1a with a 35×45 mm photo, passport, acceptance letter, proof of accommodation, health insurance and means
Collect the biometric residence card when you are told it is ready
Before you rely on itVisa-required students may file at the police in Croatia, by way of exception; elsewhere the rule is to apply at a Croatian embassy. File in your first weeks: the University of Split’s Department of Professional Studies says at least eight days before your visa runs out. Your passport must be valid at least three months beyond the permit; ask how recent the criminal record certificate must be. The required means per month and how to book an appointment differ by police administration; ask your host university for the current list.
Source: mup.gov.hr · the provider or a government body · Checked
PB
Prijava boravišta (address registration)Essential
Report your address to the police within three days of entry
On arrival
Why you need it: It is the first deadline after landing, and the temporary stay application builds on it; landlords often expect you to ask.
Get your lease or the landlord’s statement and their ID details
Go to the police administration or station for your address within three days
File it together with the temporary stay application if the office allows
Before you rely on itHotels and some landlords register guests themselves; ask, and keep proof. If you move flat, report the new address too. A University of Split department tells non-EU students to report within 48 hours (72 over a weekend), stricter than the three days on the police’s page, so go in your first two days.
Source: mup.gov.hr · the provider or a government body · Checked
OP
OIB (personal identification number)Essential
The 11-digit number banks, transport and student cards ask for
On arrival
Why you need it: Your student card, transport pass, library card and any bank account need an OIB, so get it in your first days.
Fill in the application form on the Tax Administration’s page
Take it with your passport to the Tax Administration office for your city
Or email the form and a passport scan to OIB@porezna-uprava.hr, naming your nearest office
Keep the OIB certificate as a photo or PDF on your phone
Before you rely on itEmailing does not save the visit: the office then gives you an appointment to show the original passport and collect the certificate, and the Tax Administration allows itself up to 8 days. ZSEM sends its students to the office at Avenija Dubrovnik 32 in Zagreb; in Split, ask your international office which one to use.
Buy a private or travel health policy valid in Croatia for the whole stay
Ask for a bilingual or English certificate stating the dates and cover
Bring the original to the police with your temporary stay application
Before you rely on itFor citizens of Azerbaijan: there is no bilateral health agreement, so a private policy or voluntary HZZO insurance after arrival is needed. Split’s Faculty of Economics recommends at least €30,000 of cover; voluntary HZZO cover, taken out after arrival with your OIB, costs about €55 a month (2026). If you see a doctor on a private policy, you usually pay on the spot and claim back.
Source: efst.unist.hr · the provider or a government body · Checked
Housing & daily life3
Rooms are scarce in Zagreb and in Split, where landlords prefer tourists from June; start early and get a written lease.
UO
University of Split student dorms
Dorm rooms at Kampus and Hostel Spinut for some exchange students
Before departure
Why you need it: A dorm room in Split costs far less than a private flat, but places are few, the request is due months ahead and the university publishes a list of who got one.
Paid · €240–260 a month for a double room (the university’s pages differ), plus a €500 reservation deposit (2026)Varies by universityVaries by residence status
Ask the University of Split international office whether your exchange route qualifies
Send the accommodation form by 1 November for the spring semester
Check the list of selected students, published by 1 December
Pay the deposit and send the payment notice by 10 December to keep the place
Before you rely on itThe university’s page says only Erasmus+ KA171 students may apply, and only for one semester; whether an ADA bilateral exchange counts was not confirmed, so ask before relying on it. The rooms are in Hostel Spinut (Spinutska 39) and the dr. Franjo Tuđman dorm on campus (Cvite Fiskovića 3).
Source: unist.hr · the provider or a government body · Checked
ZH
ZSEM housing help (Zagreb)
Agencies and advice for finding a flat in Zagreb
Before departure
Why you need it: ZSEM has no dorms, so every exchange student rents privately; the school points you to agencies used to short student leases.
Paid · About €320–700 a month for a flat, utilities usually extra (2026)Varies by cityVaries by university
Read ZSEM’s student life page for its partner agencies
Ask your buddy and the international office which areas suit the campus tram lines
Start looking two to three months before February
Before you rely on itUtilities (režije) are usually on top of rent; ask for a monthly estimate in writing. Sharing a flat with other exchange students is the cheapest route.
Source: zsem.hr · the provider or a government body · Checked
Nj
Njuškalo
Croatia’s biggest classifieds site, including flats and rooms
Before departure
Why you need it: Most private rentals in Zagreb and Split are listed here, often only in Croatian.
Filter for your city and “studenti” or monthly rent
Ask for a written lease (ugovor o najmu) naming you, the address and the dates
Never pay a deposit before seeing the flat or a video call with the landlord
Before you rely on itIn Split, many landlords rent to students only until late May or June and switch to tourist lets for the summer; agree the end date before you sign. You need a lease or the landlord’s statement to register your address with the police.
Source: njuskalo.hr · the provider or a government body · Not yet confirmed at the source; check before relying on it
Student life2
The host university and its ESN section are the shortcuts to discounts, canteens and a first week of friends.
XI
X-ica (student card) and subsidised meals
Croatian student card for cheap canteen meals and discounts
On arrival
Why you need it: The state pays about 71% of a canteen menu for students who qualify, but exchange students qualify only on some programmes.
Paid · ZSEM charges €7 to make the card (2026)Varies by nationalityVaries by universityVaries by residence status
Ask the international office whether you can have an X-ica and a meal subsidy
Collect the card and use it at student restaurants (menze)
Before you rely on itFor foreign citizens, the subsidy covers students on Erasmus, CEEPUS or exchanges under international bilateral legal acts; ZSEM says it issues the X-ica to EU students only. A student from Azerbaijan on a university-level bilateral exchange may pay the full menu price; check with your host.
Source: gov.hr · the provider or a government body · Checked
ES
ESN Split and ESN Zagreb
Student-run network for exchange students: events, trips, help
On arrival
Why you need it: ESN runs the welcome week, city tours and trips, and its groups are where exchange students find flatmates and answers.
Join your section’s groups and Instagram before you fly
Buy an ESNcard at the section office for event and travel discounts
Ask your host about its buddy programme; ZSEM assigns one to every incoming student
Before you rely on itESN sections are run by student volunteers, so office hours are short and change each semester; check the section’s own channels. ESNcard partner discounts change each year.
Source: zsem.hr · the provider or a government body · Checked
Communication & language3
Offices and landlords work in Croatian; students and younger people usually speak good English.
GT
Google Translate
Translate forms, menus and landlord messages, offline too
Before departure
Why you need it: Police forms, leases and utility bills are in Croatian; the camera mode reads them on the spot.
In Split, ask your faculty whether exchange students can take a Croatian course for credit
Before you rely on itCroaticum belongs to the University of Zagreb’s Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences; its classroom courses are in Zagreb and are paid.
Save +385 1 6438900 and zagreb@mission.mfa.gov.az in your phone
Keep scans of your passport, visa and residence card in the cloud
Email the embassy before travelling to Zagreb for any document
Before you rely on itSrebrnjak 104, Zagreb; consular reception is Monday to Friday, 09:30–13:00. From Split it is a day trip, so email first. Not from Azerbaijan? Your own embassy’s page is the one to save.
Source: zagreb.mfa.gov.az · the provider or a government body · Checked
1E
112 emergency numberEssential
One free number for police, ambulance and fire, in English
On arrival
Why you need it: You may not know whether you need police or an ambulance; 112 answers in English and sends the right service.
Save 112 and 194 (ambulance) under ICE in your phone
Say where you are first: street, building, or what you can see
Before you rely on it112 answers in Croatian, English, German, Italian, Hungarian and Slovak; a text message to 112 is meant for people who cannot speak on the phone. At sea or on the islands, 195 reaches maritime search and rescue.
Source: gov.hr · the provider or a government body · Checked
GH
gov.hr emergency services
The government’s list of emergency numbers and when to use each
Optional
Why you need it: One page in English on 194 for medical help, 193 for fire and 195 for accidents at sea, worth reading before a coastal semester.
Before you rely on itPolice is 192, which connects to the police in your county. For a non-urgent doctor, ask your host university or insurer where to go; with private insurance you usually pay first and claim back.
Source: gov.hr · the provider or a government body · Checked
Culture & practical tips
Coffee is a social ritual, Sundays are quiet and the coast lives by the season.
01Coffee is an hour, not a minute
Going for coffee (na kavu) means sitting for an hour over one cup. Nobody will rush you, and it is how classmates make friends.
02Sundays are quiet
Many shops close or open short hours on Sundays. Do the big grocery shop on Saturday.
03Split changes in June
From late spring, rents, Bolt prices and crowds rise with the tourist season, and many student leases end. Plan your exams and move-out around it.
04Greet when you walk in
Say “Dobar dan” entering a shop, bakery or office, and goodbye (“Doviđenja”) on leaving. Silence reads as rude.
05Russian helps, a little
Croatian is a Slavic language, so Russian speakers recognise many words, but false friends are common. Do not lead with Russian; English is the safer start.
06Ask for the receipt
Every shop and café must give a fiscal receipt (račun). Take it; it is normal and expected.
07Tap water is fine
Tap water is safe to drink in Zagreb and Split; carry a bottle rather than buying water.
08Bura and jugo set the mood
In Split, the cold bura wind and the humid jugo shape the weather in winter and spring. Ferries can be cancelled on windy days.
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