How to Apply to Universities in North Macedonia: Requirements, Deadlines and Portals
By Muntasir • Published Aug 07, 2026 • Updated Aug 08, 2026 • Guides, Study in Europe, Country & City Guides, Admissions & Applications
Get your foreign school diploma recognized before you apply, then submit to your chosen university during one of its enrollment rounds, usually held between August and September. Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje runs three enrollment rounds for 2026-27: August 18-19, September 10-11, and September 23.
📩 Start diploma recognition (nostrification) months before the deadline, ideally by June-July
Selection uses your secondary school grades, sometimes combined with an entrance exam
Preliminary ranking lists come out days after each round closes
You apply as an international student, since North Macedonia is not an EU member
Your funding status (state co-financed or self-funded) depends on your ranking, not your nationality
Start with diploma recognition
If you finished secondary school outside North Macedonia, your diploma needs recognition (nostrification) from the Ministry of Education and Science before a university accepts your application. This runs through the country's ENIC-NARIC national center and takes several weeks. Start it well ahead of the application deadline, ideally in June or July, so the decision is ready before enrollment rounds open.
How the application rounds work
Public universities publish an annual enrollment announcement (a "konkurs") listing available places per faculty, deadlines, and required documents. Most universities run more than one round each year to fill remaining places. At UKIM , the country's largest university, first-cycle enrollment for 2026-27 has three rounds.
| Round | Application dates | Ranking list published |
|---|---|---|
| First round | August 18-19, 2026 | August 24, 2026 |
| Second round | September 10-11, 2026 | September 15, 2026 |
| Third round | September 23, 2026 | Published after the round closes |
Check your target faculty's own page for its exact schedule, since rounds and available places vary by program even within the same university.
Documents to prepare
Your secondary school diploma and full transcript of grades
The nostrification (recognition) decision from the Ministry of Education and Science
A valid passport or national ID
Completed application form for the faculty you apply to
Proof of any entrance exam results, where the program requires one
Some faculties, particularly in medicine, art, and sport, add an entrance exam or aptitude test on top of your school record. Check the specific faculty's konkurs for this before you apply.
Language requirements
Programs taught in Macedonian generally expect enough language proficiency to follow coursework, and some universities run a preparatory language year for international students who do not already speak Macedonian. English-taught programs, mostly at private universities, ask for evidence of English proficiency instead, though exact thresholds vary by institution. Programs at the State University of Tetovo sometimes also expect Albanian proficiency, depending on the course.
How selection and ranking work
Universities rank applicants using secondary school grades, sometimes combined with entrance exam results depending on the faculty. Your position on the ranking list decides whether you get a state co-financed place or a self-funded place, and which round you get an offer in. Places for higher-demand faculties, like medicine, fill in the first round, so a lower ranking in that round still means an offer in the second or third round for a less competitive faculty.
Applying as a student from another European country
North Macedonia is not an EU member, so there is no separate EU quota that gives you an advantage over other international applicants. You apply through the same international/foreign-student track as any non-domestic applicant, and your degree normally carries the self-funded fee rate rather than the subsidized co-financing rate reserved for domestic state-funded places. Check with your target faculty's international office for the exact category you fall into and any language requirements, since a few programs teach in English while most teach in Macedonian or Albanian.
After acceptance
Once you accept your place, you complete enrollment (upis) at the faculty, submitting original documents and paying the applicable fee.
Visa and residence registration
If you are not a North Macedonian citizen, plan for residence registration once you have your acceptance letter, since it runs alongside enrollment rather than after it. Typical requirements include your letter of admission, proof of tuition payment, proof of financial support, and health insurance covering your stay, based on university guidance for incoming students . Start gathering these documents as soon as your place is confirmed, since a residence permit application takes time to process.
Common mistakes to avoid
Starting diploma recognition too late and missing your preferred enrollment round
Assuming every program teaches in English, when most teach in Macedonian or Albanian
Skipping the entrance exam requirement for competitive faculties like medicine or art
Waiting until after arrival to start residence permit paperwork, instead of preparing documents in advance
Applying to only one round when a faculty runs several, and missing a later round with open places