Scholarships and Student Financial Aid in Montenegro

State grants for graduate study

Montenegro's Ministries of Education and Science run the National Scholarships for Co-Financing Graduate Studies, aimed at graduate students not older than 35 who hold a confirmed place at a Montenegrin or international school. The grant pays up to 500 euros plus 200 euros in travel costs for a master's degree, and up to 1,000 euros plus 200 euros in travel costs for doctoral study, according to EducationUSA's listing of the program . Accepting the grant comes with a condition: you agree to return to Montenegro for a period at least as long as your studies took.

This program co-finances rather than fully funds your degree, so budget for the remaining cost yourself or combine it with a university scholarship or loan.

Doctoral research scholarships

Montenegro's government runs a Scholarship Programme for Excellence in Doctoral Research, offering up to 3 years of support for doctoral researchers. The award covers free tuition, a net monthly stipend of 700 euros, and research costs of up to 10,000 euros a year, per the Government of Montenegro's call for applications . Watch gov.me for the annual call, since the program runs on a competitive cycle with a limited number of places.

Erasmus+ mobility funding

Montenegro takes part in Erasmus+ as a Western Balkans partner country, which funds student and staff exchanges between Montenegro and universities across Europe. If your home university runs Erasmus+ agreements with a Montenegrin institution, apply for mobility funding through your international office, which covers part of your travel and living costs during an exchange semester in Montenegro. The same route works in reverse for Montenegrin students who want to study a semester elsewhere in Europe.

University-level scholarships

Individual universities and faculties in Montenegro run their own scholarship and merit-award competitions alongside the national schemes, often tied to entrance exam rank or ongoing academic performance. Check the scholarships or student services page of the specific faculty you apply to, since terms and amounts are set faculty by faculty rather than centrally.

Other places to check

If you move to Montenegro from another European country, your own government sometimes runs mobility grants for study in the Western Balkans, separate from anything Montenegro itself offers. Check your national study-abroad or international education agency alongside Montenegro's own schemes, since eligibility and amounts differ by home country and are not centralized in one place.

How to apply

• Check the Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation site and gov.me for the current year's open calls

• Prepare your acceptance letter or enrollment confirmation before you apply, most grants require it

• Apply within the published window, competitions close on a fixed date and do not accept late submissions

• Combine a state grant with a faculty-level scholarship where rules allow, since most programs co-finance rather than cover the full cost