Education in Bosnia and Herzegovina: school types, the matura and university entry

In short

Education in Bosnia and Herzegovina is organised by the two entities, the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina and Republika Srpska, and by the Brčko District. Inside the Federation, most powers over schools belong to its ten cantons. There is no single ministry of education that runs all schools in the country, so curricula, school calendars and final exam rules can differ from one area to another. At state level, a coordinating agency works on common standards for preschool, primary and secondary education, and the Ministry of Civil Affairs handles international cooperation in education. Pupils finish secondary school with a school-leaving certificate, and many sit a final exam commonly called the matura. It is the usual route into university.

School stages

1. Preschool education: Optional kindergartens for young children, with a final preparatory year before school in many places.
2. Primary school: Compulsory, starting at about age six. Pupils study their mother tongue (Bosnian, Croatian or Serbian), mathematics, a foreign language, history, geography, natural sciences, music, art and physical education. Primary school usually lasts nine years, though the exact structure is set by each entity or canton.
3. Secondary school: After primary school, pupils choose a type of school. The main kinds are:
   • Gimnazija: A general academic school, normally four years, that prepares pupils for university.
   • Vocational and technical schools: Three or four years, with training for a trade or a technical job. Four-year programmes also give access to higher education.
   • Art and music schools: Specialised secondary schools for pupils with talent in these fields.

Language, script and the school year

Schools teach in the official language of their area, which is Bosnian, Croatian or Serbian, and both the Latin and the Cyrillic scripts are taught. The mother-tongue subject covers grammar, writing and literature, including the work of authors such as Ivo Andrić, Meša Selimović and Mak Dizdar. The school year usually runs from September to June and is divided into two terms, though each ministry sets its own calendar. Pupils in some areas also take a small final exam at the end of primary school.

Grades and the final exam

Marks in schools run from 1, which is a fail, to 5, which is excellent. The final grade of a school year is based on the marks collected in each subject through the year, so pupils are assessed continuously and not only at the end.

The matura is a final exam taken at the end of the gimnazija and, in many places, of four-year vocational schools. In some areas it is a state-set or canton-set written exam, and in others it is a school-based exam or a set of final papers and an oral defence. The subjects, number of papers and rules vary by entity and canton, so a student should always check the rules of the education ministry that governs the school. Common subjects include the mother tongue and literature, mathematics, a foreign language and chosen elective subjects.

University admission

Public universities in the country include those in Sarajevo, Banja Luka, Tuzla, Mostar, Zenica, Bihać, East Sarajevo and others, together with a number of private institutions. Study programmes follow the Bologna structure of bachelor's and master's cycles. Admission is generally decided by each faculty. It looks at the secondary school marks, and many faculties also hold their own entrance exams in subjects such as mathematics, languages or a subject linked to the field of study. Faculties of medicine, engineering, economics, law and the arts usually set their own conditions. Students with foreign school certificates normally need to have them recognised by the competent authority before enrolling.

Studying and working abroad

Many students in Bosnia and Herzegovina also prepare for exams in English, such as IELTS or TOEFL, when they apply to universities abroad or to programmes taught in English. Others sit the SAT or take the International Baccalaureate Diploma, which some international schools in the country offer.

Practising on GetMyMockTest

These are practice questions we wrote for study. They are not the official exams, and we do not claim they match an exam's current format. Free practice for Bosnia and Herzegovina:

• Drzavna Matura (final secondary exams): mathematics, mother tongue language and literature, and physics, with timed tests and flashcards. Because the exam rules are set by entities and cantons, these questions cover general secondary-school topics.
• Prijemni ispit za tehničke fakultete (BiH): mathematics, physics and logical reasoning in Bosnian, with timed tests and formula flashcards.
• Bosnia and Herzegovina general knowledge: history and politics, geography and nature, and science, arts and culture.
• International exams: SAT, IELTS, TOEFL and the IB Diploma, for students who plan to study abroad.