World in Serbia (Svet u Srbiji in Serbian) is a scholarship run by the Government of the Republic of Serbia through its Ministry of Education, working with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It pays tuition at state universities, puts you in a student dormitory, feeds you, gives you a small monthly allowance and covers your health insurance. It is aimed at students from countries in Africa, Asia and Central and South America that are members or observers of the Non-Aligned Movement, and it covers every degree level from Bachelor's to PhD.
For a Pakistani student who wants a fully funded European degree and is willing to learn a new language, this is one of the more generous packages around. It is also one of the least understood, because you do not apply to Serbia directly. You can see the full scholarship details on our listing, and this guide explains how the scheme actually works, where applicants slip up and who should think twice before applying.
A government scholarship built on diplomatic ties
The programme exists to build educational and diplomatic links between Serbia and Non-Aligned Movement countries. That background explains most of its quirks. Applications go through consular channels, nominations come from an institution in your home country, and the Serbian Embassy handles the final processing. It is one of the largest state-funded inbound scholarship schemes in the Western Balkans, with several hundred scholarship holders from well over a hundred countries studying in Serbia under it right now.
Students are placed at accredited state-founded universities and live in dormitories in the main university cities: Belgrade, Novi Sad, Nis and Kragujevac. Almost any field offered by the participating institutions is open, subject to availability.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Funding | Fully funded (tuition, dorm, meals, allowance, health insurance) |
| Levels | Bachelor's, integrated studies, professional studies, Master's, specialization, PhD |
| Monthly allowance | About 18,000 RSD (roughly EUR 150) |
| Deadline | Typically June; varies by year, with a window of about two weeks |
| Country | Serbia |
| Provider | Government of the Republic of Serbia, Ministry of Education |
| Official site | welcometoserbia.gov.rs/scholarships |
What the 18,000 dinar allowance sits on top of
The allowance is small on paper. Roughly 18,000 Serbian dinars a month, about EUR 150, will not stretch far on its own. The point is that it is pocket money, not your whole budget, because the expensive parts of student life are already handled:
- Free tuition for one full study level at a Serbian state university
- Free accommodation in public student dormitories
- Meals through the standard student-center provisions
- Full health insurance for the length of your studies
- A free intensive Serbian language course before your degree starts
- Help with translating your diplomas and getting them officially recognised (nostrification)
Two of these deserve more attention than they usually get. The phrase "one full study level" matters: the scholarship funds a Bachelor's, or a Master's, or a PhD, not a chain of them. If you plan to stay on for a second degree, budget for that separately or check whether a fresh application is possible. And the diploma recognition help is more useful than it sounds. Nostrification is the official recognition of a foreign qualification, and getting Pakistani certificates through that process on your own can be slow. Having the Ministry assist is a real practical advantage.
Serbia itself has a low cost of living and is an EU candidate country, so a modest allowance goes further there than it would in Western Europe. Even so, arriving with some savings of your own for the first few weeks is sensible.
The Serbian language question
Most programmes under this scholarship are taught in Serbian. That is the single biggest factor in deciding whether to apply. The scholarship includes a free intensive Serbian course before academic study begins, and the eligibility rules say you must be willing to complete it for most programmes.
My honest view: if you want an English-taught degree and have no interest in spending a preparatory period learning a Slavic language, this is probably not your scholarship. If you are flexible, curious and want a fully funded path into a European university system, the language year is an investment rather than a hurdle. Factor it into your timeline. Your degree effectively starts later than it would elsewhere, and your graduation date moves accordingly.
Can Pakistani students apply?
Yes. The programme lists Pakistan among the eligible countries under its Non-Aligned Movement criteria, and Pakistani applicants go through the process coordinated with the Serbian Embassy. The formal eligibility requirements are:
- Citizenship of an eligible country in Africa, Asia or Central/South America that is a member or observer of the Non-Aligned Movement
- Meeting the academic entry requirements for your chosen level and programme
- A valid medical certificate confirming you are fit to study
- Nomination or endorsement by the competent institution in your home country
- Willingness to complete the intensive Serbian language course before academic study (for most programmes)
There is no fixed age limit, test score or GPA cut-off stated for the scheme. That does not mean anything goes. You still have to meet the academic entry requirements of the specific programme, so check those with the university or the embassy once you know what you want to study.
Why the nomination step decides everything
Here is where most applicants get confused. You do not submit to a Serbian university or to a portal in Belgrade and wait. The competent institution designated in your home country (often the relevant ministry of education or a nominated university) receives applications, endorses candidates and forwards a shortlist to the Serbian Embassy. Without that endorsement, your file does not move.
The designated institution can differ from one year to the next and from one country to another. The best first move is to contact the Serbian Embassy in Pakistan early in the year and ask two questions: has this year's call been announced, and which institution is handling nominations?
The documents you should gather early
- Completed World in Serbia application form
- Copies of your academic transcripts and diplomas
- A valid passport
- A medical certificate
- Passport-sized photographs
- Endorsement or nomination from the competent authority in Pakistan
The medical certificate is the one people leave too late. Get it arranged before the window opens. Your passport should also be valid well beyond your expected study period, since a renewal in the middle of a June rush is avoidable stress. If your transcripts and degrees need attestation for other purposes, our IBCC and MOFA attestation guide walks through that process, and the documents checklist for international scholarships is useful for organising everything in one place.
The application sequence
- Watch for the annual call from Serbia's Ministry of Education, usually communicated through the Serbian Embassy in your country.
- Get endorsement from the competent institution designated in Pakistan to submit and forward your nomination.
- Submit the application form with all documents to the nominating institution or directly to the embassy, as that year's call instructs.
- The home-country institution forwards the nominated list to the Serbian Embassy.
- Selected candidates are notified and receive guidance on visa, enrolment and the pre-departure Serbian language course.
A two-week window in June
The timing is the second thing that catches people out. The deadline is typically in June, but it varies by year, and the window usually stays open for only about two weeks. Confirm the exact dates for your cycle on the official World in Serbia portal or with the embassy rather than relying on last year's dates.
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| May-June | Call for applications announced |
| About two weeks in June | Application window |
| Summer | Nomination and embassy processing |
| Before the academic year | Serbian language course begins |
| October | Academic year starts |
Two weeks is not long enough to start from zero. Treat the period from January to May as preparation time: documents ready, programme chosen, embassy contacted. When the call appears, you should only need to fill in the form and submit.
Mistakes that cost applicants a place
Most failed applications here are not about weak grades. They come down to process.
- Waiting for the call before collecting documents. With a window this short, that is the most common way to miss out.
- Sending the file to the wrong place. Each year's call says whether to submit to the nominating institution or to the embassy. Read it carefully.
- Ignoring the language reality. Some applicants accept the award and then struggle because they assumed English instruction. Plan for Serbian from the start.
- Picking a city at random. If you want the largest student communities and dormitory networks, Belgrade or Novi Sad are the stronger choices.
- Not talking to current scholars. Many World in Serbia students are active in online communities and can tell you how nomination worked for their country.
If you are comparing this with other options, our all Serbia scholarships guide puts it alongside the other routes into Serbian universities.
Frequently asked questions
Is World in Serbia fully funded?
Yes. It covers tuition, dormitory housing, meals, a monthly allowance of about 18,000 RSD, health insurance and a Serbian language course before your studies begin.
Are programmes taught in English?
Mostly not. Most programmes are taught in Serbian, which is why the scholarship includes a free intensive language course before academic study.
Can I apply directly to a Serbian university?
No. You apply through the competent nominating institution in your home country, which forwards your nomination to the Serbian Embassy after the Ministry of Education announces the annual call.
Which degree levels are covered?
Bachelor's, integrated studies, professional studies, Master's, specialization and Doctoral programmes at accredited state universities. The scholarship funds one full study level.
When does the academic year start?
The academic year starts in October. The Serbian language course runs before that, so selected students should expect to travel earlier.
Where will I live?
In public student dormitories in the university cities, which include Belgrade, Novi Sad, Nis and Kragujevac.
Before you plan anything, check the current call on the official Welcome to Serbia scholarships page and keep the World in Serbia Scholarship page bookmarked for the key details.