First enrollment round completed at the University of Pristina, temporarily headquartered in Kosovska Mitrovica; Most state-funded places filled

The first enrollment round at the faculties of the University of Pristina, temporarily headquartered in Kosovska Mitrovica, attracted considerable interest from prospective first-year students. The heads of the higher education institutions described the results as encouraging despite the challenging social and political circumstances.

The Faculty of Medicine, the Faculty of Technical Sciences, the Faculty of Teacher Education in Prizren, temporarily headquartered in Leposavic, and the Kosovo and Metohija Academy of Applied Studies all recorded a good turnout among applicants. High school graduates will have another opportunity to apply for the remaining places during the September enrollment round.

The deans and representatives of these higher education institutions told Kosovo Online that a significant number of applicants had come not only from Kosovo but also from central Serbia, which they see as confirmation of confidence in the quality of teaching, study conditions and the University’s development.

They also expect the second enrollment round to further increase the number of first-year students and fill the remaining state-funded and tuition-paying places on the various study programs.

The entrance examination at the Faculty of Medicine was held on July 8, with a total of 286 candidates applying for admission to six study programs. The entire process was conducted properly and without any problems, Dean Tatjana Novakovic said.

“Ninety students passed the entrance examination for general medicine, that is, the integrated academic studies program in medicine. Twenty-two students passed the examination for the integrated dentistry program. This year, there was considerable interest in healthcare studies, and we will enroll 24 students in that department. As for the applied studies programs, four students enrolled in the dental technician program, five in the nursing program and 17 in physical medicine, that is, the nursing program in physical medicine and rehabilitation. We are satisfied. We had a strong turnout and considerable interest. There are still some vacant places, but we also have substantial capacity, so we expect to fill all the remaining places in September,” Novakovic told Kosovo Online.

She added that all state-funded places had been filled across all programs, while tuition-paying places remained available.

“Tuition fees at our Faculty vary depending on the department. The fee for general medicine is 85,000 dinars, for dentistry it is 90,000 dinars, and for the applied studies programs it is also 90,000 dinars. However, we have made studying easier for our students by allowing them to pay the fees in several monthly installments,” Novakovic said.

She added that, before announcing the entrance examination competition, the Faculty of Medicine had conducted an extensive pre-enrollment campaign. Faculty representatives visited cities throughout the region, including Novi Pazar, Kraljevo, Krusevac and Leskovac, as well as all schools in Kosovo. They also participated in the Education Fair in Laplje Selo, spoke with high school graduates and ran a social media campaign in an effort to engage as closely as possible with prospective students.

“I believe this contributed to the return this year of young people from cities throughout our country to Kosovo and Metohija. We are pleased because there were applicants from Vranje, Leskovac, Belgrade, Novi Sad and Kraljevo, as well as, traditionally, from Novi Pazar and nearby towns. Students from those areas enroll here almost every year. What may be surprising this year is that all of our young people from this area decided to remain here. We support that, and we like having students from different areas because it generally has a positive effect on studying, culture and social interaction when they all come together in one place,” Novakovic said.

She emphasized that North Mitrovica provides good conditions for young people pursuing their studies.

“First and foremost, there is the Student Center, which provides both accommodation and meals. We cooperate well with the Center, and as far as students coming from elsewhere are concerned, we can serve as a link with the Student Center, provide them with all the necessary information and assist them. Some parents have already visited and asked where their children would live and what life is like here. I told them with complete confidence that we can provide good conditions here and that they can rely on us. I would tell them not to worry too much, to prepare well and to arrive here relaxed on October 1, ready to fulfill their responsibilities, attend classes and study. Success will then be guaranteed,” Novakovic said.

Zoran Golubovic, Dean of the Faculty of Technical Sciences, said that the first enrollment round had proceeded in line with expectations and that prospective students would be able to apply for all four study programs during the September enrollment round as well.

Golubovic said that 117 candidates had applied to take the entrance examination, of whom 111 had enrolled so far. Several more candidates who had met the admission requirements were expected to enroll before the deadline.

He emphasized that the Faculty planned to enroll a total of 300 students this year, with 249 state-funded places and 51 places for tuition-paying students. As he noted, the planned quota was not filled during the first round, meaning that places would remain available in all study programs during the September enrollment period.

“We are close to filling the Traffic and Transportation and Architecture study programs, while many places remain available in the other programs. Most of the students come from Kosovo and Metohija, but we also traditionally have students from Novi Pazar and Tutin. It is interesting to note that this year we also have students from Vlasotince and Leskovac. Our promotional campaign may have contributed to this, as we attended the Education Fair in Vlasotince and visited secondary schools in Leskovac as part of our efforts to promote enrollment at the Faculty,” Golubovic said.

He invited all high school graduates to take advantage of the September enrollment round and learn more about the study conditions and opportunities offered by the Faculty of Technical Sciences.

“Most of these young people have already visited our Faculty. We insisted that they come and see where they could be studying, what we have to offer, and our facilities are truly impressive, especially when it comes to equipment and laboratories. More than 400 prospective students visited the Faculty during our promotional campaign, and I expect that in September, those who did not seize the opportunity or were unable to enroll at another faculty will choose to enroll at the Faculty of Technical Sciences,” Golubovic said.

Speaking about this year’s enrollment results compared with previous years, Golubovic said the Faculty had recorded growing interest among prospective students and that enrollment figures were on the rise.

“If we compare this year’s enrollment with previous years, we can clearly see an upward trend, particularly compared with 2023 or 2024. We have recorded an increase of around 20 percent. Comparing the results with last year is somewhat difficult because enrollment at faculties in Serbia was affected by the circumstances, faculty blockades and similar developments, which led to an influx of students on our side. Therefore, last year, which was exceptionally good, is not an appropriate benchmark. However, compared with the three or four years before that, we can confidently say there has been an increase of around 20 percent, which makes us particularly pleased given the current circumstances,” Golubovic concluded.

The Faculty of Teacher Education in Prizren, temporarily headquartered in Leposavic and operating within the University of Pristina, enrolled 27 students in the first enrollment round in its Primary Education and Preschool Education study programs. Despite the current social and political circumstances, the Faculty says it is satisfied with the enrollment results and expects a good response during the second enrollment round as well.

“The first enrollment round was quite satisfactory considering the current social and political circumstances. We can say that we are pleased with the results. A number of high school graduates applied and took the entrance examination. All candidates passed successfully, and at present we have 27 enrolled students across the two study programs,” said Dean Vesna Minic.

She added that although previous years had seen higher enrollment figures, this year’s results were still satisfactory.

“In the past, we have had years with a larger number of enrolled students. However, given the situation we are currently facing, we can say that we are satisfied. The second enrollment round is still ahead of us, and we believe more candidates will apply, so we can conclude that we are pleased with the outcome of the first enrollment round,” Minic said.

Around 50 places remain available for the second enrollment round.

“A smaller number of places remain in the Preschool Education program because interest in that program is higher than in previous years. Interest in the Primary Education program is somewhat lower, but there are still enough places available for enrollment in the second round,” Minic said.

According to her, the Preschool Education study program continues to attract the greatest interest among applicants.

“For the past two or three years, including this year, the Preschool Education program has generated the greatest interest. We have noticed a declining interest in teacher education, which is also a trend across Serbia. In any case, the Preschool Education program remains the most popular,” Minic said.

The second enrollment round begins at the end of August, while entrance examinations will be held during the first week of September.

“Our experience shows that interest in the second enrollment round will again be greater for the Preschool Education program than for Primary Education, but we hope there will also be candidates who choose the teacher education program. I would tell prospective first-year students that they will make the right choice if they decide to study with us. Those who have not yet made a decision or have not had the opportunity to visit our Faculty should come, meet our academic staff and see the resources we have available. I believe that will encourage them to become students at our Faculty,” Minic concluded.

The Kosovo and Metohija Academy of Applied Studies in Leposavic is also satisfied with the results of the first enrollment round, during which 80 percent of the state-funded places were filled. All activities, from candidate registration and entrance examinations to enrollment, proceeded smoothly, according to Gordana Jovanovic, Assistant to the President of the Academy for Teaching and Accreditation.

“The first enrollment round went extremely well. Every activity related to enrolling future students was carried out in the best possible manner, from candidate registration and entrance examinations to the enrollment of those who passed. We are very satisfied with the response from applicants. A large number of candidates took the entrance examination across all our study programs, which is a source of satisfaction and confirmation of the years of effort and dedication that we, as teachers, have invested in educating young people,” Jovanovic said.

According to her, this year’s enrollment results rank among the best since the Academy was established in 2019.

“This year has been surprisingly successful and perhaps one of the best since the Academy was founded in 2019. We filled 80 percent of the state-funded places, which is an excellent result for all of us,” Jovanovic added.

A limited number of places remain available in certain study programs for the second enrollment round, with the exact number to be announced once the official admission competition is published.

“All places that were not filled during the first enrollment round will be available in the second round. The official admission competition will be published on the Academy’s website, and I invite everyone interested in becoming our students to follow the official website. There are several available places in each study program,” Jovanovic said.

She noted that the greatest interest traditionally focuses on study programs aligned with labor market demands.

“Our students traditionally choose the Academy’s study programs that are attractive and aligned with labor market needs. The greatest interest is usually in Finance and Business, Foreign Trade and Customs Operations, Fire Protection, and Occupational Safety, although there is also strong interest in our other study programs,” Jovanovic said.

The second enrollment round will be organized in accordance with the Academy’s academic calendar, with further details expected at the end of August.

“The second enrollment round will be organized in line with the academic calendar adopted by the Academy. Information will be published at the end of August, so I encourage prospective students to follow our official communication channels. My advice to everyone is to follow their personal interests, be courageous in choosing what they want to become, and remain persistent in pursuing their goals. If they decide to become students at our Academy, we will warmly welcome them. They will receive the full commitment and support of both our academic and administrative staff—that is, of everyone employed at the Academy,” Jovanovic said.