Prva gimnazija Varaždin is an authorised IB World School and has run the Diploma Programme without interruption since 2006. Each year we enrol one class of up to 24 students into the first year of the programme. Admission is open equally to our own students and to candidates from other schools, in Croatia and abroad, and everyone goes through the same procedure.

If you are thinking about joining, this page tells you who can apply, how admission works, what it costs and what to prepare. The full detail is in our Admission Policy and in the current enrolment announcement, both available to download below.

• A two-year pre-university programme for students aged 16 to 19, taught in the third and fourth year of secondary school.
• Teaching and assessment are in English, except in language subjects, so a strong command of English is essential.
• Students take six subjects (three at higher level, three at standard level) plus the three core elements: Theory of Knowledge, the Extended Essay, and Creativity, Activity, Service.
• The IB Diploma is recognised in Croatia as equivalent to the Državna matura at level A, giving full access to Croatian universities, and is accepted by more than 5,000 universities in over 100 countries.

Anyone who has completed the second year of secondary school, or an equivalent level in another school system, may apply:

• citizens of Croatia and the European Union,
• returnees who have lived and studied abroad,
• foreign nationals from outside the EU.

No places are held in advance for any group. Students transferring from another IB World School are also welcome, subject to available places.

The procedure is the same in every enrolment period:

1. Read the documents. Start with the enrolment announcement and the Admission Policy below, so you know the requirements and dates.
2. Prepare your application. Complete the application form and gather your certificates (see “What to prepare”).
3. Register and interview. On registration day you submit your documents and have a short interview with the admission committee. The interview is mandatory for every candidate, regardless of grades.
4. Entrance assessments, where they apply. These are not for everyone. You take a written assessment only in specific cases, for example if your grade in a key subject was below very good (4), if you were schooled abroad, or if you want to study a science at higher level without the matching grade. Language checks help us place you at the right course and level and, for most candidates, are advisory rather than pass-or-fail.
5. Results. The committee reviews your documents, assessments and interview together and publishes results on our website within five working days, using personal passwords instead of names.
6. Enrolment and orientation. Enrolment is confirmed by a contract signed in the first week of teaching. Before the school year starts, incoming students are invited to a free orientation activity.

To prepare with confidence, sample questions and outcomes for every assessment are published in the preparation guide below.

We look at your grades from the first two years of secondary school in your mother tongue, English, mathematics and the relevant sciences, where a grade of at least very good (4) is expected. If you do not have these grades, you can still apply and earn your place through the relevant entrance assessment.

We enrol through two periods each year. The summer period is the main one and runs at the start of July (this year from 1 to 3 July 2026): it covers registration, submission of documents, the interview and any entrance assessments that apply to you. An autumn period is held in late August only if places remain after July. If the class fills in summer, we announce on the website that no autumn period will take place.

Bring these to registration:

• the completed application form (download below),
• certificates (svjedodžbe) for the first and second year of secondary school,
• for candidates schooled abroad: certificates translated into Croatian by a certified court interpreter,
• any additional certificates or language diplomas (optional),
• for foreign nationals: a copy of the passport.

For anything that is not covered here, contact the IB DP Coordinator, Marko Šafran, at ib@gimnazija-varazdin.skole.hr. We advise prospective students and families all year round, so you are welcome to get in touch well before you apply.

1. Admission Policy (PDF)
2. Enrolment announcement, summer 2026 (Croatian, PDF)
3. Enrolment announcement, summer 2026 (English, PDF)
4. Application form (PDF)
5. Entrance assessments: preparation guide and sample questions (PDF)