Montenegro has awarded 32 scholarships for excellence for the 2025/2026 academic year to students studying at some of the best universities in the world, from Berkeley and Oxford to UCL and Imperial, with individual support of up to 25.000 euros, but without the obligation for scholarship holders to return to the country after their studies.
The Ministry of Education, Science and Innovation points out that 58 students applied for the competition, and the right to support was granted to candidates studying at universities ranked among the top 200 in the world according to the Shanghai Ranking.
The recipients include students studying at some of the world's most prestigious universities, including the University of California Berkeley, Oxford, University College London, Imperial College London, as well as universities in Boston, Zurich, Helsinki, Bonn, Leuven, Vienna, Delft and Padua. The list also shows that Italy is the most represented destination among the recipients of these scholarships, primarily thanks to the higher number of students at the University of Padua and the Sapienza University of Rome.
Scholarships for Excellence were introduced by the new Law on Higher Education and represent a special type of state support for students who achieve top results at leading world institutions. The ministry states that the aim of the program is not only financial assistance, but also to encourage excellence, continuous improvement and contribution to the development of society.
"The amount of the scholarship per candidate can be up to 25.000 euros, and depends on several factors, including the university's position in the ranking list. The scholarship can cover tuition, accommodation, food, local public transport and other living expenses, while in the case of doctoral studies, the costs of research, literature, publication of papers and participation in scientific conferences can also be financed," the Ministry of Education emphasizes.
Studies at prestigious universities cost from several hundred to tens of thousands of euros per year, according to publicly available data on tuition fees at institutions where Montenegrin scholarship holders for excellence study.
Thus, annual tuition fees at the University of California Berkeley are around $60.000, at the University of Pennsylvania around $68.000, and at Rice University around $66.000. In the United Kingdom, tuition fees at universities such as Oxford, UCL, Imperial College London, and the University of Birmingham range from around £20.000 to £50.000 per year, depending on the study program and level of study.
At universities in Italy, costs are significantly lower, with annual tuition fees at Sapienza in Rome generally ranging from around 1.000 to 4.000 euros, while at the University of Padua it is between 2.500 and 4.000 euros. At the University of Vienna, tuition fees are around 1.500 euros per year.
Universities in Germany stand out in particular, where there are no traditional tuition fees at the University of Bonn and the University of Cologne, but students pay mainly administrative and semester costs, which amount to around 500 to 600 euros annually. In France, at PSL University in Paris, annual costs are around 250 to 400 euros, while at the University of Zurich they amount to around 1.500 Swiss francs per year.
In northern Europe and the Benelux countries, costs are higher. For example, tuition fees at KU Leuven range from around €1.200 for EU students to as much as €9.500 for non-EU students, while at the University of Helsinki it is between €13.000 and €18.000 per year. At TU Delft in the Netherlands, annual tuition fees range from around €17.000 to €22.000.
Although the decision does not contain aggregate statistics by field, the list of recipients shows that natural, technical, medical, social and human sciences are represented among the scholarship recipients.
This shows, the Ministry of Education points out, that the program is designed to support academic excellence regardless of the field, provided that students study at top-tier universities in the world.
Unlike some countries in the region, the Montenegrin model does not require scholarship holders to return to the country after completing their studies. The Ministry states that the state's obligation is to invest in the best, and that a possible return will most encourage the creation of a favorable environment for work in Montenegro. They also emphasize that students who remain abroad can contribute to the country through international projects, cooperation, connecting institutions and mentoring.
Rome and Padua most popular
The recipients of the Excellence Scholarships are studying in Italy (11), the United Kingdom (6), the United States (5), Austria (3), Germany (2), France (1), Switzerland (1), Belgium (1), Finland (1) and the Netherlands (1).
In Italy, the scholars are at the Sapienza University of Rome and the University of Padua. In the UK, six students are assigned to the University of Oxford, University College London, Imperial College London and the University of Birmingham.
In the USA, five students are studying at the University of California Berkeley, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of Boston, and Rice University, Houston. Three are at the University of Vienna, and one scholarship holder is at the universities of Bonn, Cologne, Paris, Zurich, Helsinki, as well as the University of Leuven and the University of Delft.
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