Can foreign children go to a state school in Montenegro? Yes. Foreigners with temporary or permanent residence, people with international or temporary protection and stateless persons have the same right to education as Montenegrin citizens, and EU, EEA and Swiss citizens are equal too.
Families who move to Montenegro with children have to sort out school soon after housing. Searches reflect that: "international school montenegro" is followed by "british", "knightsbridge" and "qsi", and "international school podgorica" and "international school tivat" are searched separately. In Russian people look for "школа в черногории для русских" (a school in Montenegro for Russian speakers), and in German for "deutsche schule montenegro" (German school in Montenegro).
This article starts with the state system, because your child has a right to it, then covers transferring from a school abroad and the international schools that confirm their programmes on their own websites.
State schools: your child has the same right
The Constitution of Montenegro guarantees the right to schooling under equal conditions and states that primary schooling is compulsory and free. The General Law on Education, as amended in 2025 and 2026, spells out who is included:
- Foreigners with temporary or permanent residence in Montenegro, applicants for and holders of international or temporary protection, and stateless persons have the same right to education as Montenegrin citizens, in line with the specific laws.
- Citizens of EU and EEA states and Switzerland, and their family members, are equal with Montenegrin citizens.
- Pupils who do not know the language of instruction, or know it poorly, are given preparatory (supplementary) classes by the school for up to one year, under a special programme adopted by the National Council for Education.
Every primary school pupil is also entitled to free textbooks paid from the state budget.
How primary school works
| Rule | What the law says |
| Compulsory schooling | For all children aged 6 to 15 |
| Duration | Nine years, in three cycles of three grades |
| Starting age | Children who turn six in the calendar year in which they start school |
| Which school | Each school has a catchment area, and pupils enrol on the basis of their residence |
| Foreign languages | English is compulsory from grade 1, and a second foreign language from grade 6, such as French, Russian, Italian, German or Spanish |
Because enrolment follows the catchment area, where you rent or buy decides which state school your child goes to. How to find a long-term rental is covered in our article on long-term renting.
Transferring from a school abroad
If your child has already been at school elsewhere, their school report has to be recognised for them to continue their education. Under the 2026 rulebook on recognising foreign education documents, the application for continuing education is submitted directly to the school where your child will continue.
| What to submit | Note |
| Certified copy of the school document | Report, certificate or pupil record book showing completed or started education |
| Translation by a sworn court interpreter | For documents from countries other than Serbia, Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina |
| Copy of an earlier Montenegrin school document | Only if the child went to school in Montenegro before going abroad |
| Proof of the administrative fee paid | In line with the law on administrative fees |
For documents issued in Serbia, Croatia or Bosnia and Herzegovina, no translation is required, but three certified copies are submitted. Plan the translation early.
International schools
These are schools whose programme and location we confirmed on their own websites. Fees change every school year, so check them directly with each school.
| School | Where | Programme | Worth knowing |
| QSI International School of Montenegro | Podgorica, Donja Gorica | Curriculum based on the American Common Core, teaching in English; SAT and AP test centre | Accredited by the Middle States Association since 2014 and licensed by the Ministry of Education; intensive English support |
| KSI Montenegro | Tivat, Porto Montenegro | IB World School with the Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma Programmes; the PYP covers ages 3 to 12 | Co-educational boarding for ages 11 to 18 |
| Adriatic College | Budva | National and international programmes for ages 5 to 19, IB Diploma Programme in the sixth form, Pearson Edexcel | Accredited by the Ministry of Education of Montenegro since 2014 |
| Dukley Academy | Budva, Zavala | British National Curriculum, with the IPC in the early years; Cambridge English exam centre | The school's staff speak Montenegrin, English and Russian |
Since 2026, foreign teachers at private schools that run an international programme in a foreign language can be employed without passing Montenegro's teachers' professional exam.
Questions to settle before choosing
| Question | Why it matters |
| What is your residence status? | Equal access to state schools is tied to temporary or permanent residence, except for EU, EEA and Swiss citizens |
| Where will you live? | State school places follow the catchment area, and the international schools listed here are in Podgorica, Tivat and Budva |
| Which diploma does your child need at the end? | IB, American, British or Montenegrin programmes lead to different university routes |
| Does your child need language support? | State schools offer up to a year of preparatory classes, and QSI, for example, runs an intensive English programme |
| What is your budget? | International school fees come on top of rent and daily costs |
How registration works in the first months after moving is covered in our article on the first 90 days in Montenegro, and what a household budget looks like in our article on the cost of living. If you are looking for a home near a school, browse our real estate listings.
Frequently asked questions
Is state primary school free? Yes. The Constitution states that primary schooling is compulsory and free, and every primary pupil is entitled to free textbooks.
What if my child does not speak Montenegrin? The school organises preparatory classes for up to one year, under a programme adopted by the National Council for Education.
At what age do children start school in Montenegro? Children start school in the calendar year in which they turn six, and schooling is compulsory until the age of 15.
How do I enrol my child with a school report from abroad? Apply directly to the school with a certified copy of the report, a sworn translation unless the report is from Serbia, Croatia or Bosnia and Herzegovina, and proof of the administrative fee.
Which international schools in Montenegro offer the IB? KSI Montenegro in Tivat offers the Primary Years, Middle Years and Diploma Programmes, and Adriatic College in Budva offers the IB Diploma Programme in the sixth form.
Sources
The right to schooling comes from article 75 of the Constitution of Montenegro, and equal access for foreigners and preparatory classes from article 9 of the General Law on Education, as amended by the 2025 amendment (Official Gazette of Montenegro 89/2025) and in Official Gazette of Montenegro 12/2026, which also amended article 100a. Compulsory schooling, duration, catchment areas, foreign languages, enrolment and free textbooks are set out in the Law on Primary Education (articles 2b, 4, 5, 11, 25 and 31). The recognition procedure comes from the rulebook on applications for recognising foreign education documents (Official Gazette of Montenegro 8/2026). School details are taken from the schools' own websites: QSI International School of Montenegro, KSI Montenegro, Adriatic College and Dukley Academy. Fijaka is a listings platform and does not give legal advice; for a specific enrolment, contact the school directly.