
How long: 3 years, 180 ECTS; the thesis accounts for at least half of the credits. Graduates receive the title Doctor of Sciences.
Your status: there are state-financed places; doctoral students without a job may receive health insurance, meal and transport benefits and scholarships.
How to get in: a master's degree and at least 300 ECTS from previous studies (360 in medicine), plus fluency in at least one foreign language. Universities assess your grades and achievements.
Where to look: doctoral positions and calls are published on the websites of universities and their doctoral schools and on EURAXESS. Programmes in Serbia in our database: Serbia – 290 doctoral programmes (as of September 2026) »
Sources: Eurydice – national description of third-cycle (PhD) programmes (updated 27 November 2023). As of October 2026.
Sources: European Commission – Study in Europe (education.ec.europa.eu/study-in-europe), Eurostat, official national study and residence portals and authorities, Eurodesk, enic-naric.net, studentnews.eu. As of September 2026.