Before coming to Zagreb

EU/EEA citizens can enter Croatia with just a valid ID card (or passport) and then need to register at the Central police station if staying for more than 3 months to regulate the residence permit.
Citizens of the USA, Australia, Canada, etc. (for full list see Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs) can enter Croatia with a valid passport and then apply for the residence permit in Zagreb. Check with the Croatian embassy in your country of residence which documentation you will need for your application in Zagreb and make sure you take it along when coming to Zagreb.
NON-EU/EEA citizens coming from a country that has a visa-regime with the Republic Croatia need to apply for a visa via the Croatian embassy in their home country before departing for Croatia.
The list of countries whose nationals need a visa to enter Croatia can be found at the pages of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs.
Visas CANNOT be applied for or extended in Croatia! Please contact the Croatian embassy in your country of residence for more information. You will receive an acceptance letter that covers some of the documentation needed for your visa application as soon as your complete application has been approved by the faculty/academy of the University of Zagreb that will host you.
IMPORTANT! Please bear in mind that the visa application process might take up to several weeks or even months so do try to file your application as soon as possible. 
You might need the originals of your "Letter of Acceptance" for your visa application; if so, please let us know as early as possible so that we can send it to you via mail in time and do also provide a shipping address. 

EU/SWISS CITIZENS
MOBILITY PERIOD LONGER THAN 90 DAYS
EU citizens who plan to study in Croatia for more than 90 days are obliged to apply for the approval of the temporary stay for the purpose of studies (dozvola boravka). You should submit your application for the issuance of the residence card within 90 days of your arrival in Croatia at the Foreigners’ Office, Central Police Station (Odsjek za strance, Policijska uprava Zagrebačka) in Petrinjska ulica 30, HR-10000 Zagreb,WORKING HOURS: 8am – 3:30 pm.
 MOBILITY PERIOD SHORTER THAN 90 DAYS
EU citizens are not obliged to apply for the approval for temporary stay or to register their address if they are staying in Croatia shorter than 90 days.
NON-EU CITIZENS
MOBILITY PERIOD LONGER THAN 90 DAYS
Non-EU citizens staying in Croatia for more than 90 days are obliged to apply for the approval of the temporary stay for the purpose of studies (dozvola boravka) within 48 hours of their arrival.
To apply for the permit you will need to submit the following documents at the Foreigners’ Office, Central Police Station (Odsjek za strance, Policijska uprva Zagrebačka) in Petrinjska ulica 30, HR-10000 Zagreb, WORKING HOURS: 8am – 3:30 pm
1.    Form1b (EU citizens)
       Form1a (NON-EU citizens)
2.    Acceptance letter (in Croatian) from UNIZG stating the study purpose of your stay 
3.    1 photo in colour (35x45mm)
4.    Proof of sufficient means of subsistence (statement of bank account, scholarship confirmation and similar; only for the scholars of the University of Zagreb - invitation letter stating the scholarship 
        amount) – 800 HRK for EU citizens (approx. 110EUR min./moth), 1000 HRK for NON-EU citizens (approx. 150EUR min./moth)
5.    Proof of secured accommodation 

6.    Proof of health insurance
7.    Original and photocopy of the passport or the identity card 

MOBILITY PERIOD SHORTER THAN 90 DAYS
Upon your arrival in Croatia and if you are staying in private accommodation (rented apartment or similar), you need to register your address within 48 hours at the Foreigners’ Office, Central Police Station, Petrinjska ulica No. 30 (Odsjek za strance, Policijska uprava Zagrebačka). For the students who are staying at hotels or student halls of residence the address is automatically registered.
COST OF THE PERMIT (ADMINISTRATIVE FEE)
EU citizens do not have to pay the administration fee. NON-EU citizens need to pay, depending on the mobility programme, 500 HRK or 740 HRK.
IMPORTANT: All documents need to be translated into Croatian and certified by a public notary (for example: Lingua-soft, Frankopanska 5A, Phone: + 385 1 4830 401, email: lingua-soft@lingua-soft.hr). 

1.      All EU/EEA students need to bring their European health insurance card to that is valid during the entire period spent in Croatia.
2.      All non-EU/EEA exchange students are required to take out a travel medical insurance that is valid during the entire period spent in Croatia. The ensured cover must be at least 30.000 EUR and include repatriation for medical reasons, urgent medical care and/or emergency treatment in a hospital. Student will need to submit a proof of medical insurance upon arrival to Zagreb, Croatia when applying for the first temporary permit.
3.      Students coming from Bosnia and Hercegovina, Montenegro and Serbia that have health insurance with their national health insurance provider in the home country may take out a proof of health insurance from the home country - so-called “bolesnički list” – and exchange it for insurance policy from the Croatian national health insurance provider. Upon arrival to Zagreb students will report to the Croatian Health Insurance Fund (Hrvatski zavod za zdrastveno osiguranje – HZZO) and submit the so-called “bolesnički list” at the address: Branimirova 37, Odjel za međunarodnu suradnju / Department for international cooperation. The HZZO will issue a document that enables exchange students to use the health services within the Croatian health system. The document is issued without additional charges