Undergraduate study in Business Mathematics and Economics

About the course

This is a four-year, 240 ECTS undergraduate degree leading to the title bacc. oec. ZSEM says it is taught only in English. The first two years cover core maths and economics (calculus, linear algebra, statistics, micro- and macroeconomics) using software such as Excel and Matlab. Later years add programming mathematical algorithms for business problems, financial mathematics, optimisation and a Capstone project.

Entry requirements for Irish students

• ZSEM says applicants who finished school outside Croatia must provide a decision from the Croatian Education and Teacher Training Agency (Agencija za odgoj i obrazovanje) recognising their foreign qualification. It publishes no minimum Leaving Cert grades or subject levels. Its pages also say passing the Croatian state matura is compulsory, and they do not explain how this applies to Irish applicants. Confirm with admissions (upisi@zsem.hr) exactly what they need from a Leaving Cert holder.
• Admission is decided only by ZSEM’s own entrance exam: a maths exam, an English test, a general-knowledge exam and an interview. The degree is maths-heavy, so strong Leaving Cert maths is a real advantage, although ZSEM sets no Leaving Cert maths level.
• English: you can sit ZSEM’s English test or show an internationally recognised English exam result. ZSEM does not say whether Leaving Cert English exempts you.

How to apply

1. Apply onlineFill in the online application for Business Mathematics and Economics on ZSEM’s Applications page. ZSEM then emails you the next steps. Applications open in spring.
2. Send documents and pay the exam feeEmail your documents to upisi@zsem.hr: school certificates, the Agency for Education recognition decision, your ID, a CV, a motivational essay, a birth certificate and proof of citizenship. Pay the €25 entrance exam fee through payzsem.com.
3. Sit the entrance examThe exam has four parts: maths, an English test (or a recognised English certificate), a general-knowledge exam and an interview. Based on your result, ZSEM offers full or conditional enrolment.
4. Enrol and pay earlyIn the 2026 cycle, enrolling by 8 May gave the lowest fee. After that the fee rose at each deadline on 5 June, 3 July and 24 July. Proof that you finished school must arrive by 1 September. Leaving Cert results come out in late August, so plan the recognition step with admissions in advance.

Costs

• For 2026/27 the first-year fee for Business Mathematics and Economics (in English) is on a sliding scale: the earlier you enrol, the less you pay. Paid in full, it ranges from €7,500 (enrol by 8 May 2026) to €8,800 (enrol after 24 July 2026). Paying in instalments or by card costs €7,800 to €9,000. Non-EU students have a separate fee list. The entrance exam fee is €25 for English programmes. Fees for later years and for 2027/28 are not yet published.

At a glance