The aim of the Scholarship Programme for Pupils and Students is to contribute to the development of the County by creating a knowledge society, as well as to improve the quality of the labour market and increase the number of highly educated workers by investing budgetary resources in the training of qualified workforce with strategically important skills.

Scholarships are awarded on the basis of a public call for applications. The call is published in the newspaper ‘Glas Slavonije’, on the County website, and on the website of the J.J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, usually in September of the current year. The call for applications is open 15 days from the date of its publication.

Pupils are entitled to a scholarship in the amount of HRK 500 per month over the course of 10 months for one school year, and students are entitled to HRK 1 200 per month for one academic year. Scholarships are paid to pupils for the period from 1 September of the current year to 30 June of the following year, and to students from 1 October of the current year to 31 July of the following year.

Osijek-Baranja County awards scholarships for pupils and students in four categories:

• gifted pupils and students;
• pupils and students attending study programmes for STEM occupations;
• pupils and students attending study programmes for shortage occupations;
• pupils and students of lower socio-economic status.

Shortage occupations and STEM occupations are identified by a special decision of the county prefect for the current school/academic year.

The aim of awarding scholarships to pupils and students attending study programmes for shortage occupations and STEM occupations is to steer pupils and students towards occupations that will make it easier to take up employment and secure a better livelihood for themselves, while at the same time meeting the needs of the labour market in our county. Moreover, Osijek-Baranja County has recognised the importance of financial assistance to socially disadvantaged families that, due to their material difficulties, have trouble meeting basic living needs, and has therefore also included scholarships for pupils and students of lower socio-economic status as a separate category.

Legal bases:
Decision on the Award of Scholarships to Pupils and Students (County gazette No 13/18  i 10/19)