I’m Thinking of Applying for the Summer School
Who can apply to the Summer School?
We accept applications from graduate students, advance undergraduate students, professionals working in related fields, applicants holding a BA degree who are currently not students but are considering to continue their higher education and pursue a graduate degree, or currently applying for graduate programs, as well from civil society activists.
What sorts of people apply for the Summer School?
The Summer School is truly an international program, attracting a diverse range of people. Each year the Summer School brings over 80 students, professionals and activists from more than 30 countries from all around the world. The majority of the participants are graduate students, alongside a number of professionals (with an academic degree) engaged in civil society or state institutions from a range of fields including: human rights, policy analysis, education for peace and others.
What documents are needed in order to apply for the Summer School?
Aside from completing the online Summer School application form, we do not require any additional documents from you.
Applicants for the EFB Scholarship require an up to date letter of recommendation, sent directly to CFCCS by their recommender, with a signature. For more details, please visit the following web page.
When is the application deadline?
Final deadline to submit your application for the 2018 Summer School is March 30, 2018. Please note that some courses will reach their maximum capacity much earlier than the planned deadline, thus we would recommend that you apply at your earliest convenience in order to reserve your place on the course of your first choice.
What are the English language requirements?
Language of instruction for all courses is English. Even though we do not require TOEFL/IELTS and similar certificates, we strongly recommend that you apply for the Summer School only if you are able to fully comprehend, proficiently communicate and write in English. All the courses rely heavily on students’ participation, in-class discussions, as well as students presentations.
Can I attend more than one course?
You can only attend one course out of the 6 offered this year. We will do our best to match with your preference.
I am not a student at the moment; can I still apply for the Summer School?
If you are currently not a student or if you have already graduated, you may still apply for the Summer School. Though we require that your area of expertise and interests be related to the topics that the Summer School is covering in the social science (human rights, civil society, conflict studies, memory studies, political sciences, peace studies, etc.). Strong motivation letter and your CV will help us learn more about you, your background and the reasons you are applying to the Summer School: please make sure you carefully fill these sections of our online form, and provide us with as much information as possible.
I am an undergraduate student; can I also apply for the Summer School?
Yes, you may apply for the Summer School as an advanced undergraduate student, i.e. if you are about to begin your last year of studies in academic year 2018/19.
How will I be notified about my application?
We communicate with all applicants primarily via email that you provide us with in your application form. Before sending your application form it is important that you double check and make sure all information you entered is correct. You may want to periodically check your spam folder to make sure that our messages are not recognized as spam emails.
Am I allowed to change my course once the Summer School has started?
Once the Summer School starts, you cannot change your course of participation.
How many people will be in a course group?
We estimate the number of participants in each course to be between 10 to 20 students.
Summer School Schedule and Course Materials
What will my schedule look like that week?
Typically you will have a 3.5-hour lecture and a lunch break each day. Your day may start as early as 9 or 10AM, and finish as late as 4PM. We may also offer additional optional activities during the Summer School week, that are typically scheduled to start after the last lecture of the day.
When will I get the Summer School schedule?
A draft version of the Summer School schedule is already available on our website, while the final Summer School daily schedule is usually finalized by the end of May, and will be shared with the participants before the Summer School begins.
Can I know the names and contact details of other participants on my course?
Due to our privacy policy, we cannot provide personal or contact details of other Summer School participants prior to the beginning of the course.
Am I able to contact course lecturers before the start of the course?
Email inquiries should be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and where the CFCCS staff cannot answer a question it will be forwarded to the relevant course lecturer.
Do I need to do any reading before the course starts?
Yes you do! We expect you to come prepared! In order to obtain the maximum from your learning experience in all courses, all reading materials will be available through the online learning platform of the Faculty of Media and Communications (FMK) which will be shared with you prior to the summer school [one month in advance] to allow you enough time for reading and preparing for the course.
Summer School Tuition and Payments
Is there an application fee?
Yes, we require from all accepted applicants to confirm their participation by paying the registration fee. For more information on Summer School tuitions and registration fees for 2018, please visit our website.
Can I pay my tuition fee via PayPal?
We do accept PayPal payments, as the Center for Comparative Conflict studies has an official PayPal account. When confirming your participation, please make sure to specify that you would like to pay your Summer School tuition and/or registration fee via PayPal.
Is it possible to pay the tuition in installments?
We cannot accept Summer School tuition payment in installments.
Can I pay by a bank transfer?
Yes, after being accepted to the Summer School and in order to reserve your place for the course of your choice, we require that you pay the registration fee. We will provide detailed information and instruction for payment in due time to each participant.
After I pay the registration fee via bank transfer, how long does it take for CFCCS to receive it?
Bank transfers can take from 5-10 working days. Please note that these processing times can differ, depending on the country the money is being wired from. Once we receive a statement from the bank, we will contact you to confirm that we have received your payment.
When do I have to pay my tuition fees?
After being accepted to the Summer School, we ask participants to confirm their participation and to pay their registration fee in order to reserve their place in the Summer School course of their first choice. In case we do not receive a confirmation of the registration fee payment, we will not be able to take your participation into consideration.
Summer School ECTS Credits and Certificates
How many credits will I receive for my participation in the Summer School course?
We offer 5 ECTS credits for each of the courses. Upon completing the course requirements successfully, you will be able to transfer credits to your home institution.
Do I have to submit final paper in order to get the ECTS credits? Will I still get a certificate if I don't?
We only give 5 ECTS credits to participants who have successfully completed all course requirements and have submitted their final papers the course lecturer. Specific details on final paper, dates of submission and grading policy are given by each course lecturer. If a participant does not fulfill all course requirements mentioned above, he or she cannot qualify to receive the ECTS credits.
Accommodation in Belgrade
I would like to reserve my accommodation, do you have any suggestions where to look?
If you prefer to find accommodation in a walking distance from the Faculty of Media and Communications (FMK) where the Summer School is taking place, you may want to check the following hostels near Karađorđeva street: New Hostel Belgrade, Hostel Central Station, Hostel Play or Home Sweet Home Hostel.
For Hotels you may want to check Savamala Bed&Breakfast (short walking distance from FMK), Hotel Jump Inn (across the street from FMK) or Hotel Prag (a 10-15 minutes walk).
You may also try Airbnb in Belgrade, we have noticed some great places for rent.
Please note that Summer School participants are responsible for finding and reserving their own accommodation.
Preparing for My Trip to Belgrade…
How do I get to the city center from the airport?
Taxi: You may get a taxi ride from the airport to the city center. Taxi can cost you from 20-35 Euros in one direction. Please make sure to get a coupon from the airports taxi stand at the airport (near the luggage pick up area) and take one of the official registered taxis that are located on the designated area of the airport. IMPORTANT: If you are approached by any taxi driver at the airport arrivals terminal, who may be offering you a “cheaper ride” without a taxi coupon, kindly refuse them as you might end up paying a lot of money and get yourself into a possibly unpleasant situation.
Bus: There are 2 bus lines that you may take from the airport to the city center: Bus #72 takes you all the way to the city center or you may take the minibus shuttle A1. These buses are operating every hour during the day and cost much less than a taxi ride. Usually the price of a bus ticket is around 3 Euros. The bus schedules are not always set though and you may end up waiting for the bus much longer than expected.
Can you arrange airport transfer?
CFCCS does not provide an airport transfer services.
What is the weather like in Belgrade during the summer and how should I pack?
Belgrade in June/July is very warm, with daily temperature of around 26 degrees Celsius. With the global warming, temperature can be much higher in the high 30’s! At night it can get a bit colder, so we recommend layers. It can also be rainy, so pocket umbrella is always a good idea.
What is the average cost of living in Belgrade?
The cost of living in Belgrade can vary and depends on the type of accommodation and preferred dining venues you choose. Accommodation in Belgrade can vary from 10-15 Euros/per night for a hostel, and up to 60-85 Euros/per night for a 3 star hotel in the city center. Breakfast usually costs around 5 Euros, while dinner can cost you from 10 Euros in a fast-food place to 40 Euros if you are dining in a moderately priced restaurant. As for the public transportation cost, you have an option of a 1-day ticket (1.7 Euros), 3-day ticket (6.5 Euros) or 5-day ticket (around 10 Euros) that is valid for buses, trams and trolleys. As for Belgrade nightlife, people usually spend between 10-30 Euros for drinks in clubs/cafes/bars.
Where should I ideally change money?
We would recommend changing your money in the official exchange offices (Menjačnica) that can be found in the city center. We do not recommend to change money in a bank, as the exchange rates are lower than in exchange offices, so you might end up with getting less money from a bank than from an exchange office. If someone on the street offers you to change your money, we would recommend that you kindly decline the offer, as in most cases it is a scam.
Sneak Peek into City of Belgrade
Visa FAQs
Do I need a visa to enter Serbia to part take in the Summer School?
Depending on your nationality you may need a visa in order to enter Serbia. Please visit the website of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia by clicking here, in order to check if you are required to obtain Serbian visa to enter the country.
When should I apply for a visa?
If you are required to obtain a visa to enter Serbia, we would recommend to start with your visa application as soon as you get the confirmation that you have been accepted to the Summer School and after you pay the registration fee. In that way we can assist you with your Serbian visa application by providing an official letter of acceptance to the Summer School.
What support can I have from CFCCS regarding my visa application?
For all applicants who have been accepted to participate in the Summer School and that have paid the registration fee, we are able to support their visa application only by providing an official letter of acceptance to the Summer School. CFCCS cannot act as a guarantee to any Summer School participant.
How long will it take for you to send me the letter of acceptance?
As soon as your participation in the Summer School is confirmed by the payment of your registration fee, we will be able to send you the official letter of acceptance within 3-5 working days.
What if my visa is declined?
According to our policy, as a Center we cannot act as a guarantee to any foreign nationals in their visa application. Hence, if your request for a Serbian visa has been declined, we would recommend to apply again in a short time period. Please note: CFCCS cannot reimburse your registration fee payment, in case you do not receive a Serbian visa.