When embarking on the journey to learn the beautiful language of Croatian, understanding the phases one goes through in the educational cycle can be significantly helpful. Not only will this knowledge facilitate smoother communication with native speakers, but it will also provide learners with a clearer roadmap of expected progress and milestones.

Predškolsko obrazovanje – Early Childhood Education
This phase marks the initial stage of formal education in Croatia. It refers to the period before primary school, typically involving children up to six years of age.

Moje dijete pohađa predškolsko obrazovanje i uči kroz igru.

Osnovnoškolsko obrazovanje – Primary Education
Primary education follows and is mandatory for all children. It lasts for eight years, during which students acquire the foundational knowledge across various subjects.

Njezin sin je upravo započeo s osnovnoškolskim obrazovanjem.

Srednjoškolsko obrazovanje – Secondary Education
Croatian secondary education generally lasts four years and students can choose between gymnasium (general education with academic focus) or vocational schools (more career-oriented).

On ide u srednju školu i odabrao je tehničku struku.

Tertijarno obrazovanje – Tertiary Education
Refers to any form of education pursued after completing secondary education. This includes universities and colleges where students can earn bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degrees.

Nakon srednje škole, planira nastaviti s tertijarnim obrazovanjem.

Dodiplomski studij – Undergraduate Studies
Undergraduate studies typically take three to four years to complete and result in a bachelor’s degree, the first level of higher education degrees.

Započela je dodiplomski studij lingvistike prošle godine.

Diplomski studij – Graduate Studies
After obtaining a bachelor’s degree, students may continue to graduate studies, leading to a master’s degree, which usually lasts one to two years.

Razmišljam o upisu na diplomski studij inženjerstva.

Poslijediplomski studij – Postgraduate Studies
Upon completing graduate studies, students can engage in postgraduate studies to attain a doctoral degree, signifying the highest level of academic achievement.

Odlučio je nastaviti s obrazovanjem i upisati poslijediplomski studij.

Cjeloživotno učenje – Lifelong Learning
Lifelong learning is a continuous, voluntary process of acquiring knowledge or skills throughout an individual’s life.

Cjeloživotno učenje pomaže mi ostati konkurentan na tržištu rada.

Jezična kompetencija – Language Proficiency
Language proficiency refers to an individual’s ability to communicate effectively in a language, including understanding, speaking, reading, and writing.

Njezina jezična kompetencija u hrvatskom jeziku značajno se poboljšala.

Understanding the various educational and learning phases in Croatian contributes to better grasping the context of language acquisition and the progression typically encountered by native speakers. For learners of Croatian, this knowledge can provide benchmarks and goals, giving structure to the learning process.