Children and Youth 

Children under 18, who are not accompanied by their parents, and not being cared for by adults (who by law or custom have the responsibility to do so), are assigned temporary guardians immediately after it has been established that they are unaccompanied/separated and prior to the submission of his/her asylum application. 

Temporary guardians should accompany the unaccompanied and separated children (UASC) in all the procedures before the State authorities and ensure that their best interest is met until a durable solution is identified and provided. The guardians assist UASC with accommodation, medical and psychological care, schooling, family tracing, etc. When it comes to accommodation, unaccompanied children may be placed in three specialized child protection institutions run by the State/NGOs, or in asylum centres. 

For more information on unaccompanied and separated children protection, feel free to contact:

• INDIGO – Phone number: + 381 (0) 18 4857 135, E-mail: [email protected]
• UNHCR in Serbia
• KIRS staff in centres.

The children identified as unaccompanied or separated will be placed in one of the three specialized homes: two are in Belgrade (Vodovodska and JRS) and one in Niš. 

Under the Serbian law, all children have the right to free primary and secondary education. Access to education is provided to refugee children immediately and no later than within three months from the date of their arrival in one of the designated facilities. 

There are three levels of education in Serbia:  

• Primary education lasts eight years. It is free of charge and mandatory for all children. By getting good marks through eight grades of primary school, children earn the points needed to enrol into secondary schools. At the end of primary school, children take the final exam. The secondary school the children will then enrol depends on the combination of the points earned during their primary education and the final test results. 
• Secondary education is free of charge but not mandatory. Depending on the type of school, it may last three or four years. The academic score obtained in secondary school is important for enrolment in tertiary education. 
• Tertiary education may last four or more years. It is free of charge only for the best students. Each faculty organizes an entrance exam, which together with the secondary school scores, will determine whether the student will have to pay tuition. The test is in the Serbian language and differs for each faculty. 

Textbooks, field trips and equipment are sometimes provided for free by primary and secondary schools. This does not happen at the tertiary level. 

In addition to State schools, students may opt to attend all levels of private academic institutions. Check the applicable rules and fees for each private academic institution individually.  

The moment you are identified as an unaccompanied or separated child by the authorities/relevant agencies, you will be assigned a legal guardian who will take care of your wellbeing and inclusion into the system, and help you navigate all the procedures.