Psychology, medicine, and dentistry remain among the top choices for high school graduates, according to an analysis of the first enrolment period for the 2026/2027 academic year conducted by Infostud.
Alongside analyzing the enrolment results, the study compared applicant interest in specific faculties and degree programmes against current labor market needs.
As highlighted by Infostud, institutions like the Faculty of Organisational Sciences (FON) and various faculties of economics continue to attract strong interest, with their degrees opening doors to diverse fields – from finance and marketing to analytics, project management, and human resources.
At the same time, certain engineering programmes in mechanical, electrical, and civil engineering lack sufficient applicants, even though employers consistently seek professionals in these fields, the analysis notes.
Psychology Top of the Class; Mental Health in the Spotlight
Psychology proved to be the most sought-after discipline. In Novi Sad, 360 candidates applied for 80 available places (4.5 applicants per place), while Belgrade and Niš each saw 4.2 applicants per place. Its surge in popularity is closely tied to the rising visibility of mental health and psychotherapy, as well as a more open societal attitude towards seeking professional help.
Healthcare fields-including medicine and dentistry-also recorded high demand. In Novi Sad, 242 candidates applied for 52 places in dental medicine (4.7 applicants per place). At the Integrated Medical Studies in Kragujevac, 4.6 applicants competed for each state-funded place, while Novi Sad received 447 applications for 222 places in medicine.
This strong interest in medicine and dentistry stems from the clear, well-defined career path they offer, their distinct social prestige, and the flexibility to work across both public and private sectors.
“At the Faculty of Economics in Belgrade, 1,924 candidates applied, while the Faculty of Organisational Sciences received 1,767 applications. Their appeal largely lies in the fact that graduates are not tied to a single occupation or industry,” the analysis points out, noting that these qualifications allow entry into finance, sales, marketing, analytics, consultancy, logistics, project management, or HR.
IT demand varies dramatically by faculty
While interest in IT studies remains intact, applicant preferences vary significantly depending on the specific faculty and programme.
- High-demand faculties: The Faculty of Electrical Engineering (ETF) in Belgrade received 1,045 applications for 720 places. The Software Engineering and Information Technologies programme at the Faculty of Technical Sciences (FTN) in Novi Sad drew 188 applicants for 80 places (2.4 applicants per place).
- Lower-demand faculties: Conversely, the Electronic Engineering Faculty in Niš registered 432 applicants for 540 state-funded places. At the Faculty of Sciences (PMF) in Novi Sad, Computer Science attracted only 14 candidates for 70 places, while Information Technology received 42 applicants for 80 places.
These figures indicate that while young people continue to pursue tech, they are paying far closer attention to specific degree structures and institutional reputations.
The engineering mismatch
The sharpest contrast between university enrolment and market demand appears in core technical fields:
| Faculty / Programme | Available places | Applicants |
| Technical Faculty in Bor | 240 | 57 |
| Faculty of Civil Engineering, Subotica (Civil Engineering) | 104 | 33 |
| Faculty of Civil Engineering, Subotica (Geodesy) | 30 | 17 |
Profession prestige vs. Market realities
Despite low applicant numbers in these technical fields, employer demand remains robust. Lower student interest can be attributed to the academic rigour of these courses, as well as a lack of clarity surrounding modern engineering careers. Roles in industry, manufacturing, energy, and construction are often less visible than careers in IT, marketing, or management-despite offering opportunities to work on automation, modern infrastructure, energy systems, and large-scale industrial developments.
Infostud concludes that the data does not suggest young people are making the wrong academic choices; rather, they base their decisions on personal preferences, societal prestige, and perception of future careers without full visibility into actual market dynamics.
“High competition at enrolment reflects a programme’s popularity, but it often signals tougher competition in the job market later on. On the flip side, less popular technical disciplines can lead to industries with stable demand and a limited supply of new specialists,” Infostud concluded.
(Newsmax Balkans, 07.08.2026)