Top 1 summer schools, courses in Montenegro - 14 yo

Variety of Programs
Despite its small size, Montenegro offers students several dozen educational institutions with diverse programs. From well-established international networks to small family camps with unique teaching methods, everyone can find something that suits them.

Affordable Prices
The Balkans are still not widely perceived as an educational tourism destination. However, Montenegro boasts many language courses and camps with national and international accreditation, which confirms that the programs of these educational institutions meet the highest international standards. While in the UK you won’t find programs cheaper than $400 per week and in the USA it’s even more expensive, in Montenegro you can find a good camp for $250-300 per week.

Flexible Visa Policy
Montenegro's visa policy regarding school and student educational trips is still quite liberal and accommodating.

Mild Climate
In the summer, temperatures typically range from 20 to 30 degrees Celsius, and in winter, it can drop to -15, but the sea acts as a massive heat (or cool) reservoir, preventing extreme temperatures.

Diverse Infrastructure
Many Montenegrin cities boast modern and extensive infrastructure for children's recreation. In Bečići and Lovćen, there are water parks with slides and pools for children and teenagers of various ages. Lovćen National Park offers exciting rope courses and climbing walls, while Budva has an amusement park with a variety of attractions for children.

Low Demand for the Serbian Language  
Serbian is not a widely spoken language. Even when considering its closely related languages, Bosnian and Croatian, the total number of speakers is less than 20 million, with most of them living in the Balkans.

False Friends in Translation
Slavic languages are full of words that sound and are written similarly but have opposite meanings! A person who gets used to understanding speakers without dictionaries or translators might think this will always be the case. While it can sometimes lead to harmless puns, it can also result in misunderstandings or even offensive situations.

Arrivals at Montenegrin camps and summer schools begin in June or early July. The duration of the courses varies widely, starting from 2 weeks and extending longer. Camps and schools accept teenagers from the age of 12. Different accommodation options are available, including apartments, residences, hotel rooms, and a boarding school format.

Typically, upon enrollment, students take orientation tests to determine their level of preparation and place them in a group with other students of similar proficiency.

For basic intensity programs, the courses usually involve 24-26 hours of weekly lessons in vocabulary and grammar, local history and culture, writing skills, listening, speaking, and reading.

Some Montenegrin schools and summer camps are accredited by the Ministry of Education, and some are integrated with higher education courses, making them an excellent choice for future students who intend to pursue higher education in Montenegro. In such cases, it is advisable to consider partner higher educational institutions, which may allow course and school graduates to apply for priority or subsidized places.

Language programs and courses in this coastal country not only enhance skills in English, German, or Serbian but also offer the chance to make connections with young people from around the world and experience a memorable summer filled with sports, friendship, fun, joy, and vibrant memories. In addition to traditional educational camps, there are institutions offering folk, historical, and cultural programs, as well as sports camps where new language structures are learned through team games. Extracurricular activities may include drama, dance, photography, singing, or playing musical instruments.

Montenegrin camps are staffed by highly motivated professionals, both local and from other EU countries, many of whom have specialized or medical and psychological training.

Language Camps with Short Programs
These camps cater to children over 12 years old. Sessions typically last from 2 weeks to several months. The program is quite intensive: in addition to 24-28 hours of language instruction per week, students can choose from numerous elective courses and spend their free time on hobbies, excursions, hiking, or outdoor games.

Scout Camps
Most of these camps have opened recently, while others trace their origins back to pre-war scout troops and groups. Children here primarily engage in sports while also developing socially. The language component is less intensive, ranging from 14 to 25 hours per week, with students also participating in volunteer work.

Teenagers usually stay in campsites or boarding houses, and sometimes they are accommodated in tents with peers or counselors. Equipment may either be provided by the camp or purchased individually.

Scout camps offer even lower prices, and local citizens may even enjoy free stays. During their time at camp, students are under constant supervision by adults and can receive psychological support and medical assistance if needed.

Preparatory Schools
These are open not only to expats but also to local children. The main focus of these camps is not on language learning but on preparing students for entry into international schools or universities. Some camps have partnerships with such schools and universities, allowing students who complete the program to use their diplomas and certificates for admissions.

Other camps are focused on preparing students for standard English proficiency tests, such as IELTS or TOEFL.

The first summer recreational and educational institutions for children and teenagers in Montenegro appeared relatively late, after the unification of Yugoslavia. These were scout camps supported by the Ministry of Defense of the Yugoslav Kingdom.

After World War II and the establishment of the communist regime in the late 1950s and early 1960s, Yugoslav authorities set an ambitious goal: to provide every student in the federation with the opportunity for free summer vacation. In Montenegro, alongside regular pioneer camps, there were elite camps for the children of the party nomenklatura. At that time, summer camps were not just places for children to take a break from school but also important for educational and health reasons: until the late 1970s, most cities in the country were heated with coal, and dust and smog did not contribute to health improvement.

In the 1990s, Montenegro was relatively fortunate; it was spared from the hardships of the recent war, although summer health camps declined, with many closing down and others being repurposed. It wasn't until the mid-2000s that the situation began to slowly improve: with the growing interest in obtaining residency and conducting business in Montenegro, the country became an increasingly attractive destination for international educational tourism.