Welcome to Serbia

In the path of conquering armies Serbia has been conquered, destroyed and re-built probably more times than any other country in Europe. It was the frontier between the Byzantine and Roman empires, the Ottoman Empire and the Christian West, the Warsaw Pact and NATO. All of them are reflected in Serbia’s diverse heritage from the remains of Roman cities, medieval monasteries, beautiful mosques, to Austro-Hungarian fortresses and baroque churches.

From the flat plains in the north, to the lush rolling hills and wooded valleys brushing against rugged mountains in the south, Serbia’s countryside provides and effective antidote to the bustling modern cities of Belgrade, Novi Sad and Nis.

Serbia’s greatest treasure is certainly its people. Serbian inventors and scientists Nikola Tesla, Mihailo Pupin and Milutin Milankovic, classical composer and great collector of musical heritage Stevan Mokranjac and writer and Nobel Prize winner Ivo Andric, Serbian national basketball and water polo teams and tennis players are renowned throughout the world. Outgoing and talkative, friendly and hospitable, the Serbs are rather relaxed and laid back and the most frequently used phrase every foreigner learns first is nema problema – no problem.

We invite students from all around the world who would like to come to Serbia and spend a year in our beautiful country to send us an e-mail or to contact their local AFS chapter. Since there are so many families who would like to host a student for a year and are eager to include a foreign student in their everyday life we sincerely invite you to come and be one of the first exchange students in Serbia. Don’t be biased by the news, wars, etc! We are one of the most hospitable nations in the entire world and since we don’t have so many foreigners here people like speaking to them, asking them questions about their countries, etc. After a year you will speak Serbian which is lingua franca in the Balkans and you can use it in almost every country on the peninsula.

For further information about Serbia please download the brochure in your language below or send us an e-mail on info.interkultura@afs.org.