A European Bachelor's Degree in Montenegro
Higher Education Based on the Liberal Arts and Sciences Model for Students from Different Countries
Apply or Ask a Question
We’ve temporarily disabled the contact forms on our website to prevent inquiries from being processed by third-party services.
You can contact us directly by email: admissions@liberalarts.me
You can contact us directly by email: admissions@liberalarts.me
authorities, a thorough review of the site’s content and publication formats is required for safety reasons before the full version can be restored. FLAS continues its academic activities as usual.
We’re working on a new website
A limited version of our website is currently available. Following FLAS’s designation as an “undesirable organization” by the Russian
A limited version of our website is currently available. Following FLAS’s designation as an “undesirable organization” by the Russian
Faculty of Liberal Arts
and Sciences (FLAS)
An independent higher education institution with state accreditation and a licence from Montenegro’s Ministry of Education. Its degree enables graduates to pursue further education anywhere in the world or launch a career in Europe, in accordance with the Bologna Process.
Tuition: €2,500 per semester. A 3-year bachelor's program
International student exchange opportunities through Erasmus+
An English-taught program welcoming Russian-speaking students
Residence permit for the duration of studies, with application support.
What and How Do We Teach?
The Liberal Arts and Sciences model is a modern approach to education that offers students freedom of choice and a broad academic perspective. It brings together foundational knowledge from different disciplines while fostering critical thinking, creativity, and adaptability. Our graduates are well-prepared for both further studies and the job market.
Cross-Cultural Linguistics
Media Studies and Journalism
Social Theory
and Sociological Research
and Sociological Research
Art History and Cultural Industriesstory
New Political Science
50+ Elective Courses
Our Main Areas of Specialization
Faculty
FLAS was founded by academics who, because of their anti-war stance, are unable and unwilling to work in Russia. Before 2022, they taught and conducted research at Shaninka, HSE University, RANEPA, European University, and Smolny College.
- Marina KalashnikovaDean of FLAS, PhD in Philology, folklorist, and anthropologist. Prior to 2022, served as Dean of the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the Moscow School of Social and Economic Sciences (Shaninka) and Dean of the Liberal Arts College at the Institute of Social Sciences, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA)
- Victor VakhshtaynSociologist, Senior Researcher at Tel Aviv University, and co-founder of the International Institute for Socio-Legal Studies. Author of Sociology of Everyday Life and Frame Theory, Imagining the City: An Introduction to the Theory of Conceptualization, Technology, or the Charm of Progress, and The Case of Everyday Life. Former Dean and Professor of Sociology at Shaninka, Editor-in-Chief of Sociology of Power, and Director of the Center for Sociological Research at RANEPA.
- Ksenia LuchenkoJournalist, PhD in Philology, researcher of media and religion, and winner of the Enlightener Prize in the Political Enlightenment category. Before 2022, Dean of the Faculty of Media Communications at Shaninka, Head of the Journalism Program at the Liberal Arts College of the Institute of Social Sciences at RANEPA, and curriculum developer for the Moscow Goethe-Institut’s How to Read Media project.
- Ilya KalininCultural historian, critic, research fellow at Humboldt University of Berlin, and lecturer at Smolny Beyond Borders. Before 2022, he was an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences at St. Petersburg State University and a Professor at HSE University, where he directed a master’s program. He also taught as a Visiting Professor at Freie Universität Berlin. His research interests include the history of Soviet culture, cultural politics in contemporary Russia, and the cultural history of natural resources. He is the author of two books and over 200 articles and essays, translated into 15 languages.
- Yan LevchenkoCultural studies scholar, philologist, and journalist with a PhD in Semiotics from the University of Tartu, Estonia. Until 2021, Professor of Cultural Studies at HSE University (Moscow). From 2021 to 2025, editor of the Cinema Texts book series at New Literary Observer publishing house. From 2022 to 2024, journalist and editor at Postimees Media Group (Tallinn). Since 2025, involved in liberal arts education projects (Smolny Beyond Borders, Berlin, and FLAS Montenegro). Since 2026, a staff member of the Department of Language and Communication Studies at the University of Jyväskylä, Finland. Author and editor of several books and numerous academic and journalistic articles on the history of ideas in the humanities, literary and visual culture.
- Daria VrodeResearcher, curator, and co-founder of a cultural center in Belgrade. She works on exhibitions, festivals, and biennials in Russia, Armenia, and Serbia. She writes about art and culture and contributes to specialist publications.
She holds a master's degree in Curatorial Studies and a bachelor's degree in Art History, earned through a joint program between Saint Petersburg State University and Bard College.
FAQ
Accreditation confirms that FLAS programs meet international standards and have been approved by the Montenegrin government. It allows us to welcome students seeking higher education based on the Liberal Arts and Sciences model.
Montenegro is part of the Bologna Process, enabling our students and graduates to pursue internships transfer to European universities, and have their FLAS credits recognized. Our graduates can also apply for master’s programs or enter the job market, just like graduates of other European bachelor’s programs.
The license allows students to obtain a residence permit (boravak) in Montenegro.
Montenegro is part of the Bologna Process, enabling our students and graduates to pursue internships transfer to European universities, and have their FLAS credits recognized. Our graduates can also apply for master’s programs or enter the job market, just like graduates of other European bachelor’s programs.
The license allows students to obtain a residence permit (boravak) in Montenegro.
Montenegro offers a straightforward process for obtaining a student residence permit, a welcoming society, and a relatively low cost of living. Citizens of many countries can enter visa-free. For those who need a visa, FLAS can provide an invitation to support the application process.
Montenegro is also a NATO member and a candidate for European Union membership, consistently affirming its commitment to European values.
In recent years, Montenegro has seen a boom in educational and cultural initiatives and has great potential to become a regional leader in international higher education in the Balkans. We want to contribute to this process, especially as Podgorica, Montenegro’s capital, has been named the European Youth Capital for 2028.
Montenegro is also a NATO member and a candidate for European Union membership, consistently affirming its commitment to European values.
In recent years, Montenegro has seen a boom in educational and cultural initiatives and has great potential to become a regional leader in international higher education in the Balkans. We want to contribute to this process, especially as Podgorica, Montenegro’s capital, has been named the European Youth Capital for 2028.
In Montenegro, a faculty can be an independent higher education institution without being part of a university. A university is a larger-scale institution offering accredited study programs across different academic fields.
The Faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences (FLAS) is a fully licensed higher education institution with an accredited bachelor's program in Liberal Arts and Sciences. Its degree opens up opportunities for further education and professional careers around the world.
In the future, we hope to grow into a university.
The Faculty of Liberal Arts and Sciences (FLAS) is a fully licensed higher education institution with an accredited bachelor's program in Liberal Arts and Sciences. Its degree opens up opportunities for further education and professional careers around the world.
In the future, we hope to grow into a university.
FLAS is an international educational project. Montenegro is our main base and central hub.
For school graduates from post-Soviet countries, entering European universities can be challenging: navigating admission requirements, preparing documents, and figuring out what they want to study and how to achieve their goals. This is especially difficult given the stress many students and their families have experienced in recent years.
Montenegro offers a smoother transition to the European higher education system. Our tutoring and academic advising service supports students and helps them navigate this new environment. Moreover, our bachelor’s program lasts three years, as in many European countries. After graduating, students will be more mature and familiar with the European academic system, ready to pursue a master’s degree in another country.
Tuition at FLAS is lower than at most European universities. Renting accommodation in Montenegro is relatively straightforward, as is obtaining a student residence permit, which also offers opportunities to work while studying.
For school graduates from post-Soviet countries, entering European universities can be challenging: navigating admission requirements, preparing documents, and figuring out what they want to study and how to achieve their goals. This is especially difficult given the stress many students and their families have experienced in recent years.
Montenegro offers a smoother transition to the European higher education system. Our tutoring and academic advising service supports students and helps them navigate this new environment. Moreover, our bachelor’s program lasts three years, as in many European countries. After graduating, students will be more mature and familiar with the European academic system, ready to pursue a master’s degree in another country.
Tuition at FLAS is lower than at most European universities. Renting accommodation in Montenegro is relatively straightforward, as is obtaining a student residence permit, which also offers opportunities to work while studying.
We bring together a unique community of faculty members who taught at leading Russian universities and academic institutions before 2022, including HSE University, Shaninka, Smolny College, Moscow State University, Russian State University for the Humanities, and others. They continue to grow as scholars and educators and are eager to share their knowledge and experience with new generations of students.
In today’s world, academic mobility is high, and universities are becoming increasingly decentralized. Our core team of faculty and administrators lives and works in Montenegro and is directly involved in students’ everyday academic life.
Some of our faculty members live in different countries around the world but come to Montenegro to teach for a semester or an academic module, organize summer schools and academic conferences, and teach online.
In today’s world, academic mobility is high, and universities are becoming increasingly decentralized. Our core team of faculty and administrators lives and works in Montenegro and is directly involved in students’ everyday academic life.
Some of our faculty members live in different countries around the world but come to Montenegro to teach for a semester or an academic module, organize summer schools and academic conferences, and teach online.
Our goal is to prepare graduates to integrate into European societies or build their lives in Montenegro. That is why a significant part of our curriculum is taught in English, and students also learn Montenegrin.
We welcome students of all nationalities and native languages. There is currently strong demand from the Russian anti-war diaspora, so Russian-speaking students will make up a significant proportion of our student body in the coming academic years. However, many of them were neither born nor raised in Russia. Some of our current students are citizens of EU countries.
We welcome students of all nationalities and native languages. There is currently strong demand from the Russian anti-war diaspora, so Russian-speaking students will make up a significant proportion of our student body in the coming academic years. However, many of them were neither born nor raised in Russia. Some of our current students are citizens of EU countries.
Social sciences and humanities programs do not require specialized equipment, laboratories, or testing facilities. That is why we are starting with six majors: Sociology, Digital Humanities, Media Studies, Art History, Political Science, and Linguistics. In the future, we are considering introducing programs in the natural sciences.
To stay up to date with the latest news, we recommend subscribing to our Telegram channel, Liberal Arts Montenegro.
To apply to FLAS, students need a secondary school diploma from any country and proof of English proficiency to ensure they can successfully complete our program. There are two options: applicants can submit international English exam results confirming a level of at least B2, or take our own English proficiency test, which becomes available after submitting their application.
In addition to meeting the English language requirement, applicants must submit a motivation letter and attend an interview.
To apply to FLAS, students need a secondary school diploma from any country and proof of English proficiency to ensure they can successfully complete our program. There are two options: applicants can submit international English exam results confirming a level of at least B2, or take our own English proficiency test, which becomes available after submitting their application.
In addition to meeting the English language requirement, applicants must submit a motivation letter and attend an interview.
Tuition at FLAS is fixed at €5,000 per year. Students can pay per semester or for the full academic year in advance. Discounts are available for students from the same family and for large families.
We do not yet offer scholarships, but we are working toward this goal and have already begun establishing a scholarship fund.
We do not yet offer scholarships, but we are working toward this goal and have already begun establishing a scholarship fund.
Address: Montenegro, I Ulica, Budva 85310
Accreditation: 02-607/24-28/5 23.02.2024
License: 05/2-04-607/24-6849/3 29.05.2025
License: 05/2-04-607/24-6849/3 29.05.2025
