LIVING IN BANJA LUKA

About Banja Luka

Banja Luka is the second largest city in Bosnia and Herzegovina and the largest city of Republika Srpska. Banja Luka is also the de facto capital of this entity. It is the traditional centre of the densely-forested Bosanska Krajina region of northwestern Bosnia. According to the 2013 census, the city proper has a population of 138,963, while its administrative area comprises a total of 185,042 inhabitants. The city is home to the University of Banja Luka as well as numerous entity and state institutions for Republika Srpska and Bosnia and Herzegovina respectively. The city lies on the Vrbas river and is well known in the countries of the former Yugoslavia for being full of tree-lined avenues, boulevards, gardens, and parks. Banja Luka was designated European city of sport in 2018.

Accommodation

International students will have to organize accommodation on their own, i.e. look for private rental accommodation. Rents vary greatly according to location, room size, facility etc. Our University do not provide any dormitories, but we have conections with several hostels in the town. Hostels are not as affordable as halls of residence/dormitories, however, for those international students who have not rented an apartment prior to their arrival in Banja Luka, staying at a hostel while looking for a room/flat/house to rent is highly recommended. The best way to do this is to search for different offers on the following web-portals:
Hostels in Banja Luka

Renting an apartment in Banja Luka can sometimes be challenging. Always make sure that you see apartment in person, to make sure it matches pictures on the Internet. Renting an apartment is great choice for multiple students who come together in Banja Luka. It is the cheapest way to find an accommodation and to have more private space than in the hostels. Here are some links that can help you to check out the options.

Healthcare

It is important that during your mobility to Banja Luka (Republika Srpska, Bosnia and Herzegovina) you have (and use during entrance/exit) valid passport. Passport will be important document for regulating residence permit. Check validity of your passport (it is important that your passport is valid, meaning that it will not expire during your stay in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Bringing passport is a MUST for students (since you are staying here longer than 3 months for academic purposes, you will need to sort out your Residence permit
Note: Citizens of the European Union Member States do not require visa for entrance to Bosnia and Herzegovina which of course applies to students – citizens of the EU Member States. They do not need to obtain student visa. However, in order to stay in Bosnia and Herzegovina longer than three (3) months for academic/administrative purposes it is required to regulate your residence permit. Citizens of non-European countries need to check if they need student visa to enter Bosnia and Herzegovina with the embassy of Bosnia and Herzegovina in their home countries.

Transport

You can use public transport / buses. They operate all day and night. Tickets can be bought on board or at newsstands. Arriving at different parts of the city by bus could not be a problem, because they drive to almost every part of the city.

More info and timetable at:
http://www.banjaluka.rs.ba/gradjani/saobracaj/javni-prevoz/red-voznje-gradskog-prevoza/

Besides public transport, you can drive by taxi. They are very affordable and available at any part of the day. You can call them or order by an app. On the following link you can check the list of the taxi numbers, but also the prices.

https://www.banjaluka.rs.ba/gradjani/saobracaj/taksi-prevoz/

Cycling in Banja Luka is also very popular way of transport, but you need to be aware that you have cycling paths only in some parts of the city, so you need to pay more attention on the road while driving, when there are not any. If you do not have a bike on your own, you can also rent a bike.

Food and drinks

Banja Luka is well-know as a city with a wide range of food and drink. When it comes to the food, you can choose between Italian, Greek, Chinese, American, German and more others cuisines. But one that you really need to try is Bosnian. The most popular are burek or ćevapi, but you would not regret trying any Bosnian dish. You can go to the restaurants, but you have other options too, like ordering your food by Ceger or Glovo or getting your food on the street, in the fast food restaurants. Coffee is the drink that is drunk by almost every person in Banja Luka. You can find different types of coffee, as well as other drinks.

Free time

There are plenty activities that you are able to do in your free time, in Banja Luka. Some of them are visiting our Museums, Theaters or Libraries. But, the most popular are going to the cinemas. Here, you can find two cinemas, Cineplexx Palas or Cinestar in Delta Planet. If you are more into shopping, you can go to the Boska or Delta Planet.

When it comes to the nightlife, clubbing is very popular in this city. On this website, you can check out one of the most popular ones: https://www.tourismbih.com/location/banja-luka/?cat=nightlife

If you are looking for some sports, or the recreation, you can visit our swimming pools, gyms and sports centers.

Other informations

Currency

The Bosnian Convertible Marka is the currency of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Name: Bosnian Convertible Marka
Symbol: KM
Minor Unit: 1/100 = Fening
1 BAM = 0.511292 EUR
1 EUR = 1.95583 BAM

Emergency Phone Numbers

AMBULANCE: 124
POLICE: 122
FIRE SERVICE: 122