The Full Story
Zaklada Histrion
As the Croatian chapter of the Histrion Foundation, Zaklada Histrion shares a dedicated commitment to driving meaningful global change. The challenges before us — from poverty to climate change — are immense, but we believe that doing our part helps move the needle toward a better future.
To advance this mission, we provide annual scholarships to gifted students, removing the financial barriers that stand between them and academic excellence in higher education. We operate on the principle that it "takes a village to raise a child"—and it will take a truly global village to solve the complex challenges of our time.
Education & Outreach
STEM is What’s Needed
The Histrion Foundation is actively collaborating with high school educators in Croatia to identify talented students interested in STEM who may face financial barriers to continuing their education. Our Croatian chapter, Zaklada Histrion, is facilitating this important work.
Roots & Wings Scholarship
For gifted students in Croatia
Applications for the 2026/2027 academic year are now open.
The deadline for submission is September 1, 2026.
To apply or learn more, visit the scholarship page.
The Roots & Wings Scholarship is awarded annually to first-year undergraduate students in Croatia who demonstrate exceptional academic potential but face financial barriers to pursuing higher education. We believe that talent is evenly distributed across society — but opportunity is not. This scholarship exists to correct that imbalance.
Through Zaklada Histrion, our sister organization based in Pula, we work directly with educators and communities across Croatia to identify students whose abilities and drive set them apart. Selected recipients receive €450 per month for up to three years — enough to make a real difference in a young person's ability to focus on their studies, grow their skills, and build the future they are capable of.
The name says it all. We provide the roots — the stability, the support, the belief that someone is in their corner. The student provides the wings.
The Dream Grant supports extraordinarily gifted young Croatians who have earned a place at an international institution but need a helping hand to get there. Some opportunities only exist beyond Croatia's borders — and for the right person, the right opportunity can change everything.
Named in the spirit of Roko Blažević — who represented Croatia at the Eurovision Song Contest and went on to study Vocal Performance at the Los Angeles College of Music with the Foundation's support — this grant recognizes that talent does not stop at national borders, and neither should opportunity. Roko's journey from Split to Los Angeles is proof that with the right support at the right moment, a dream is not just possible. It is inevitable.
The Dream Grant is not awarded on a fixed annual cycle. It is reserved for those rare individuals whose potential, commitment, and willingness to give back to the community that supported them make the case impossible to ignore.
The Dream Grant
For exceptional Croatian talent abroad
Meet Our Scholars
At the Histrion Foundation, we believe that supporting a gifted student is not a transaction — it is a relationship. Every scholar we invest in carries with them our collective belief that their potential is real, their future is bright, and that they will not walk this path alone.
We are proud to introduce the remarkable young people whose talent, drive, and dedication have earned them a place in our family. Meet them, learn their stories, and see firsthand what your support makes possible.
Bit Kids 101
In May 2026, Nora, Nina, Petar, and Marko of Bit Kids 101 — four young robotics enthusiasts from the small Istrian town of Fažana — traveled to Houston, Texas to compete at the FIRST LEGO League World Championship. They came home with the Breakthrough Award. Histrion Foundation is proud to back ambitions that begin in small places and reach the world stage.
We at the Histrion Foundation are dedicated to the success of our active scholars. True to the belief that 'it takes a village,' we are proud to support these brilliant minds as they pursue excellence in STEM:
Through Zaklada Histrion, the Histrion Foundation has awarded a full scholarship to Fabijan Kutić for his undergraduate studies for the period 2025-2028.
Fabijan Kutić
"It is precisely when we face the "impossible" that we truly discover our potential." — Fabijan Kutić, Molecular Biology student at the Faculty of Science, University of Zagreb
Through Zaklada Histrion, the Histrion Foundation has awarded a full scholarship to Anastasia Smolica for her undergraduate studies for the period 2024-2027.
Anastasia Smolica
"I doubt I would have had the chance to attend university without a job. However, I don’t have to worry about that because Histrion has my back, and I’m unimaginably grateful for that. The Histrion Foundation was created with pure kindness, so that aspiring people like me have the chance to achieve what we’ve always imagined and become the people we want to be." — Anastasija Smolica, Student at the Faculty of Engineering, University of Rijeka, Croatia
Through Zaklada Histrion, the Histrion Foundation has awarded a full scholarship to Lara Kukec for her undergraduate studies for the period 2023-2026.
Lara Kukec
"I look forward to the new challenges and opportunities that await me in the university setting." — Lara Kukec, Computer Science Student at Juraj Dobrila University of Pula, Croatia
Once a Histrion scholar, always a member of our village. We remain committed to celebrating the milestones of our former students as they apply their talents to solve real-world challenges across the globe:
Petra Papa (Scholar 2022–2025) The Histrion Foundation’s inaugural scholarship cycle was defined by Petra’s academic excellence at the University of Zadar, where she graduated with high honors in Croatian Language and Literature. Today, she continues her advanced studies, serving as a role model for future scholars in the fields of literature and pedagogy.
Petra Papa
"The Histrion Foundation has been invaluable to me. They ask for nothing in return, their goal is to help those who lack the financial means to study and to make the academic journey easier for gifted students." — Petra Papa, former Student of Croatian Language and Literature and Pedagogy at the University of Zadar, Croatia