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Key Facts: Državna Matura Philosophy Exam

Administered centrally across the Republic of Croatia by NCVVO (Nacionalni centar za vanjsko vrednovanje obrazovanja).

Regulated under the national legal framework of the Pravilnik o polaganju državne mature (NN 56/2026).

Comprises 74 total scoreable points administered in a single 150-minute testing session.

The national minimum passing score is 30% (22.20 out of 74 points) for the grade dovoljan (2).

Standard grade thresholds: dobar (37.00 pts), vrlo dobar (51.80 pts), and odličan (62.90 pts).

Covers four blueprint domains: Ontology/Metaphysics (25%), Epistemology (25%), Ethics (25%), and Political/Contemporary Philosophy (25%).

Includes multiple-choice questions, matching items, conceptual definitions, and historical fragment analysis.

No auxiliary aids, philosophical glossaries, or electronic devices are permitted; only a ballpoint pen is allowed.

Registration is managed centrally via the Postani-student online admission system.

Results are directly integrated into university faculty ranking lists throughout Croatia.

The Croatian Državna matura in Philosophy is a 150-minute, 74-point national elective exam evaluating ontology, epistemology, ethics, and political philosophy; 22.20 points (30%) is required to pass.

Sample Državna Matura Philosophy Practice Questions

Try these sample questions to review concepts for the Državna Matura Philosophy exam. Each question includes a detailed explanation. Start the interactive quiz above for the full 100+ question experience with AI tutoring.

1Which primordial element did Thales of Miletus identify as the single material principle (arche) underlying all physical reality?
A.Water (hydor)
B.Air (aer)
C.Fire (pyr)
D.The Boundless (apeiron)
Explanation: Thales of Miletus posited water (hydor) as the primary material principle (arche) of the cosmos, arguing that all things originate from moisture, nourishment is moist, and the earth rests upon water.
2How did Anaximander define the primary cosmic principle (arche) in contrast to his predecessor Thales?
A.As condensed air circulating through cosmic rarefaction
B.As the Apeiron, an indefinite, boundless, and qualitatively indeterminate source
C.As a harmonious mathematical ratio governing the heavenly spheres
D.As a ceaseless physical war between hot and cold elements
Explanation: Anaximander rejected specific physical elements like water because determinate opposites destroy one another; instead, he posited the Apeiron (the boundless or indefinite), an eternal, boundless reservoir from which all determinate opposites emerge and to which they return.
3According to Anaximenes, through which dual physical processes does the fundamental substance of air transform into all diverse natural entities?
A.Love and Strife
B.Separation and integration of unchanging seeds
C.Rarefaction (manosis) and condensation (pyknosis)
D.Dialectical negation and synthesis
Explanation: Anaximenes argued that air (aer) changes in density: when rarefied (manosis) it becomes fire, and when progressively condensed (pyknosis) it turns into wind, cloud, water, earth, and finally stone.
4Which philosophical principle best captures Heraclitus's doctrine that constant change and the tension of opposites are ordered by an underlying cosmic law?
A.The Eleatic unmoving sphere of Being
B.The mechanistic collision of indivisible atoms
C.The transcendent perfection of immaterial archetypes
D.The universal flux (panta rhei) governed by the divine Logos
Explanation: Heraclitus asserted that all entities are in continuous transformation ('panta rhei', everything flows), symbolized by ever-living fire, but this flux is not chaotic; it is harmonized and measured by the rational cosmic order known as the Logos.
5What is the primary ontological thesis of Parmenides concerning the nature of Being (to eon)?
A.Being is one, ungenerated, imperishable, indivisible, and completely unmoving
B.Being is a perpetual becoming that dialectically arises out of absolute Nothingness
C.Being is an infinite aggregate of void and endlessly changing geometric corpuscles
D.Being is divided into an imperfect earthly realm and a perfect celestial realm
Explanation: Parmenides asserted that Being (to eon) is uncreated, indestructible, indivisible, motionless, and uniform ('it is, and it is impossible for it not to be'), because non-being (nothingness) cannot be thought, spoken of, or exist.
6In the materialist atomism of Democritus and Leucippus, what constitutes the two fundamental constituents of all reality?
A.Form (morphe) and matter (hyle)
B.Indivisible solid bodies (atoma) and the empty space or void (kenon)
C.Qualitative seeds (spermata) and cosmic intellect (nous)
D.The four elements (stoicheia) and mechanical friction
Explanation: Democritus and Leucippus resolved the Eleatic problem by asserting that being consists of infinite, indivisible, microscopic solid particles (atoma) moving endlessly through non-being, which they identified physically as the empty void (kenon).
7How does Plato's dualistic ontology divide reality in his classic metaphysical dialogues?
A.Between the mechanical cosmos and the human subjective soul
B.Between existing physical matter and complete non-existence
C.Between the intelligible realm of eternal Forms and the sensible realm of changing phenomena
D.Between divine predestination and human indeterminacy
Explanation: Plato's metaphysical dualism posits two separate realms: the intelligible world (kosmos noetos) of perfect, immutable, eternal Forms (eide), which constitutes true Being; and the sensible world (kosmos aisthetos) of physical, transient objects, which are imperfect copies (shadows) participating in those Forms.
8In Plato's Republic, what ontological and epistemological role is ascribed to the Form of the Good (idea tou agathou)?
A.It is a subjective human convention created to maintain social cohesion
B.It is an empirical category derived through induction from beautiful sensible bodies
C.It is a secondary moral virtue subordinated to geometric truths
D.It is the supreme principle that imparts both existence to all Forms and intelligibility to the knowing mind
Explanation: Analogized to the sun in the visible world, the Form of the Good (idea tou agathou) is the highest reality in Plato's hierarchy of Being; it bestows truth on objects of knowledge and the power of knowing on the intellect, while standing beyond being in dignity and power.
9What is the core claim of Aristotle's hylomorphism regarding the metaphysical constitution of individual substances (ousia)?
A.Every sensible substance is an inseparable compound of underlying matter (hyle) and organizing form (morphe)
B.Forms exist independently in a separate transcendent realm and merely cast shadows upon matter
C.All physical substances are reducible exclusively to uniform quantitative matter without real forms
D.Form and matter are two incompatible substances that interact only via divine intervention
Explanation: Aristotle's hylomorphism (from hyle, matter, and morphe, form) asserts that concrete individual substances (primary ousia) are neither bare unformed matter nor free-floating forms, but unified compounds where form actualizes the potentiality of matter.
10In Aristotle's doctrine of the Four Causes (aitiai), which cause explains the purpose, goal, or completed end for the sake of which a change occurs?
A.The material cause (causa materialis)
B.The final cause (causa finalis)
C.The efficient cause (causa efficiens)
D.The formal cause (causa formalis)
Explanation: The final cause (causa finalis or telos) is the goal, end, or purpose 'for the sake of which' (hou heneka) an entity exists, develops, or acts, forming the core of Aristotle's teleological metaphysics.

About the Državna Matura Philosophy Exam

The Državna matura in Philosophy (Filozofija) is a standardized national elective examination administered across the Republic of Croatia by the National Centre for External Evaluation of Education (Nacionalni centar za vanjsko vrednovanje obrazovanja — NCVVO). Conducted pursuant to the Pravilnik o polaganju državne mature (NN 56/2026) and the annual philosophical subject catalogue (Ispitni katalog za državnu maturu iz Filozofije), the examination evaluates graduating students on their analytical comprehension of fundamental philosophical problems, historical traditions, and original textual fragments. The test comprises 74 scoreable points administered over a single 150-minute testing window without auxiliary aids. Candidates demonstrate mastery across four equally weighted structural domains: Ontology/Metaphysics (25%), Epistemology (25%), Ethics (25%), and Political, Historical & Contemporary Philosophy (25%). The test incorporates closed multiple-choice questions, matching items, short-answer conceptual definitions, and contextual analysis of selected primary texts from seminal Western thinkers. Passing the exam with a score of at least 30% (22.20 points) earns the grade dovoljan (2), with higher point thresholds required for admission into prestigious humanities and social science faculties including Philosophy (Filozofski fakultet), Faculty of Political Science (FPZG), Faculty of Law (Pravni fakultet), and psychology programs throughout Croatian universities.

Exam sponsor: NCVVO. The requirements and fees below concern the certification or admission exam, separate from our free practice resources.

Questions

74 questions

Time Limit

150 minutes

Passing Score

22.20 out of 74 points (30%)

Exam / Certification Fees

Free for regular seniors; fee per exam applies for re-sits/external candidates.

Exam sponsor website

Fees, eligibility, and exam policies can change. Confirm them with the exam sponsor before applying or paying.

Our practice resources: topics covered

We aim to reflect publicly available exam outlines and topic information in our study resources. Coverage, format, and difficulty may differ from the actual exam, and we cannot guarantee that every detail is accurate or current. Confirm exam requirements, fees, and policies with the official exam sponsor.

25%

Ontologija / Metafizika (Ontology & Metaphysics)

Theories of being, fundamental substance, monism, dualism, and pluralism; materialism and idealism; metaphysical doctrines from Presocratic arche to Plato's realm of Forms, Aristotle's hylomorphism and teleology, Descartes' dualism, Spinoza's monistic substance, Leibniz's monadology, and Hegel's absolute idealism.

25%

Gnoseologija / Spoznajna teorija (Epistemology)

Origins, structure, and boundaries of human knowledge; rationalism versus empiricism; Kantian critical philosophy and synthetic a priori judgments; epistemological skepticism, theories of truth (correspondence, coherence, pragmatic), and methodological foundations from Bacon, Descartes, Locke, Berkeley, Hume, and Kant.

25%

Etika (Ethics & Moral Philosophy)

Foundations of moral philosophy; normative frameworks including Kantian deontology, utilitarianism, and Aristotelian virtue ethics; eudaimonism, hedonism, stoic ataraxia, moral relativism, and contemporary bioethics; moral positions of Socrates, Aristotle, Kant, Bentham, and Mill.

25%

Filozofija politike, povijesti i suvremena filozofija (Political, Historical & Contemporary Philosophy)

Theories of the state, sovereignty, justice, and liberty; social contract traditions (Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau); historical materialism and critique of capitalism in Marx; Nietzsche's revaluation of values; 20th-century phenomenology, existentialism (Sartre, Camus), Frankfurt School critical theory, and hermeneutics.

Preparing for the Državna Matura Philosophy Exam

What You Need to Know

  • Passing score: 22.20 out of 74 points (30%)
  • Exam length: 74 questions
  • Time limit: 150 minutes
  • Exam / certification fees: Free for regular seniors; fee per exam applies for re-sits/external candidates. Official sources

Using Our Practice Resources

  • Work through all 100 available questions
  • Review every answer and explanation
  • Track weak areas and revisit them
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Državna Matura Philosophy: Suggested Study Strategy

1Master the core philosophical terminology and categories: clearly distinguish between ontological positions (monism, dualism, pluralism, materialism, idealism) and epistemological positions (rationalism, empiricism, sensualism, criticism, skepticism).
2Study Kantian philosophy thoroughly: understand the distinction between a priori and a posteriori knowledge, analytic and synthetic judgments, phenomena and noumena, and the formulation of the categorical imperative versus hypothetical imperatives.
3Compare contrasting thinkers systematically: construct comparative tables for the social contract theorists (Hobbes, Locke, Rousseau) covering their view of human nature, the state of nature, the sovereign power, and the right to rebel.
4Practice close reading of philosophical fragments: when reviewing past papers, identify key dialectical moves, contextual definitions of terms like logos, ousia, tabula rasa, or alienation, and the author's primary argument.
5Focus on ancient Greek foundations: ensure precise understanding of Presocratic arche concepts, Plato's theory of Forms and allegory of the cave, and Aristotle's four causes, hylomorphism, and virtue ethics as the golden mean.
6Simulate full 150-minute exam sessions: complete official past exams released by NCVVO under timed conditions to refine your pacing across multiple-choice questions and lengthy fragment analyses.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the format and duration of the Državna matura Philosophy examination?

The exam consists of a single written paper lasting 150 minutes without intermission. It contains tasks worth a maximum total of 74 points, structured into multiple-choice questions, matching tasks, short-answer definition questions, and analytical text-interpretation questions based on primary philosophical fragments.

What is the minimum passing threshold for the Philosophy matura exam?

The minimum passing threshold (prag prolaznosti) for grade dovoljan (2) is set at 30%, which corresponds to 22.20 out of 74 points. Grade cutoffs for higher marks generally align with: dobar (3) at 50% (37.00 points), vrlo dobar (4) at 70% (51.80 points), and odličan (5) at 85% (62.90 points), as confirmed annually by NCVVO.

Which university programs in Croatia require or evaluate Državna matura Philosophy?

Philosophy is a premier elective examination evaluated or required for admission to faculties of humanities and social sciences (Filozofski fakulteti in Zagreb, Split, Rijeka, Zadar, and Osijek), faculties of political science (FPZG), sociology, psychology, cultural studies, and law faculties where analytical thinking and humanities foundations award competitive entrance points.

Are candidates allowed to bring textbooks, philosophical dictionaries, or notes into the exam?

No aids or reference materials are permitted during the examination. Candidates may only bring standard writing utensils (a blue or black ballpoint pen). Dictionaries, philosophical anthologies, personal notes, and mobile devices are strictly forbidden in the examination hall.

How are philosophical fragments evaluated on the exam?

The exam packet includes authentic historical excerpts from key philosophical works (such as Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Kant, Mill, or Nietzsche). Candidates must identify the author or school, extract the primary thesis, interpret specific terminology within the author's philosophical system, and distinguish the position from opposing doctrines.

Is there a penalty or negative marking for incorrect answers on multiple-choice items?

There is no negative marking on the Croatian Državna matura. Unanswered questions or incorrect choices receive 0 points. Candidates should always select an answer for every multiple-choice item even if they are uncertain.

When is the Philosophy matura exam administered and how do candidates register?

The exam is administered during the summer examination period (ljetni rok) in June, with a second autumn examination period (jesenski rok) in late August or early September. Candidates register electronically through the central national portal Postani-student within deadlines established by NCVVO.