1. What needs to be prepared by an EU citizen before they ‘start dealing with authorities’ (tools, documents, documentation, certificates, etc.) and where can they find/obtain this?
Before you attempt to fulfil your obligations or exercise your rights, prepare the following:
- If you are a Union citizen: Evidence of the highest level of educational attainment (recognition of a diploma/certificate is required);
- If you are not a Union citizen, you will need to: Evidence of the highest level of educational attainment (recognition of a diploma/certificate is required).
2. What should citizens expect
Selecting a higher education institution
In Slovakia, the following institutions provide higher education:
- public higher education institutions;
- state higher education institutions (military, medicine, police);
- private higher education institutions;
- foreign higher education institutions – based on authorisation to provide higher education on the territory of the Slovak Republic.
The list of higher education institutions in Slovakia
Register of universities
The list of higher education institutions - Ministry of Education (only in Slovak)
Study programmes are classified at three levels:
- First level – bachelor study programmes;
- Second level – master, engineer and doctor study programmes;
- Third level – doctoral study programmes.
The first and second levels may be organised as continuous first and second level studies.
Study programmes are delivered full-time or part-time, while both types can be pursued on campus or by enrolling in a distance study programme, or a combined method of learning.
Study programmes divided by the fields of study.
Academic year
Academic year starts on 1 September of the current year and ends on 31 August of the following year. It consists of two semesters (winter and summer), or three trimesters.
Admission procedure
Admission criteria
The basic criterion for admission to a bachelor programme is attainment of complete secondary education or complete secondary vocational education. Graduates of secondary schools with a school leaving certificate issued upon passing the school leaving exam meet this criterion. For applicants who have obtained the required education abroad, the basic criterion is the recognition that the passed school leaving examination and evidence of the completed level of education correspond to the statutory requirements for the level of complete secondary education.
The basic criterion for admission to the second level study programme is attainment of the first or second level of higher education.
The basic criterion for admission to the doctoral study programme is attainment of the second level of higher education.
The higher education institution may determine additional admission criteria to ensure that applicants with the necessary abilities and prerequisites are admitted. The criteria and the method of verifying their fulfilment should allow the selection of candidates who show the highest degree of ability to study.
Each higher education institution provides its own information on additional admission criteria (required education, applying, the admission procedure, the required outcome of the admission procedure, the application fee, etc.).
The higher education institutions also determine the number of students to be admitted. If more applicants meet the admission criteria, applicants showing the highest level of abilities will be admitted.
The admission procedure differs depending on the chosen higher education institution, and it includes in particular:
- completing and submitting the application;
- attaching the required documents; and
- taking the entrance examination.
Just as the higher education institution invites you to take part in the admission procedure, it also informs you about the evaluation, i.e. of being admitted or not being admitted for study.
Note:
In the event of a negative result (especially if applicants placed close to the admission threshold), applicants have the right to lodge an appeal. |
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Note:
The higher education institution or faculty has the right to ask the admitted applicants if they plan to enrol for the study. The applicants are required to provide the higher education institution or faculty with this information before the academic year starts. If the applicants do not communicate their intention to enrol within the deadline, they lose the right to enrol in the study programme.
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Applications may be submitted:
- electronically;
- in paper form.
An electronic application (‘e-application’) should be filed through the website of the relevant higher education institution/faculty or through Prihlaska.sk. An e-application is considered to be a full-fledged application, as is an application in paper form. To submit an e-application successfully, you need to print it and then send it to the relevant faculty (by the deadline for submitting applications).
The application in paper form should be sent by post or delivered in person to the address of the higher education institution/faculty. Paper application forms can be purchased in stores selling model forms (e.g. ŠEVT), in selected stationery stores, or they can be downloaded from the website of the relevant higher education institution/faculty and from the website of the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic (only in Slovak).
Deadlines to apply
The application has to be delivered within the deadline set by the faculty or higher education institution. Schools that hold a talent assessment accept applications from as early as November. Most schools generally accept applications from February to May. Some faculties also accept applications during an additional period from June to September.
The deadlines for submitting applications are available on PortalVS.sk.
For more information, consult the study department and website of the specific higher education institution/faculty. The websites also include instructions on how to fill in the e-application and application in paper form, the entrance examination fee, how to document the payment, required attachments and dates of entrance exams.
Tuition and other fees
Full-time study programmes at public and state higher education institutions in the Slovak language are free of charge during the standard length of study.
Tuition and other fees for individual study programmes provided in a foreign language or part-time form are determined by each higher education institution separately. More information on tuition fees and other fees is available on PortalVS.sk or will be provided directly by the higher education institution.
Tuition fees and other fees for students studying based on inter-state agreements are governed by provisions of these agreements. The provisions do not apply to foreign students with a permanent residence in Slovakia.
The Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic provides financial assistance for students in the form of scholarships. You can get more information from the relevant higher education institution.
Proper completion of study
Higher education ends with the completion of the study under the relevant program, on the day when the last of the criteria prescribed for the proper completion of the study of the given study programme is fulfilled.
Evidence of proper completion of study
The evidence of proper completion of an accredited study programme and of obtaining an academic degree is a higher education institution diploma and certificates of state examinations. The graduate will also receive a diploma supplement.
Higher education institutions award the following academic degrees to graduates:
First level (Slovak National Qualifications Framework – SKKR/EQF level: 6):
Second level (SKKR/EQF: 7):
- Master (Mgr.), Master of arts (Mgr. art.);
- Engineer (Ing.) in technical, agricultural and economic fields of engineering programmes, and in architecture and urbanism an academic degree of Architect (Ing. arch);
- Doctor of general medicine (MUDr.) in the field of general human medicine, doctor of dentistry (MDDr.) in the field of human dental medicine;
- Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (MVDr.) in the field of veterinary medicine.
Third level (SKKR/EQF level: 8):
- Doctor – philosophiae doctor (PhD.);
- Doctor of arts – artis doctor (ArtD.);
- Licentiate of Theology (ThLic.) after the first comprehensive part of doctoral studies in the field of Catholic Theology.
3. Who should citizens contact when they need assistance or advice?
You can get more information from the relevant higher education institution/faculty. If needed, you can also contact the Section of higher education institutions at the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic (only in SLovak), Stromová 1, 813 30 Bratislava, svs@minedu.sk.
Useful links: