Slovakia

Tuition

Public universities set fees by language of instruction, not by nationality: full-time study taught in Slovak is free of charge for EU and non-EU students alike, as long as the standard length of the programme is not exceeded. Programmes taught in English or another foreign language charge tuition for every student regardless of citizenship; the national Study in Slovakia portal states these fees are set individually by each faculty and range from EUR 0 to about EUR 13,000 per academic year. Selected programmes go higher still - the Ministry of Education's Portal VS lists English-taught Medicine/Dentistry programmes at Comenius University Bratislava priced up to about EUR 14,500 per year. Private universities and students admitted under bilateral international agreements follow their own separate fee rules. Always check the current fee list of the specific faculty before applying. ^{[1] [2]}

Visa

Temporary residence permit for the purpose of study, issued for the expected duration of the studies (up to 6 years) and renewable for up to 5 further years; third-country nationals who need a visa to enter Slovakia typically first obtain a Slovak national visa in order to travel and apply in person. — 80 hours per month (third-country nationals holding a temporary residence permit for the purpose of study; no separate work permit required within this limit). ^{[3] [4] [5]}

Applications

There is no single nationwide application deadline: each higher education institution and faculty sets its own admission timeline. For programmes taught in a foreign language, the Study in Slovakia portal notes that the submission deadline is set individually by each institution/faculty. For Slovak-taught programmes, applications for a September start are usually due by the end of February or March, with entrance exams held between June and September; art academies close applications earlier, by the end of November, and hold entrance exams already in January. Doctoral admissions and English-taught medicine programmes often run on separate, sometimes earlier, timelines - always confirm exact dates on the chosen faculty's own admissions page. ^{[1] [6]}

Application portals

• Study in Slovakia (SAIA) – Admission and Tuition Fees
• Portal VS – Central Electronic Application (PrihláškaVŠ.sk)
• Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava – How to Start to Study
• Technical University of Košice – International Applicants

Language

Slovak. Slovak public and private universities offer a broad range of full English-taught degree programmes alongside free Slovak-taught study, with especially long-standing English-taught tracks in medicine, dentistry and pharmacy as well as growing offerings in engineering, IT, economics and law. The accredited foreign-language programmes of each institution are listed by the national Study in Slovakia portal and by the individual faculties. ^{[7] [1]}

Health insurance

Health insurance is mandatory for every international student in Slovakia, and proof of cover is required to obtain a temporary residence permit; third-country nationals must take out insurance within 3 working days of receiving their residence document. EU/EEA/Swiss students can use the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) on the same terms as Slovak nationals. Non-EU students generally need private commercial health insurance unless they hold a scholarship under an intergovernmental agreement or an eligible public programme (including the National Scholarship Programme, CEEPUS and Erasmus+ for stays of more than one month); in that case they are covered by Slovak public health insurance free of charge, but must actively register with one of the three insurers (VšZP, Dôvera or Union) after arrival. This is general orientation, not insurance or legal advice - requirements should be confirmed with the responsible Slovak embassy/consulate, the Foreign Police or the host institution before applying. ^{[8] [3]}

Universities

• Comenius University Bratislava, Bratislava ^{[12] [2]}
• Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, Bratislava ^{[13] [14]}
• Technical University of Košice, Košice ^{[15] [10]}
• Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice, Košice ^[16]
• University of Economics in Bratislava, Bratislava ^{[17] [9]}

Scholarships

• National Scholarship Programme of the Slovak Republic (NSP) — State-funded mobility scholarship, financed by the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth and administered by SAIA, for study or research stays in Slovakia - not for full bachelor's, master's or PhD degrees. It funds master's-level students already enrolled abroad (in their 2nd degree cycle, or with at least 2.5 years of study completed) for 1-2 semesters, PhD students for 1-10 months, and university teachers, researchers or artists for 1-10 months, plus a distance-based travel grant. ^[18]
• Scholarships of the Government of the Slovak Republic — Development-cooperation scholarship of the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth, funding a full Bachelor's, Master's or PhD degree in the Slovak language at a Slovak public university, including a preparatory 10-month Slovak-language course where needed. Applications are submitted online at vladnestipendia.sk. ^{[19] [20]}