Slovak public universities charge no tuition for programmes taught in Slovak and moderate fees for English-taught ones. The National Scholarship Programme funds international students and researchers for stays of one to two semesters, and doctoral study runs through faculty competitions.
Living costs are among the lowest in the eurozone, which matters when the funding is only partial.
At a glance
| Language | Slovak-taught programmes are free; English-taught ones are fee-paying |
|---|---|
| Tuition | English-taught roughly €2,000–€6,000 a year |
| Living costs for the permit | Around €400–€500 a month evidenced |
| Main intake | September, applications spring to summer |
| Where you apply | Directly to the faculty |
| After graduation | 9 months to seek work |
What they require
- Recognised bachelor's with a nostrification decision
- English or Slovak language certificate
- Motivation letter and CV
- Entrance examination at some faculties
How admission actually works
Faculty-level admission with entrance examinations in several fields, and degree recognition handled by the university or the ministry.
How much does a supervisor matter?
Not needed for master's. Required for doctoral study.
Doctoral candidates apply to an advertised topic with a named supervisor and sit an entrance examination.
When applications open and close
The pattern below is what these systems normally do. Every programme sets its own dates, so treat this as the planning shape and confirm on the official portal linked at the end.
Funding that genuinely exists here
Funds international students, doctoral candidates and researchers for one to two semesters, with two calls a year.
For candidates from partner countries, through diplomatic missions.
Monthly stipends attached to doctoral places.
Documents this country asks for
- Nostrification of the foreign degree
- Apostilled transcripts with translation
- Language certificate
- Proof of funds and insurance for the residence permit
Visa and permit
A temporary residence permit for study, applied for after acceptance, with insurance, accommodation and funds evidence.
After you graduate
9 months to seek work
A nine-month residence permit for job search is available to graduates under the EU directive implementation.
What they favour
- Technical subject preparation
- Applicants open to Slovak-taught study
- Complete recognition paperwork
Where applications fail
- Leaving nostrification late
- Assuming English-taught study is also free
- Missing faculty-specific entrance exams
Official sources
Rules and dates change, sometimes mid-cycle. These are the pages that carry the authoritative version; if anything here disagrees with them, they are right. Reviewed September 2026.