After completing secondary school, you can continue studying at a university. In Slovakia you can choose from state, public, and private universities; the List of universitiesOpens in a new window will help you choose.
On the university portalOpens in a new window you will find all information relating to university studies, and you can easily search for all study programmes related to the field you are interested in. Once you have chosen a university, you can submit your application directly through the portal. If you cannot decide, statistics on employment for individual fields can help — you can find these, for example, on the website of the Central Office of Labour, Social Affairs and FamilyOpens in a new window or at uplatnenie.sk.
Tip
When choosing a study programme, we recommend checking in the Register of Study ProgrammesOpens in a new window whether it is accredited. You can also check, through the “Applicant, student” menu under “Study programmes”, whether the study programme you have chosen is being opened for the current academic year.
After choosing a study programme, find out the admission conditions. Each university, or faculty of a university, sets its admission conditions separately, so it is necessary to check them on the University PortalOpens in a new window or on the website of the specific faculty or university. For some study programmes it is enough to submit only an application, without the subsequent need to pass entrance exams. If you fall within the number of admitted students, you do not need to take an entrance exam. Some study programmes require a certain level of skills, so an entrance exam is compulsory at these schools.
Universities provide study programmes in three levels: the first — bachelor’s, the second — master’s or engineering, the third — doctoral level. The first and second levels can be combined. As a secondary school graduate you apply for bachelor’s studies, or for a combined study programme (e.g. a 6-year doctoral-type study programme in general medicine or a 5-year master’s programme in pharmacy).
You can choose from two forms of study:
An important factor when choosing is also the obligation to pay for studies. In the case of state and public universities, you are entitled to free full-time education at the first (Bc.) and second (Mgr. or Ing.) level. If you have unsuccessfully studied at that level of study in the past, you will pay tuition fees for exceeding the standard length of study. If you decide to study two different study programmes concurrently, the second study programme will be subject to a fee. Part-time (external) study is always paid, with the amount of tuition determined by the school. Studying at a private university is also associated with paying tuition fees.
To fill in the application you can use the Central Electronic Application for university — prihlaskavs.skOpens in a new window, where from one place you can submit an application to multiple universities and multiple study programmes without having to re-enter your personal data repeatedly. You can also log in via social media or an ID card with a chip. If your secondary school uses an online student record book, all your personal and contact details, as well as your secondary school academic performance, will be automatically loaded into the application after you log in to the school information system (e.g. Edupage), i.e. you do not need to enter them manually.
When choosing a university, find out whether the university accepts applications from the Central Electronic ApplicationOpens in a new window, and what level of integration it has.
You can submit the application electronically or in paper form.
Electronic submission of the application:
You can submit the application electronically through the Central Electronic Application for university — prihlaskavs.skOpens in a new window or directly through the information system of the chosen university.
If the university has full integration status with the Central Electronic Application, it gives the applicant feedback including SMS notifications, i.e. the applicant can see the status of their application.
Paper submission of the application:
You can also send the application as a completed paper formOpens in a new window (it can also be bought at a stationery shop) or a printed form generated from the Central Electronic Application, to the university’s address.
Good to know
We recommend submitting the application electronically — you will save both time and money.
The deadline for submitting applications is determined by the schools themselves. For submission, the date the application is sent applies. The basic condition for admission to university is successful completion of secondary school with a school-leaving exam (maturita). Therefore, do not forget to attach a copy of your school-leaving certificate. Since several universities have an application deadline earlier than the school-leaving exams, they accept the school-leaving certificate later. You can find the deadlines on the University Portal.Opens in a new window
Fees associated with the admission process for applicants are determined by the university.
Several universities require entrance exams. They often consist of a test, but for art or technical study programmes you may also encounter professional (talent) exams. Schools notify the applicant of the place and time by an official invitation.
Entrance exams assume professional knowledge, sometimes beyond the scope of a secondary school graduate’s knowledge. There is a lot of quality specialist literature that can help you prepare for the exams. You can find study materials or specialist books online, in libraries, and you can also use the inter-library loan service.Opens in a new window
The admission process at universities is governed by Act No. 131/2002 Coll. on Higher Education Institutions and on Amendments to Certain Acts, as amended; further conditions for the admission process are determined by the faculty or university itself in its internal regulations. The school will inform you of the entrance exam result, usually electronically on its website and subsequently also in writing.
In the case of a negative result, especially if you fall just below the cut-off, you have the right to appeal. Details on when you can appeal and how to write an appeal can be found in the document of the Slovak Centre of Scientific and Technical Information entitled “How to appeal”.Opens in a new window
Together with the information about admission, the university will also send you further instructions needed before starting your studies. It should be noted that you officially become a student only on the day of enrolment. Enrolment usually takes place at the beginning of September, depending on the school. In full-time study you have student status, and so you have no obligation to pay health insurance. However, you are not socially insured,Opens in a new window and you are not entitled to sickness insurance, unemployment insurance, or pension insurance.
If you have chosen part-time (external) study, you must pay social and health insurance as a self-payer or as a self-employed person, or find employment.
You can obtain the finances needed to successfully complete university studies in several ways.
The Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic therefore provides financial assistance for students in the form of:
Alternatively, you can apply for a loan from the Education Support FundOpens in a new window, or turn to commercial banks with a request for a student loan. Some schools also provide a merit-based scholarship for excellent study results. More information is available at the faculty’s study department.
Almost all universities offer the option of completing one or more semesters at a partner university abroad. Given the specifics of individual study programmes, schools coordinate cooperation with foreign universities. More information can be found on the Erasmus+Opens in a new window programme website or from the Erasmus programme coordinator at the school.
Female students who become pregnant while studying at university can apply for a pregnancy scholarship. Under the legislation, they are not entitled to receive the pregnancy benefit from the Social Insurance Agency. A female student has a legal entitlement to the pregnancy scholarship after submitting an application.
Together with the application for the pregnancy scholarship, you must submit a medical certificate confirming that the 27th week before the expected date of birth determined by a doctor has begun. The decision on granting the pregnancy scholarship is made by the university rector or faculty dean. The pregnancy scholarship cannot be paid retroactively.
Proper completion of studies
Studies may end by proper completion, interruption, or other termination, for example abandonment, expulsion, or the death of the student.
You complete university studies by completing the study according to the relevant study programme, on the day the last condition prescribed for the proper completion of studies is fulfilled.
Proof of completion of studies and the award of an academic degree is the university diploma and the certificate of state examinations.
Obligations after completing studies:
More information can be found in the guide to job searching.Opens in a new window
