Study in Slovakia

Why choose Slovakia as an international student

Bordering with 6 other Central European countries, Slovakia is the ideal place for international students who want to experience a great higher education, but also have the chance to explore outside of their studies. Slovakia is a member of the EU and the Schengen Area, meaning that once you have a residence permit, you will find it easy to travel around Europe.

Slovakia has a well-developed education system, which extends to its higher education offerings. There are several publicly funded universities that are tuition fee free for EU/EEA students. You can choose to apply to an academic university or a professional and vocational school, which do not use the word ‘university’.

Outside of your studies, you will find that Slovakia has a multitude of interesting cultural and tourist attractions that you may want to visit. This will allow you to integrate into your new Slovakian life and make the most of your study abroad experience.

Slovakia requires that international students obtain a student visa. For more information about this, see our Slovakia Student Visa Guide.

Universities in Slovakia

The universities of Slovakia are natively named vysoká škola, which translates as ‘as schools of higher education’. These can be divided into the following categories:

• Public – These types of schools of higher education are funded by the government. Examples of public schools of higher education include the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, the University of Trnava and the University of Žilina.
• State – These are schools of higher education that specialise in areas such as defense or medicine. They are publicly funded and are administered by the relevant section of government. Examples of state schools of higher education include the Slovak Medical University and the Police Academy in Bratislava.
• Private – Private schools of higher education do not receive public funding, but are permitted to award degrees to students. Examples of these institutions include Bratislava School of Law, Bratislava International School of Liberal Arts and Danubius University.

Language of instruction

International students from within the EU can study with no tuition fees at public and state schools of higher education in Slovakia, providing that they elect to study in the Slovak language.

Degree courses are also offered at many universities taught in English, with tuition fees ranging from free up to a maximum of around 13,000 Euros per year.

Popular student cities in Slovakia

• Bratislava – Located on the western tip of the country, sharing borders with the countries of Austria and Hungary, Bratislava is the capital and largest city in Slovakia. It is surrounded by beautiful scenery and boasts both a historic old town and a modern city center. International students will find a variety of universities available to choose from, including the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, the Slovak Medical University in Bratislava and Comenius University.
• Košice – Sitting in the east of the country, Košice has a fascinating history and a wonderful old town, and plenty of culture to keep visitors entertained. International students will find a variety of universities here, including the Technical University of Košice, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University and the University of Veterinary Medicine in Košice.
• Nitra – Located in western Slovakia, Nitra is a city steeped in history and with two public universities for international students to consider, the University of Constantinus the Philosopher and the Slovak University of Agriculture.
• Prešov – Situated in the east of the country, to the north of Košice, Prešov is a city with a rich history that provides visitors with many sporting activities and pastimes to engage in. Students may wish to consider the public University of Prešov and the private International Business College ISM Slovakia in Prešov.

The top ranked universities in Slovakia

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Common student questions

Can I study in Slovakia for free?

Most public and state universities in Slovakia offer their courses to international students from the EU/EEA area with no tuition fees. If you are from a country outside of the EU/EEA area or choose to attend a private university, you will have to pay tuition fees, which can be set by each university individually. or more information about fees to study in Slovakia, see our Costs of Studying in Slovakia section.

Can I study in Slovakia as an international student?

Slovakia would be a great place to study for any international student. You will gain a good quality education in a centrally located country. As an international student, you will likely need to obtain a visa in order to study in Slovakia. For more information about this, take a look at our Slovakian Student Visas section.

Can international students work in Slovakia?

International students are permitted to work alongside their studies in Slovakia, as long as they have a student residence permit. This permit allows students to work part-time for up to 20 hours per week whilst they are studying at a university.

More information about Slovakia

Language Requirements

The official language of Slovakia is Slovak.

Studying and living in Slovakia is a great chance to mix with other students from different countries and pick up a new language. Making an effort to communicate with your coursemates and locals in Slovak will help you to improve your language skills much faster.

Bachelor’s and masters degree programmes are offered in English and Slovak, with the options for English language programmes increasing each year.

No matter what language you choose to study in, you might have to prove that your language skills will meet the teaching standards. If they don’t meet these standards, it is common for institutions to offer language courses. For more information about language testing, see our article on English Language Testing for International Students.

Further Reading

• Degrees in Slovakia
• Masters in Slovakia
• Slovakia Student Visa Guide

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