INFORMATION FOR UKRAINIANS CONCERNING STUDY IN SLOVAKIA

Перекласти з англійської на українську (через Google Translate)

This webpage is focused on providing helpful information to displaced Ukrainian students or individuals who would like to begin their university studies while staying in Slovakia. We want to provide you with answers to possible questions you may have in this regard. Note that there is also an official governmental web for Ukrainian refugees at https://ua.gov.sk.

Frequently asked questions - questions you may have when it comes to study in Slovakia (click on the respective question to be forwarded to the answer directly or scroll the page down to see the answers to all of the questions):

What kind of residence permit do I need if I want to study in Slovakia?

The type of residence permit in Slovakia is not decisive and you can study with any type of residence permit once you are legally on the territory of the Slovak Republic.

In the current situation the easiest way to legally stay in Slovakia is to apply for temporary refuge – this type of residence allows you to study and work in Slovakia and you are entitled to urgent medical care and other support; this type of residence will also allow you to study free of charge (applicable to those who will start their study in Slovakia after April 24, 2022). If you have not applied yet, you will find all information on the official web for Ukrainian refugees, or on the webpage of the Slovak Immigration Office. You can also speed up the process by registering for temporary refuge online beforehand.

For details about other types of residence in connection with your study see the section Duties of Third Country Nationals Coming to Slovakia or use the interactive step-by-step navigation at the Slovak EURAXESS portal.

Where can I find out more information about Slovak universities and academic system?

To get familiar with our universities, see the list of all the HEIs (Higher Education Institutions) in Slovakia. Every university on the list is linked with its official webpage.

Moreover, discover basic facts about the academic year in our country in the section Organisation of Study.

Are there any specific measures universities are undertaking to help fleeing Ukrainian students and their families?

Many universities have their own initiatives to which Ukrainian students can turn to. Not all provide the information in English/Ukrainian, however, they provide useful contacts to university workers, directions on applications procedure or specific measures taken to aid you.

Find the directions below:

Academy of Arts in Banská Bystrica

Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava

Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica

Academy of Fine Arts and Design in Bratislava

Comenius University in Bratislava

Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava

University of Economics in Bratislava

Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra

Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra

University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Košice

Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice

Technical University of Košice

University of Prešov

Alexander Dubček University of Trenčín

University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava

Technical University in Zvolen

University of Žilina

Can I continue a study I started at a Ukrainian university in Slovakia? How can I start my new study in Slovakia?

There are 2 possibilities:

non-degree study (so called „academic mobility“)
full degree study

Non-degree study (so-called "academic mobility")

This possibility is available only to those who already started their study at a Ukrainian university (either on bachelor, master, or doctoral level), and would like to collect ECTS credits for individual subjects which then can be recognised by the home university once you return back to Ukraine. Slovak universities may offer a possibility to select various subjects that could be in line with your home study programme for a certain period (usually a semester, this can also be repeated). After finishing each subject, you may receive ECTS credits that can be then recognised by your home university.

Some Slovak universities are currently developing special academic mobility programmes for Ukrainians, other may have general academic mobility programmes for freemovers. It is best to contact the respective university that has similar study programme to your own and discuss the possibilities for academic mobility directly with them (if there is no special contact dedicated for Ukrainian students on the webpage of the respective university, search for the contact of its international relations office).

Full degree study

In this case you have to be officially accepted by the Slovak university for a degree study, which usually means you have to pass the official admission process. For a general overview of current admission process to a degree study see the section „Study in Slovakia / Higher Education in Slovakia / Admission and Tuition Fees“. However, recent changes in the Higher Education Act (applicable as of April 24, 2022) will allow persons with temporary refuge permit easier access to admission to the higher education for the bachelor level programmes (in case you regularily finished secondary education in Ukraine but you don't have the secondary school leaving certificate with you, the respective university may accept also your affidavit confirming you finished the secondary education and test your university study ability instead). The changes in the law (once they enter into force as foreseen) shall also make the higher education free of charge for this special group, independent of the tuition language.

Once you are admitted to the degree study at a university in Slovakia, you can either study from the beginning, or if you have any records from your previous education in Ukraine, the university may be able to recognise at least some of the previously studied subjects (however, this depends on the internal processes and decisions of each university, since the universities are autonomous in this regard).

There is also a legal possibility of a so called transfer of study from one university to another university which can be also applicable to your situation. This process is sole responsibility of the university, so only your chosen Slovak university can give you a decisive answer about this possibility.

What documents do I need to be able to study in Slovakia?

For a degree study at the bachelor level you will need a secondary school leaving certificate; however, recent changes in the Higher Education Act (applicable as of April 24, 2022) will allow persons with temporary refuge permit easier access to admission to the higher education for the bachelor level programmes (in case you regularily finished secondary education in Ukraine but you don't have the secondary school leaving certificate with you, the respective university may instead also accept your affidavit confirming you finished the secondary education and test your university study ability).

For a full master study you will need to provide a diploma and a diploma suplement from at least a bachelor level study. For a full PhD study you will need to provide a diploma and a diploma suplement from at least a master level study. You may need to undergo a recognition process to be able to use the mentioned documents for admission to study - more information on recognition at https://www.minedu.sk/recognition-of-foreign-diplomas/.

For non-degree study (academic mobility) you will need a proof that you are currently a student at a university in Ukraine. Additionally, it is usefull to provide also a transcript of records for the current study in Ukraine, if available. A Slovak university where you want to participate in a non-degree study may have specific requirements, therefore it is recommended to contact them directly for further details.

Where can I find information about study programmes offered by Slovak universities?

Sources of information about study programmes offered by Slovak universities can be found under the section „Study in Slovakia / Higher Education in Slovakia / Study Programmes in Slovakia“.

Except Slovak, there are many study programmes offered in English, as well as in other languages, at our universities. If you are looking specifically for study programmes offered in foreign languages, you can browse through our guide. Please note, that the regulations concerning tuition fees for study of programmes offered in other language than Slovak have changed recently - for more details see the answer to the question "Will I need to study in Slovak language? How can I learn Slovak language?".

Are there any scholarships or a loan scheme for studying in Slovakia (either degree study or academic mobility/non-degree study) that I could apply for?

Some Slovak universities may have some limited scholarship offers for students from Ukraine, either for non-degree academic mobility studies, or for full degree studies, therefore if you contact them with your request for more information about study possibilities, you can ask them about their possible support too. However, bear in mind that not all of them may have such offer.

As for the nationally administered schemes, the following is currently possible or under development:

scholarships for non-degree study (academic mobility)
- there is a possibility to receive a scholarship within the National Scholarship Programme of the Slovak Republic (there are deadlines twice a year, at the end of April and end of October)
scholarships or loan scheme for degree study
- at the moment there is no scholarship scheme for full degree study on national level. However, there is a plan to introduce such scheme soon (concerning those starting the bachelor study in Slovakia), and we will inform you about details as soon as there is more news on this issue,
- doctoral students can receive a special scholarship within a Call for application that has been already published by the Office of the Government of the Slovak Republic (a Slovak university has to apply together with the PhD candidate - https://www.vlada.gov.sk/vyzva-na-podporu-vyskumnikov-ohrozenych-konfliktom-na-ukrajine/),
- there is a plan to open a loan scheme with more favourable conditions for foreign students who study at a Slovak university. We will inform you about details as soon as there is more news on this issue.

I am currently a Ukrainian scholarship holder at a mobility stay in Slovakia. Is it possible to extend my mobility?

It depends on rules and procedures of the respective scholarship programme therefore you should contact the scholarship programme administrator (usually the institution where you applied for a scholarship in the first place).

However, if you have been awarded a scholarship from the National Scholarship Programme of the Slovak Republic, there are already applicable rules for extraordinary situation that apply to your stay. If you need help, contacts of the programme coordinators are available on our main webpage.

Is it possible to work alongside my studies in Slovakia?

Yes, students with a residence permit for purpose of study can legally work for up to 20 hours per week, and after graduation, the residence permit can be extended to up to 9 months after the study in order to find a job or start a business.

Students with permit for temporary refuge can work full-time (40 hours per week) without limitation.

You can find more information about working while studying in our article or on the official webpage for Ukrainians.

If you need some help to find a job as a refugee, there is a special service of the Profesia job portal for Ukrainians at the moment.

Will I need to study in Slovak language? How can I learn Slovak language?

There are many study programmes offered in English, as well as in other languages besides Slovak, at Slovak universities, so speaking Slovak is not essential to study.

The full degree study in Slovak language is free of charge for the duration of the standard timeframe of study. If you wish to learn Slovak, find useful tips in our article on learning Slovak language. Many universities may now also organise their own Slovak language courses as a response to the current humanitarian crisis, so inform yourself also at a university of your choice.

For a study organised in other language than Slovak, tuition fees may apply in general. However, recent changes in the Higher Education Act (applicable as of April 24, 2022) allow universities to decide whether they will apply tuition fees on a respective study programme offered in other language than Slovak, therefore we recommend you to approach the respective university where you plan to study and ask about the tuition fees applicable to the study programme of your choice. Moreover, the same changes in the law (once they enter into force) also make the higher education free of charge for persons with temporary refuge permit, independent from the language of the study.

Study in Slovakia