Why study a Bachelor or Master in Slovakia

Study in Slovakia

Study cost in Slovakia is vary depending on your nationality.For students who are from the European region, the average tuition cost is between €580 (US$710) to €12,200 (US$14,800) for a bachelor’s or master’s degree per year but International students who aren’t from one of these countries can expect to pay between €1000 (US$1200) and €5000 (US$6100) per year for an undergraduate degree.

In general. The tuition fees set by the higher education institutions are individually. If the study programs are offered in foreign language, students have to pay tuition fees but Most students can borrow directly from the school where they’re studying.

As for scholarships, Slovakia has plenty on offer. For international students, the National Scholarship Programme is the most popular to Support Mobility of international Undergraduate Students from developing countries, doctoral students, university teachers and researchers.The scholarship covers up to €734 per month.

Living in Slovakia

The living expenses in the Slovak Republic are affordable for most students, the main cities that see most of the student population include Bratislava, Nitra, Kosice. The average cost of living in these and many other cities in Slovakia ranges between 700 and 1000 euros per month.

Food & Drinks

While groceries for a month can cost up to 300 – 400 EUR a month, an average meal in an average restaurant in Slovakia costs 6 – 7 EUR.

As for drinks, you can get a bottle of wine for just about 5 EUR or a beer for about 2-5 EUR. Drinking in bars can be a bit expensive.

Food expenses breakdown

• Meal at a restaurant: from 5 –euro- 
• Milk (1 liter): 0.80 –euro- 
• Mineral water (1 liter): 0.40€ 
• Loaf of bread: 0.70€ 
• Lunch at a canteen: from 1.60€

Transportation

You can get a monthly public transportation pass for 27 EUR. Public transport is a convenient and budget-friendly way to travel across Slovakia.

Local transport: Costs ranges from 0.50€ to 1.40€ (single basic ticket)

Local transport: from 20€ (monthly ticket)

In Slovakia, trains are fast, safe, comfortable and affordable. There are seven different kinds of trains: 

• SuperCity (SC)
• Passenger train (“osobny vlak”, Os)
• Express (Ex)
• EuroCity (EC)InterCity (IC)
• Fast train (“rychlik”) (R)
• Semi-fast train (“zrychleny vlak”, Zr)

Other costs of living

Miscellaneous costs can be up to 150 EUR a month. This can include internet cost, phone bills, etc.

ACCOMMODATION

Following are the accommodation options available for students in Slovakia:

• One bedroom flat: 300 –euro- per month inclusive of all necessary utilities (this may vary depending upon the location- inside or outside city center).
• Two bedrooms flat:  400 -euro per month inclusive of all necessary utilities 

(this may vary depending upon the location- inside or outside city center).

• University Dorms: University dorms are an affordable type of accommodation in Slovakia. You should check if your university provides lodging facilities at the time of admission itself.

Universities in Slovakia

The universities, colleges, medical schools, engineering schools and law schools in Slovakia are highly respected and well known in educational and academic circles, and continue to offer prestigious Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral programs for smart and motivated adventurers like you. Feel free to choose from some of the most competitive degrees in the best universities in Slovakia. 

Slovak University of Technology

The Slovak University of Technology is a public university in Bratislava that was established in the year 1937. It offers degree programs in engineering, architecture, and management courses. This university is known for its high research output and is one of the best technical universities in Slovakia. With 19,000 enrolled students and 1,500 faculty members, it is also the largest university in the country. The tuition at this university is very low and on average, costs 1,000 EUR per academic year for a bachelor’s or master’s degree for international students. As for the housing options, the university has dormitory facilities available for students. These are available at affordable prices for the students.

Pavol Jozef Šafárik University

Pavol Jozef Šafárik University, named after the 19th-century philologist, historian, and poet, was founded in 1959 in Košice. The university has five faculties of Medicine, Law, Science, Public Administration, and Arts. It was the first university in Slovakia that started higher education programs in psychology. This university is regarded for providing high-class education across disciplines with a strong focus on research output. The fees at this university vary for different programs. On average, tuition can be up to 10,500 EUR per year for international students. Students can get accommodation in the university halls of residence available on a shared basis, for all students across its faculties.

College of International and Public Relations

CIPR is a private university offering bachelor’s and master’s degrees in international and public relations. It was established in 2001. The focus of this university is to impart top-class theoretical education with practical programs in learning. A bachelor’s or master’s degree at this college can cost 5,500 EUR per academic year for international students. This university does not offer on-campus accommodation.

Matej Bel University

Matej Bel University is a public university located in Banská Bystrica – a central town in Slovakia. This university is a part of the European University Association and focuses on providing scientific and research-based education. The language of instruction in this university is Slovak, English, and even French, for some courses. Matej Bel University provides education in the field of Science, Humanities, Economics, Law, International Relations, Mathematics, and more. The average tuition fee for international students at this university is 1,000 EUR. Note that this is only an average cost that might differ from course to course. The university accommodates 500-700 students every year in its dorms. Off-campus boarding and lodging facilities are also easy to find near the university area.

Bratislava International School of Liberal Arts (BISLA)

BISLA, founded in 2006, is a private liberal arts school in Slovakia. It is the first liberal arts college in all of Central Europe. All courses in this school are taught in English. This school also provides excellent extracurricular, free-of-charge courses in foreign languages, argumentation, and other skills.

Weekly public discussions, seminars, internships are part of what a student gets to experience at the school besides their academics. The school offers plenty of extra-curricular activities like theatre, sports, etc. too. BISLA does not have any on-campus dorms or accommodation facilities. You will have to find accommodation near the university in Bratislava or nearby cities.

Students do not have to pay any fee for applications at the Bratislava International School of Liberal Arts. The tuition fee for students from the European Union is 1,800 EUR per academic year and 4,000 EUR per semester for international students.

University of Žilina

This university was established as the College of Railways in 1953 in Žilina, Slovakia, and was later renamed as University of Transport in 1959. It now offers degree programs in transport, humanities, and marketing. This university has extensive research partnerships with some of the world’s most renowned universities. The most sought-after program here is in the field of engineering. University of Žilina is equipped with libraries, cafeterias, and relaxation zones for students to study comfortably.

Student Visa - Slovakia

Foreign students who wish to study in Slovakia may need a student visa. A student visa issued for the purpose of studying in Slovakia is called a national or long-term D visa. Slovakia is a member of the Schengen Area.

Requirements For Students from the EU/EEA Region

No visa is required for students from the EU or EEA region for studying and staying in Slovakia because the country is part of the Schengen.

Requirements For Students NOT from the EU/EEA Region

Students not from the EU or EEA regions require a student visa to enter the country and need to apply for a temporary residence permit if they want to extend their stay. This permit costs about 4.50 EUR. It will take about two weeks to process your residence permit. Once you get the permit, you can enter and leave the country.

Types of Visas

There are four types of visas:

• Schengen visa type A: airport transit visa
• Schengen visa type B: transit visa
• Schengen visa type C: entry visa
• Long-term visa D or National visa D: Student visa or residence visa

As a student, you need to apply for a Type D visa. This is a long-term visa and the visa fee will cost you around 33 EUR. This visa allows international students to stay in Slovakia for 90 days for a period of 6 months. If the length of stay exceeds 90 days, apply for a residence permit.

Documents required along with visa application are:

• A valid travel document- passport and passport-size photographs
• Acceptance letter from the institution
• Passport-size photographs
• Dummy Ticket of Return from Slovakia
• Evidence of sufficient funds: Can be bank statements
• Proof of accommodation in Slovakia
• Certificate of good conduct
• Medical insurance
• Visa fee payment
• Certificate of good conduct

you’ll need to submit these documents at the nearest embassy or consulate. They’ll need to be presented with a notarized translation.

Visa Processing Timeline

The visa processing timeline for Slovakia is typically three to five weeks. Note that this is the average time period and it can sometimes take longer to process a visa application. It is therefore advised that you apply for a visa as soon as possible.

Once you arrive in Slovakia, you will need a temporary residence permit. This costs 4.50 euros. You will need to submit the above documents again, along with the application form found here. Once you have your permit, you can freely enter and exit the country without any problem. It may take up to two weeks for your permit to be processed.

How to apply - Slovakia

Steps to register in a Slovak university The university that the student wishes to enroll in is determined and the specialization required for him is selected.

For graduate studies like master’s degrees or doctorate degrees, you’ll need to submit:

• Create a special account for the student on the official university website with a personal name and password.
• Fill out the university admission application form, the required specialization, and contact information in case of admission.
• Upload the required documents via the website via color scanning.
•  In the case of approval of the student’s registration at the university, an acceptance document will be sent to the student via the Internet.
•  The fees for the introductory academic year are paid using the student’s credit card before the start of the study.
•  It is possible to communicate with the university via fax or its own mail instead of the website in case the registration fails electronically.

Scholarship in Slovakia

Slovakia is a wonderful study abroad destination that offers endless opportunities for full scholarships in its best universities, so it is a right choice for a better career and globally recognized degreesScholarships in Slovakia for international students include:

 GOVERNMENT SCHOLARSHIPS

The Government of Slovakia through the Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture has established a scholarship program for all international students. This program offers full scholarships to new and existing foreign students in Slovakia. The program also extends across different fields and at different levels (Bachelor, Masters and PhD), all nationalities are welcome to apply

NATIONAL SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM

This program is also government funded. It rewards exceptional international students studying at any Slovak higher institution. The scholarship is fully funded with monthly benefits and does not require additional IELTS or TOEFL scores. Study programs in Bachelor’s, Master’s, Ph.D., exchange programs and even research programs are accepted for this funding.

EU SLOVAK SCHOLARSHIP

This scholarship program is designed to reward international students from developing countries who in one way or another need assistance to complete their studies, the scholarship is fully funded and students from eligible countries can apply throughout the year, the scholarship also does not require any application or initial processing fee and covers tuition fees and monthly stipends for the student .

UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIPS

Many public and private higher institutions in Slovakia have different scholarships for international students ranging from tuition waivers to special discounts and even full scholarships. Interestingly, most Slovak institutions offer at least 25% of scholarships to their international students.