Best universities in Slovakia 2025

Low cost
Compared to other Central and Eastern European countries, Slovakia offers students quite loyal conditions and prices. Expats can study at local universities on English-language programs for $3,000-14,000/year. Tuition fees depend on the direction and level of study and the prestige of the university.

Variety of English-language programs
In total, Slovak universities offer hundreds of different programs. Almost all of them are available not only in the national language, but also in English.

Affordability
Renting a one-room apartment in Bratislava will cost $350-400 which is noticeably less than not only the German or British level, but also cheaper than in neighboring Czech Republic and Hungary. Many universities offer affordable dormitories.

Many opportunities for traveling around Europe
Slovakia is a member of the Schengen Agreement, so no additional entry permits will be required to travel to other EU countries.

Tuition in Slovak is free of charge
Studying in the national language at any university is completely free. More than 3000 foreigners take advantage of this opportunity every year.

Minimum requirements
Universities in Slovakia generally do not require applicants to provide certificates for standardized tests for admission to programs in English. They can conduct interviews (face-to-face or online) or internal exams instead upon admission.

Integrated programs
It is possible to study in an integrated program in addition to traditional bachelor's and master's programs. It provides an opportunity to get both bachelor's and master's degrees in five years.

Possibility to combine work and study
After acquiring a temporary residence permit, students are entitled to work up to a total of 20 hours per week until the completion of their studies.

Theoretical Emphasis
The education system places a strong emphasis on theoretical knowledge—a legacy of the socialist education system.

Low Starting Salaries
On average, monthly salaries in Slovakia range from $1,100 to $1,300. However, living expenses are also low, ranging from $500 to $700 per month.

Necessity of Nostrifikacja
To study at a Slovak university, it is necessary to go through the process of nostrification (recognition) of educational documents issued in one's home country. This involves contacting the local education authority (which handles nostrification of school or vocational education documents) or the university administration. This service is paid, but the cost is relatively low.

As already mentioned, studying at Slovak universities is inexpensive, even the best universities in Slovakia offer very tempting conditions. For example, students of language courses pay on average between $1300 and $2200 for a six-month course. A bachelor's degree in English will cost $1100-3500/year, the cost of tuition for master's programs is up to $5600, the price of tuition for an integrated program ranges from $5400-8600, and you can become a doctor of science in Slovakia for only $2700-3500/year.

Admission to Slovak universities generally involves a series of steps: submitting an application, taking exams, and providing the necessary documents.

Applications should be submitted directly to the university. You can apply to different programs at several universities. Deadlines are set by the university administration, typically falling in February-March. Information about the date and format of entrance exams (which may include testing, written or oral exams, interviews, various creative exams, or portfolio presentations) should be obtained from the university's faculty department.

Exams are conducted from June to September, although creative universities may start their exam period as early as January and finish in November.

A significant advantage of most Slovak universities is that they do not require a language proficiency certificate for admission. In cases where it is required, it usually involves IELTS/TOEFL for English programs or The Certificate of Slovak Language Proficiency for courses in Slovak.

If the admissions committee makes a positive decision, the student receives a conditional invitation. Final admission is confirmed after the procedure for the nostrification of the national education document. Generally, it takes 4-5 weeks from application submission to confirmation. Expats who do not meet the requirements fully or partially may be offered preparatory courses (this applies equally to English and Slovak).

To apply, you will need:

- An online application (submitted through the official website of the respective university);
- A receipt confirming the payment of the registration fee (from $30 to $90, non-refundable);
- A copy of your passport;
- A copy and notarized translation of your previous education documents with all appendices;
- Motivation and recommendation letters;
- CV;
- Nostrification document.

In some cases, certificates proving proficiency in English or Slovak (IELTS/TOEFL/The Certificate of Slovak Language Proficiency) are also required.

There are 23 public universities in Slovakia (three of them are available only to citizens, as they involve service in the country's armed forces or police), 12 private universities and 4 foreign universities.

State universities

The main, but not the only source of funding for public universities is subsidies from the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sports of the Republic. In addition, the university can generate additional income through the introduction of tuition fees, economic activities, rental of real estate and various courses, programs and additional services.

Higher education institutions have autonomy and self-governance. Some universities - in particular, police, military and medical universities - have limited autonomy: they cannot independently determine the content of the program, their structure and the number of students admitted, and must agree with the relevant ministry.

Private universities

Non-profit organizations offering educational services or limited liability companies with the statutory purpose of providing educational services and conducting scientific research. The Slovak government authorizes the establishment of non-state universities after approving the opinion of the accreditation commission.

The main source of funding for such universities is tuition fees, transfers from specialized funds or commercial activities. In addition, a non-governmental university can be subsidized by the state budget in terms of meeting statutory requirements and state educational standards.

Foreign universities

A type of higher education institutions of EU member states whose branches or autonomous units operate in Slovakia and offer educational services in accordance with the standards of the country where the parent institution is located. In this case, the provisions of the Higher Education Act that contradict the statute of the higher education institution are not applicable. The opening of a foreign university requires authorization from the Ministry of Education and Science and a document from the country where the parent university is located.

Universities and professional higher education institutions

According to the provisions of the Law on Education, higher education institutions are divided into universal and specialized professional higher education institutions. The classification is carried out by the state accreditation commission.

Professional higher education institutions offer bachelor's degree programs and generally focus on applied research, while universities offer master's and doctoral programs and focus on basic research.

Bachelor's degree at Slovak universities

The system of higher education is generally in line with the Bologna Process and includes 3 levels, the first of which is the Bachelor's degree. Full-time and part-time programs of 3-4 years duration are available. The academic year includes 2 semesters (winter semester from September to December and summer semester from February to June) or 3 trimesters (the issue is regulated by the university statute).

Classes are conducted mainly in lecture and seminar form + students conduct practical, laboratory and project activities. The university credit system is used for evaluation: 180 credits are required to obtain a bachelor's degree (bakalár).

For admission to bachelor's degree programs you must provide:

• a certificate translated into Slovak and notarized (together with an application);
• a document confirming the payment of the enrollment fee;
• a document confirming the completion of nostrification;
• motivation letter.
• in some cases - IELTS/TOEFL certificate (or similar for Slovak language).

Master's Degree in Higher Education in Slovakia

The second level of higher education is the Master's degree. In Slovakia, Master's training lasts 24 months, although in some areas (in particular pedagogy) the training lasts a year. Graduates of the program receive a master's degree (magister) or a master of arts (magister umenia). To earn the degree, 60-120 ECTS must be completed.

In addition, there are integrated Bachelor + Master programs. Most often it is medicine, veterinary science and engineering. In this case, the duration of study is up to one year and the number of ECTS required is up to 300-360. After graduation, the qualifications awarded are:

• engineer (inžinier);
• general practitioner (doktor všeobecného lekárstva);
• dentist (doktor zubnej medicíny);
• veterinary doctor (doktor veterinárskeho lekárstva).

In addition, graduates of master's programs can obtain a so-called “minor doctorate”, or malého doktorátu, in the specialties of:

• Pharmacology (PharmDr);
• Philosophy (PhDr);
• Pedagogy (PaedDr);
• Jurisprudence (JuDr);
• Theology (ThDR);
• Natural Sciences (RNDr)

In terms of formal criteria, this is a Master's degree, but at an advanced level.

Admission to a graduate program requires a bachelor's degree in a similar or related field of scientific knowledge; additional requirements are set by the institutions of higher education. For admission, you must provide:

• notarized translation of the bachelor's diploma and appendices;
• a document of nostrification;
• motivation letter;
• a document on payment of the registration fee;
• CV.

In some cases it is also necessary to present a certificate proving sufficient level of English or Slovak language proficiency.

MBA

Business Master's programs cover various fields related to economic legal relations, from accounting and finance to marketing and HR. They differ from traditional programs by their shorter duration, it is usually 16-18 months. The degree can be earned at several public universities as well as a number of professional universities, such as the International School of Management in Prešov, the University of Economics in Bratislava, or the College of Management in Trenčín.

Admission to the MBA program requires:

• Bachelor's degree;
• IELTS 6.5 (or equivalent);
• 3 years of relevant work experience.

Doctoral training at universities in Slovakia

The final stage of university education lasts from 3 to 4 years and 180 to 240 credits must be completed. Doctoral programs focus on building a deep theoretical foundation and developing the skills necessary to conduct independent scientific research. Students engage in a lecture format and conduct independent research under the supervision of a research mentor. Upon completion of the training, an exam on the profile of the program + commission defense of the scientific work is passed. Graduates are awarded the qualification of Candidate of Science (PhD) or Doctor of Arts (ArtD).

For admission it is necessary to provide:

• certified translation of the master's diploma and annexes;
• document of nostrification;
• a document confirming payment of the registration fee;
• motivation letter;
• CV;
• study plan;
• IELTS 6.5 (or equivalent; in some cases, internal examinations at the university).

There are no full tuition fee scholarships available to international students in Slovakia. However, there are several academic mobility programs:

National Scholarship Program of the Slovak Republic

The program lasts from 1 to 10 months, depending on the course. Bachelors and Masters students receive $380 a month, and doctoral students receive $630. You must meet one of two formal criteria to apply for the scholarship:

To be enrolled in a bachelor's or master's degree program at a foreign university. The total period of study at the university must be at least 2.5 years in the major program;
To be a doctoral student at a university outside the country.

Bilateral cooperation agreements

Since 2015, the Slovak authorities have concluded a number of bilateral agreements on cooperation in the field of education, science and culture. Such cooperation also includes student exchanges. It is necessary to apply by April 1 of the current year. The program covers the cost of flight to Slovakia and a stipend of $304 for bachelor's and master's and $358 for doctoral students.

With a temporary residence permit necessary for studying in Slovakia, students are allowed to work part-time—up to 20 hours per week—without requiring additional permits or approvals. However, the job market is quite competitive, and preference is given to applicants with a good knowledge of Slovak (which is more important than English, as the international language's penetration in the business sector is not very high). The minimum wage is $4 per hour; thus, on average, students can earn $560-700 with part-time work, which is sufficient to cover expenses related to housing and food.

Another option is internships, but typically, internships in Slovak companies are unpaid. It is assumed that the student gains valuable skills and competencies through the work, which will be useful for future employment.

The first university in Slovakia dates back to the High Middle Ages, when the country was part of the Kingdom of Hungary. In 1465, the academy of Istropolanta was granted a charter by the king (the academy had been founded earlier, but it was in that year that it acquired university status). In 1465-1490 the Jesuit University was founded, as well as the universities of Košice and Trnava, and at the end of the century the Bratislava Hungarian Elizabethan University was opened.

Thereafter, Slovakia's universities developed in a pan-European spirit, heavily influenced by neighboring Bohemia (while in Austria-Hungary, Slovakia nominally belonged to the Hungarian part of the empire).

After the First World War and the fall of the Habsburg Empire, major changes took place in higher education: national universities with teaching in Slovak (previously only Hungarian and German had been taught) appeared. Comenius University Bratislava was founded in 1919, and in 1937 the Slovak Technical University (now the Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra). Since 1949, the Academy of Arts and Design has been operating, and the Academy of Dramatic Arts of Music was founded at the same time.

In 1993, Slovakia established two military universities of its own - the Liptovský Mukuláš Academy for the army and the Air Force Academy of General M.R. Stefánčík. In 1996 the University of Preslava was founded, and in 1997 3 more universities were founded, including the famous Banska Bystrica Academy of Art, which is among the top universities in Slovakia.