7 Promising Scholarships in Slovakia for International Students

Slovakia offers you the opportunity to get affordable quality education at its universities and colleges, with low living expenses. Not only the higher education institutions in Slovakia offer many programs in every study level, the education and evaluation systems also meet world standards. However, it is not the only reason many international students from around the world come to this land to pursue their studies or research; Slovakia also provides international scholarships to attract students at different levels of study, from all over the globe.

Interested in pursuing your studies or research in this beautiful country? Here are some opportunities of scholarships in Slovakia for international students that you should try to apply for.

1. National Scholarship Program of the Slovak Republic: Government scholarships in Slovakia for international students, PhD students, university teachers, researchers and artists. Funded by the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic, the National Scholarship Program (NSP) supports mobility of international students, PhD students, university teachers, researchers and artists for scholarships stays at higher education institutions and research organizations in Slovakia. Citizens of any country in the world (except the citizens of Slovakia) can apply for a scholarship stay in Slovakia in the framework of the NSP. The National Scholarship Program does not support:

• • International students and PhD students accepted for full higher education (bachelor, master, doctoral studies) in Slovakia, or those already studying n Slovakia (full higher education) who would like to fund their studies in Slovakia by the NSP.
  • International applicants who within the period of 36 months prior to the application deadline have spent in the territory of the Slovak Republic 12 or more months (in total).
  • International applicants awarded a scholarship in Slovakia in the framework of other scholarship programs (e.g. International Visegrad Fund, Erasmus+, CEEPUS, bilateral agreements, etc.) for the same period (that would be considered double-funding).

If the applicant has already been awarded a scholarship in  the framework of the NSP for 5 or more scholarship months (in total) on the indicated closing date of the applications, he/she can be awarded the next scholarship only after 3years from the completion of his/her last scholarship stay in the framework of the NSP.

The scholarship is intended to cover international scholarship holders’ living costs, i.e. the costs related to staying in Slovakia (food, accommodation, etc.) during their study, research / artistic or teaching stay at universities and in research organizations in Slovakia. The amount of scholarships vary as follows:

• • University student: 350 € per month
  • PhD student: 580 € per month
  • University teacher / researcher / artist
    • Without PhD degree (or its equivalent) and less than 4 years of work experience as a university teacher / researcher / artist: 580 € per month
    • With PhD degree (or its equivalent) and less than 10 years of work experience as a university teacher / researcher / artist: 850 € per month
    • With PhD degree (or its equivalent) and more than 10 years of work experience as a university teacher / researcher / artist: 1,000 € per month

In addition, students and PhD students (eligible under the first two categories) can be awarded a travel allowance, if they apply for it along with their scholarship application. Travel allowance is awarded as a lump sum and it will be paid to the scholarship holder at the end of his/her stay together with the last scholarship payment. Travel allowance amount depends on the distance (in a direct line) between applicant’s place of residence and the place of his/her stay in Slovakia:

• • Distance up to 750 km – 0 €
  • Distance more than 750 km, max. 1,500 km – 100 €
  • Distance more than 1,500 km, max. 5,000 km – 300 €
  • Distance more than 5,000 km – 700 €

Applications close on April 30 at 16:00 CET for scholarship stays during the next academic year, and on October 31 at 16:00 CET for scholarship stays during the summer semester of the current academic year.

2. The Action Austria – Slovakia Project Funding: Project grants offered to PhD students, university teachers and researchers in the fields of natural sciences, technical sciences, medicine, agriculture sciences, social sciences, humanities, and arts. The maximum duration of the grant is 12 months. Financial means provided by the Action Austria – Slovakia amounts up to 60,000 € per project and may be used for mobility costs (travel costs, accommodation and board), salary (in certain cases), and other justified costs (teaching materials, communication costs, etc.). The application deadlines are March 15, May 15 and October 15. Applicants should study or work at an Austrian state or private university, Universities of Education, Austrian Academy of Sciences or Fachhochschule within the field of study funded mostly by the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research of the Republic of Austria, or at a Slovak state, public or private higher education institution or Slovak Academy of Sciences. Approved project should start at least 4 months after the deadline.
3. The Action Austria – Slovakia Scholarships: A number of scholarships offered under the Action Austria – Slovakia Program.

• • Scholarships for Diploma Students: Offers students the opportunity to use sources in the partner country when preparing their diploma thesis, thus achieving a better quality of their work. The scholarship lasts from 1 to 3 months and rates at 800 € per month. The application deadlines are in March and October.
  • Scholarships for Doctoral / PhD Students: Intended to give Doctoral / PhD students the opportunity to use sources in the partner country to prepare their dissertation, thus achieving a better quality of their work. The scholarship lasts from 3 to 6 months and is rated at 1,050 € per month. The deadlines for applications are in March and October.
  • Scholarships for Post-doctoral Students: Offered to highly qualified postdocs for a research stay in the partner country for 3 to 6 months of duration. The scholarship amounts at 1,400 € per month. Application deadlines are in March and October.
  • Short-term Scholarships: Available to PhD students, teachers and researchers from public, state and private universities and colleges, as well as researchers from one of the academies of science. The scholarship is intended for a short-term study trip or contact with colleagues in the partner country (up too 3 days). The scholarship amounts at 90 € per day.
  • Summer Language Course Scholarship: Scholarships for the summer language school of the German or Slovak language for students and doctoral candidates. The deadline for applications is in March / April.

4. Belarus – Slovakia Study Scholarship Based on Bilateral Intergovernmental Agreement: Six scholarships in Slovakia for nationals of Belarus who are Bachelor or Master’s degree students wishing to study at one of Slovakia universities / colleges. The scholarships are available for studies in the fields of natural sciences, technical sciences, medicine, agriculture sciences, social sciences, humanities, and arts. The duration of the scholarship is 1 to 2 semesters. The scholarships are intended to cover the scholarship holders’ international travel costs to and from Slovakia. The amount of each scholarship is 280 € per month and shall cover their living costs (accommodation, board, etc.) during their stay in Slovakia.
5. CEEPUS Study / Research Stay for Foreign University Students and PhD Students: Scholarships for studies or research in Slovakia, in the fields of natural sciences, technical sciences, medicine, agriculture sciences, social sciences, humanities, and arts. The scholarships are offered to Bachelor, Master’s and PhD students from the following countries: Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Slovenia, Bulgaria, Romania, Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, North Macedonia, Moldova, Serbia, and Montenegro. The scholarship duration is 1 to 10 months. The scholarships amount as the following:

• • 280 € per month for Bachelor and Master’s level students
  • 470 € per month for PhD level students

The scholarship shall cover the living costs (food, accommodation, board, etc.) during the stay in Slovakia. Regarding the reimbursement of travel costs, applicants should consult the possibility with the National CEEPUS Office in their home country.

Application deadlines are June 15 (for the winter semester of the next academic year), October 31 (for the summer semester of the running academic year), and November 30 (free-movers).

Scholarship stays in the framework of the CEEPUS Program are primarily carried out through networks of cooperating higher education institutions from member countries (Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and universities in Kosovo). Should a home university, host university, or both not participate in any of the networks, its students, PhD students and teachers may still apply for a scholarship under the category “free-mover”.

6. Alona Kurotova Foundation Vertikál Scholarship Program for Full Bachelor Studies: Two to four scholarships offered to students from Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, who wish to pursue a Bachelor’s degree at Slovakia universities. The scholarship duration is 4 years (1 year language course + 3 years Bachelor studies), and is available for studies in areas of technical sciences, humanities, economic sciences and business. Recipients of this scholarship will benefit the following:

• • One-year intensive course of Slovak language
  • Monthly stipend of 280 € (the scholarship should cover the student’s basic needs – accommodation, food, transport fare, etc.).

The scholarship does not cover travel expenses, health insurance, costs related to the translation of official documents (e.g. documents required for temporary residence application) or visa fees. Applications for this scholarship must be submitted by August.

7. I am here! Scholarship Program: The Alona Kurotova (AK) Foundation provides a unique opportunity to apply for contribution of a semi-intensive Slovak or English language course if you match the following conditions:

• • You are a foreign citizen
  • You have a valid residence permit in the Slovak Republic for the purpose of study, business, employment, family reunion or tolerated stay
  • Attending the course will help you improve your employability on the Slovak labor market and integrate into the Slovak society
  • You failed to find work in the Slovak Republic for 6 months, or your business was unsuccessful so far.

The amount of financial contribution can be from 50% to 100% of the course price (the specific amount of the discount will be assessed by the Selection Board of AK Foundation on the basis of the applicant’s social situation).