Slovak Government Scholarship for Foreigners, 2025-2026
Applicants are invited to apply for the Slovak Government Scholarship program for the 2025-2026 academic year. This scholarship in Slovakia (the National Scholarship Program of the Slovak Republic – NSP) was established by the Slovak Republic to support the mobility of students, doctoral candidates, university professors, researchers, and artists.
Scholarships in the Slovak Republic for foreign students, university professors, researchers, and artists are funded by the Ministry of Education, Science, Research, and Sports of Slovakia. The scholarship is awarded to candidates wishing to spend a short stay (usually 3 to 10 months) in Slovakia for research or study purposes.
Located in Central Europe, Slovakia is a country of 49,000 square kilometers with over 5.4 million inhabitants. The Slovak Republic is a member of the Eurozone, the European Union, the Schengen Area, the United Nations, the Council of Europe, the Visegrád Group, the WTO, NATO, CERN, the OSCE, and the OECD. Slovakia is a developed country with an advanced, high-income economy and a good reputation for civil liberties, press freedom, democratic governance, and peace. The country offers its citizens universal healthcare, free education, and one of the longest paid parental leaves in the OECD. Slovakia is also home to eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites and its capital is Bratislava.
Program Details
- Host Institution(s): Higher education institutions and research organizations in Slovakia.
- Fields: Fields available at host institutions in Slovakia.
- Number of Scholarships: Not specified.
- Duration: More details below.
- Eligible Countries: Open to all nationalities.
Slovak Government Scholarship Benefits
Scholarships Scholarships from the Slovak Republic are intended for foreigners to cover the costs associated with their study, research/artistic, or teaching stay at universities in Slovakia. Scholarship holders may apply for assistance with accommodation and formalities related to entry and residence in Slovakia.
- Student 620 euros per month;
- PhD student 1025.50 euros per month;
- University professor/researcher/artist:
- Without a doctoral degree (or its equivalent) and less than 4 years of professional experience as a university professor, researcher, or artist: 1025.50 euros per month;
- with a PhD (or equivalent) and less than 10 years of professional experience as a university professor, researcher, or artist: €1,370 per month;
- with a PhD (or equivalent) and more than 10 years of professional experience as a university professor, researcher, or artist: €1,470 per month;
- Reimbursement up to €250 for medical examination costs
- Travel allowance: This is awarded as a lump sum and will be paid to the scholarship holder at the end of their stay with the final scholarship payment. The amount of the travel allowance depends on the (straight line) distance between the applicant’s place of residence and their place of stay in Slovakia.
- Distance up to 200 km – €0,
- Distance over 200 km, max. 300 km – €50,
- Distance over 300 km, max. 500 km – €100,
- Distance over 500 km, max. 1,000 km – €250,
- Distance over 1,000 km, max. 2,000 km – €350,
- Distance over 2,000 km, max. 3,000 km – €500,
- Distance over 3,000 km, max. 5,000 km – €750,
- Distance greater than 5,000 km, max. 7,000 km – €1,100,
- Distance greater than 7,000 km – €1,500.
To determine the monthly grant amount (in the case of university professors, researchers, and artists), professional experience up to the application deadline is taken into account.
Note: Doctoral studies are considered work experience (a maximum of 6 years of doctorate can be considered as work experience). Please use this “Distance Calculator” to estimate the distance between your home country and Slovakia.
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Duration of Stay
- University Student
- 1-2 semesters (4-5 or 9-10 months), or
- 1-3 terms, if the academic year is divided into terms (3-4 or 6-7 or 9-10 months).
- PhD students: 1-10 months.
- Foreign university lecturers, researchers, and artists: 1- 10 months.
Start of scholarship stay:
- Students: The start of the stay is between February 1, 2026 and April 1, 2026
- PhD students, university lecturers, researchers, and artists: The start of the stay is between February 1, 2026 and August 31, 2026.
End of scholarship stay:
- Students: The end of the stay is August 31, 2026
- PhD students, university lecturers, researchers, and artists: The end of the stay is November 30, 2026.
Slovak Government Scholarship Eligibility
To apply for this scholarship program in Slovakia, applicants must meet the following criteria:
A) students who:
- are studying at universities outside Slovakia;
- are in second cycle of higher education or students who, at the time of application, had already completed at least two and a half years of university studies in the same program;
- will study in Slovakia during their higher education outside Slovakia and will be accepted by a Slovak public, private, or state university for academic mobility to study in Slovakia.
All three conditions must be met. This category does not apply to doctoral studies (or equivalent).
B) PhD students whose higher education or scientific training was provided outside Slovakia and who are accepted by a Slovak public, private, or state university or research institute for academic mobility to study/conduct research in Slovakia.
C) International university professors, researchers, and artists invited for a teaching/research/artistic stay in Slovakia by an institution with a valid certificate of eligibility to conduct research and development activities, which is not a company and has its headquarters in Slovakia.
Citizens of all countries in the world (except Slovak citizens) can apply for a scholarship to study in Slovakia under the NSP.
How to Apply for the Slovak Government Scholarship
Candidates who wish to apply for this government scholarship program must click the “Apply” button and follow the instructions provided to submit their applications. The online application system is open at least 6 weeks before the application deadline. Applications can only be completed if the online application system has already been opened.
Please find here the list of higher education institutions and research organizations in Slovakia.
Note: Applicants must receive a scanned copy of their acceptance/invitation letter from their host institution in Slovakia, as it must be attached to their online application. An application without this letter will not be considered. An original copy will be required if the applicant is awarded the scholarship.
Required Documents for University Students
Please find below the list of required documents that must be attached to the online application for a study trip for international students (eligible applicants under Category A):
- Curriculum vitae;
- Cover letter;
- Detailed study trip program: It is necessary to indicate the start date and duration of the stay, as well as the planned detailed schedule;
- Two letters of recommendation from university instructors. The document must contain the signature, position, and contact information of the person who issued the document. The letter of recommendation cannot be more than three months old before the application deadline;
- A document from the home institution confirming that the applicant is enrolled in full-time studies at the time of application; The expected completion date of studies must be indicated in the supporting document;
- a scanned photocopy of the Bachelor’s degree diploma, the diploma appendix, and the state examination certificate (if available);
- a letter of acceptance/invitation from the applicant’s host university.
Required Documents for Doctoral Students
Please find below the list of required documents that must be attached to the online application for a study/research/artistic stay for doctoral students (eligible candidates in category B):
- curriculum vitae;
- cover letter;
- a detailed study program: the date must be indicated start date of stay, the length of stay, and the detailed schedule planned);
- a letter of recommendation issued by the candidate’s thesis supervisor (the document must contain the signature, position, and contact information of the person who issued the document). The letter of recommendation cannot be more than 3 months old before the application deadline;
- proof of ongoing doctoral studies: the expected completion date of studies must be included in the proof. The supporting document must be dated within the last 3 months of the deadline;
- a scanned photocopy of the Master’s degree, the diploma appendix, and the state examination certificate (if available);
- a list of publications/artistic activities using the required form (click here to download the form). Please complete the form in English; otherwise, the application will not meet the formal program requirements;
- a letter of acceptance/invitation from the Slovak university or research center, including the date of the stay.
Required Documents for Teachers/Researchers/Artists
Below is a list of required documents that must be attached to the online application for a teaching and/or research/artistic stay for foreign university teachers/researchers/artists (eligible candidates in category C):
- curriculum vitae;
- a detailed program of the research/teaching/artistic stay: the date of the stay must be indicated. start date, duration of stay, and detailed planned schedule;
- a scanned photocopy of the applicant’s diploma corresponding to the highest academic degree obtained;
- list of publications/artistic activities using the required form (click here to download the form);
- invitation letter issued by the applicant’s university/research organization in Slovakia, indicating the duration of the stay.
The application deadlines are at 4:00 PM CET (for the first round) and at 4:00 PM CET (for the second round). For more details on the Slovak Government Scholarship for International Students, please visit the official website. To be the first to see latest opportunities, please follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.