The Government of the Slovak Republic approved the establishment of the National Scholarship Programme of the Slovak Republic for the support of mobility of students, PhD students, university teachers, researchers and artists in 2005. The National Scholarship Programme of the Slovak Republic (NSP) is financed by the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic from the state budget of the Slovak Republic.

The National Scholarship Programme of the Slovak Republic supports mobility of international students, PhD students, university teachers, researchers and artists for scholarship stays at higher education institutions and research organisations in Slovakia.

Slovak Government Postgraduate Scholarship

Aim and Benefits of Slovak Government Postgraduate Scholarship

• 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 organisations in Slovakia.
• Students and PhD students can be awarded a travel allowance (travel grant)
• The scholarship holder can ask for assistance concerning accommodation and formalities related to entering and staying in the territory of the Slovak Republic either his/her host institution, or he/she can handle all the necessities him-/herself.

Requirements for Slovak Government Postgraduate Scholarship Qualification

Eligible applicants for a scholarship in the framework of the NSP:

A) students who:

• 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.
• are university students at universities outside Slovakia;
• are students of the second level of higher education (master’s students), or are students who at the time of the application deadline have already completed at least 2.5 years of their university studies in the same/similar study programme;
• will be on a study stay in Slovakia during their higher education outside Slovakia and who will be accepted by a public, private or state higher education institution in Slovakia for an academic mobility[1] to study in Slovakia.

All 3 conditions must be met. This category does not apply to doctoral (PhD) studies (or their equivalent).

• Duration of a scholarship stay (students): 1 – 2 full semesters (i.e. 4 – 5 or 9 – 10 months) or 1 – 3 full trimesters, in case the academic year is divided into trimesters (i.e. 3 – 4 or 6 – 7 or 9 – 10 months).

B) PhD students whose higher education or scientific training takes place outside Slovakia and who are accepted by a public, private or state higher education institution or a research institution in Slovakia eligible to carry out a doctoral study programme (e.g. the Slovak Academy of Sciences) for an academic mobility to study/conduct research/artistic stay in Slovakia.

• Duration of a scholarship stay (PhD students): 1 – 10 months.

C) university teachers, researchers and artists who are invited to a teaching/research/artistic stay in Slovakia by an institution with a valid certificate of eligibility to carry out research and development, which is not a business company and it has its seat in Slovakia.

• Duration of a scholarship stay (university teachers, researchers or artists): 1 – 10 months.

The National Scholarship Programme does not support:

• International students and PhD students accepted for full degree higher education (bachelor, master, doctoral studies) in Slovakia, or those already studying in Slovakia (full degree higher education) who would like to fund their studies in Slovakia by the NSP;
• University teachers, researchers and artists without PhD degree (or its equivalent) and at the same time with more than 4 years of work experience as a university teacher/researcher/artist (PhD studies are considered as work experience) on the indicated application deadline; however, the scholarship Programme Administrator may, after consulting the Selection Committee in individual cases worth special consideration (especially considering situations caused by force majeure), accept as eligible applicants also candidates without PhD degree (or its equivalent) and at the same time with more than 4 years of work experience but not more than 7 years of work experience, however such applicants may be awarded a scholarship only in  the amount corresponding to applicants without PhD degree (or its equivalent) and with less than 4 years of experience;
• International applicants who within the period of 36 months prior to the application deadline have spent in the territory of the Slovak Republic 15 or more months (in total);
• International applicants who are accepted for a scholarship stay in Slovakia in the framework of other scholarship programmes funded from public resources (e.g. International Visegrad Fund, Erasmus+, CEEPUS, bilateral agreements, etc.).

Interview date, Process and Venue for Slovak Government Postgraduate Scholarship

Selection of scholarship holders is carried out by the Selection Committee appointed by the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic. The Committee focuses mostly on:

• reasons, why the applicant has decided to study, teach, conduct research or artistic activities in the respective host institution in Slovakia;
• programme of applicant’s study/research/artistic/teaching stay and how the applicant will use the results of his/her scholarship stay for further studies or research activities, or his/her career development;
• applicant’s professional and personal qualities; as well as assessment of the proposed programme of the scholarship stay in the recommendation letters;
• study or research achievements;
  • if relevant, in case of re-applying for a scholarship, the Selection Committee may also take into account the results/feedback from the applicant’s previous stay;
• contribution for the host institution;
• overall quality of the submitted application and its consistency.

Documents Required for Application

Required documents that must be attached to online application for a study stay in case of international students (eligible applicants under the category A):

• curriculum vitae;
• motivation letter;
• detailed study programme
• two recommendation letters issued by applicant’s university teachers
• confirmation officially issued by the applicant’s home higher education institution confirming that the applicant is a regular student of the respective higher education institution at the time of applying
• bachelor’s diploma, diploma supplement together with the state examination certificate (if applicable);
• acceptance/invitation letter issued by applicant’s host higher education institution in Slovakia indicating the period of stay.

Required documents that must be attached to online application for a study/research/artistic stay in case of international PhD students (eligible applicants under the category B):

• curriculum vitae;
• motivation letter;
• detailed study/research/artistic programme
• recommendation letter issued by applicant’s dissertation supervisor
• confirmation officially issued by the applicant’s home higher education institution/research organisation confirming that the applicant is on the application deadline a regular PhD student of the respective higher education institution /research organisation
• master’s diploma, diploma supplement together with the state examination certificate (if applicable);
• list of publications/artistic activities in required form; resp. a statement that he/she does not have any publications;
• acceptance/invitation letter issued by applicant’s host higher education institution /research organisation in Slovakia indicating the period of stay.

Required documents that must be attached to online application for a teaching and/or research/artistic stay in case of international university teachers/researchers/artists (eligible applicants under the category C):

• curriculum vitae;
• detailed teaching and/or research/artistic programme
• applicant’s diploma of the highest academic degree achieved;
• list of publications/artistic activities in the required form
• acceptance/invitation letter issued by applicant’s host higher education institution/research organisation in Slovakia indicating the period of stay

Applicants are allowed to submit (fill in) applications and the required attachments in Slovak or English language only (in case of documents written in other languages the application must contain the original documents together with their official translation into Slovak or English language, resp. the applicant may submit a translation certified by the institution that issued the respective document instead; if, due to extraordinary circumstances caused by force majeure, it is not possible to provide an official translation, the scholarship Programme Administrator may also accept unofficial translations made by the applicant herself/himself, but if such an applicant will be awarded a scholarship, before the official letter of award is issued and sent to him/her, he/she will be obliged to submit an official translation corresponding to the unofficial translation – the deadline for submitting the official document is to be set by the scholarship Programme Administrator).

Application Deadline

April 30, 2026

How to Apply

Interested and qualified? Go to Slovak Government on www.scholarships.sk to apply

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