Slovakia would be a great choice for any international student as it can offer a good quality higher education environment combined with affordable tuition fees. As well as this, you will be in a great location for exploring the rest of Europe when you are not studying. Your university experience in Slovakia will be well-rounded, and will prepare you for whatever job role you choose to pursue.
Bordering with 6 other Central European countries, Slovakia is the ideal place for international students who want to experience a great higher education, but also have the chance to explore outside of their studies. Slovakia is a member of the EU and the Schengen Area, meaning that once you have a residence permit, you will find it easy to travel around Europe.
Slovakia has a well-developed education system, which extends to its higher education offerings. There are several publicly funded universities that are tuition fee free for EU/EEA students. You can choose to apply to an academic university or a professional and vocational school, which do not use the word ‘university’.
Outside of your studies, you will find that Slovakia has a multitude of interesting cultural and tourist attractions that you may want to visit. This will allow you to integrate into your new Slovakian life and make the most of your study abroad experience.
Slovakia requires that international students obtain a student visa. For more information about this, see our Slovakia Student Visa Guide.
The universities of Slovakia are natively named vysoká škola, which translates as ‘as schools of higher education’. These can be divided into the following categories:
International students from within the EU can study with no tuition fees at public and state schools of higher education in Slovakia, providing that they elect to study in the Slovak language.
Degree courses are also offered at many universities taught in English, with tuition fees ranging from free up to a maximum of around 13,000 Euros per year.
| University | Times Higher Education World University Ranking 2024 | Best Global Universities | QS World University Ranking |
| Comenius University in Bratislava | 1001-1200 | 639 | 661-670 |
| University of Žilina | 1001-1200 | 1001-1200 | |
| Pavol Jozef Å afárik University in °´ÇÅ¡¾±³¦±ð | 1201-1500 | 1365 | 851-900 |
| Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra | 1201-1500 | 1001-1200 | |
| Technical University of °´ÇÅ¡¾±³¦±ð | 1201-1500 | 1522 | 1001-1200 |
| Matej Bel University | 1501+ | ||
| Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava | 1501+ | 1498 | 1001-1200 |
| University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in °´ÇÅ¡¾±³¦±ð | Not yet ranked | ||
| Slovak Medical University Bratislava | Not yet ranked |
Can I study in Slovakia for free?
Most public and state universities in Slovakia offer their courses to international students from the EU/EEA area with no tuition fees. If you are from a country outside of the EU/EEA area or choose to attend a private university, you will have to pay tuition fees, which can be set by each university individually. or more information about fees to study in Slovakia, see our Costs of Studying in Slovakia section.
Can I study in Slovakia as an international student?
Slovakia would be a great place to study for any international student. You will gain a good quality education in a centrally located country. As an international student, you will likely need to obtain a visa in order to study in Slovakia. For more information about this, take a look at our Slovakian Student Visas section.
Can international students work in Slovakia?
International students are permitted to work alongside their studies in Slovakia, as long as they have a student residence permit. This permit allows students to work part-time for up to 20 hours per week whilst they are studying at a university.
| Capital City | Bratislava |
|---|---|
| Currency | EUR, Euro |
| Language(s) | Slovak |
| Universities on av´óƽ̨ | 1 universities |
| Major Student av´óƽ̨ | °´ÇÅ¡¾±³¦±ð |
The official language of Slovakia is Slovak.
Studying and living in Slovakia is a great chance to mix with other students from different countries and pick up a new language. Making an effort to communicate with your coursemates and locals in Slovak will help you to improve your language skills much faster.
Bachelor’s and masters degree programmes are offered in English and Slovak, with the options for English language programmes increasing each year.
No matter what language you choose to study in, you might have to prove that your language skills will meet the teaching standards. If they don’t meet these standards, it is common for institutions to offer language courses. For more information about language testing, see our article on English Language Testing for International Students.
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