Admission deadlines in Slovakia 2027: a calendar by university
When to file your documents so you can start studying in Slovakia in September 2027: a month-by-month calendar, indicative application deadlines for the main universities — Comenius University, STU, TUKE, UPJŠ, EUBA and others — plus separate dates for grammar schools and colleges after 9th grade. Admission conditions for 2027/28 are published in autumn 2026, so the tables here follow the 2026/27 cycle and will be updated.
In short: the key dates of the 2027 cycle
| When | What | Who it applies to |
|---|---|---|
| By 20 November 2026 | Applications to schools with a talent exam (bilingual grammar schools, art and sports schools) | After 9th grade |
| November 2026 – January 2027 | Deadlines at creative faculties (architecture, design, music) — portfolio included | After high school |
| January – February 2027 | Recognition of the school certificate (or the doložka), sworn translations | After high school |
| End of February 2027 | Deadline at medical faculties | After high school |
| By 20 March 2027 | Applications to grammar schools, colleges and vocational schools | After 9th grade |
| 31 March – 30 April 2027 | Main deadline at most faculties (bachelor's, first round) | After high school |
| May 2027 | Entrance exams at secondary schools (two dates) | After 9th grade |
| May – June 2027 | University entrance exams and admission decisions; dormitory applications | After high school |
| June – July 2027 | Filing for temporary residence for the purpose of study | Everyone |
| June – August 2027 | Second admission round at some faculties | After high school |
| September 2027 | Enrolment (zápis) and the start of the academic year | Everyone |
About the dates
Every faculty sets its own deadlines and they change from year to year. Admission conditions for 2027/28 are published between September and December 2026. The tables below follow the 2026/27 cycle as a planning reference; before you apply, check the date on the faculty website or at portalvs.sk. Students we support get a personal reminder before every deadline.
The admission calendar month by month
The overall cycle, from choosing a university to enrolment. The same calendar appears on the pages admission after high school and admission after 9th grade, filtered by age group.
Admission calendar for the 2027/2028 academic year
- September — DecemberChoose the university and programme, start learning SlovakThe earlier you start the language, the calmer the spring: A2 by the application, B1 by enrolment.
- By 20 NovemberApplications to schools with a talent exam (arts, sports, bilingual grammar schools)Statutory deadline under the Education Act; talent exams take place in January — March (check the school website).after 9th grade
- January — FebruaryTranslation and nostrification of the school certificateWe file the recognition application so that by the university deadline there is a decision — or at least a proof of filing.after 11th grade
- End of FebruaryDeadline of medical facultiesMedicine, dentistry, pharmacy — the earliest deadlines and entrance tests in biology and chemistry (check the faculty website).after 11th grade
- By 20 MarchApplications to grammar schools, colleges and vocational schoolsSingle statutory deadline for Slovak secondary schools; entrance tests are held in May.after 9th grade
- 31 March — 30 AprilApplication deadline at most universities (bachelor's)Some faculties run a second round in summer — but places and dormitories are allocated in the first.after 11th grade
- MayEntrance tests at secondary schoolsTwo dates in the first half of May; results by the end of May, then enrolment at the school.after 9th grade
- May — JuneEntrance exams and admission decisionsMany faculties admit without exams — based on the certificate; the decision arrives by post or in the online account.after 11th grade
- June — JulyApplying for the visa / temporary residence for the purpose of studyYou need the admission decision, proof of accommodation, insurance and funds in the account. Processing takes weeks — do not delay.
- AugustDormitory and the moveDormitory places are allocated, insurance arranged, tickets bought.
- SeptemberEnrolment (zápis) and the start of the academic yearPersonal attendance at enrolment is required; the academic year starts in mid — late September.
Approximate dates for the 2027/2028 academic year: every university and school sets its own — check the official website before applying.
Sources: university websites, portalvs.sk (Termíny), the Education Act (Act 245/2008 Coll.) — checked 08/2026.
Indicative application deadlines by university (bachelor's)
| University | City | Typical first-round deadline | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Comenius University (UK) | Bratislava, Martin | Medicine and pharmacy — end of February / March; most faculties — 31 March; some — until 30 April | Medical faculties run entrance tests; FiF, FMFI, FM, PdF and FSEV mostly admit without an exam or with a test; e-prihláška is faculty by faculty |
| Slovak University of Technology (STU) | Bratislava, Trnava | SvF — 31 March (second round until early August); FIIT — spring (results in May); FEI — until 30 June; MTF — until 31 July; FAD — autumn plus a talent exam | Engineering faculties admit on the school certificate; FIIT and FAD run a competitive selection or exam |
| Technical University of Košice (TUKE) | Košice | April – May; some faculties until the end of June, with a second round in summer | Most faculties admit on the school certificate |
| Pavol Jozef Šafárik University (UPJŠ) | Košice | Medicine — end of February; other faculties — March to May | LF UPJŠ runs tests; FF, PF and FVS — cross-check |
| University of Economics (EUBA) | Bratislava | Until 30 April | Admission on the certificate or a test; marketing and finance are competitive |
| University of Prešov (UNIPO) | Prešov | March – April | Some faculties close at the end of February |
| Matej Bel University (UMB) | Banská Bystrica | 31 March – 30 April | Second round in summer |
| Constantine the Philosopher University (UKF) | Nitra | 31 March | Teacher training, humanities, natural sciences |
| University of Žilina (UNIZA) | Žilina | 31 March – 30 April | Transport, IT, engineering; second round |
| Slovak University of Agriculture (SPU) | Nitra | 31 March – 30 April | Second round in summer |
| University of Veterinary Medicine (UVLF) | Košice | March | Biology and chemistry exam |
| Slovak Medical University (SZU) | Bratislava | End of February | Medicine, nursing |
| VŠVU, VŠMU (arts) | Bratislava | November – January | Talent exams in winter |
Full profiles with faculties, exams and documents are in the university catalogue. You may submit several applications — we suggest 2–3 to different faculties so that you do not depend on a single selection process.
Deadlines for grammar schools and colleges after 9th grade
| Deadline | What happens | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| By 20 November 2026 | Applications to schools with a talent exam | Bilingual grammar schools, art and sports schools; exams run January to March |
| By 20 March 2027 | Applications to other grammar schools, colleges (SOŠ) and vocational schools | A single date set by the school act; international applicants apply directly to the school |
| First half of May 2027 | Entrance exams (two dates) | Slovak language and mathematics, or a specialist subject; international applicants often have an interview instead |
| May – June 2027 | Admission decisions, enrolment at the school | Binding confirmation of the place (záväzné potvrdenie) by the date in the decision |
| June – July 2027 | Residence permit for a minor, appointment of a legal representative, school dormitory (školský internát) | See the page on admission after 9th grade |
Countdown: what to do each month
September – October 2026
Choose your field and 2–3 universities, and start Slovak (A2 by spring, B1 by September). Check whether your certificate needs an apostille and whether a doložka is available for it.November – December 2026
Talent schools and creative faculties: apply. Everyone else: collect the certificate or school confirmation, notarised copies and the apostille at home. Admission conditions for 2027/28 come out — fix the exact dates.January – February 2027
Sworn translations and recognition (regional education office) or the doložka. Applications to medical faculties close at the end of February.March – April 2027
The main wave of e-prihlášky: 31 March and 30 April. Secondary schools after 9th grade: by 20 March. Pay the fees and monitor the statuses.May – June 2027
Exams and interviews, admission decisions, dormitory applications. Prepare the residence permit file: criminal record certificate, bank statement, insurance.June – July 2027
File for temporary residence for the purpose of study (up to 30 days of processing). Second admission round for those who missed out in the first.August 2027
D visa, tickets, moving into the dormitory, insurance.September 2027
Report to the police, collect the residence card, enrol (zápis), first day of classes.
Deadlines that are easy to forget
- 30 days — processing time for recognition at the regional education office and for the residence permit application (each separately). Exams and admission fall in between, so the year cannot be compressed.
- 90 days — the "shelf life" of certificates for the residence permit (criminal record, bank statement, proof of purpose) on the filing date.
- 3 working days after arrival — report to the police; 30 days — the medical report.
- Dormitory application — the date is in your admission letter or on the dormitory website; miss it and you are on the waiting list.
- The second round runs until August at some faculties, but dormitory places and scholarships are allocated on the first round.
All three sets of documents, in the order they are prepared, are in the document checklist; the housing and budget side is in the guide to dormitories and the cost of living.
FAQ
When should I apply to start studying in Slovakia in 2027?
The main wave of university applications runs from 31 March to 30 April 2027 (medical faculties close at the end of February, creative faculties from November to January). Grammar schools and colleges after 9th grade take applications until 20 March, talent schools until 20 November 2026. Recognition and translations are done in January and February, the residence permit in June and July.
Is there a second admission round?
At many faculties, yes — in summer (June to August), if places are left. But dormitory places, scholarships and a comfortable residence permit schedule all follow the first round, so treat the second round as a plan B rather than a strategy.
When do universities publish the 2027/28 admission conditions?
Usually between September and December 2026: the law requires a university to publish its admission conditions a set period before the deadline. Once they are out, we update the table and remind our students of the exact dates.
Is February too late to start?
For faculties with a 30 April deadline it is usually fine, especially if your certificate comes from Ukraine or Russia (the doložka is issued without a waiting period). For countries that go through the classic recognition route it is tight: 30 days of processing plus the translation and apostille. For medicine, with its February deadline, it is already too late.
What if I miss 20 March for a secondary school?
Some schools run an additional intake in summer for the places left, though the strongest grammar schools and colleges rarely do. We check with the specific school; sometimes the answer is a preparatory year with language study and a new application.
Is the university deadline the date of sending or of receipt?
For the e-prihláška it is the date of submission and payment in the system (and sometimes the payment has to arrive by the deadline). If the faculty requires a paper copy as well, the postmark date normally counts. We send everything 1–2 weeks early so there is nothing to argue about.
Would you rather not track the dates yourself?
We build a personal calendar for your university and country, remind you before every deadline and file your documents on time. Leave your contact and we will start with a free consultation.
Sources
- Portál VŠ — Termíny podania prihlášok (2026-08)
- Comenius University — electronic application 2026/2027 (2026-08)
- STU — admission conditions for the 2026/2027 academic year (2026-08)
- University of Economics in Bratislava — bachelor's applications (2026-08)
- Zákon č. 245/2008 Z. z. (school act) — §63, §66 admission to secondary schools (2026-08)
- Zákon č. 131/2002 Z. z. on higher education — admission procedure (2026-08)
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