Documents for university admission in Slovakia: the full list

In short: three sets of documents

Applying to Slovakia is not one list but three, and mixing them up is the main source of panic. Set 1 is for recognition of your education (nostrification). Set 2 is for the university application itself (e-prihláška). Set 3 comes after admission, for the visa and residence permit. All three are below, in order; for the dates see the admission calendar 2027.

Set 1: your school certificate and its recognition

• School-leaving certificate (or a college/technical school diploma) — you keep the original, certified copies go into the file.
• Transcript of grades — mandatory: without a list of subjects neither the recognition statement nor the application to the regional education office can be prepared.
• Apostille on the original — mandatory for countries with no legal assistance treaty with Slovakia (for example Kyrgyzstan). For Ukraine, Belarus, Russia, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan a legal assistance treaty applies: Act 422/2015 does not require an apostille, but non-judicial authorities may ask for one — we recommend getting it to be safe; we check for each student.
• Notarised copy of the certificate and the transcript (made at home or by a Slovak notary).
• Sworn translation into Slovak — only a translator from the Slovak Ministry of Justice register; it is bound together with the certified copy.
• Recognition decision from the regional education office (RÚŠS). Details in the nostrification guide.

Set 2: the university application (e-prihláška)

1. The electronic form

   Through the faculty's system (e-prihláška UK, AIS at STU and so on) or the single form on Portál VŠ. Personal details exactly as in your passport (Latin script), plus address, the chosen programme and the form of study (denná = full-time).
2. The application fee

   Set by each faculty — roughly €15–99 per application (FMFI 15, UKF 25, STU and UPJŠ 30, EUBA 40–90, SZU 70, LF UK 99); electronic filing is cheaper than paper. Pay by card or transfer with the exact variable symbol, otherwise the application stays flagged as unpaid.
3. Certificate or school confirmation + grades

   A scan of the certified copy with the sworn translation; some faculties ask you to enter your recent grades in the form — they use them to score applicants admitted without exams.
4. Recognition decision (RÚŠS)

   Attached to the application or submitted by the date given in the admission conditions (often before enrolment).
5. Passport copy

   The photo page; some faculties also ask for proof of a residence permit if you already hold one.
6. Proof of submission

   The system produces a PDF of the application — print it, sign it and, where required, post it with the attachments (some faculties still require the paper copy).

Faculties and their requirements are listed in our university catalogue; the general overview is on the universities in Slovakia page. You may submit several applications to different faculties and universities — there is no limit beyond the fees.

What only some faculties ask for

Set 3: after admission — visa and residence permit

• the admission decision (rozhodnutie o prijatí) or a university confirmation;
• passport (valid for the whole period); 3×3.5 cm photos are needed only for the national D visa, not for the residence application;
• proof of funds is not required by law for the purpose of study — the consulate may ask for a bank statement (reference: 12 × the subsistence minimum = 3,543 €) or a parent's undertaking;
• proof of accommodation — not required from university students (Act 404/2011 as of 1 July 2025);
• criminal record certificate with apostille/legalisation and a sworn translation (no older than 90 days);
• health insurance — not part of the file at submission: it is taken out after the card is issued and submitted to the police within 30 days (as is the medical report, lekársky posudok);
• administrative fees under the fee schedule (study applications are exempt; the card — please check).

The full walkthrough — timing, amounts and the differences for citizens of Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus and Russia — is in the article on the student visa and residence permit. For housing, see the dormitory guide.

If you are applying after 9th grade

The file for a grammar school or college is simpler on the recognition side but has its own specifics for minors: the application to the school by 20 February (a single deadline that includes talent schools), the 9th-grade certificate with grades (translated), the parents' application, a legal representative appointed in Slovakia, a medical certificate, and for schools with a talent exam, the exam on 22 and 31 March (sports: 15–31 March). Details are on the page about admission after 9th grade and in our catalogue of colleges and grammar schools.

Mistakes that cost applicants the deadline

1. The name in the application does not match the passport

   Your own transliteration will not match the visa or the dormitory contract. Copy it exactly from the passport.
2. The application is unpaid, or paid without the symbol

   The system does not see the payment, so the application is not processed. We check the status after 3–5 days.
3. A translation "from a translator we know"

   Only sworn translations from the Slovak register are accepted.
4. The apostille was forgotten before leaving

   It is issued in the country where the document was issued — arranging it from Slovakia is slow and expensive.
5. No transcript of grades

   A certificate without a list of subjects cannot be recognised or scored.
6. One faculty, one application

   Send 2–3 applications to different faculties: the fees are small and the insurance against a rejection is real.

FAQ