Master's degree in Slovakia for international students: how to apply with a bachelor's diploma

Who recognises a bachelor's diploma and how

To enter the second cycle (Mgr. or Ing.) you need a first-cycle higher education diploma. If it was issued outside Slovakia, it is recognised for the purpose of continuing studies, in Slovak uznanie dokladu o vzdelaní na účely pokračovania v štúdiu. This is a separate procedure from recognition of a school certificate: the decision is made not by a regional education office but by the university itself.

Under Act No. 422/2015 Z. z. (section 33), the application is reviewed by a Slovak university that runs programmes in the same or a related field. The university checks the application within 30 days and issues a decision within two months of receiving a complete application (section 34). There are three possible outcomes: the diploma is recognised, the application is rejected, or you are asked to pass a difference exam, rozdielová skúška.

The Act does not state the administrative fee; the university sets and publishes it. Do not rely on figures from chats and old forums. Ask the faculty you are applying to.

Step-by-step admission plan

1. Pick a field

   Compare your bachelor's with master's programmes. The closer the profile, the easier recognition and admission. See the university catalogue for options.
2. Find the faculty's conditions

   Each faculty publishes second-cycle admission terms separately: deadlines, application fee, whether an exam is held and which documents to attach.
3. Prepare your documents

   Diploma and transcript, certified copies, an official Slovak translation by a sworn translator, a passport copy. Whether an apostille is needed depends on the country of issue; the general list is in our article on documents.
4. Submit the application

   Usually electronically through the university's system plus the fee; some faculties also ask for a paper copy by post. You can submit several applications, one per programme.
5. Receive the recognition decision

   Allow about two months after the package is complete, so it is best to start six months before the deadline.
6. Apply for the residence permit

   After admission you apply for temporary residence for study; details below.

Relevance of your bachelor's and entrance tests

The Act ties recognition directly to whether the university has programmes in the same or a related field, so relevance is the main filter. A bachelor's in economics fits a master's in management, but probably not one in computer science, or you may need extra subjects.

The basic condition, for example at Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra (UKF), is a completed first cycle of higher education; faculties may add their own requirements. Selection differs between faculties: some admit on documents (grades, content of your bachelor's, motivation letter), others hold an exam. At FEI STU, for example, the exam for Slovak-language programmes is waived under the faculty's criteria, but not for English ones. UKF holds exams on 7–11 June 2027 only in programmes where the faculty has decided so.

What influences the faculty's decision most

Where selection is based on documents, the committee looks at several things: how closely your bachelor's matches the master's programme, the grades in your diploma supplement, and how you explain your choice of programme. That is why the supplement with the list of subjects matters more than the diploma itself: it shows which subjects you have already studied.

• diploma supplement with subjects and grades, with a Slovak translation;
• a motivation letter in the language of the programme: short and to the point, saying why this programme and how your bachelor's prepared you for it;
• a CV and proof of language level if the faculty asks for it: for an English programme this is usually a certificate or other evidence of level, and the faculty states the exact format;
• a passport copy and proof of payment of the application fee.

Format and contents differ between faculties, so check the list on the page of your own programme and do not rely on a friend's list from another university.

Application deadlines: reference points

There is no single deadline; each faculty sets its own. Below is what we were able to confirm on official pages.

STU has not yet published 2027/28 terms; for other universities, check dates on their own pages. The best guide is the previous cycle: if it closed in winter or spring, plan recognition and translation for the autumn. For the general calendar see our 2027 deadlines article.

Slovak or English: which to choose

We do not quote tuition amounts: they change and are published on the university website. Before choosing a language, read the programme page and our guide to Slovak for admission. For everyday life see dorms and cost of living.

A master's usually takes about two years; the exact length is given in the programme description.

Residence permit for study and budget

After admission you need temporary residence for study. According to the IOM Migration Information Centre, the foreign police decide on the application within 90 days; this is a term from the list of changes effective 15 July 2026.

From 1 July 2026 the living minimum in Slovakia rose from 284.13 to 295.22 € per month. We use this figure as a guide when calculating a budget; which amount you will have to document, and in what form, should be confirmed with the police or with us. For the general procedure see student visa and residence permit, and for the period after graduation see residence and work after graduation.

Common mistakes

• Submitting documents in the last month: recognition can take up to two months and translation should be done in advance.
• Choosing a master's far from the profile of your bachelor's and learning about the difference exam only after the decision.
• Using an ordinary translator instead of a Slovak sworn translator.
• Relying on last year's terms: universities update fees and dates every cycle.
• Not checking the tuition for an English programme against the university website.

FAQ