News for applicants to Slovakia

SAIA has opened the call for the Národný štipendijný program (NŠP) for the summer semester of 2026/27 — the programme funds study and research stays at Slovak universities for students, PhD candidates and academics from abroad. Deadline: 31 October 2026, applications online at stipendia.sk. Note that this is not a scholarship for a full bachelor's degree but support for one or two semesters for people already enrolled at a university at home. Who qualifies and how the grant is calculated — in our article on scholarships.

As of 12 October most faculties have not yet published their admission conditions for 2027/28: they usually appear between October and December, with medical faculties and arts programmes earlier than the rest. Use the 2026/27 cycle as a guide: the main bachelor's application wave is 31 March – 30 April, medicine — late February, secondary schools — by 20 February. We will update the calendar as soon as exact dates appear.

The Council of the EU extended temporary protection for Ukrainian citizens to 4 March 2028 (decision published in the Official Journal on 4 August 2026). In Slovakia the dočasné útočisko status has so far been extended automatically to 4 March 2027; the extension to 2028 is expected to follow the EU decision — watch the Ministry of Interior website.

Two changes that matter for students: since 15 July 2026 a holder of temporary protection can apply for temporary residence for a specific purpose (for example study) after pursuing it for at least 6 months — so after the first semester you can switch to a student residence permit. Since 6 August 2026 men aged 18–60 must confirm that they meet their military obligations to Ukraine when filing a new or repeated application for temporary protection.

The key points for applicants: the Foreign Police now decides on granting and renewing temporary residence for the purpose of study within 90 days — build this into your plan if you apply in summer. A national visa linked to residence is issued for 120 days (previously 90): the application is filed in person at the consulate, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs decides within 10 working days after the Ministry of Interior's opinion (up to 30 days). Since 1 July 2026 the subsistence minimum is €295.22 per month; proof of funds for the year is calculated from it.

Under the same amendment, Slovak language for long-term residence (dlhodobý pobyt, EU long-term resident status) is proven by an exam at level A2 or higher — but no exam is needed for those with Slovak lower-secondary education or at least two years of study in the Slovak language completed no earlier than five years ago. For graduates who studied in Slovak this removes one of the barriers after the degree.

The Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava (STU) entered the 951–1000 band in QS 2027 — a year earlier it was in 1001–1200, even though the number of ranked universities grew. Within Slovakia STU ranks first for employer reputation. For applicants this is an argument for STU's technical programmes, including those taught in English.