Study in Slovakia from Kazakhstan: how to enter a European university tuition-free

Why Slovakia works for school leavers from Kazakhstan

The pattern we see every year: a family from Kazakhstan wants a European degree but is not ready to pay 5,000–15,000 € a year for English-taught programmes in the Czech Republic, Poland or Germany. Slovakia answers that need: study in Slovak at public universities is tuition-free, and Slovak comes to a Russian-speaking student much faster than German or Czech from scratch.

Where students from Kazakhstan go: universities, colleges, fields

After grade 11 — bachelor's programmes: most often economics and management, IT and engineering, medicine and pharmacy, international relations, psychology, tourism. Strong public universities are Comenius University and the Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava, the Technical University and Šafárik University in Košice, and the universities of Žilina, Nitra and Banská Bystrica. See the full university catalogue.

After grade 9 — gymnasiums, colleges and vocational schools: four years of secondary education ending with the Slovak «maturita», after which entering a university is easier than with a foreign certificate. How it works — on the page after 9th grade.

Documents: what is specific to a certificate from Kazakhstan

• Certificate of general secondary education (11 grades) with the transcript of grades — accepted directly for bachelor's programmes.
• Apostille — recommended. Slovakia and Kazakhstan are bound by a legal-assistance treaty (succession to the 1982 Czechoslovakia–USSR treaty, confirmed by the Slovak Ministry of Justice), and Act 422/2015 does not require an apostille on the certificate. Non-judicial authorities may still ask for one, so to be safe we apostille the certificate and transcript. It is issued in Kazakhstan before departure (via the public service centre / egov.kz — check the current procedure, it has changed).
• Sworn translation into Slovak is done in Slovakia by a translator from the register of the Slovak Ministry of Justice — a translation made at home is not accepted.
• Nostrification — recognition of the certificate by the regional education authority; steps and timelines in the nostrification guide.
• Criminal record certificate from Kazakhstan with an apostille — needed for the residence permit; ordered via egov.kz, valid for a limited period, so obtain it close to the visa application.
• For a master's — the bachelor's diploma with transcript, apostille, translation; recognition is done by the university itself.

Visa and residence permit: the route for citizens of Kazakhstan

Citizens of Kazakhstan need a visa to enter the Schengen area, and for study longer than 90 days — temporary residence for the purpose of study (prechodný pobyt na účel štúdia). The application is filed abroad — at the consular section of the Embassy of the Slovak Republic in Astana. The steps below are typical; details and amounts change, and we re-check them before every application.

1. Admission decision

   The university issues the admission decision (rozhodnutie o prijatí) — usually in May — June. It is the basis for the residence application.
2. Appointment and filing in Astana

   Book the appointment early — summer is busy. You will need: the application form, the university decision, a criminal record certificate with apostille, a passport valid well beyond the stay (photos — for the D visa). Proof of accommodation is not required from university students and insurance is taken out after the card is issued; the consulate may ask for a bank statement (reference: 12 × the subsistence minimum = 3,543 €).
3. Processing

   The law sets shortened deadlines for students (indicatively up to 30 days from a complete application); in practice allow 4–8 weeks. The best time to file is June — July.
4. Entry and the residence card

   After approval an entry visa is placed in the passport; in Slovakia the residence card is issued by the Foreign Police department, followed within the first days by a medical check and address registration.

We assemble the visa file together with the student and the family, while residence matters and renewals are handled by the lawyers of the AXORA group. What is needed for the visa in general — see services and the FAQ.

Getting there from Kazakhstan and what to bring

• Flights. The nearest major airport to Bratislava is Vienna (VIE), 50 km away, with buses to the centre of Bratislava in 45–60 minutes. From Astana and Almaty it is easiest to fly with one connection — via Istanbul, Frankfurt or Warsaw; direct routes come and go, so check before booking. Košice has its own airport (via Vienna/Warsaw) or a 5-hour train from Bratislava.
• Money. Visa/Mastercard cards issued by Kazakh banks work in Slovakia; for the first weeks it is handy to have euros in cash for the housing deposit and one-off fees.
• Phone and daily life. A Slovak SIM card is issued against a passport on day one; the ISIC student card gives discounts on transport and meals.
• Documents in hand luggage. The original certificate with apostille, the university decision, insurance, proof of accommodation — you will need all of them at the Foreign Police and at university enrolment.

Deadlines: admission calendar for 2027

The calendar below is the typical cycle for an applicant from Kazakhstan. Key points: Slovak from autumn, apostille and nostrification in winter, university applications by the end of March — April, the visa in Astana in June — July, moving in at the end of August.

Budget: what a year costs a family from Kazakhstan

The total for a 10-month academic year is roughly 4,500–8,000 € in Bratislava and 3,500–6,500 € in the regions. The cost calculator gives a closer figure for your city and housing type; the Smart Study support fee is quoted at the consultation.

FAQ