University of Prešov (PU)

Why students choose it

• Most programmes admit on the school certificate, without entrance exams — a realistic route for a school leaver without specialised preparation.
• Eastern Slovakia: about 35 km from Košice, and closer to the Ukrainian border than the universities in the capital.
• Lower living costs than Bratislava: a dormitory place is roughly 70–110 € per month (2026, check the current price list).
• Applied fields with an EU-recognised qualification: nursing, midwifery, physiotherapy, emergency care, dental hygiene, special education.
• The Centre of Languages and Cultures of National Minorities covers Ukrainian, Rusyn and Roma studies — a rare chance to turn a mother tongue into a profession.
• A compact city and campus: faculties, dormitories and canteens are close together, so commuting takes minutes.

Faculties and programmes

How international students apply

Application deadlines

The main deadline for bachelor's and master's applications is 31 March: for 2026/2027 the university announced 31 March 2026, with entrance procedures at some faculties in early June. Individual faculties open a second round in summer and some programmes set their own dates — check the "Prijímacie konanie" page of the faculty you need.

Entrance exams

• Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Natural Sciences, Education, the theological faculties and FMEO — most programmes without an exam, based on the school certificate; if applications exceed places, the faculty ranks candidates by grades.
• Faculty of Sports — a physical fitness check is compulsory.
• Faculty of Education: programmes with music and fine arts — a talent test.
• Faculty of Health Care — a written test and/or an interview is possible, depending on the programme and the year.
• Psychology and some philology programmes — occasionally a test or a ranking by grades; conditions change from year to year.

Documents

• online application (e-prihláška) in the MAIS system and payment of the admission-procedure fee — roughly 30–40 € depending on the faculty (2026, check with the faculty);
• nostrified school certificate — the recognition decision or proof of filing by the faculty deadline;
• official translation of the certificate and the transcript of grades into Slovak;
• proof of Slovak language level as required by the faculty (usually B1–B2; health care and education programmes expect a more confident level);
• a copy of the passport and a photo; some programmes also ask for a motivation letter, a CV or a medical certificate.

International applicants are admitted on the same terms as Slovak citizens. We match the faculty to the student's certificate and goals, handle the recognition of the school certificate and the application — see turnkey admission and the route after year 11.

Based on unipo.sk and the faculty websites as of 08/2026 — check the 2027/2028 deadlines, fees and requirements before applying.

Dormitory and costs

The university runs four student dormitories in Prešov: on 17. novembra street (buildings 11 and 13), at Námestie mládeže 2 and at Exnárova 36. A place costs roughly 70–110 € per month depending on the building and room type — the price list valid until 31/08/2025 quoted 75 € for a bed in a double room and 70 € in a triple, and rates were revised afterwards, so check the current "Cenník ubytovania" on unipo.sk (approximate, 2026).

First-year students apply for a place electronically in the MAIS system after admission — for 2026/2027 applications ran from the second half of June to early July, with results published in July. Summer accommodation is paid separately.

Meals are served in the university canteen; groceries, transport and rent in Prešov are cheaper than in Bratislava. Estimate a full year in the cost calculator.

Who the University of Prešov suits

PU is neither a technical nor a classical medical university: its strengths are the humanities, education, social sciences and applied health care. It is a calm option for students who want a European degree without entrance exams and without capital-city expenses, and for applicants who value a profession with a clear career path — teacher, nurse, physiotherapist, special educator, social worker.

Ukrainian, Rusyn and Roma studies

Prešov hosts the Centre of Languages and Cultures of National Minorities, with institutes of Ukrainian, Rusyn and Roma studies. The Prešov region has long-standing Rusyn and Ukrainian cultural ties, so Ukrainian language and culture can be studied as a full degree rather than an elective. For students from Ukraine that is unusual: the mother tongue becomes a profession — translator, teacher, researcher, cultural institution staff.

Prešov: the city and daily life

Prešov is the third-largest city in Slovakia and the centre of the Prešov region, roughly 35 km from Košice. It is a compact city with a historic centre where nearly everything is within walking distance: university buildings, dormitories, canteens and shops. The Ukrainian and Rusyn communities here are visible, which makes settling in easier than in an average Slovak town.

• Transport: regular buses and trains to Košice, which has the airport and international connections.
• Costs: housing, groceries and transport are markedly cheaper than in Bratislava — the benchmarks are collected in the yearly cost calculator.
• Nearby universities to compare: Pavol Jozef Šafárik University (UPJŠ) for medicine or law, and Technical University of Košice (TUKE) for engineering.

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