The Slovak Republic does not experience a deficit in the number of universities. Most of the universities located in the country are world-famous, offering applicants a truly high level of education. To obtain a diploma that is quoted in European countries, a foreigner can choose any university. However, there are several of the most prestigious universities that enjoy special respect and unconditional authority. We will talk about them below.
Higher education in Slovakia: where to go to study
- Comenius University
One of the oldest universities in the country, located in the capital. Due to its rich history and a large number of faculties, this institution enjoys stable popularity among applicants. Today about 25 thousand students study here. You can choose one of 13 faculties for study
The fame of this educational institution is added by the fact that one of its graduates is Ivan Gasparovic, who served as President of Slovakia. Students can acquire knowledge in Slovak and English.
It is noteworthy that admission to some faculties does not require exams. Tests are held only if the number of applicants exceeds the planned number. Then you have to pass the language and other exams.
University advantages:
- Prestige, because it is the oldest university located in the capital of the country;
- A large number of exchange programs, including unique ones, which are simply absent in other educational institutions;
- Many specialties;
- Lack of exams (most often).
- Slovak Technical University
It has a metropolitan location and therefore is highly popular. It is one of the strongest technical universities in Europe. It offers applicants a truly wide range of technical specialties.
Benefits:
- Is constantly in the top three universities in Slovakia;
- An opportunity to get a highly paid specialty;
- Practically any faculty is accepted without exams.
- Matej Bel University
Located in the center of Slovakia. This place is called the “city of students”. Its population is over 80 thousand people.
The main advantages of the educational institution:
- Location on the “campus” with many Russian-speaking students;
- Many specialties, some of which are not in other universities;
- No exams are required.
How to get higher education in Slovakia: the nuances of admission to a university
To get higher education in Slovakia, a foreigner needs to follow the following algorithm:
1. Choosing an institution for training. It is advisable to look at several options as the contests are high.
2. Now you need to familiarize yourself with the website of the faculty. After that, we apply to study. Each faculty website has a link for quick registration. Here you should pay attention to the deadline for applying – somewhere the deadline is the beginning of April, and somewhere – the end of February. Dates are very important.
3. We print the application. We attach to it a receipt for payment of the state duty and a copy of the passport. We send these documents to the address of the selected faculty. You need to carefully study the information provided on the site, because you may need additional papers.
4. Contacting the educational department of the faculty. Here you need to communicate your intention to enter. Besides, Slovaks receive diplomas earlier than Russians and Ukrainians, and therefore should also be informed about this. This requirement is spelled out on the pages of some faculties.
5. Collect documents. You can check the detailed list with the staff of the selected faculty.
6. Start preparing for the tests. Waiting for the certificate to be issued.
7. Now the certificate needs to be translated into the Slovak language. Three copies of the document are required. This is followed by nostrification – copies of documents are sent to the Ministry of Education of Slovakia and the capital city administration.
8. If there are exams for admission to the faculty, they must be passed.
9. The certificate should be submitted to the university. This must be done before the day of enrollment. Therefore, applicants usually have a deadline until September 15
These are the main stages of admission to one of the Slovak universities. To avoid difficulties when obtaining higher education in Slovakia, you need to turn to professionals. They will help the foreigner to collect all the necessary documents and make sure that no difficulties arise during their consideration.
It should also be borne in mind that the process of obtaining a residence permit also has certain nuances, the solution of which is better to entrust to experienced specialists.
Features of the higher education system in Slovakia
There are over 30 universities in the Slovak Republic. We are talking about public and private institutions. And each of them works according to a three-level education system:
1. First step. Three years of training. As a result, the graduate receives a bachelor’s degree.
2. Second stage. After becoming a bachelor, a student can continue his studies for a master’s degree Two years later, he will receive a master’s degree, medical doctor, or engineer.
3. Third and final step. Depending on the specialty, it can involve training for 3 or 4 years with a doctoral degree.
Each of the degrees is obtained as a result of the recruitment of the required number of credits by the applicant. They correspond to the ECTS system generally accepted in Europe. For example, to earn a bachelor’s degree, a student must complete 180 credits.
After graduating from school in their home country, a third-country national has the right to receive higher education in Slovakia. Here he receives a bachelor’s degree, which allows him to study further in one of the Slovak universities or return to his homeland.