The Slovak Republic’s National Scholarship Programme funds international students, PhD researchers, and academics to study or research in Slovakia, up to €1,470/month plus a travel grant. Two deadlines annually. Open to citizens of any country. Here’s how to apply.

Overview

When people think about funded academic mobility in Europe, Slovakia rarely comes up first. That’s a missed opportunity — because the National Scholarship Programme of the Slovak Republic (NSP) is one of the most broadly accessible government-funded mobility scholarships in Europe, open to citizens of any country in the world (except Slovakia), covering multiple categories of applicants, and offering monthly stipends of up to €1,470.

The NSP is financed directly by the Slovak Ministry of Education, Research, Development, and Youth from the state budget — which means this is real, stable, government-backed funding, not a competitive charitable grant.

It supports international students, PhD researchers, university teachers, researchers, and artists to spend time studying, researching, or teaching at Slovak universities and research institutions. And it runs twice a year, which means there are two windows annually to apply.

Next deadline: 30 April at 16:00 CET (for stays during the following academic year)
Second deadline: 31 October at 16:00 CET (for stays in the summer semester)

What Is the National Scholarship Programme of Slovakia?

Established in 2005, the NSP has been supporting international academic mobility to Slovakia for two decades. It is administered by SAIA, n.o. Slovakia’s Academic Information Agency — on behalf of the Ministry of Education.

The programme’s purpose is both academic and diplomatic: to attract talented international researchers and students to Slovakia’s higher education and research ecosystem, build long-term international academic relationships, and contribute to Slovakia’s profile as a research destination within Europe and globally.

For applicants, it offers a funded pathway into the European academic environment — through a country that is safe, centrally located, affordable, and home to well-regarded research institutions — without the extreme competition of Germany, France, or UK scholarship programmes.

Who Can Apply? (Three Categories)

The NSP funds three distinct categories of applicant. Read each carefully to determine which applies to you.

Category A: Students (Master’s Level)

Who qualifies:

• Currently enrolled as a university student outside Slovakia
• Studying at Master’s level — OR have completed at least 2.5 years of study in the same or similar programme at bachelor’s level
• Accepted by a public, private, or state higher education institution in Slovakia for an academic mobility stay

All three conditions must be met. This category does not apply to doctoral (PhD) studies.

Duration of stay: 1–2 full semesters (4–5 or 9–10 months), or 1–3 full trimesters

Monthly scholarship: €620

Category B: PhD Students

Who qualifies:

• Currently pursuing a PhD or scientific training outside Slovakia
• Accepted by a higher education institution or research institution in Slovakia (including the Slovak Academy of Sciences) for a study, research, or artistic stay

Duration of stay: 1–10 months

Monthly scholarship: €1,025.50

Category C: University Teachers, Researchers & Artists

Who qualifies:

• Invited to a teaching, research, or artistic stay in Slovakia by a Slovak institution with a valid certificate of eligibility to carry out research and development (universities, Slovak Academy of Sciences institutes, departmental research institutes, or qualifying NGOs)
• Must have a PhD degree (or equivalent) — OR be within 4 years of work experience without a PhD

Duration of stay: 1–10 months

Monthly scholarship:

Note: PhD studies count as work experience, up to a maximum of 6 years.

Travel Grant: Additional Support for Students and PhD Students

Students (Category A) and PhD students (Category B) can also apply for a travel grant on top of their monthly scholarship. The grant is a lump sum paid at the end of the stay alongside the final scholarship payment.

The amount depends on the straight-line distance between your home and your Slovak host institution:

For Nigerian applicants: Lagos to Bratislava is approximately 5,000–5,500 km direct, placing most Nigerian applicants in the €750–€1,100 travel grant range. That’s meaningful additional support covering a significant portion of your return airfare.

What the Scholarship Covers

The monthly stipend is designed to cover living costs during your stay in Slovakia — accommodation, food, and day-to-day expenses. It is not a tuition-covering scholarship; it is a cost-of-living support grant.

Slovakia is significantly more affordable than Western European countries. Monthly student living costs in Bratislava (the capital) typically range from €600–€900, making the NSP stipends genuinely workable:

• A Master’s student on €620/month is in a tight but manageable position
• A PhD student on €1,025.50/month has comfortable headroom
• A senior researcher on €1,470/month lives very comfortably by Slovak standards

For scholars with non-EU status needing a temporary residence permit for stays over 90 days, the NSP also reimburses up to €250 for the required medical examination costs, a practical detail that most scholarship programmes overlook.

Who Is NOT Eligible

Read this section carefully before applying:

• International students or PhD students already enrolled in full degree programmes in Slovakia, the NSP supports mobility stays, not full degrees
• University teachers, researchers, or artists without a PhD who have more than 4 years of work experience (with limited exceptions)
• Anyone who has spent 15 or more months in Slovakia in the past 36 months as of the application deadline
• Anyone who is simultaneously receiving funding for the same stay from other public scholarship programmes (Erasmus+, Visegrad Fund, CEEPUS, bilateral agreements, etc.)

Re-application: If you received NSP funding previously, you must wait at least 2 years from the end of your last funded stay before re-applying — unless a new, distinct hardship or circumstance has arisen.

Key Application Deadlines

Important for visa applicants: If you need a visa to enter Slovakia (which most Africans and many other non-EU nationals do), build in significant time for visa processing. Slovak embassies abroad vary in appointment availability. Start your host institution contact and invitation letter process months before the deadline.

How to Apply

All applications are submitted online at www.scholarships.sk

The online system opens at least 6 weeks before each deadline. You cannot submit before the system opens.

Critical note: Do not submit at the last minute. The programmed explicitly warns that high traffic near the deadline can slow the system — and a missed deadline means waiting for the next round.

Required Documents by Category

Category A: Students

• Curriculum Vitae
• Motivation letter
• Detailed study programme (host institution, duration, list of subjects, expected ECTS credits — typically 30 ECTS per semester)
• Two recommendation letters from university teachers (not older than 3 months at deadline, must contain signature, position, and contact details)
• Official confirmation of enrolment from your home institution (not older than 3 months, should state year of study, programme length, and expected graduation date)
• Bachelor’s diploma, diploma supplement, and state examination certificate (if applicable)
• Acceptance/invitation letter from your Slovak host institution (not older than 3 months, stating the period of stay)
• Original of the acceptance letter must also be delivered by post to SAIA in Bratislava no later than 3 working days after the deadline

Category B: PhD Students

• Curriculum Vitae
• Motivation letter
• Detailed research/study programme (host institution, start date, duration, detailed time plan)
• Recommendation letter from your dissertation supervisor (not older than 3 months)
• Official confirmation of PhD enrolment from your home institution (not older than 3 months)
• Master’s diploma and diploma supplement
• List of publications/artistic activities (or a statement confirming none)
• Acceptance/invitation letter from your Slovak host institution (not older than 3 months — should demonstrate genuine interest in your research, not just a formal acceptance)
• Original of the acceptance letter posted to SAIA within 3 working days of the deadline

Category C: Teachers, Researchers & Artists

• Curriculum Vitae
• Detailed teaching/research/artistic programme (host institution, start date, duration, time plan)
• Diploma of highest academic degree achieved
• List of publications/artistic activities
• Acceptance/invitation letter from your Slovak host institution (demonstrating genuine interest in your stay)
• Original of the acceptance letter posted to SAIA within 3 working days of the deadline

All documents must be in Slovak or English. Documents in other languages must include official translations into Slovak or English.

Post original acceptance letter to:
SAIA, n.o., Sasinkova 10, 812 20 Bratislava, Slovak Republic

The Selection Process

Applications that pass formal review go to a Selection Committee appointed by the Slovak Ministry of Education. The committee evaluates:

• Why you chose Slovakia and your specific host institution
• The quality, feasibility, and purpose of your proposed stay
• Your professional and personal qualities
• Your academic or research achievements
• The contribution your stay will make to the host institution
• Overall quality and consistency of the application

Scholarships are not legally enforceable — selection depends on application quality, programme fit, and available budget for that round. Results are communicated within approximately 8 weeks of the application deadline.

Why Slovakia? What to Expect

Slovakia is a small, stable, Central European country — a member of the EU, the Eurozone, and the Schengen Area. Its capital, Bratislava, sits on the Danube River, 60 kilometres from Vienna and within easy reach of Prague, Budapest, and Krakow.

Slovak universities and research institutions — including Comenius University, the Slovak University of Technology, and the Slovak Academy of Sciences — are active research environments with growing international profiles and increasing English-language research output.

For Nigerian and African scholars, Slovakia offers:

• An affordable European base with Schengen freedom of movement
• A European academic credential at significantly lower personal cost than Western Europe
• A gateway into the European research network
• A genuinely welcoming academic environment for international guests

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