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Slovakia is one of the most affordable places in the EU to get a university degree. Its public universities – such as Comenius University in Bratislava or the Technical University of Košice (TUKE) – offer a growing number of programmes taught in English, and tuition is usually a fraction of what you would pay in Western Europe.
What you pay depends on the language of study, not on your passport. Full-time study in Slovak at a public university is free for everyone, including students from outside the EU. Programmes taught in English usually charge tuition – from €0 at the University of Economics in Bratislava to about €3,500–5,000 a year at technical universities and €11,500–14,500 a year for medicine (2026/27).
In a nutshell: Studying in Slovakia is free in Slovak and usually costs €0–5,000 a year in English (medicine €11,500–14,500). Students from outside the EU need temporary residence for the purpose of study, may work up to 80 hours a month and can stay 9 more months after graduation to look for a job.
If you want to buy Slovak gifts or useful Slovak products, you can find them by clicking here (Amazon link).
Is Slovakia Good for International Students
Thousands of international students study at Slovak universities – at Comenius University, the largest one, about one in five students comes from abroad (Times Higher Education, 2026). Lower tuition and living costs than in Western Europe are the main reasons.
If you ask yourself if Slovakia is a good place for international students, the answer is yes. It is a safe and calm country, and university towns are used to foreign students. Younger people and university staff usually speak English; older people less so – more about that in the tip below.
| My Personal Experience |
|---|
| Based on what my friends who studied here experienced, every Slovak city that offers study programmes for foreign students is a great choice. Slovakia is a safe and calm country, and a student from abroad will feel good in any of them. If you are worried about not fitting in with the locals, choose Bratislava – a large number of foreigners live, study and work there. |
Our little big country also offers lots of things to do in your free time: castles, mountains, lakes, spas and old mining towns. Trains help a lot here – full-time students under 26 who study at a school in Slovakia can travel on ZSSK trains for free, whatever their nationality. You only need to register once at a ZSSK ticket desk with your ID, a photo and a confirmation of study (free tickets are not valid on IC trains). Details are on the ZSSK website.
| My Personal Experience |
|---|
| Slovakia is a truly beautiful country with plenty of ways to spend your free time – history, culture or nature, you will find all of it here in abundance. Slovakia is small, so you can do a day trip to almost any part of the country. And free trains for students make it even more tempting. |
Why Should I Study in Slovakia
Tuition at Slovak public universities is low compared with the rest of Europe, many programmes are taught in English, and Slovak degrees follow the European three-level (Bologna) system, so your Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD is easy to compare abroad.
Slovakia is home to well-known schools:
- Comenius University in Bratislava – founded in 1919, the oldest and largest university operating in Slovakia today,
- The University of Economics in Bratislava,
- Bratislava International School of Liberal Arts (BISLA) – a small private college with programmes in English.
Slovakia also boasts good specialised schools, for example:
- The Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra,
- The Constantine the Philosopher University, also in Nitra,
- And the Technical University of Košice.
You will find English-taught programmes mostly in medicine, engineering and IT, and economics and business. Tuition depends on the language of study – more about it below.
Higher education in Slovakia has three levels:
- 1st level – Bachelor’s (Bc.), 3–4 years,
- 2nd level – Master’s (Mgr.) or Engineer (Ing.), usually 2 years,
- 1st and 2nd level combined – for example General Medicine (MUDr., 6 years), Dentistry (MDDr.) or Veterinary Medicine (MVDr., 6 years),
- 3rd level – PhD, 3–4 years.
| My Personal Experience |
|---|
| I studied in the Czech Republic, so I was in the same position as foreigners who study or want to study in Slovakia – just from the other side. From my own experience, I recommend studying abroad. It is not only about a better education, but also about the bigger life experience that comes with living in another country. |
TIP: Find out how good people in Slovakia speak English and how the ability to speak English is connected with various factors such as age, location, and life situation.
Do Slovaks speak English? Read This Before Your Arrival
Is Education Free in Slovakia for International Students
Yes – under one condition: you study full-time in Slovak at a public university. Then tuition is free for everyone, whatever your nationality, as long as you finish within the standard length of the programme.
Programmes taught in a foreign language (usually English) may charge tuition to every student – EU and Slovak citizens included. Part-time (external) study is paid every year, and so is study beyond the standard length (example: University of Žilina fee rules 2026/27).
If you are ready to learn Slovak, look at the Slovak Government Scholarships for students from selected countries: they include a one-year Slovak language course at Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica, accommodation and a monthly allowance (applicants aged 18–25). The official Study in Slovakia portal lists current scholarships and programmes.
TIP: Check out my list of recommended Slovak products. They are perfect as gifts, or you will use them during your visit to Slovakia (Amazon links)
- Slovakia Flag
- The book about Slovak History
- Slovak Travel Guide
- Slovakia Adventure Map (by National Geographic)
- T-shirt with Slovakia Flag
- Slovakia Shot Glass
- Legendary Horalky Biscuit (Original)
How Much Does It Cost to Study in Slovakia
Slovak universities charge tuition per academic year. The year has two semesters: the winter semester starts in mid-September (teaching until mid-December, exams until mid-February), and the summer semester starts in mid-February (teaching until mid-May, exams until early July) – for example at the Slovak University of Technology in 2026/27.
The amount of tuition varies a lot between universities and even faculties. The table below shows annual fees for full-time programmes taught in English, taken from the universities’ official fee rules:
| University (faculty) | Annual tuition – English-taught programmes | Academic year |
|---|---|---|
| University of Economics in Bratislava (EUBA) | free within the standard length | 2026/27 |
| Comenius University – Faculty of Natural Sciences | free | 2026/27 |
| Comenius University – Faculty of Management | €1,990 Bachelor’s / €2,490 Master’s | 2027/28 |
| Slovak University of Technology (STU) | €3,500 at most faculties (FEI €2,000 / €3,000, FIIT €4,000 / €7,000) | 2026/27 |
| University of Žilina (UNIZA) | €3,500 at most faculties (Civil Engineering €2,500–3,500) | 2026/27 |
| Technical University of Košice (TUKE) | €5,000 | 2026/27 |
| Comenius University – Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Martin | General Medicine €11,500 | 2027/28 intake |
| Comenius University – Faculty of Medicine, Bratislava | General Medicine €13,000, Dentistry €14,500 | 2026/27 |
| Pavol Jozef Šafárik University – Faculty of Medicine, Košice | General Medicine €13,000, Dentistry €13,500 | 2026/27 |
| BISLA (private) | €2,200 EU/EEA citizens, €8,500 other countries | 2026/27 |
Sources: EUBA, Faculty of Management UK, STU, UNIZA, TUKE, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine UK, UPJŠ, BISLA. Universities publish new fees every year, so always check the current fee rules before you apply.
As you can see, the price depends a lot on what and where you study. Still, Slovak universities are cheap compared with most of the European Union – and some English-taught programmes cost nothing at all.
TIP: Slovakia has many public holidays, but since 2024 several of them are no longer days off. Find out which days are free in the article below:
Complete List of National Holidays in Slovakia (Explained)
Cheapest Universities in Slovakia for International Students
These public universities offer programmes in English at a reasonable price. Fees are for full-time English-taught study in 2026/27 unless stated otherwise.
The University of Economics in Bratislava
- Full-time English-taught Bachelor’s, Master’s and PhD programmes: free within the standard length
- Beyond the standard length: €1,500 (Bachelor’s) / €2,500 (Ing.) / €3,500 (PhD) a year
The University of Economics in Bratislava (EUBA) is the main Slovak university for economics and business – and today the cheapest on this list. It has over 8,000 students and seven faculties.
Six of them are in Bratislava, and the Faculty of Business Economics is in Košice.
Matej Bel University in Banská Bystrica
Matej Bel University has about 6,300 students in six faculties. It also runs the one-year Slovak language course for Slovak Government Scholarship holders.
We could not find its official 2026/27 fees for English-taught programmes online, so ask the university’s international office for the current price before you apply.
University of Žilina
- Bachelor’s, Master’s (Ing.) and PhD: €3,500 a year at most faculties
- Faculty of Civil Engineering: €2,500 / €3,000 / €3,500
The University of Žilina was founded in 1953 in Prague as the University of Railway Transport and later moved to Žilina. It has used its current name since 1996.
Today, it has about 7,500 students and six faculties, most of them focused on engineering, transport and IT.
Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice
- General Medicine: €13,000 a year
- Dental Medicine: €13,500 a year
- (students admitted in 2025/26 or later)
The Faculty of Medicine of Pavol Jozef Šafárik University (UPJŠ) is one of the most popular places in Slovakia for international medical students – they come from about 50 countries.
Its tuition fees may seem high compared with other Slovak universities. Still, they are affordable if you compare them with the fees of most medical schools in Western Europe.
The university was founded in 1959 and has about 7,300 students. Besides medicine, it also offers law, science, arts and public administration.
The Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra
The Slovak University of Agriculture in Nitra (SPU) is for those who would like to study agriculture, food, horticulture, landscape or rural development. It has about 4,500 students in six faculties.
SPU publishes its 2026/27 fees on its website, but we could not verify the amounts for English-taught programmes – check them with the university before you apply.
The Technical University of Košice
- English-taught programmes: €5,000 a year
The Technical University of Košice (TUKE) was founded in 1952. Today, it has over 13,800 students and eight faculties, mostly in engineering and IT.
This school is in Košice, the second-largest city in Slovakia, and is well known not only in Slovakia but also abroad.
The Slovak University of Technology in Bratislava
- Bachelor’s and Master’s: €3,500 a year at most faculties
- Faculty of Electrical Engineering and IT (FEI): €2,000 / €3,000
- Faculty of Informatics and Information Technologies (FIIT): €4,000 / €7,000
- PhD: €600–3,500 a year, depending on the faculty
The Slovak University of Technology (STU) in Bratislava is the best-known technical school in the capital. It has about 11,000 students and seven faculties.
Six of them are in Bratislava, and the Faculty of Materials Science and Technology is in Trnava. If you are interested in chemistry or food technology, look at its Faculty of Chemical and Food Technology.
TIP: Most international students arrive in Slovakia by plane via Bratislava, Košice or nearby Vienna. Find out where you can fly and how to get from Vienna airport in the article below:
Airports in Slovakia: How Many, Where to Fly & Local Tips
Cost of Living in Slovakia for International Students
Slovakia is cheaper to live in than Austria, Germany or France, but costs depend a lot on the city. Bratislava is by far the most expensive Slovak city to live in.
According to Numbeo (October 2026), a single person in Bratislava spends about €850 a month without rent. Renting a one-bedroom flat costs about €940 a month in the city centre and €700 outside it.
This is why we highly advise you to live in a student dorm. Rent is otherwise the biggest part of your monthly budget, while a bed in a dorm of Comenius University cost €72–139 a month in 2024, depending on the dorm and the room.
| My Personal Experience |
|---|
| I definitely recommend living in a student dorm, especially in your first years. It is the place where you meet new people, help each other with assignments and studying, and have a lot more fun. What the dorm looks like is the smallest problem – what matters are the people you meet there and the experiences you have together 🙂 |
Smaller cities are cheaper. In Žilina, everyday costs without rent are about 20% lower than in Bratislava, and a one-bedroom flat in the centre costs about €520 a month (Numbeo, 2026).
Student canteens are another good deal. You pay a few euros per meal, because the university adds part of the price – for example, students at the university in Trenčín paid €1.96–3.38 for a lunch in 2025.
Students from outside the EU can also work up to 80 hours a month, so you can earn some extra money while studying. More about work is below.
TIP: Visiting Slovakia and have no idea what the trip’s budget should be? Then find out all the needed information in the article below:
Is Slovakia Expensive to Visit? Locals Break It Down (2026)
How Can I Get a Student Visa for Slovakia
Citizens of the EU, EEA and Switzerland do not need a visa or a residence permit to study in Slovakia.
If you come from outside the EU and want to stay longer than 90 days, you need temporary residence for the purpose of study – not a Schengen visa, which is only for short stays. You apply at a Slovak embassy or consulate, or at the foreign police department in Slovakia if you are already here legally. If you need a visa to enter Slovakia, the embassy then issues a national (D) visa, so you can travel in and collect your residence card (Ministry of Foreign Affairs).
Documents you usually need (2026):
- Completed application form
- A valid passport and two passport-size photographs
- Confirmation of study (acceptance letter) from the university
- Criminal record extract from your home country and from countries where you stayed for more than 90 days – not older than 90 days, with an apostille and an official Slovak translation
- Proof of financial means – at least the Slovak subsistence minimum for each month of your stay (€295.22 a month from 1 July 2026)
- Proof of accommodation in Slovakia
Documents that are not in Slovak must be officially translated. You do not need to prove that you speak Slovak.
The police decide within 30 days. Residence for study is granted for the length of your studies, for a maximum of 6 years, and you receive a residence card (€10, or €39 for an express card). Within 3 working days of collecting the card, you must have health insurance, and within 30 days you submit proof of it together with a medical report.
Getting apostilles and translations takes weeks, so start right after you receive your acceptance letter. The EURAXESS checklist for study residence is a good place to check the current list of documents.
TIP: People from the Schengen area countries do not need a visa to enter Slovakia. Some people, however, need to have a visa. Find out more details in the article below:
Visa to Slovakia for ALL Countries (Work, Student, and more)
Can a Foreign Student Work in Slovakia
EU/EEA/Swiss nationals and their family members can work in Slovakia on the same terms as Slovak nationals. The applicant must meet the employer’s requirements, e.g., education, language skills, work experience, etc.
For job offers and information, mobile workers from the EU/EEA/Switzerland can use EURES Slovakia and the European EURES portal.
If you are not an EU/EEA/Swiss national and you hold temporary residence for study, you can work without a work permit for up to 80 hours a month – on an employment contract or a work agreement (IOM Migration Information Centre, 2026).
TIP: Working in Slovakia has its pros and cons, as in other countries. Check out the complete guide on getting work in Slovakia as a foreigner in the article below:
Complete Guide: Getting Work in Slovakia As a Foreigner
Can I Stay in Slovakia after Graduation
Yes. Slovakia welcomes graduates who want to stay and work here.
After you graduate from a Slovak university (a Bachelor’s degree also counts), you can apply to extend your temporary residence by 9 months to look for a job or start a business (IOM MIC).
Graduates of Slovak universities do not need a work permit. Once you find a job, you can apply for temporary residence for employment (up to 5 years), or for an EU Blue Card – recent graduates (last 3 years) qualify with a salary of at least the Slovak average wage.
FAQ about Studying in Slovakia
Here are quick answers to the most common questions about studying in Slovakia as an international student.
Is university free in Slovakia for international students?
Yes, if you study full-time in Slovak at a public university and finish within the standard length – for every nationality. English-taught programmes usually cost from €0 (EUBA) to about €5,000 a year, and medicine €11,500–14,500 a year (2026/27).
How much does it cost to study medicine in Slovakia?
General Medicine costs €13,000 a year at Comenius University in Bratislava and at UPJŠ in Košice, and €11,500 at the Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin. Dentistry costs €13,500–14,500 a year.
Do I need a visa to study in Slovakia?
EU, EEA and Swiss citizens do not. Students from other countries need temporary residence for the purpose of study; if they need a visa to enter Slovakia, they get a national (D) visa to collect their residence card.
Can international students work in Slovakia?
Yes. EU/EEA/Swiss students can work like Slovaks. Students from other countries with residence for study can work up to 80 hours a month without a work permit.
How much money do I need per month as a student in Slovakia?
It depends on the city. A dorm bed costs roughly €70–140 a month (2024), and Numbeo estimates about €850 a month without rent for a single person in Bratislava (2026). Smaller cities such as Žilina are about 20% cheaper.
Can students travel by train for free in Slovakia?
Yes. Full-time students under 26 who study at a school in Slovakia travel free on ZSSK trains, whatever their nationality. Register once at a ZSSK ticket desk; free tickets are not valid on IC trains.
Conclusion
Slovakia is a good choice for an affordable European degree. Full-time study in Slovak is free, English-taught programmes usually cost €0–5,000 a year, and medicine €11,500–14,500 a year (2026/27).
Students from outside the EU need temporary residence for study and can work up to 80 hours a month. Living costs depend on the city – Bratislava is the most expensive, and a student dorm makes your budget much lighter.
After graduation, you can stay 9 more months to look for a job and then switch to residence for employment or an EU Blue Card.
TIP: Our little big country offers many traditional and tasty dishes for everyone to enjoy. Know the most common and traditional Slovak dishes before you arrive in the article below:
Traditional Slovak Food: Tips for National Dishes by Locals
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