National Scholarship Programme of the Slovak Republic for International Applicants

About the opportunity

The National Scholarship Programme of the Slovak Republic (NSP) supports mobility of international students, PhD students, university teachers, researchers, and artists for scholarship stays at higher education institutions and research organisations in Slovakia. Established in 2005 and financed by the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic, the programme aims to foster international academic and scientific cooperation. Eligible candidates can undertake study, research, teaching, or artistic stays ranging from 1 to 10 months depending on their category.

Funding and benefits

• Monthly scholarship for master's students: 620 EUR
• Monthly scholarship for PhD students: 1,025.50 EUR
• Monthly scholarship for university teachers, researchers, and artists without a PhD and with less than 4 years of experience: 1,025.50 EUR
• Monthly scholarship for university teachers, researchers, and artists with a PhD and less than 10 years of experience: 1,370 EUR
• Monthly scholarship for university teachers, researchers, and artists with a PhD and more than 10 years of experience: 1,470 EUR
• Travel grant (lump sum for students and PhD students based on the direct-line distance between the home residence/institution and the host institution in Slovakia, ranging from 50 EUR to 1,500 EUR)

Who can apply?

• Open to citizens of any country in the world except Slovakia (international applicants).
• Master's students: must be enrolled at a university outside Slovakia, have completed at least 2.5 years of university studies by the application deadline, and be accepted by a Slovak higher education institution for an academic mobility study stay.
• PhD students: must be undertaking higher education or scientific training outside Slovakia and be accepted by an eligible Slovak higher education institution or research organization (such as the Slovak Academy of Sciences) for an academic mobility stay.
• University teachers, researchers, and artists: must be invited to a teaching, research, or artistic stay in Slovakia by an eligible institution with a valid certificate of eligibility for research and development.
• Excludes individuals accepted for full-degree higher education studies in Slovakia or those who have spent 15 or more months in Slovakia during the 36 months prior to the application deadline.

Required documents

• Curriculum vitae
• Motivation letter
• Detailed study, research, artistic, or teaching programme/plan
• Acceptance or invitation letter issued by the host Slovak institution
• Recommendation letters (two for students from university teachers; one for PhD students from dissertation supervisor)
• Confirmation of status (official confirmation from home institution confirming active student, PhD student, or staff status)
• Diplomas, diploma supplements, and state examination certificates (bachelor's or master's as applicable, or highest academic degree achieved)
• List of publications or artistic activities (for PhD students, teachers, researchers, and artists)

When to apply

• Application deadline for scholarship stays during the next academic year: 30 April at 16:00 CET
• Application deadline for scholarship stays during the summer semester of the current academic year: 31 October at 16:00 CET

How to apply

• Check programme terms and secure an acceptance or invitation letter from a host institution in Slovakia.
• Prepare all required documents in Slovak or English (or provide official translations).
• Submit the online application via www.scholarships.sk before the application deadline.
• Ensure the original acceptance or invitation letter is delivered physically to SAIA in Bratislava no later than the 3rd working day after the application deadline by 12:00 PM.

Additional information

• The online application system opens at least 6 weeks prior to each application deadline.
• Non-EU/EEA/Switzerland citizens staying longer than 90 days requiring a temporary residence permit must submit a public health medical clearance confirmation within 30 days of being granted residency, with costs reimbursable up to 250 EUR.