Slovak Government Scholarship 2027 | Application Process

Q: What bank account can I use for scholarship payments (IBAN/SEPA)?

SAIA pays scholarships to bank accounts registered in SEPA countries and payments are made in EUR. Use an account with IBAN and SWIFT/BIC, and ideally a EUR-denominated account to avoid exchange losses and extra fees.

Q: Do I need to be physically present in Slovakia for the full period to receive the scholarship?

Yes—full scholarship payment is tied to your physical presence at the host institution in Slovakia for the approved purpose and dates. If you face force-majeure situations, SAIA notes that virtual or combined mobility may be possible in specific cases under their guidelines, but you must inform the administrator as early as possible.

Q: What reports do I need to submit during the stay (especially for stays longer than 6 months)?

If your stay lasts longer than 6 months, you must submit an interim report after the 6th month. University students also need to submit a Transcript of Records / exam confirmation for the first semester; SAIA can suspend payments if required documents are missing.

Q: What do I need to submit at the end of the scholarship to receive the last payment (and travel grant, if approved)?

The last scholarship payment (and any approved travel grant) is paid only after SAIA accepts your final report and the required completion documents. If your final report is submitted more than 30 days late, you can lose the right to the last payment and travel grant.

Q: Can I change my start date or shorten the stay after I’m awarded?

Minor changes up to 15 days generally do not require formal approval (but you should inform SAIA). Changes over 15 days require administrator approval, and larger changes may need updated documents from the host. You can shorten the stay, but extension is not allowed.

Q: Can I extend my scholarship stay if my research or coursework needs more time?

No. SAIA states that it is not possible to extend the scholarship stay. Plan your programme carefully with the host institution for the approved duration.

Q: If I need a visa, what does SAIA recommend for NSP scholarship holders (national visa vs temporary residence)?

SAIA notes that for NSP scholarship holders, a national visa (type D) for the duration of the scholarship stay may be used to simplify procedures (typically for stays of at least 3 months, up to 12 months). In some circumstances (for example, being accompanied by family), a temporary residence permit may be more advantageous.

February 26, 2026February 18, 2026 by Muhammad Faizan

The Slovak Government Scholarship is an excellent opportunity for international students who wish to study in Slovakia. This fully funded scholarship is available for master’s, PhD, and postdoctoral programmes. The Slovak Government Scholarship 2027 covers a monthly stipend up to €1025, tuition fees, food, and accommodation. In this article, we provide a complete guide to the Slovak Government Scholarship, including scholarship benefits, eligibility requirements, required documents, application deadlines, and a detailed step-by-step application process.

Scholarships for international students, PhD students, university teachers, researchers and artists. The Government of the Slovak Republic approved the establishment of the National Scholarship Programme of the Slovak Republic for the support of mobility of students, PhD students, university teachers, researchers and artists in 2005.

The National Scholarship Programme of the Slovak Republic (NSP) is funded by the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic. The National Scholarship Programme of the Slovak Republic supports mobility of international students, PhD students, university teachers, researchers, and artists for scholarship stays at higher education institutions and research organisations in Slovakia.

Slovak Government Scholarship Highlights

Degree Programmes	Master’s / PhD / Postdoctoral
Scholarship Provider	Slovakian universities
Study Destination	Slovakia
Fields of Study	All degree programmes are available
Programme Duration	Master’s: 2 years; PhD: 4 years; Postdoctoral: 2 years
Funding	Fully Funded

Degree Programmes: Postdoctoral / PhD / Master’s
Scholarship Provider: Slovakian universities
Study Destinations: Slovakia
Fields of Study: All research courses are available.
Programme Duration: Master’s: 2 Years, and PhD: 4 Years.
Application Deadline: April 30, 2026 / October 31, 2026.

Slovak Government Scholarship Benefits

The Slovak Government Scholarship will provide the recipients with the following benefits:

The scholarship is intended to cover international scholarship holders’ living costs, i.e., the costs related to staying in Slovakia (food, accommodation, etc.), during their study, research/artistic or teaching stay at universities and in research organisations in Slovakia. The scholarship holder can ask for assistance concerning accommodation and formalities related to entering and staying in the territory of the Slovak Republic from his/her host institution, or he/she can handle all the necessities himself/herself.
Amount of the monthly scholarship

Category:	Monthly
a) University student of the second level of higher education	620 EUR
b) PhD student	1025.50 EUR
without a PhD degree (or its equivalent) and at the same time less than 4 years of work experience as a university teacher/researcher/artist
with a PhD degree (or its equivalent) and at the same time less than 10 years of work experience as a university teacher/researcher/artist	1025.50 EUR
with a PhD degree (or its equivalent) and at the same time more than 10 years of work experience as a university teacher/researcher/artist	1370 EUR
with PhD degree (or its equivalent) and at the same time more than 10 years of work experience as a university teacher/researcher/artist	1470 EUR

Eligibility Requirements for the Slovak Government Scholarship

The following are the minimum eligibility requirements for the Slovak Government Scholarship:

English is the required language.
Students from all countries are eligible to apply.
Students who:
- are university students at universities outside Slovakia.
- students of the second level of higher education (master’s students), or students who at the time of the application deadline have already completed at least 2.5 years of their university studies in the same study programme;
- will be on a study stay in Slovakia during their higher education outside Slovakia and who will be accepted by a public, private or state university in Slovakia for academic mobility to study in Slovakia. Eligible applicants for a scholarship in the framework of the NSP: A).
PhD students whose higher education or scientific training takes place outside Slovakia and who are accepted by a public, private or state university or a research institution in Slovakia are eligible to carry out a doctoral study programme (e.g., the Slovak Academy of Sciences) for academic mobility to study/conduct research/artistic stay in Slovakia.

The National Scholarship Programme does not support:

International students and PhD students accepted for full higher education (bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral studies) in Slovakia, or those already studying in Slovakia (full higher education), who would like to fund their studies in Slovakia through the NSP.
International applicants who, within the period of 36 months before the application deadline, have spent 12 or more months (in total) in the territory of the Slovak Republic.
International applicants who are receiving a scholarship in Slovakia in the framework of other scholarship programmes funded from public resources (e.g., International Visegrad Fund, Erasmus+, CEEPUS, bilateral agreements, etc.).

Step-by-Step Application Process for the Slovak Government Scholarship

The following simple and easy application process will help you to apply for this scholarship:

Step 1:

Applicants must fill in their online applications and upload all the required attachments in the required format to their online applications.
Applicants are allowed to submit (fill in) applications and the required attachments in the Slovak or English language only (documents written in other languages must be officially translated into the Slovak or English language – translation can be certified by the same institution that issued the respective document).
In the case of documents that are attached to the application and that are issued by a person other than the applicant (e.g., recommendation letters, confirmations of study, diploma/diploma supplement/state examination certificate, admission/invitation letter), it is necessary to upload a scan of these documents to the online application. The applicant is obliged to keep and archive all originals of documents that he/she has attached to the online application in electronic format and, if requested, to submit these originals (or certified copies of these originals) to the programme administrator.

Step 2:

Once the application is filled in and all the required documents are attached to the application, the applicant must apply by clicking the “SEND” button. It is also necessary to deliver the original of the admission/invitation letter to SAIA, n. o., in Bratislava (SAIA, n. o., Sasinkova 10, 812 20 Bratislava 1).
This document must be delivered at the latest on the 3^rd working day after the application deadline until 12 p.m. (when determining the working days, legal status in Slovakia is taken into consideration).
To know more about the required documents, click here.

Slovak Government Scholarship Application Deadline

The application deadline for the Slovak Government Scholarship 2027 is 30 April 2026 or 31 October 2026.

For further information about the Slovak Government Scholarship and the application process, please visit the official websites:

Official Website

Frequently Asked Questions

When will I receive my first scholarship payment, and what is the usual monthly payment date?

The first payment is released only after SAIA receives the required start-of-stay documents and confirmation that your stay has begun. After that, scholarships are paid monthly, typically by the 7th day of each month (payments related to January may be paid in February).

What bank account can I use for scholarship payments (IBAN/SEPA)?

SAIA pays scholarships to bank accounts registered in SEPA countries and payments are made in EUR. Use an account with IBAN and SWIFT/BIC, and ideally a EUR-denominated account to avoid exchange losses and extra fees.

Do I need to be physically present in Slovakia for the full period to receive the scholarship?

Yes—full scholarship payment is tied to your physical presence at the host institution in Slovakia for the approved purpose and dates. If you face force-majeure situations, SAIA notes that virtual or combined mobility may be possible in specific cases under their guidelines, but you must inform the administrator as early as possible.

Is the travel grant paid upfront or monthly?

The travel grant (if you applied for it and it was approved) is paid as a lump sum at the end of the stay, together with your last scholarship payment.

What reports do I need to submit during the stay (especially for stays longer than 6 months)?

If your stay lasts longer than 6 months, you must submit an interim report after the 6th month. University students also need to submit a Transcript of Records / exam confirmation for the first semester; SAIA can suspend payments if required documents are missing.

What do I need to submit at the end of the scholarship to receive the last payment (and travel grant, if approved)?

The last scholarship payment (and any approved travel grant) is paid only after SAIA accepts your final report and the required completion documents. If your final report is submitted more than 30 days late, you can lose the right to the last payment and travel grant.

Can SAIA reduce the scholarship or ask for repayment if I don’t complete the planned programme?

Yes. SAIA explains that insufficient fulfilment of the planned programme can lead to reductions—ranging from withholding the last payment to requiring repayment of the full amount in severe cases. For students, fulfilment is assessed mainly via the planned credits; for other categories, host feedback and outputs are used.

Can I change my start date or shorten the stay after I’m awarded?

Minor changes up to 15 days generally do not require formal approval (but you should inform SAIA). Changes over 15 days require administrator approval, and larger changes may need updated documents from the host. You can shorten the stay, but extension is not allowed.

Can I extend my scholarship stay if my research or coursework needs more time?

No. SAIA states that it is not possible to extend the scholarship stay. Plan your programme carefully with the host institution for the approved duration.

If I need a visa, what does SAIA recommend for NSP scholarship holders (national visa vs temporary residence)?

SAIA notes that for NSP scholarship holders, a national visa (type D) for the duration of the scholarship stay may be used to simplify procedures (typically for stays of at least 3 months, up to 12 months). In some circumstances (for example, being accompanied by family), a temporary residence permit may be more advantageous.

What should I put as the inviting organisation when I apply for the visa?

SAIA advises you to indicate your actual host institution (the one that issued your invitation/acceptance letter and where you will conduct the stay), not SAIA.

How does health insurance work for scholarship holders in Slovakia?

SAIA explains that non-EU/EEA/Swiss scholarship holders staying in Slovakia for longer than 1 month can be included in Slovakia’s compulsory public health insurance system (free of charge). However, you may still need commercial insurance for the period required by visa procedures until you enter the public system after arrival.

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