What Slovak Scholarships Actually Pay

The NSP stipend is paid monthly for the duration of your approved stay. The amount depends on your category — master's student, PhD student or researcher — and on your level of academic experience. These are the rates in the current NSP programme terms; verify the latest amounts at scholarships.sk before applying.

Travel allowance (lump sum)

Only students and PhD students can get the travel allowance, and only if they request it in the application. It is paid as a single lump sum with the last monthly payment, not at the start. You will need to cover your initial flight costs from your own funds and claim the allowance when your stay concludes. Plan for this in advance.

The ODA Government Scholarship pays a monthly living allowance for study at a public university. Unlike the NSP, it also includes a monthly stipend for the public university and bonus payments for arrival and graduation. Fee-paying programmes are not covered: the Ministry's FAQ gives Medicine taught in English as an example. The figures below are from the official financial terms for 2026/2027.

Performance bonuses are paid one year in arrears — the bonus for excellent results in year one arrives in year two. A scholarship revoked for poor academic performance is not passed to another applicant.

Talented Students scholarship

The Talented International Students Scholarship pays €500 a month for ten months a year (September to June) — for the first three academic years of a Bachelor's or the two years of a Master's, up to €15,000 in total. For 2026/2027 there were 170 Bachelor's and 55 Master's places.

What €620 to €700 actually covers in Slovakia

Slovakia is more affordable than Western Europe, but living costs vary significantly between Bratislava and other university cities. Bratislava, as the capital and the location of several major universities, is notably more expensive than Košice, Nitra, Banská Bystrica or Prešov. The figures below are our own estimates, not official numbers.

In practical terms, the NSP master's stipend of €620 covers these estimates in any city if you get a dormitory place, and in Košice even with a private room. In Bratislava, a private room can push your costs above €620. PhD students and researchers on €1,025–€1,470 are more comfortably placed, particularly in cities outside Bratislava.

ODA bachelor's students on €700 can manage in most Slovak cities provided they obtain a dormitory place, but any unexpected cost — medical, travel, equipment — will strain the budget. There is no allowance for international airfare at the start of the ODA programme; you need to fund your initial travel independently.

Health insurance

According to SAIA, NSP holders from outside the EU, EEA and Switzerland whose stay lasts longer than 1 month qualify for Slovakia's compulsory public health insurance, which is free of charge. EU, EEA and Swiss nationals should bring a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) instead.

There is one important procedural step: cover is not automatic, so you must join the public system yourself. SAIA recommends buying commercial insurance for the period your visa requires, then joining the public system on arrival in Slovakia. If you need no visa, join it straight after you arrive.

ODA scholarship holders also qualify: the Ministry lists the Government Scholarships of the Slovak Republic among the programmes whose holders get public health insurance for stays longer than 1 month.

Stipend amounts are confirmed annually. Verify at scholarships.sk and vladnestipendia.sk.