Applying for Slovak Government Scholarships

Contact a Slovak university well before the deadline

The NSP requires a formal acceptance or invitation letter from a Slovak host institution. This is not optional and cannot be substituted. You need this letter before you start the online application, and obtaining it takes time.

Contact the International Relations Office of your target university directly — not a specific professor. Universities that participate in the NSP know what this letter should contain and who is authorised to sign it. Be clear in your message: introduce yourself, describe your study or research plans, state the exact period you want to visit, and ask specifically for an NSP acceptance letter. Allow 2 to 6 weeks for a response.

Verify your eligibility at scholarships.sk

Read the programme terms and conditions for foreign applicants on the official portal. Confirm your category (master's student, PhD, researcher), your dates of stay, and that your current scholarship situation does not conflict with the programme rules. If you are currently on Erasmus+ or any other publicly funded Slovak scheme, you are not eligible to apply until that scheme concludes.

Create an account and complete the online application form

Register at scholarships.sk. If you do not receive an account activation email within 24 hours, check your spam folder and then contact [email protected]. Complete all fields of the application form carefully. Any field left blank that is listed as mandatory causes an error at submission; any discrepancy between your form and your supporting documents can trigger disqualification during review.

Write your motivation letter and programme of stay

The NSP has no interview. The Selection Committee's decision is based entirely on what you submit on paper. Your motivation letter and programme of stay (for students) or research proposal (for PhD applicants) are the most important documents in your application. These are not formalities.

A strong NSP application explains specifically why Slovakia — and this specific host institution — is necessary for your goals, what you plan to achieve during your stay, and how your work connects to the research or teaching activities of the host. Generic letters that could apply to any country or any institution perform poorly.

Both documents must be physically signed by hand. Type your text, print it, sign it, scan it, and upload the scanned PDF. A digitally typed signature is not acceptable.

Upload all required attachments

Every mandatory attachment must be present. If one is missing, your application is automatically excluded — there is no review of partial submissions, no opportunity to send missing documents later, and no appeal. See the full documents list for what is required for your category.

Print the confirmation page, sign it, and upload it

After you submit the online form, the system generates a "Confirmation" page (sometimes called a "Declaration" page). You must print this page, sign it by hand, scan it, and upload the signed scan back into the portal. This step is not completed by clicking submit. Many applicants miss it because it is presented after the main submission and looks like a completion screen rather than a task. If the signed confirmation is not uploaded, your application is incomplete.

Use the eligibility wizard first

Before spending any time on the application, run the official wizard at vladnestipendia.sk/en/wizard. Enter your country and desired field of study. The wizard will tell you whether your combination is eligible and how many slots are available for your country in the current cycle. If the wizard shows zero slots for your country and field, do not apply — there are no exceptions.

Wait for the application window to open (late March)

The "New Application" button at vladnestipendia.sk only appears during the official application window, which typically opens around March 23–25 and closes May 25. Outside those dates, the button does not exist and you cannot begin an application. This is not a website error — it is how the portal works.

Register and complete the online form

Register at the portal. Fill out all sections. Personal information, academic history, field of study selection, university preferences, and personal statements all form part of the form. Ensure that your personal information matches exactly what appears on your passport and academic certificates — any discrepancy is grounds for disqualification.

Upload all required documents

The ODA programme has strict requirements about document format, translation, and signature. Certificates in languages other than Slovak, Czech, English, French, or Spanish must be accompanied by a certified official translation. Your CV and motivation letter must be physically signed by hand — print, sign, scan, upload. See the full documents checklist.

Print and sign the Confirmation page

After completing the online form, download the Confirmation page. Print it, sign it by hand, scan it, and upload the signed scan to the portal. This is the same step as in the NSP process and is equally easy to overlook. Without the signed Confirmation, your application is not complete.

Wait for results after July 15

ODA scholarship results are announced after July 15. Results are available through your portal account — do not rely solely on email notification. If you are selected, the Ministry of Education begins the process of arranging your visa support documentation and university placement. This process takes several weeks, so your actual start date for the academic year in Slovakia will typically be September.