Slovakia National Scholarship Programme 2027 for Exchange Stays

About

The National Scholarship Programme of the Slovak Republic (NSP) funds short study, research, teaching and artistic stays at Slovak universities and research institutes. It is paid for by the Slovak Ministry of Education and run by SAIA, a non-profit organisation in Bratislava. The programme does not fund full degrees. It is meant for people who are enrolled or working at an institution abroad and want to spend part of their studies or research in Slovakia.

This call covers the summer semester of the 2026/2027 academic year. Students start their stay between 1 February and 1 April 2027 and must finish by 31 August 2027. PhD students, university teachers, researchers and artists start between 1 February and 31 August 2027 and must finish by 30 November 2027. Your dates must match the acceptance letter from your Slovak host.

Host institution and country

SAIA (Slovak Academic Information Agency) manages the applications, payments and reporting for the programme. You choose your own host: any Slovak higher education institution, or a research institution that is allowed to run doctoral programmes or holds a valid research certificate. Host institutions can help with accommodation and with entry and residence formalities.

Financial benefits

The scholarship is meant to cover living costs such as food and housing in Slovakia.

• Master’s-level students: 620 EUR per month
• PhD students: 1,025.50 EUR per month
• Teachers, researchers and artists without a PhD and with under 4 years of experience: 1,025.50 EUR per month
• Teachers, researchers and artists with a PhD: 1,370 EUR per month (under 10 years of experience) or 1,470 EUR per month (over 10 years)
• A one-time travel grant for students and PhD students only, based on the straight-line distance from home. Examples: 250 EUR for 500 to 1,000 km, 750 EUR for 3,000 to 5,000 km, 1,100 EUR for 5,000 to 7,000 km and 1,500 EUR for over 7,000 km. It is paid with the last instalment
• Up to 250 EUR back for the medical check needed for a residence permit (for non-EU/EEA/Swiss holders staying over 90 days)

Student stays last one or two semesters (4 to 5 or 9 to 10 months). PhD and researcher stays last 1 to 10 full months. Stays cannot be extended.

Eligibility criteria

• Citizens of any country except Slovakia
• Students: enrolled at a university outside Slovakia, at master’s level or with at least 2.5 years of studies completed by the deadline, and accepted by a Slovak university
• PhD students: enrolled in doctoral studies outside Slovakia and accepted by an eligible Slovak university or research institution
• Teachers, researchers and artists: invited by an eligible Slovak institution that is not a business company
• Not open to people seeking a full degree in Slovakia, or already funded for the same stay by Erasmus+, CEEPUS, the Visegrad Fund or a bilateral agreement
• Not open to people who spent 15 months or more in Slovakia in the 36 months before the deadline
• Past NSP holders must wait at least 2 years after their last award

Required documents

Documents must be in English or Slovak, or come with an official translation.

• CV and motivation letter (the motivation letter is not required for teachers and researchers)
• A detailed study, research or teaching plan with dates. For students, list host subjects and credits
• Students: two signed recommendation letters from university teachers. PhD students: one signed letter from the dissertation supervisor
• Confirmation of your student status from your home university, showing your year and expected completion
• Your most recent diploma
• PhD students, teachers and researchers: a list of publications or artistic activities
• The acceptance or invitation letter from your Slovak host for the same dates

Recommendation letters, status confirmations and acceptance letters must be no more than 3 months old at the deadline.

How to apply

1. Choose a host institution in Slovakia and contact it early to get an acceptance or invitation letter with your exact dates.
2. Collect your documents and recommendation letters.
3. Apply online at scholarships.sk before 31 October 2026, 16:00 CET. Request the travel grant in the same application. Only one application per call is allowed.
4. Make sure the original acceptance letter reaches SAIA, Sasinkova 10, 812 20 Bratislava, by 12:00 noon on the third working day after the deadline. Your host may send it for you, but a scan must also be in your online application.

Selection process and timeline

SAIA checks every application for completeness on the deadline day. Incomplete or ineligible applications are rejected, and you usually cannot fix them later. A selection committee appointed by the Ministry then ranks the applications. It looks at your reasons for choosing the host, your study or research plan, your recommendation letters, your past results and the overall quality of the application. It may also create a reserve list.

SAIA usually tells applicants the result within 8 weeks of the deadline. Winners receive a letter of award and must send some confirmations before the first monthly payment.

Tips for a strong application

• Contact your Slovak host early. The acceptance letter takes time and must arrive in Bratislava as an original.
• Make your study or research plan concrete: what you will do, with whom, and how it fits your degree back home.
• Explain clearly why this particular Slovak institution is the right place for you.
• Check the dates on all your documents so they are under 3 months old and match each other.
• Submit a few days before the deadline. Late or incomplete files are not accepted.