Slovakia Government Scholarship Programme for International Students, Teachers and Researchers Worldwide

Slovakia Government Scholarship Programme for International Students, Teachers and Researchers Worldwide

National Scholarship Programme

Course(s) Offered: Any field
Course Level: Postgraduate
Provider: Slovak Government
Country to Study in: Slovak Republic

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

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.

This is a call for applications for academic year 2017/2018 Scholarship Programme, and which is funded by the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic.
Eligibility
Eligible applicants for a scholarship in the framework of the NSP are:

A) students who:

• are university students at universities outside Slovakia;
• are students of the second level of higher education (master's students), or are students who at the time of 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 an academic mobility1 to study in Slovakia.

All 3 conditions must be met. This category does not apply to doctoral (PhD) studies (or their equivalent).

B) 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 eligible to carry out a doctoral study programme2 (e.g. the Slovak Academy of Sciences) for an academic mobility1 to study/conduct research in Slovakia.

C) international university teachers, researchers and artists who are invited to a teaching/research/artistic stay in Slovakia by an institution with a valid certificate of eligibility to carry out research and development, which is not a business company3 and it has its headquarters in Slovakia.

BEAR IN MIND:
The National Scholarship Programme does NOT support:

• international students and PhD students accepted for full higher education (1st or 2nd level, i.e. bachelor or master studies) or full doctoral (PhD) studies in Slovakia, or those already studying in Slovakia (full higher education) who would like to fund their studies in Slovakia by the NSP;
• international applicants who within the period of 36 months prior to the application deadline have spent in the territory of the Slovak Republic 12 or more months (in total);
• international applicants awarded a scholarship in Slovakia in the framework of other scholarship programmes (e.g. International Visegrad Fund, Erasmus+, CEEPUS, bilateral agreements, etc.).

Individuals with permanent residence in the Slovak Republic can not apply for a scholarship in the framework of the National Scholarship Programme for the support of mobility for applicants from abroad.

Eligible groups
Citizens of any country in the world (except the citizens of Slovakia)

Participating Institutions
All approved/accredited higher education institutions and research organisations in Slovakia

Fields of study
All courses offered by the participating institutions

Number of awards
Not specified by provider

Sponsorship duration
The duration of a scholarship stay:

• University students: 1 – 2 semesters (i.e. 4 – 5 or 9 – 10 months) or 1 – 3 trimesters, in case the academic year is divided into trimesters (i.e. 3 – 4 or 6 – 7 or 9 – 10 months).
• PhD students / university teachers / researchers or artists - 1 to 10 months;

Scholarship 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 either from his/her host institution, or he/she can handle all the necessities him-/herself.

The National Scholarship Programme does not cover any travel costs to and from Slovakia.

Method of Application
Scholarship application forms are submitted on-line on the official website (link to it is below). In order to submit the on-line application, it is necessary to fill out the on-line application form (in Slovak, English, French, Spanish or Russian version), attach all required documents in requested formats and press the "submit" button. The online application must be submitted before the application deadline. It is also necessary to deliver original of the admission/invitation letter to SAIA, n. o., in Bratislava (SAIA, n. o., Sasinkova 10, 812 20 Bratislava 1). 

It is important to read through the 2017/2018 call for Scholarship Application and the Scholarship Terms and Conditions,  and also visit the official website (link to it is below) for complete information on how to apply for this scholarship.

DEADLINES:
The on-line application system opens at least 6 weeks before the deadline. The application form can be filled out only after the on-line application system has been opened. The annual deadline dates for each year are 30th April at 16:00 CET (for scholarship stays for the next academic year); AND 31st October by 16:00 CET (for scholarship stays of the summer semester of the current academic year)

PLEASE NOTE:
Applicants are recommended not to submit their applications at the last moment. Number of operations executed within the last minutes prior to the application deadline may have an influence on the reaction time of the application system. Please, keep that in mind, in order not to miss the application deadline.

Foreign applicants who need to apply for entrance visa to Slovakia or for temporary residence permit are recommended to take into account the necessary visa/residence processing period when planning the starting date of their scholarship stay. Information about visa conditions is provided by Slovak Embassies.

Application Deadline: 31 October 2017
Open to International students: Yes

More Scholarship Information and Application