Slovak for the Linguistic and Cultural Competence of International Students

(full time, bachelor degree)

Graduate profile

In addition to general knowledge of the Slovak language and specific communicative competence, the graduate acquires linguistic, linguocultural, sociolinguistic, and pragmatic competencies, in accordance with the proficiency levels defined by the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages. They actively apply the knowledge gained during their studies, effectively conveying it in new contexts; they are capable of independently creating and appropriately interpreting texts—including formulating and solving professional problems of suitable complexity—and are adept at using electronic and digital technologies, including linguistic e-resources. They are also skilled in working with various types of texts (proofreading, translation, interpreting). Career opportunities include roles such as a cultural and educational specialist, spokesperson, continuing education instructor, public administration specialist in the cultural sector, museum or gallery collections documentalist, or text processing specialist.

Acceptance conditions

Slovak for the Linguistic and Cultural Competence of International Students
This programme is only open to foreign applicants.
Applications for this programme must include a motivation letter in English no longer than one standard page.

The motivation letter must contain:
1. basic information about the applicant’s previous studies and interests, the reasons why they are interested in studying in this programme and in studying in Slovakia;
2. previous academic achievements (include photocopies of the relevant documents, e.g. certificates, awards from competitions, etc.);
3. the reason why the applicant is an eligible candidate for this programme;
4. future plans (after graduation) and how these plans relate to the study of Slovak.

Motivation letters will be evaluated based on the following criteria: adherence to the genre (composition, audience-appropriateness, persuasiveness, suitability of style), adherence to the content criteria, originality of content and style, creativity, and expressive value.

If the applicant does not provide a letter of motivation by the application deadline, their application will be considered invalid and will be returned to them.
Applicants will be ranked based on an evaluation of their motivation letters, represented as a percentage value. Successful applicants can earn a score between 61% and 100%.

Information for foreign students

Basic admission requirements for foreign applicants to bachelor’s studies:
‒ completed secondary education or secondary vocational education with a school-leaving-exam certificate, demonstrated with a clause confirming the recognition of their attained education level, as well as a certified copy of their secondary-school-leaving-exam certificate or a notarized copy of the decision to recognize their education credential (school-leaving-exam certificate) issued by the regional school administration office (a document called nostrifikácia in Slovak)

Applicants for bachelor’s studies who have completed their secondary education in an EU country (besides Czechia, as Czech education credentials do not need to be officially recognized), Norway, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, the United Kingdom, Ukraine, Russia, China, or Iceland must include the clause confirming the recognition of their level of education in paper form along with a certified copy of their education credential (school-leaving-exam certificate) and a sworn (certified) translation of it into Slovak. Information on acquiring and using a clause confirming the recognition of foreign education credentials can be found at the website of Slovakia’s Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth (https://uznavanie.minedu.sk/en/category/recognition-statement).
Applicants for bachelor’s studies who have completed their secondary education in a country that does not have a recognition clause with Slovakia must send the original or a notarized copy of the decision to recognize their education credential (school-leaving-exam certificate) attained outside Slovakia. Decisions to recognize foreign secondary-education credentials are issued by the regional school administration office in the regional seat where the applicant permanently resides or by the Regional School Administration Office in Banská Bystrica.
(https://uznavanie.minedu.sk/en/category/recognition-of-secondary-education).

If an applicant for bachelor’s studies who has completed their secondary education abroad does not, by the specified deadline, deliver the clause recognizing their education credential with the required attachment or the original/notarized copy of the decision recognizing their education credential and/or does not, by the specified deadline for admission requirement fulfilment verification, deliver the Slovak-language-proficiency certificate at the required level, they will be accepted conditionally. Applicants must present these documents by the day of enrolment at the latest.

Application fees

Application fee: 30,00 €

Online application fee: 30,00 €

General information about the entrance exam

General information on the admissions process

For all applicants, the admissions process begins by submitting an application. Applicants may apply for multiple programmes, but they must submit a separate application for each programme. There is no limit on the number of submitted applications per applicant. Applications are submitted electronically via the central web-based application system. The Faculty of Arts will accept electronic applications with or without validated electronic signatures.

The application must include:
‒ the applicant’s CV
‒ a notarized copy of the applicant’s secondary-school-leaving exam certificate (applies to applicants for bachelor’s programmes who have completed secondary school)
‒ a certificate of fitness from a doctor (applies to the bachelor’s programmes Teaching of English Language and Literature & Teaching of Physical Education; Teaching of German Language and Literature & Teaching of Physical Education; Teaching of Russian Language and Literature & Teaching of Physical Education)
‒ a certificate of proficiency in Slovak as a foreign/second language at the required level (at least B1, except in the programmes in the field of study Philology and the interdisciplinary programmes that include it, as well as master’s teaching programmes, where the minimum level is B2) issued by a language school included in the network of schools and educational institutions of Slovakia’s Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth (registered public language schools: https://www.cvtisr.sk/buxus/docs/JH/stat_zus.pdf and private language schools: https://www.cvtisr.sk/buxus/docs/JH/sukromne_sasz.pdf), a higher-education institution in Slovakia that coordinates or administers language and academic preparation for tertiary study, or by the testing organization Scio – required for foreign applicants to bachelor’s programmes (except for applicants to the programme Slovak for the Linguistic and Cultural Competence of International Students).
‒ attachments specifically required for the programme Slovak for the Linguistic and Cultural Competence of International Students


Electronic applications must include scans of all required documents (with stamps and signatures clearly visible) as attachments. After the form is completely filled in and all the attachments have been added, the applicant must confirm the application. The complete and confirmed electronic application will only be considered submitted after the application fee has been paid.

After submitting their application, applicants for bachelor’s studies who have completed their secondary-school education in Slovakia or Czechia must also deliver, by post or by hand, a notarized copy of their secondary-school-leaving-exam certificate to the faculty study department by 13 June 2027.
Applicants who do not present proof of having completed secondary education or secondary vocational education by the given deadline will be accepted conditionally. Applicants must present a notarized copy of a secondary-school-leaving-exam certificate by the day of enrolment at the latest; otherwise, they cannot enrol as a student.

Basic admission requirements for bachelor’s studies:
‒ completed secondary-school education or secondary vocational education with a school-leaving-exam certificate