Full-time study in Slovak at a public or state university is free for everyone, international students included, as long as you finish within the standard length of the programme. English-taught study is where the costs sit: in 2026/27 the University of Economics in Bratislava (EUBA) charges nothing even for its English-taught degrees, the Slovak University of Technology (STU) charges $2,282–7,988 (€2,000–7,000) a year, and medicine in English costs $11,411–14,834 (€10,000–13,000) a year. For living costs in Bratislava, EUBA suggests budgeting $297–819 (€260–718) a month. A realistic first year ranges from about $3,100 on a free programme in Košice with a dormitory place to roughly $20,000 for English-taught medicine in Bratislava.
This guide covers what exactly is free, the 2026/27 fee schedules of four major universities, dormitory prices, one-off costs and four sample annual budgets. Amounts are in US dollars with the euro amount in brackets, converted at the ECB reference rate of 23 September 2026 (€1 = $1.1411).
What is free in Slovakia and what you pay for
The rule has three conditions, and all of them must hold at once:
- you study full-time (denná forma);
- the programme is taught in Slovak;
- you stay within the standard length and are not enrolled in a second programme at the same level.
Break any one of them and a bill appears. At Pavol Jozef Šafárik University (UPJŠ), an extra year on a Slovak-taught programme costs from $913 (€800) for a health-sciences bachelor's to $1,712 (€1,500) for dentistry. STU charges $1,369–1,712 (€1,200–1,500) per extra bachelor's year and $1,712–2,054 (€1,500–1,800) at master's level. The state caps these charges: according to the European Commission's Eurydice network, a university could not charge more than $4,222 (€3,700) a year in 2025/26 for exceeding the standard length or for concurrent full-time study. Fees for foreign-language programmes are set by each university and, for medicine, run to three times that cap.
The practical lesson: the Slovak track is free only for students who pass their exams on time. A repeated year can turn a free degree into a paid one.
English-taught programme fees for 2026/27
Each university publishes its fees in a rector's directive. The price is usually fixed for the intake year and applies for the whole standard length of study.
| University and programme (full-time, English) | Annual fee |
|---|---|
| Comenius University (UK), Biological Chemistry, Environmental Studies (bachelor's) | no tuition fee |
| UK, Management (bachelor's) | $2,271 (€1,990) |
| UK, Social and Work Psychology (bachelor's) | $3,423 (€3,000) |
| UK, Management and Law (bachelor's) | $4,563 (€3,999) |
| UK, master's programmes of the Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics | $1,712–2,054 (€1,500–1,800) |
| UK, Management / European Studies / Law (master's) | $2,841 / $3,423 / $3,994 (€2,490 / €3,000 / €3,500) |
| UK, Pharmacy (5 years) | $8,558 (€7,500) |
| UK, General Medicine: Bratislava / Martin | $14,834 / $13,123 (€13,000 / €11,500) |
| UK, Dentistry (Bratislava) | $16,546 (€14,500) |
| Slovak Medical University (SZU), General Medicine, students admitted from 2024/25 | $11,411 (€10,000) |
| STU, civil engineering, mechanical engineering, chemical technology, architecture, Institute of Management | $3,994 (€3,500) |
| STU, electrical engineering and IT (FEI): bachelor's / engineering master's | $2,282 / $3,423 (€2,000 / €3,000) |
| STU, informatics (FIIT): bachelor's / master's | $4,564 / $7,988 (€4,000 / €7,000) |
| EUBA, all English-taught bachelor's and master's programmes | no fee within the standard length |
| UPJŠ, General Medicine / Dental Medicine | $14,834 / $15,405 (€13,000 / €13,500) |
| UPJŠ, Faculty of Science programmes | $3,423 (€3,000) |
| UPJŠ, law; European Public Administration (bachelor's) | $5,706 (€5,000) |
| UPJŠ, psychology (master's) | $6,276 (€5,500) |
How to read these figures:
- EUBA is a genuine exception. Under its internal regulation B/5/2025, students of English-taught programmes pay no tuition in 2026/27. Fees apply only after the standard length is exceeded: $1,712 (€1,500) a year at bachelor's level and $2,853 (€2,500) at master's level.
- STU locks the price for the whole programme for students admitted in 2026/27. Earlier cohorts pay under the directive of their own intake year.
- Comenius University's Faculty of Medicine guarantees the same fee every year of the standard length. At UPJŠ the medical fee is fixed in a study contract; students admitted in 2024/25 pay less, $14,263 (€12,500) for General Medicine.
- Fees for 2027/28 are published during the current academic year. If you start in 2027, check the new directive rather than last year's.
For the free route in detail, see our guide to free university education in Slovakia; for medical faculties, see studying medicine in Slovakia.
One-off costs before you start
| Item | Amount | Set by |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee, Slovak-taught programmes | UK usually $23–103 (€20–90), $17 (€15) for an online application at the Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics; STU $34 (€30), architecture $57 (€50); EUBA $46 (€40); UPJŠ Faculty of Medicine $34 (€30) | Faculty |
| Application fee, English-taught programmes | STU $68 (€60), architecture $91 (€80); EUBA $103 (€90); medicine: UK Bratislava $113 (€99), Martin $80 (€70), UPJŠ $34 (€30) | Faculty |
| Recognition of a school-leaving certificate at the Regional Office of School Administration | $8 (€7) if a bilateral agreement covers the document (for example, the Russian certificate of general secondary education), otherwise $46 (€40) | Regional office (RÚŠS) |
| Apostille, notarised copies, sworn Slovak translation | Provider rates | Notary, translator |
| Residence card | $11 (€10) for issue within 30 days or $45 (€39) for express issue | Foreign Police |
| Criminal record certificate with apostille and translation | Authority and translator rates | Your home country |
| Medical report after the residence permit is granted | Doctor's rates | Doctor in Slovakia |
Application fees are charged per programme and are not refunded if you withdraw. Five applications to medical faculties already cost more than $300.
Housing: dormitory or private rent
A dormitory place is still the single biggest saving. Official 2026/27 prices:
| University and dormitory | Per bed per month |
|---|---|
| UK, Mlyny campus (Bratislava) | $82–199 (€72–174); tariff in force since 1 January 2024 and subject to inflation indexing |
| UK, Družba dormitory (Bratislava) | $131–191 (€115–167); sole use of a double room $259 (€227) |
| STU, six dormitories in Bratislava and Trnava | $80–171 (€70–150) |
| EUBA, Bratislava dormitories (from 1 September 2026) | $97–183 (€85–160) |
| EUBA, Košice faculty dormitory | $80 (€70) |
| UPJŠ, Medická 4 and 6, Popradská 66 (Košice) | $72–76 (€63–67) |
| UPJŠ, Popradská 76, where international students live | UPJŠ students $72–227 (€63–199); self-paying students $99–265 (€87–232) |
Two caveats. First, a place is allocated by an accommodation committee, not automatically: you apply separately, usually in summer, on a schedule of its own. Comenius University's information page says every first-year student gets a place; at STU and EUBA allocation follows points and published criteria. Second, dormitory contracts cover the academic year: at UPJŠ the contract runs from 1 September to 30 June, and September and October must be paid on arrival. EUBA required the first monthly payment by 11 August 2026.
If you do not get a place, STU's own guidance puts private accommodation at $342–913 (€300–800) per person per month. The landlord sets the deposit and contract length, so read the contract before transferring money. Our guides on applying to Slovak universities and the student residence permit cover housing paperwork and registration.
Food, transport, insurance and phone
EUBA publishes a rare monthly breakdown for a student in Bratislava, excluding tuition:
| Item | Per month |
|---|---|
| Food | $171–217 (€150–190) |
| Accommodation | $74–513 (€65–450) |
| Public transport | $17–34 (€15–30) |
| Health insurance | $23–30 (€20–26) |
| Mobile phone | $11–25 (€10–22) |
| Total | $297–819 (€260–718) |
What this looks like in real tariffs:
- Bratislava transport. A 30-day pass for zones 100+101 costs $46 (€40.50), or $23 (€20.25) at the pupil/student rate. An annual student pass is $150 (€131.50). Prices valid from 1 June 2025.
- Insurance. Non-EU students must be insured for their entire stay; without a policy from home you buy commercial cover in Slovakia. For the residence permit you must take out insurance within three working days of receiving your residence card.
- Meals. University canteens are subsidised, so lunch there costs less than in a café; each canteen publishes its own menu prices.
Košice, Nitra and Martin are cheaper than the capital mainly on housing: UPJŠ dormitories cost about half of Bratislava's.
First-year budget: four scenarios
Our calculation uses official 2026/27 tariffs. Food, transport and phone use EUBA's ranges for 10 academic months; insurance covers 12 months. This is an illustration, not a university invoice.
| Item | A. Košice, UPJŠ, Slovak-taught, dormitory | B. Bratislava, EUBA, English bachelor's, dormitory | C. Bratislava, STU, informatics in English, dormitory | D. Bratislava, UK medicine in English, Mlyny dormitory |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $0 | $0 | $4,564 | $14,834 |
| Housing, 10 months | $765 | $1,369–1,483 | $799–1,712 | $822–1,986 |
| Food | $1,712–2,168 | $1,712–2,168 | $1,712–2,168 | $1,712–2,168 |
| Transport | $171–342 | $231 | $231 | $231 |
| Insurance | $274–356 | $274–356 | $274–356 | $274–356 |
| Phone | $114–251 | $114–251 | $114–251 | $114–251 |
| Fees: application, certificate recognition, residence card | $54 | $122 | $88 | $132 |
| Total | $3,089–3,936 | $3,822–4,612 | $7,782–9,370 | $18,119–19,958 |
Not included: flights, apostilles and translations, textbooks, and housing for July and August. If in scenario D you rent a room at $342–913 a month all year instead of living in the dormitory, add another $3,300–9,000.
The preparatory year: the hidden cost of the free route
Free programmes require Slovak, which few people learn over one summer. For reference, EUBA's 2026/27 preparatory course (610 teaching hours of language and subject preparation) costs $3,982 (€3,490), the exam and certificate $57 (€50), and dormitory places for course participants $103–143 (€90–125) a month. Including living costs, that year costs about as much as scenario B plus the course fee. Options and timelines are in our guide to Slovak language preparatory courses.
Compare the two routes over the whole degree. Three years of an STU English bachelor's at $4,564 a year cost more than one course year plus three free years, but they save you a year of your life. At EUBA the dilemma hardly exists, because the English programme is already free.
Which scholarships actually reduce the budget
Most Slovak scholarships do not cover English-taught tuition. There is one exception, and it changes the maths.
- Government scholarship for talented international students. Slovakia's Ministry of Education pays $5,706 (€5,000) per academic year: for three years of a bachelor's degree or the first three years of a combined programme, and for two years of a master's. The 2026/27 conditions: a full-time programme from the list of priority (RIS3 smart specialisation) fields at one of the selected public universities, and an SAT score of at least 1100 or an average 63rd percentile in the SCIO Mathematics and General Academic Prerequisites tests. Places are limited: up to 170 at first level and up to 55 at master's level each year. Russia, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and other CIS countries are on the programme's country list. Registration for 2026/27 has closed; the ministry will publish the 2027/28 terms on scholarships.portalvs.sk. A university may waive the tuition fee of a scholarship holder on a foreign-language programme, but it is not obliged to.
- Merit scholarships. According to Eurydice, the state funds universities so that the best 10% of full-time students can receive an average of $571 (€500); criteria are set by each university or faculty. At EUBA the best students receive one after the first year without applying.
- The social (need-based) scholarship is only for students with permanent residence in Slovakia, so a student on a study residence permit should not count on it.
For scenario A in the budget table above, the government scholarship would cover the whole annual budget. Do not build your plan on it, though: the ministry and the university make the decision.
Do you need to show funds for the residence permit?
The IOM Migration Information Centre's document list for temporary residence for study asks a university student for confirmation of admission and a criminal record certificate. University students do not have to prove accommodation, and a bank statement is not on the list. Your real budget is no smaller for that: the university bills tuition before the semester and the dormitory in August. The procedure and timing are covered in our guide to the student residence permit.
How and when to pay
- Bank transfer to the university account in euros only. EUBA states plainly that it does not accept cards; payment references are generated in the AiS2 system.
- Deadlines are firm. UPJŠ medical students pay in two instalments in 2026/27: the first was due by 31 August 2026, the second is due by 1 March 2027. At UK's Faculty of Medicine the exam fee must reach the account by the registration deadline, or you will not be admitted to the test.
- Applicants from Russia should use only lawful payment routes; our guide on paying for studies abroad from Russia explains the options. Never send money to private intermediaries offering payment outside the banking system.
How to cut costs
- Choose a Slovak-taught programme and budget a year for the language. On most faculties this is the only route to a free degree.
- Consider EUBA if you want economics in English: tuition is free in 2026/27.
- Compare Košice with Bratislava. A UPJŠ dormitory place costs $72–76 against $82–199 at UK.
- Apply for a dormitory on day one of the window. Missing it usually means rent three to five times higher.
- Get the student transport pass. In Bratislava it costs half the adult price.
- Avoid failing courses. An extra year turns the free Slovak track into a paid one.
- Work within the rules. A university student with residence for study may work up to 80 hours a month without a separate permit. It will not cover English-taught tuition, but it can cover part of your living costs.
- Take the SAT or SCIO tests early if you are aiming for the government scholarship: applications without a test result are not accepted.
Common budgeting mistakes
- Comparing universities by "from … a year" figures on aggregators instead of the rector's directive for your intake year.
- Treating the Slovak track as entirely free and forgetting the language year and the fee for exceeding the standard length.
- Assuming the dormitory tariff is the same for everyone: at UPJŠ, self-paying students pay more.
- Budgeting a dormitory for 12 months when contracts usually end on 30 June.
- Paying a medical application fee after the registration deadline and losing the exam slot.
FAQ
Full-time in Slovak at a public university, tuition is $0. In English in 2026/27: EUBA is free, STU costs $2,282–7,988, UK programmes range from free to $16,546 for dentistry, and UPJŠ charges $3,423–15,405. Add $297–819 a month for living costs in Bratislava, according to EUBA.
Yes, but it is the exception. In 2026/27 EUBA charges no tuition for its English-taught bachelor's and master's programmes within the standard length. At Comenius University, Biological Chemistry and Environmental Studies carry no fee. Other English-taught programmes at the major universities are paid.
In 2026/27 General Medicine costs $14,834 (€13,000) a year in Bratislava (UK) and Košice (UPJŠ), $13,123 (€11,500) in Martin (UK) and $11,411 (€10,000) at the Slovak Medical University (SZU) in Bratislava. Dentistry costs $16,546 (€14,500) at UK and $15,405 (€13,500) at UPJŠ.
EUBA quotes $297–819 (€260–718) excluding tuition. The lower end is realistic with a dormitory and canteen meals; the upper end reflects private rent.
Yes, mostly because of housing: a UPJŠ dormitory place costs $72–76 a month against $82–199 on UK's campus in Bratislava. English-taught medicine costs the same in both cities.
Usually not: UPJŠ dormitory contracts run from 1 September to 30 June. If you stay, a separate rate applies: at UPJŠ a university student pays $91 (€80) a month during the holidays.
Yes. The main one is the government scholarship for talented international students: $5,706 (€5,000) a year on selected programmes at public universities, with an SAT score of 1100+ or equivalent SCIO results. Universities also pay merit scholarships, usually after the first year.
Under a service agreement we shortlist programmes to fit your budget, check the fees for your intake year and calculate the full first-year cost. Universities set tuition, and the Slovak Foreign Police decides on residence permits. See our overview of studying in Slovakia and our guide to universities in Slovakia.
Sources
- Eurydice (European Commission): higher education funding in Slovakia — updated 01.09.2026, checked 24.09.2026
- Comenius University: programmes taught in English and fees — checked 24.09.2026
- UK Faculty of Medicine: programmes, fees and 2026/27 dates and UK Jessenius Faculty of Medicine: fees and 2027/28 dates — checked 24.09.2026
- UK Faculty of Mathematics, Physics and Informatics: 2026/27 fee schedule — checked 24.09.2026
- STU: Rector's Directive 8/2025-SR, annexes 1 and 2 (2026/27 fees) and STU student life and dormitories — checked 24.09.2026
- EUBA: 2026/27 tuition fees (regulation B/5/2025), living costs, dormitory fees from 01.09.2026, Slovak preparatory course — checked 24.09.2026
- UPJŠ: Rector's Decision 3/2026 on 2026/27 fees (PDF), medical fee payment deadlines (PDF), dormitory fees (PDF) — checked 24.09.2026
- UK Mlyny dormitory price lists and UK Družba dormitory — checked 24.09.2026
- UPJŠ Faculty of Medicine: certificate recognition, $8 and $46 (€7 and €40) fees — checked 24.09.2026
- Dopravný podnik Bratislava: fares from 01.06.2025 — checked 24.09.2026
- IOM Migration Information Centre: temporary residence for study — checked 24.09.2026
- Slovak Medical University: fees for English-taught students, 2025/26 and 2026/27 (PDF) — checked 24.09.2026
- Slovak Ministry of Education: scholarships for talented international students — checked 24.09.2026
- Slov-Lex: Act No. 5/2004 on Employment Services, Section 23a (80-hour monthly limit for students) — checked 24.09.2026
- Exchange rate: ECB reference rate of 23.09.2026, €1 = $1.1411
Next steps
- Free University Education in Slovakia: Conditions for International Students and What You Still Pay
- Studying Medicine in Slovakia: Faculties, Entrance Exams, 2026/27 Fees and 2027/28 Dates
- Slovak Language Preparatory Courses Before University: Options, Costs and Immigration Status
- Applying to Universities in Slovakia: Deadlines, Documents and Entrance Exams for 2027/28
- How to Pay for Studies Abroad from Russia: What Works in 2026
- Studying in Slovakia for international applicants
