Comenius University Bratislava

Comenius University (Univerzita Komenského v Bratislave, UK) is Slovakia's oldest university, founded in 1919, and offers the widest choice of programmes: 13 faculties and 731 programmes across three degree levels. Full-time study in Slovak is free for everyone, international students included. English-taught options include medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, management, law, psychology and master's programmes in physics and computing, priced in 2026/27 from zero to $16,546 (€14,500) a year. The 2027/28 intake is already taking shape: the Faculty of Natural Sciences accepts applications from 15 January to 15 March 2027, and the Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin holds its first English-programme exam on 20 March 2027.

Dollar amounts use the ECB rate of 23 September 2026 (€1 = $1.1411).

Who Comenius suits, and who should look elsewhere

Comenius is a good fit for a classic university education — medicine, law, sciences, psychology, computing — if you are willing to learn Slovak. For engineering, look at the Slovak University of Technology; for free English-taught economics, EUBA; for medicine in a cheaper city, Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice.

Faculties and fields

English-taught programmes

The university's list was last updated on 20 July 2026:

FMFI does not charge the English-programme fee where the programme has no Slovak equivalent. For medicine and dentistry exams, see our guide to studying medicine in Slovakia.

How to apply

There is no central system: you submit an online application (e-prihláška) through the university portal, but to a specific faculty and programme. The university's own guidance says applicants can manage the process themselves.

After secondary school

You need a completed secondary education at level 4 of the European Qualifications Framework. Unlike Italy or Germany, Slovakia does not add a twelfth-year rule: a Russian eleven-year certificate of general secondary education qualifies, and Russia is on the ministry's simplified recognition list. For other countries, the recognition procedure decides; either way, recognition must be completed before enrolment (see below).

Slovak-taught programmes: the Faculty of Natural Sciences as an example

The faculty has published its 2027/28 schedule:

If applications do not exceed capacity, admission is without an exam. International applicants to Slovak-taught programmes take a Slovak language entry test, unless they hold a certificate at B1 or higher; those whose Slovak falls short take a two-week intensive course in September. Applicants attach notarised copies of their school reports for the four upper-secondary years and the school-leaving certificate. The fee is $23 (€20) per programme for an online application.

Other faculties follow a similar logic with their own dates and exams. In the last cycle the Faculty of Medicine accepted Slovak-programme applications until 28 February and tested biology and chemistry, and the Faculty of Law must publish next year's conditions by 20 September.

English-taught programmes

• Medicine and dentistry have their own rounds and exams; see our medicine guide. The Jessenius Faculty has already set 2027/28 exam dates: 20 March, 26 June and 6 August 2027.
• Management in English took applications until 31 March 2026 for 2026/27; the second round did not open because of capacity.
• Other English-taught programmes require a certificate in the language of instruction.

Master's degrees

You need a bachelor's degree recognised for further study. The decision is made by a Slovak university that runs a comparable programme; Comenius describes its procedure on its page on recognition of documents from study abroad. The FMFI master's programmes are the most affordable English-taught entry point in Bratislava.

A step-by-step plan for 2027

1. September–December 2026. Choose a faculty and programme, check the language and deadlines, and order an apostille on your school certificate and transcripts.
2. January–March 2027. Submit the e-prihláška and pay the fee; the Faculty of Natural Sciences closes on 15 March.
3. Spring 2027. Slovak test or subject exams where applicable.
4. June–July 2027. Decision, confirmation by 31 July, dormitory application, residence documents.
5. August–September 2027. Certificate recognition, arrival, enrolment.

Language requirements

For Slovak-taught study the university requires no formal certificate but recommends B2. The Faculty of Natural Sciences tests international applicants, and a B1 certificate exempts you. Programmes in English, German or French require a certificate in that language; the Bratislava medical faculty does not require an English certificate, as its test is in English. If you have no Slovak yet, start with a preparatory course.

Documents and certificate recognition

• Online application and proof of the fee.
• School-leaving certificate and transcript, and at some faculties reports for all four upper-secondary years, as notarised copies. Documents must be translated into Slovak.
• Recognition. The Bratislava medical faculty lists countries whose school certificates need no nostrification if they appear in the ministry's online registry (EU, Switzerland, Norway, Liechtenstein, UK, Ukraine, Russia, China); applicants then submit the recognition statement plus a notarised copy with a sworn Slovak translation. Everyone else applies to a Regional Office of School Administration (RÚŠS); the fee is $8 (€7) where a bilateral agreement applies and $46 (€40) otherwise. The university estimates about a month, the Faculty of Natural Sciences one to two months.
• Medical faculties also require a doctor's certificate and, after admission, a translated birth certificate and proof of hepatitis B vaccination.

Details by country are in our guide to recognition of school certificates.

What study and living cost

Tuition. Zero for full-time Slovak study within the standard length; English-taught fees are in the table above. The Bratislava medical faculty guarantees an unchanged annual fee for the standard length. Exceeding the standard length or studying two programmes at once triggers fees even in Slovak: at FMFI, $1,712 (€1,500) a year at bachelor's level.

Application fees. Natural Sciences $23 (€20), FMFI $17 (€15) online, Faculty of Medicine $113 (€99), Jessenius $80 (€70). The university says most fees fall between $23 and $103 (€20–90).

Living in Bratislava. EUBA estimates a student's monthly costs at $297–819 (€260–718), covering housing, food, transport, insurance and phone. A 30-day student transport pass costs $23 (€20.25). Our cost of studying in Slovakia guide has full budgets.

Scholarships and ways to cut costs

The university pays its own scholarships, mostly for academic performance, but has no grants covering a whole degree. The one large external option is the government scholarship for talented international students: $5,706 (€5,000) a year if your programme is on the ministry's list and you have an SAT score of 1100+ or equivalent SCIO results (see our cost guide). Beyond that, the savings come from programme choice:

• a Slovak-taught programme instead of an English one;
• a fee-free English programme (Biological Chemistry, Environmental Studies);
• an FMFI master's at $1,712–2,054 instead of programmes costing $3,000 and more;
• medicine in Martin, $1,712 (€1,500) a year cheaper than in Bratislava.

Where to live: Mlyny and Družba

The university states that it offers a dormitory place to every first-year student. Apply as soon as you are admitted, within the dormitory's own deadlines.

• Mlyny (Ľudovít Štúr University Town) is a large campus of high-rise blocks with shared-bathroom units, low-rise "atrium houses" and former family residences. A bed costs $82–199 (€72–174) a month: triple rooms in unrenovated atrium houses are the cheapest, singles in the former family residences the most expensive; the price list dates from 1 January 2024 and may be indexed for inflation.
• Družba is the second Bratislava dormitory: $131–191 (€115–167) a month, or $259 (€227) for sole use of a double room.
• Martin. The Jessenius Faculty has its own residences; admitted students receive details with their offer.

For a private room, budget $342–913 (€300–800) a month, the range STU quotes for Bratislava.

Strengths and weaknesses for applicants from Russia and the CIS

Strengths. Russian school certificates follow the simplified recognition route. Slovak is close to Russian, so reaching B2 usually takes less time than in German. English-taught medicine in Bratislava and Martin is examined online, with no trip needed. The university is the best-known in the country.

Weaknesses and risks. In-person exams and enrolment mean entering the Schengen area, and Russian citizens now find visas harder to obtain than before 2022. Payment is by euro bank transfer to the faculty only, so plan a lawful payment route early; see our guide on paying for studies abroad from Russia.

Residence rules. You need temporary residence for the purpose of study, applied for at the Slovak embassy accredited to your country of citizenship or residence; the embassy in Moscow accepts applications from citizens of Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan. You submit confirmation of admission and a criminal record certificate with apostille and translation; university students do not have to prove accommodation. Since 15 July 2026 the police may take up to 90 days to decide on a student application. After arrival you must report your stay within three working days, take out health insurance within three working days of receiving the residence card and submit a medical report within 30 days. See our guide to the student residence permit.

Mistakes to avoid

• Waiting until spring. Natural Sciences closes on 15 March, and the Bratislava medical faculty earlier still.
• Skipping Slovak. International applicants to Slovak programmes are tested, and you cannot follow lectures without B1–B2 anyway.
• Mixing up programmes. Many English programmes have a free Slovak counterpart with the same name.
• Delaying recognition. You cannot enrol without it, and it takes one to two months.
• Choosing a late medical exam round when you still need a residence permit.

Where teaching takes place

Faculties are spread across Bratislava. The Faculty of Medicine is in the city centre on Špitálska Street; the Faculty of Natural Sciences and FMFI are in Mlynská dolina, next to the Mlyny campus. The Jessenius Faculty of Medicine is in Martin, in central Slovakia. Check your faculty's address before you rent.

Rankings

Comenius is the only Slovak university in the QS top 700. That helps with recognition of the brand, but choose by programme and language.

Work during and after study

University students with residence for study may work up to 80 hours a month without a separate permit. After graduating, you can extend residence for nine months to look for work or start a business. According to the Faculty of Medicine, its General Medicine graduates meet the requirements of EU Directive 2005/36/EC and can work in EU countries after that country's registration steps. For regulated professions outside the EU, check your home country's recognition rules.

FAQ

Can I apply to Comenius University straight after secondary school?

Yes. You need a completed secondary education giving access to university, and a Russian certificate of general secondary education qualifies. It must be recognised in Slovakia before enrolment; Russia is on the simplified route.

How much does Comenius University cost?

Full-time Slovak study within the standard length is free. English-taught fees in 2026/27 range from zero (Biological Chemistry, Environmental Studies) and $1,712–2,054 (FMFI master's) to $14,834 for medicine in Bratislava and $16,546 for dentistry.

Are there programmes in English?

Yes: medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, management, law, psychology, biochemistry, environmental studies and master's programmes in mathematics, physics and computing. English-taught bachelor's degrees are few; most options are master's and medicine.

Are there entrance exams?

It depends on the faculty. Natural Sciences admits without exams unless applications exceed capacity. Medicine tests biology and chemistry. International applicants to Slovak programmes at Natural Sciences take a Slovak test.

When should I apply for 2027/28?

For Natural Sciences, from 15 January to 15 March 2027. The Bratislava medical faculty closed Slovak-programme applications on 28 February in the last cycle, and the first deadline for English medicine in Martin is 6 March 2027, for the exam on 20 March.

Will I get a dormitory place?

The university says it offers one to every first-year student. Beds cost $82–199 a month at Mlyny and $131–191 at Družba.

Does StudyU help with applications to Comenius University?

Under an agreement with StudyU, we help choose the faculty and programme, check requirements for your intake year, and prepare documents, certificate recognition, the application and the residence permit. The university's faculty decides on admission, and the Slovak Foreign Police, as the residence authority, decides on residence. See other options on our studying in Slovakia page and in our guide to universities in Slovakia.

Sources

• Comenius University: about and programmes taught in English with fees — checked 24.09.2026
• Information for Russian-speaking applicants (UK Infocentrum) — checked 24.09.2026
• Faculty of Natural Sciences: bachelor's admission and 2027/28 schedule — checked 24.09.2026
• FMFI: 2026/27 fee schedule — checked 24.09.2026
• Faculty of Management: English-programme deadlines — checked 24.09.2026
• Faculty of Medicine: English-programme admission and Slovak-programme admission — checked 24.09.2026
• Jessenius Faculty of Medicine: 2027/28 dates — checked 24.09.2026
• Mlyny dormitory price lists and Družba dormitory — checked 24.09.2026
• QS World University Rankings: Comenius University Bratislava — checked 24.09.2026
• IOM Migration Information Centre: temporary residence for study and changes from 15.07.2026 — checked 24.09.2026
• Slovak Embassy in Moscow: residence of foreigners — checked 24.09.2026
• Slovak Ministry of Education: scholarships for talented international students and Slov-Lex: Act No. 5/2004, Section 23a (work up to 80 hours a month) — checked 24.09.2026
• Exchange rate: ECB reference rate of 23.09.2026, €1 = $1.1411

For an overview of the education system, other universities and timelines, see studying in Slovakia. To discuss whether Comenius suits you and which faculty to choose, send us a request.

During the free initial consultation, we clarify your goal, profile, timing, and budget and identify the next realistic step.