Establishment of the National Scholarship Programme for the Support of Mobility of Students, PhD Students, University Teachers and Researchers was approved by the Government of the Slovak Republic in 2005. The National Scholarship Programme of the Slovak Republic is funded by the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic.

The National Scholarship Programme of the Slovak Republic is intended to support mobility of foreign students, PhD students, university teachers and researchers to stay at Slovak universities and research organization.

Eligible applicants:
The following individuals can apply for a scholarship under the NSP:

A) university students whose second level of higher education is taking place at a foreign university and who are invited by a public, private or state university in the Slovak republic to an academic mobility for a purpose of study in the Slovak republic

• scholarship period 1 to 2 semesters;

B) PhD students whose higher education or research preparation is taking place at a foreign university or institution and who are invited by a public, private or state university or external education organization in the Slovak republic to an academic mobility for a purpose of study in the Slovak republic

• scholarship period 1 to 12 months

C) university teachers from foreign universities who are invited by a public, private or state university in the Slovak republic to a lecture or research / artistic stay in the Slovak republic

• scholarship period 1 to 12 months;

D) researchers or artists who are invited by a public, private or state university, external education organization or non-government organization in the Slovak republic to a lecture / research / artistic stay in the Slovak republic

• scholarship period 1 to 12 months.

Citizens from following countries can apply for scholarship:
a) European Union member states;
b) other countries participating in the Bologna process (listed are only countries that are not EU member states ) – Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Georgia, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Moldova, Montenegro, Norway, the Russian Federation, Serbia (including Kosovo), Switzerland, the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Turkey, Ukraine;
c) Belarus, Kazakhstan;
d) Canada, Central American countries, Latin American countries, Mexico, the United States of America;
e) Australia, China (including Taiwan), Egypt, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of South Africa, the Republic of Korea, Thailand, Vietnam.

The Scholarship Programme does not support:
a) foreign students and PhD students intending to enrol or accepted for entire Master or PhD studies in Slovakia, specifically those who are already studying in Slovakia and would like to cover a part of their costs from the National Scholarship Programme;
b) foreign university teachers and researches who are already teaching or researching at Slovak universities and research organizations;
c) citizens of the Slovak Republic studying, teaching or researching at foreign universities or research organizations;
d) foreign applicants accepted for other scholarship programmes in Slovakia (for example Visegrad Fund, Erasmus, CEEPUS, bilateral agreements, etc.).

Individuals with permanent residence in the Slovak republic can not apply for the part of the NSP which is aimed at applicants from abroad.

Scholarship designation and implementation of the stay
The scholarship is designated to cover living costs (accommodation, boarding, etc.) of a study, research and teaching stay of foreign applicants at Slovak universities, research and non-government organizations. The applicants can ask their host institution to assist them to arrange their accommodation and necessary documents regarding the stay in Slovakia, or they have to arrange it by themselves. The Scholarship Programme does not cover the travel costs to and from Slovakia.

Amount of a monthly scholarship
Amount of a monthly scholarship
a) university student 280 EUR
b) PhD student 470 EUR
c) university teacher / researcher or artist:
* young university teacher / researcher or artist (= without PhD degree (or its equivalent) with less than 4 years of experience as a university teacher, researcher or artist) 670 EUR

experienced university teacher / researcher or artist:
* with PhD degree (or its equivalent) or more than 4 years of experience as a university teacher, researcher or artist 850 EUR
* with PhD degree (or its equivalent) and at the same time with more than 10 years of experience as a university teacher, researcher or artist 1000 EUR

Note:

• Time spent as a PhD student is seen as a professional experience.
• If the applicant, as stated under letter D under Eligible Applicants, is at the same time a PhD student (student of terciary university education) the amount of his/her monthly scholarship award will be as a PhD student.

Approved foreign applicants from outside the EU countries whose approved study stay is minimum three months long and who, for the purpose of obtaining a temporary stay permit in the Slovak republic, are obliged to submit to the foreing police department a document confirming that they do not suffer from any disease threatening public health will be under the NSP reimbursed the costs of medical examination and the costs of issuing such document. The costs will be reimbursed based on submitted original proof of payment issued by relevant medical centre to the maximum amount of 250 € per scholarship holder.
Application procedure
Applications for scholarships are submitted on-line on www.scholarships.sk. The on-line application system opens latest 6 weeks before the deadline. The application form is accessible only after the on-line application system has been opened.

In order to submit the on-line application, it is necessary to fill in the on-line application form (in Slovak, English, French, Spanish or Russian version), attach all required documents in requested format and press the “submit” button. Original documents marked with asterisk (*) must be send by post and received by deadline at SAIA, n. o., at the following address:

SAIA, n.o., ¦Námestie slobody 23 ¦ 812 20 Bratislava 1 ¦ Slovakia

The original of the admission or invitation letter from the Slovak university or research organization can be send by the host institution in Slovakia directly to SAIA, n.o..

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.

Applications deadline:

• 15 May 2011 until 16:00 CET – for winter and/or summer semester for the academic year 2011/2012

• 31 October 2011 until 16:00 CET – for summer semester of the academic year 2011/2012.

If a deadline falls on Saturday or Sunday, the on-line application has to be submitted within the given deadline. The originals of the documents need to be received by SAIA, n.o., latest the next working day after the deadline, by 12:00 am CET.

List of required documents that must be attached to the on-line application form by foreign students and PhD students applying for a study/research stay (category of eligible applicants A and B):

• structured Curriculum Vitae,
• motivation letter,
• detailed study programme in case of students (including date of arrival and period of stay),
• detailed research programme in case of PhD students (including date of arrival, period of stay and detailed programme time schedule),
• two recommendation letters provided by applicant’s university teachers in case of students, one recommendation letter provided by applicant’s supervisor in case of PhD Students,
• confirmation letter from a sending university certifying that applicant is a full-time student enrolled in min. 6th semester, in case of a PhD student a confirmation certifying enrolment in a PhD study (*),
• certified copy of a Bachelor’s diploma or Master’s diploma and a certificate of a state exam (if any),
• admission or invitation letter from a host university or research organization in Slovakia proclaiming commitment that applicant will be enrolled in a study or research programme (incl. exact period of stay). The admission or invitation letter must be printed on official letterhead paper of the host institution, including a signature of the person in charge and a stamp. (*)

List of required documents that must be attached to the on-line application form by foreign university teachers and researchers or artists (category of eligible applicants C and D):

• structured Curriculum Vitae,
• detailed teaching and/or research programme (including date of arrival, period of stay and detailed programme time schedule),
• invitation letter from a host university or research organization in Slovakia (incl. period of stay). The invitation letter must be printed on official letterhead paper of the host institution, including a signature of person in charge and a stamp. (*)

(*) The documents marked with asterisk (originals) must be sent by post and received at SAIA, n. o. latest by the given deadline.

Selection procedure of foreign applicants
Selection of the scholarship holders is carried out by the Selection Committee appointed by the Minister of Education of the SR. Selection Committee takes its decision based on the documents submitted by the applicants. The main focus is put on:

• reasoning why the applicant has decided to undertake part of his studies or research or lecturing at the chosen university, research- or non-government organization;
• detailed study / research / lecturing programme and the use of its results for future study or research;
• professional and personal qualities of the applicant;
• study or research achievements;
• attitude of the host institution presented in the admission / invitation letter;
• overall quality of the submitted application.

SAIA, n. o. will send a notification of granting or refusing a scholarship to all applicants usually within 8 weeks after the application deadline. SAIA, n.o. will issue a Letter of Award to all approved applicants confirming therein approval of the scholarship award under the NSP and will send it together with other relevant information and requisits for scholarship award to the approved applicants.

Visit official website.

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• Hungarian State Scholarships for Foreigners, Hungary
• Fogarty Foundation Postgraduate Scholarships, Edith Cowan University, Australia
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• PhD Scholarships “Women in Education, Faith Schools”, University of Central Lancashire, UK
• Kurt Hansen Scholarships, Bayer Foundations, Germany
• Lemkin Scholarship for Foreign Students, Armenian Genocide Museum Institute, Armenia
• British Council Access English Research Partnerships

Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to ensure the above information is current and correct. However, applicants should contact the appropriate administering body before making an application, as details do change frequently.