The Government of Slovakia, in Europe, has initiated its National Scholarship Programme (NSP), aimed at providing financial support to international students, PhD candidates, university teachers, researchers, and artists.
The program, as reported by SAID Scholarships, seeks to enhance academic mobility by facilitating research and study opportunities at Slovak higher education institutions.
It is a program which was established in 2005, and is funded by the Ministry of Education, Science, Research, and Sport.
According to reports, NSP offers monthly stipends to cover living costs for scholarship holders. Though the amount varies according to the applicant’s category.
Additionally, PhD and master’s students can apply for a travel grant, which varies from €50 to €1,500 depending on their home country’s distance from Slovakia.
The NSP is open to a variety of applicants from outside Slovakia. Master’s students must be enrolled at a university abroad and in their second level of higher education or have completed a minimum of 2.5 years in a related undergraduate program; reports state.
They must also secure acceptance at a Slovak institution for academic mobility.
This scholarship can last between one to two full semesters or one to three trimesters.
PhD candidates must be enrolled in a program outside Slovakia and must be accepted for research or artistic mobility in a Slovak institution. This means that PhD candidates who wish to apply for the scholarship must be studying for their degree at a university outside of Slovakia. They also need to have received acceptance from a Slovak institution to conduct research or engage in artistic activities there.
Their stay can last from one to ten months. University teachers, researchers, and artists must have an invitation to teach or engage in research activities at a Slovak institution, with the duration of their stay also ranging from one to ten months.
Reports also supply that certain exclusions apply, as NSP will not support international students enrolled in full degree programs in Slovakia, or those who have spent more than 15 months in Slovakia within the past 36 months, or applicants receiving scholarships from other Slovak funding sources, such as Erasmus+.
Applications for the NSP should be submitted online through the official portal.
Required documents includes:
Applicants must also provide two recommendation letters from professors for students or one from a dissertation supervisor for PhD candidates.
Also, proof of enrollment from the home institution and an admission or invitation letter from the Slovak host institution are also necessary.
The application deadline for the NSP for the summer semester of the 2024/2025 academic year is set for October 31, 2024.
Reports states that the online application system usually opens six weeks prior to the deadline.
Officials advise prospective applicants to submit their applications early to avoid last-minute issues.
This initiative represents a significant opportunity for international scholars to enhance their academic experiences in Slovakia while contributing to the local academic environment. As the program continues to develop, it promises to strengthen ties between Slovakia and the global academic community.
