Residence permit for the purpose of study in Slovakia

On 14th of June, 2017, the National Council of the Slovak Republic has adopted Act amending Act no. 404/2011 Coll. on the Residence of Aliens and Amendment and Supplementation of Certain Acts as amended (hereinafter referred to as the "Act on the Residence of Aliens") that will change the conditions for granting a temporary residence permit for the purpose of study in the Slovak republic from 1st of September 2017.

After the 1st of September 2017 third-country nationals will be able to obtain a temporary residence permit for the purpose of study in the Slovak Republic in case of being:

student of a full-time study at a secondary school / high school younger than 20 years on the day of submission of the application or younger than 23 years in the case of study in post high school studies, qualified study, specialization study or a higher professional study programmes;
student of college / university or
participant in language or professional preparation for university study organized by a university in the Slovak Republic.

After the change, the age limit for admitting a temporary residence permit for secondary school / high school students is introduced and the possibility of obtaining a temporary residence permit for the purpose of study at a language school (at least 25 hours a week) has been dropped.

According to the explanatory report, "the change does not prohibit foreign students a right to study at a language school in the Slovak Republic, only the study at a language school will not be a reason for granting a temporary residence permit".

Application for temporary residence permit

An application for a temporary residence permit for the purpose of study may be submitted to an Embassy of the Slovak Republic accredited to the State that has issued the applicant's travel document or, in the case of the alien's legitimated residence, in the territory of the Slovak Republic, it can be submitted as well at the Aliens police department in the Slovak republic.

The Embassy shall make an oral interview with the applicant, and then the application together with the attachments and the Embassy's opinion on the granting of the temporary residence permit will be sent to the Aliens Police Department.

Application for a temporary residence permit must be submitted in official format and a valid travel document must be presented when it is submitted.

Attachments to the application for a temporary residence permit

Together with the application form, it is necessary to submit:

2 actual photos with 3 x 3.5 cm dimensions,
document confirming the purpose of the residence (according to the Act on the Residence of Aliens confirmation from the state institution, confirmation from the school about the admission to the study or confirmation from the organization involved in the performance of the programs approved by the by the Government of the Slovak Republic or programs of the European union based on agreement with the state institution),
extract from the criminal record (except for secondary / high school students),
document that confirms financial resources for residence (according to Act on the Residence of Aliens a statement of personal bank account in the name of the applicant, confirmation about the granting of a scholarship, confirmation about the provision of financial resources during applicant´s residence or declaration of a person that s/he would provide financial resources for the applicant during his/her residence supported by a statement of a personal account),
document on the provision of accommodation in the Slovak Republic (except for university students).