National Scholarship Programme of the Slovak Republic (SAIA)

About this scholarship

The National Scholarship Programme of the Slovak Republic, administered by SAIA, supports the mobility of international students, PhD students, university teachers, researchers, and artists who want to study, research, teach, or create at higher-education institutions and research organisations in Slovakia. The scholarship is set to cover average living costs in Slovakia during the stay — it takes only living costs into account and does not cover tuition fees or other expenses, so it is a mobility/living grant rather than a full package. A defining first step is securing a host: applicants must find a professor or researcher in Slovakia whose work aligns with their interests and obtain an acceptance/invitation letter, the original of which must reach SAIA in Bratislava shortly after the application deadline. Applications are submitted online at scholarships.sk, with the system opening at least six weeks before each deadline (the programme typically runs two application rounds per year). International applicants who need a visa or residence permit are advised to plan their start date around the time needed to obtain those documents. Master's-level students and above are eligible.

Eligibility

• Be an international master's/PhD student, researcher, university teacher, or artist
• Secure a host professor/institution in Slovakia and an acceptance/invitation letter
• Apply online at scholarships.sk by the round deadline
• Deliver the original acceptance letter to SAIA shortly after the deadline
• Plan for visa/residence-permit timing if required