Secondary School Admissions in Slovakia

Foreign families applying to a Slovak secondary school must choose specific study programmes, rank them carefully, submit the application by the statutory deadline and follow each school’s published criteria. Foreign records may require recognition, but a separate individual grade-conversion certificate is no longer issued by the Ministry.

Current-cycle note: the timeline below is for admission to the 2027/28 school year and was checked on 7 September 2026. The Ministry says admissions for 2026/27 and 2027/28 use the rules effective through 31 December 2025; the planned unified entrance examination is expected no earlier than admission for 2028/29.

2027/28 secondary-school admission timeline

These dates come from the Ministry’s official 2027/28 admissions page. Always compare them with the invitation and current criteria issued by the school. A school may not use every optional organisational day, and later cycles will have different dates.

Choose a pathway and an exact programme

The main choice is often between a gymnázium, which provides broad general education, and a stredná odborná škola, or secondary vocational school. Conservatories, schools of applied arts, secondary sports schools and other specialised routes have their own requirements.

Admission is tied to an odbor vzdelávania, meaning a field or programme of education, not merely to the school building. One school may offer several programmes with different examinations, criteria and qualifications. Families considering an international curriculum can also compare IB and A-Level options in Slovakia.

How many programmes can you list?

Under the School Act rules applying to the 2027/28 cycle, an application may list, in preference order:

• up to two programmes that do not require verification of special abilities, skills or talent; and
• up to two programmes that do require that verification.

The programmes may be at the same school. Preference order affects the central evaluation, so rank them in the family’s genuine order.

For every choice, check the qualification awarded, teaching language, examination subjects, scoring system, tie-break rules, available places, health requirements and any employer involvement in dual education. Use the criteria for the correct programme and year; another programme at the same school is not a reliable substitute.

Submitting the application as a foreign family

A pupil attending a Slovak primary school normally submits through that school’s director by 20 February. The primary school checks the application and sends it onward through the applicable process.

An applicant who is not a pupil of a primary school submits directly to the chosen secondary school by the same statutory deadline. The previous primary school should confirm the grades listed on the application. If that is not possible, the applicant attaches school reports or officially certified copies as required by the School Act.

Because foreign records, signatures and electronic access can complicate submission, contact each target school well before February. Ask in writing:

• which application route applies to a pupil currently studying abroad;
• which reports and proof of completed education are required;
• whether translations or certified copies are needed;
• how foreign marks will be assessed under the school’s scoring criteria;
• whether health, portfolio, competition or support-measure documents apply.

Preparing for entrance examinations

The Ministry publishes the examination subjects for each programme group, while the school publishes its own form, detailed content, scoring and admission conditions. For the 2027/28 cycle, use the Ministry’s current official entrance-subject list and then the individual school criteria.

1. Download the school’s criteria and record every scored component.
2. Confirm which date and venue apply to that programme.
3. Check the examination language, permitted aids and required identification.
4. Use sample papers only if they match the current format.
5. If illness or another serious reason prevents attendance, notify the director no later than the examination day and ask about the replacement procedure.

Most Slovak programmes teach and assess applicants in Slovak unless stated otherwise. Everyday conversation may not be enough for timed mathematics, grammar or technical questions. Do not assume that foreign nationality automatically changes the test conditions. If preparation is needed, see LovinSK’s guide to free Slovak courses and learning resources.

Foreign records, recognition and grade conversion

The correct recognition route depends on what the document proves. The Ministry’s Recognition Portal explains that:

• a Regional School Administration Office handles recognition of a completed primary or secondary level of education;
• the receiving school director handles recognition of a period or year of primary or secondary study; and
• a recognition statement may replace a standard recognition decision for certain countries and qualifications.

The Ministry updated its grade-conversion guidance on 28 August 2026. It no longer issues individual grade-conversion documents. Published conversion scales are guidance for institutions, and admission or recognition cannot be conditioned on an individual Ministry conversion statement.

Schools may still evaluate foreign grades, but they should not request a discontinued individual conversion certificate. Obtain written instructions before paying for translations or authentication. For the wider context, read LovinSK’s school-enrolment guide for foreign families.

Results, acceptance and appeals

Schools publish a ranked list using assigned candidate codes. It shows total points, whether the examination was passed, whether the candidate was admitted and the number of unfilled places. For an admitted applicant, publication on the official list can constitute the admission decision and its delivery date.

Follow the acceptance instructions in ePrihlášky and from the school immediately. Where the application form does not allow programme preferences to be recorded, the accepted place must be confirmed within three working days after delivery of the admission decision; other admissions listed on that application then lose validity.

A rejection can be appealed within five days from delivery. Record the delivery date, request access to the written or other examination work if necessary, and compare the scoring with the published criteria. An effective appeal identifies a concrete factual, scoring or procedural issue. Passing the examination alone does not guarantee admission when higher-ranked candidates fill all places.

Transfers after secondary school has started

The receiving school director decides transfers based on capacity, curriculum and programme compatibility. The application normally includes the original admission decision and latest school report. Changing programmes requires a successful differential examination; one may also be required when completed subjects differ. Obtain written approval before leaving the current school.

Final family checklist

• Compare exact programmes and final qualifications, not only school names.
• Download each school’s 2027/28 admission criteria.
• Rank programme choices in the genuine order of preference.
• Confirm the submission route for a pupil studying outside Slovakia.
• Submit by 20 February 2027 and retain confirmation.
• Use the correct March or May examination date for each programme.
• Resolve recognition and translations through the current official route.
• Monitor coded results and act immediately on acceptance or rejection.
• Count the five-day appeal period from delivery of the rejection decision.