Recognizing certificates on study abroad
(kópia 1)
Recognizing certificates on the 3st education degree acquired at universities abroad
Documents on education issued by a recognized university or other educational institution in the European Union member state, in a state of the European Area of Higher Education, the Swiss Confederation, or in a non-EU member country (the third country) can be recognized as being equivalent to the documents issued by a university in the Slovak Republic. The process of recognition of foreign documents on education is targeted at assessing the meeting of the conditions specified for issuing the resolution on their recognition. If the conditions are fulfilled, the university shall decide on recognition of the document on education as of document equivalent to the document on education issued in the Slovak Republic.
Recognition of documents on education issued by a foreign university is decided upon by the relevant authority – the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic, the Centre for Recognition of Diplomas, the Ministry of Defence of the Slovak Republic (if the document was issued by a military college), the Ministry of Interior of the Slovak Republic (if the document was issued by a police college), or by a recognized university in the Slovak Republic which provides education in study programmes within identical or related fields of study as indicated in the attached documents on education.
The legislation related to recognition of documents on education is as follows: Act No. 422/2015 Coll. on recognition of documents on education and on recognition of professional qualifications and on changing and amending certain laws, and the Act No. 131/2002 Coll. on universities and on changing and amending certain laws, as amended.
Documents on education may be submitted at Comenius University in Bratislava (the address: Department of Science and Postgradual Studies, Rector’s Office, CU, Šafárikovo nám. 6, P. O. BOX 440, 814 99 Bratislava 1) for recognition for the purposes of continued study, for the purposes of issue of the EU blue card, for the purposes of performing a job non-regulated in the Slovak Republic, and for the purposes of authorization to use academic title and its abbreviation as awarded in accordance with the national legislation of the country in which the document was issued. Comenius University in Bratislava is entitled to decide upon acknowledging the documents on education, on rejecting requests of acknowledging the documents on education or to require a differential examination.
The decision on acknowledging the document on education for the purposes of continued study is not a document of the recognition of professional qualifications.
Comenius University in Bratislava can impose on the applicant for acknowledging the document on education compensatory measures in the form of a differential examination, provided the education acquired abroad is shorter at least by one year than the collated education in the Slovak Republic or if the curriculum submitted by the applicant does not comprise knowledge or skills comprised in the collated or related fields of study in the Slovak Republic. The differential examination can also be required in the form of submitting and defending dissertation thesis.
Comenius University in Bratislava shall decide upon recognition of documents on education automatically when the documents were issued by a recognized educational institution in the European Union member state, in a state of the European Area of Higher Education, the Swiss Confederation, or in the third country with which the Slovak Republic is bound by an international agreement on mutual recognition of equivalence of documents on education.
The Slovak Republic has international agreements on mutual recognition of documents on education with the Croatian Republic, Hungary, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Republic of Poland, Romania and Ukraine. The Slovak Republic has also concluded a memorandum of understanding with the Austrian Republic.
On the basis of the bilateral agreement with the Czech Republic, the documents on completion of studies at officially recognized universities listed in the list issued by the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic are recognized as equivalent. Graduates from these universities can continue their study and use the awarded academic title without the necessity to submit a document on recognition of previous education.
The agreement does not apply to Czech documents on university education acquired after completing the study in the Czech Republic in accredited study programmes carried out outside the territory of the Czech Republic. Neither does the agreement apply to foreign (other than Czech) documents on university education acquired after completing the study at a foreign university or at its branch in the Czech Republic.
Applicants, whose document on education has been recognized in accordance with Act No. 422/2015 Coll. on recognition of documents on education are entitled to use an academic title and its abbreviation within the territory of the Slovak Republic as they were awarded the title in accordance with the national legislation of the issuing country and in the official language of the country concerned.
Recognition of documents on education for the purposes of performing regulated professions in the Slovak Republic falls within the competence of the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic, the Centre for Recognition of Diplomas and is carried out in accordance with the Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council of the EU 2013/55/ and Act 422/2015 Coll. on recognition of documents on education and on recognizing professional qualifications and on changing and amending certain laws.
When submitting the application for recognition of a document on education (see specimen as separate document) applicants shall attach additional documents:
· a certified copy of a document on education issued by a recognized university based outside the territory of the Slovak Republic or by other educational institution of the country concerned and certified translation into the official language of the Slovak Republic;
· a certified copy of the diploma supplement if such document is issued by the university or other educational institution of the country concerned, or a certified copy of a transcript of subjects and examinations taken with certified translation into the official language of the Slovak Republic;
· a copy of a document on previous education acquired prior to the education which is the subject of the application;
· a copy of proof of identity;
. proof of payment of executory costs of via the E-KOLOK electronic payment system in case of recogniction of education issued by the educational institution with seat of region, with which have Slovak republic concluded international agreement in case of recognition of education is the fee set to 5,00 € or in case of documents of education that are issued by the educational institution with seat of region, with which haven´t Slovak republic concluded international agreement in case of recognition of education is the fee set to 30,00 € .
The authenticity of signatures and of the school’s stamp mark on the documents on education must be certified by a relevant body of a member state of the EU, a state of the European Area of Higher Education, the Swiss Confederation or the third country competent to verify relevant documents. (The requirement is not applicable to documents issued by a recognized university based in the territory of the French Republic and Ukraine).
Apart from the listed documents applicants may be requested to submit other documents and information if this is deemed necessary for comprehensive assessment of the equivalence of education acquired abroad.
The officially recognized copies of documents on education submitted by the applicant for the purpose of issuing a decision on recognition of education are filed by Comenius University in Bratislava. Due to this reason they are not to be given back to the applicant.
The deadline for issuing the decision on recognition of documents on education or of the decision on refusal of recognition of education, or decision on imposing a differentiation examination is two months from the delivery of the complete application and all the particulars as is stipulated by Act No. 422/2015 Coll. on recognition of documents on education. The deadline for issuing the decision on automatic recognition of documents on education is 15 days after the delivery of the complete application and all the particulars.
Should the applicant fail to submit the requested documents, Comenius University in Bratislava shall interrupt the proceedings and invite the applicant to submit the missing documents or to do away with the deficiencies in the application within the period of 30 days after the delivery of call.
Negative decision on recognition of documents on education must comprise a verdict, justification and advice of appeal.
Applicants may lodge an appeal against the decision to the body which rendered the decision within the period of 15 days in accordance with Act No. 71/1967 Coll. on administrative procedures. The appeal shall be decided upon by the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic within the period of 30 days after the delivery of the call.
The fee for recognition of documents on education is derived from real costs of the university related to the act of recognition.
In accordance with the Directive of the Rector of Comenius University in Bratislava on tuition fee and fees related to study, the fee is 100 € (50 € for assessing documents on education by the faculty and 50 € for issuing the decision on recognition of documents on education as equivalent to documents issued by Comenius University in Bratislava).
Provided the documents on education are recognized automatically, the fee is 50 €.
The sample application for recognition of documents on education is shown as a separate document [pdf].
Further information is available from:
Department of Department of Science and Postgradual Studies of the Rector’s Office of Comenius University in Bratislava
Telephone number: +421/2/9010 2081, +421/2/9010 2083
e-mail: renata.horakova@uniba.sk, jana.baburova@uniba.sk