Recognizing certificates on study abroad
Recognizing certificates on the 1st and 2nd 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 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 Acts No. 276/2017 Coll., No. 359/2019 Coll., No. 357/2020 Coll, No. 271/2021 Coll, No. 114/2022 Coll and No. 176/2022 Coll and and 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 Bratislava (the address: Department of Education, Rectorate, 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 and for the purposes of performing a job non-regulated in the Slovak Republic. Comenius University 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 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 a bachelor or diploma thesis.
Comenius University Bratislava shall decide upon recognition of documents on education after assessment of the content and the extent of study by 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, Ukraine, Russian federation and People's Republic of China. 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 and recognition of professional qualification 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, or other related authority and is carried out in accordance with the Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council of the EU 2013/55/ and Act No. 422/2015 Coll. on recognition of documents on education and on recognizing professional qualifications and on changing and amending certain laws, in accordance of other Acts.
Recognition of diplomas from all countries of the world for the purpose of continuing the study is also carried out by the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sports of the Slovak Republic, by the Center for Recognition of Diplomas of Education, which will decide on the recognition of the level of education attained.
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 documents 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 7,00 € 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 40,00 € .
Aplications with required annexes are to be submited to the Filing Office of the Rectorate of the Comenius University Bratislava (located in the building of the Comenius University Bratislava, Šafárikovo námestie 6, on the ground floor).
Certification of the authenticity of the signatures and the imprint of the school stamp on the documents of education may be required in justified individual cases.
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, unless international agreement otherwise stated.
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 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 changing and amending certain law on recognition of documents on education.
Should the applicant fail to submit the requested documents, in accordance with law, Comenius University 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 changing and amending certain laws, as amended 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 sample application for recognition of documents on education is shown as a separate document [pdf] [doc] [rtf] .
Further information is available from:
Department of Education, Rectorate of Comenius University Bratislava
Telephone number: 00421/2/90 10 2016
e-mail: eva.granatovarec.uniba.sk, pdorec.uniba.sk
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