Studying in Slovakia as an Irish student
Slovakia has English-taught medicine, dentistry, pharmacy and veterinary programmes at Comenius University in Bratislava and Martin, Pavol Jozef Safarik University in Kosice, the University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Kosice, and the Slovak Medical University. Our database lists 9 health programmes and 2 other courses for Slovakia. Published health fees run from EUR 5,500 to EUR 14,500 a year. Every health programme in our database has a written entrance test.
How an Irish student gets in
Leaving Cert grades. The universities do not publish a Leaving Cert grade rule that we found. Check the university's own admissions page before you apply, for example the Comenius University Faculty of Medicine admission page. The only mention of the Leaving Certificate is at the University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Kosice, which lists it as an example of an accepted upper secondary certificate.
Entrance tests. All medical, dental, pharmacy and veterinary programmes in our database test biology and chemistry.
- Comenius University, Faculty of Medicine (Bratislava). Multiple-choice test run by SCIO, online or in person: 100 biology and 100 chemistry questions, 180 minutes, no negative marking. Questions come only from the faculty's published preparation materials (500 per subject). 2026 sessions were in March, June and August. Admission fee EUR 99 per programme. 2027 dates are not yet posted.
- Comenius University, Jessenius Faculty (Martin). Online test in English: 40 biology and 40 chemistry questions, 80 minutes. 2027/28 exam dates are 20 March, 26 June and 6 August 2027. The platform opens on 1 December 2026. Application fee EUR 70.
- Safarik University (Kosice). One 2.5-hour written test of 200 questions (100 biology, 100 chemistry), maximum 800 points, no negative marking. The usual pass mark is 75%. One attempt per programme per admission year. Exam fee EUR 30 plus an application fee.
- Comenius University, Faculty of Pharmacy. Two online tests (chemistry and biology, 100 points in total), then an online interview with at least three committee members, including an English lector. Admission fee EUR 50. Places go in order of complete applications until the 80 places are filled.
- University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy (Kosice). Written online test in English in biology and chemistry (biology only for veterinary nursing). Written confirmation of at least six months with a private vet earns 5 extra points in veterinary medicine.
- Slovak Medical University. Written biology and chemistry test in English, no interview. This row is only partly verified, so confirm everything on the university's page.
Documents. Irish certificates need extra steps.
- Safarik University asks for a notary-authorised copy of the apostilled certificate and a notary-authorised Slovak translation by a sworn translator, both done in Slovakia. Ireland is not among the countries exempt from the apostille.
- The Kosice veterinary university needs an apostille on the original. Ireland is not on its notary-copy-only list. A Slovak court translation is also required.
- Comenius University (Bratislava) wants a notarised copy of the diploma translated into Slovak by a certified translator, plus the Slovak Ministry recognition statement. The notarised copy can be made in Ireland.
- Jessenius Faculty (Martin) wants a recognition statement from the official database, with a verified copy of the certificate, for admitted students.
- Several medical programmes also ask for a medical fitness certificate and proof of Hepatitis B vaccination.
Proof of English. Comenius (Bratislava) does not require a certificate. Safarik expects good English but states no certificate. The pharmacy faculty assesses English in the interview.
What it costs
Fees are as published. Where the page gives no year, we say so.
| Programme | University | Published tuition |
|---|---|---|
| Dentistry | Comenius, Bratislava | EUR 14,500 per academic year (2026/27) |
| Dental Medicine | Safarik, Kosice | EUR 13,500 per academic year (2026/27) |
| General Medicine | Comenius, Bratislava | EUR 13,000 per academic year (2026/27) |
| General Medicine | Safarik, Kosice | EUR 13,000 per academic year (2026/27) |
| General Medicine | Jessenius Faculty, Martin | EUR 11,500 per academic year (two semesters; year not stated) |
| General Medicine | Slovak Medical University | EUR 10,000 (2026/27); admission fee EUR 70 |
| Pharmacy | Comenius, Bratislava | EUR 7,500 per year (2026/27) |
| Veterinary Medicine | UVMP Kosice | EUR 10,000 per academic year (year not stated) |
| Veterinary Nurse (BSc) | UVMP Kosice | EUR 5,500 per academic year (year not stated) |
Outside health, the Bratislava International School of Liberal Arts (BISLA) publishes EUR 2,200 per academic year for 2026/2027. The page does not label this as an EU rate.
Accommodation. All figures below are university-published.
- Comenius halls, Bratislava: EUR 72 to EUR 174 a month, average about EUR 98 (brochure dated February 2026; year of prices not stated).
- Jessenius Faculty hostel, Martin: EUR 77 to EUR 228 a month. The page refers to the 2024/25 allocation.
- Safarik halls, Kosice: "from" prices of EUR 44 to EUR 78 a month. Actual room prices may be higher. Year not stated.
- UVMP halls, Kosice: EUR 99 (foreign student, double room), EUR 138 (single), EUR 172 and EUR 189 (apartments) a month. The price list is valid from 1 September 2022. A newer one was not found.
- Bratislava University of Economics and Business: EUR 65 to EUR 450 a month for dormitory or other accommodation. No year stated.
Deadlines
| University | Cycle | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Jessenius Faculty, Martin | 2027/28 | Apply by 6 March, 12 June or 23 July 2027, one for each exam date. The platform opens 1 December 2026. |
| Comenius Pharmacy, Bratislava | 2027/28 | Applications 1 December 2026 to 31 July 2027 |
| Bratislava University of Economics and Business | 2027/28 | Applications 1 January to 28 February 2027 |
| Comenius Faculty of Medicine, Bratislava | 2026/27 (latest published) | 26 February, 12 May and 23 July 2026. 2027 dates not yet posted. |
| Safarik University, Kosice | 2026/27 (latest published) | 29 July 2026 for the 12 August exam; 22 August 2026 for the 5 September exam |
| Slovak Medical University | 2026/27 (latest published) | 31 May 2026. 2027/28 dates not yet published. |
| UVMP Kosice | 2026 (latest published) | Veterinary medicine file deadlines 27 March, 23 May and 29 May 2026. 2027 dates not yet posted. |
Health courses
Strongest-verified rows first. "Official" means checked against the official source (first pass).
| University | Programme | Language | Fee | Deadline | Entrance exam |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Comenius, Bratislava | General Medicine (6 yrs) | English | EUR 13,000 per year (2026/27) | 26 Feb, 12 May, 23 Jul 2026 (2026/27) | SCIO test, 100 biology and 100 chemistry questions, 180 min |
| Comenius, Bratislava | Dentistry (5 yrs) | English | EUR 14,500 per year (2026/27) | 26 Feb, 12 May, 23 Jul 2026 (2026/27) | SCIO test, 100 biology and 100 chemistry questions, 180 min |
| Jessenius, Martin | General Medicine (6 yrs) | English | EUR 11,500 per academic year (year not stated) | 6 Mar, 12 Jun, 23 Jul 2027 | Online, 40 biology and 40 chemistry questions, 80 min |
| Safarik, Kosice | General Medicine (6 yrs) | English | EUR 13,000 per year (2026/27) | 29 Jul and 22 Aug 2026 (2026/27) | 200 questions, 2.5 hours, pass mark usually 75% |
| Safarik, Kosice | Dental Medicine (5 yrs) | English | EUR 13,500 per year (2026/27) | 29 Jul and 22 Aug 2026 (2026/27) | 200 questions, 2.5 hours, pass mark usually 75% |
| Comenius, Bratislava | Pharmacy (5 yrs) | English | EUR 7,500 per year (2026/27) | 1 Dec 2026 to 31 Jul 2027 | Online chemistry and biology tests, then interview |
| UVMP, Kosice | Veterinary Medicine (6 yrs) | English | EUR 10,000 per academic year (year not stated) | Not yet posted for 2027 | Online biology and chemistry test in English |
| UVMP, Kosice | Veterinary Nurse BSc (3 yrs) | English | EUR 5,500 per academic year (year not stated) | Not yet posted for 2027 | Online biology test in English |
| Slovak Medical University (partly verified) | General Medicine (6 yrs) | English | EUR 10,000 (2026/27) | 31 May 2026 (2026/27) | Written biology and chemistry test in English |
Other courses
| University | Programme | Language | Fee | Deadline | Entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bratislava University of Economics and Business | Bachelor in Business Economics and Management (3 yrs) | English | — | 28 Feb 2027 | Aptitude test and English test, held in the last week of March 2027. Application fee EUR 90. |
| BISLA (partly verified) | Liberal Arts, Political Science (3 yrs) | English | EUR 2,200 per academic year (2026/2027) | No closing date published | In-person interview; English judged from leaving exam results or IELTS, TOEFL or equivalent |
Things that catch Irish students out
- The apostille. Ireland is not on the lists of countries that skip the apostille at Safarik University or the Kosice veterinary university. Plan for the apostille and a sworn Slovak translation early.
- Dates are still the old cycle. For Comenius (Bratislava), Safarik, the Slovak Medical University and the Kosice veterinary university, the latest dates we found are for 2026/27. Do not plan around them.
- Fee years are not always stated. The Martin and UVMP fees come with no academic year. Ask the faculty before you budget.
- Test limits. Safarik allows one attempt per programme per admission year. Comenius Pharmacy admits in order of complete applications, so a late file can miss out.
- Extra costs. Entrance fees are non-refundable: EUR 99 (Comenius Bratislava), EUR 70 (Martin), EUR 50 (Pharmacy), EUR 30 plus an application fee (Safarik).
- Dormitory prices are old. The UVMP list dates from 2022 and the Martin page refers to 2024/25.
FAQ
Is there a Leaving Cert points requirement for medicine in Slovakia? The universities do not publish a Leaving Cert grade rule that we found. The programmes in our database all set an entrance test in biology and chemistry. Check the faculty's admissions page for any grade rule before applying.
Do I need an English certificate? Comenius University in Bratislava states that no English certificate is required. Safarik University expects good English but states no certificate. The Comenius pharmacy faculty assesses English in an online interview.
What does the Slovak entrance test look like? At Comenius in Bratislava it is 100 biology and 100 chemistry questions in 180 minutes. At Martin it is 40 of each in 80 minutes. At Safarik it is 200 questions in 2.5 hours, with a usual pass mark of 75%.
How much does medicine cost? Published fees for General Medicine are EUR 13,000 per academic year at Comenius Bratislava and Safarik (2026/27), EUR 11,500 at Martin (year not stated) and EUR 10,000 at the Slovak Medical University (2026/27).
Do I need an apostille for my Leaving Cert? Safarik University and the Kosice veterinary university require one for Irish certificates, and both need a Slovak translation. Comenius Bratislava asks for a notarised copy translated into Slovak, which can be made in Ireland. Check which applies to your course.
Sources
Comenius University, Faculty of Medicine (Bratislava)
- https://fmed.uniba.sk/en/study/for-applicants/admission-process/
- https://www.fmed.uniba.sk/en/study/for-applicants/entrance-examination/
- https://zaziden.uniba.sk/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/202602-Brozura-DL-EN_2026.pdf
Comenius University, Jessenius Faculty (Martin)
- https://www.jfmed.uniba.sk/en/study/applicants/application-process
- https://www.jfmed.uniba.sk/en/study/applicants/faq/
- https://www.jfmed.uniba.sk/fileadmin/jlf/Dekanat/Sekretariat/Legislativa/Rok_2025/VP_2025_35_dalsie_podmienky_na_studium_na_AR_25-26.pdf
- https://jfmed.uniba.sk/en/departments/special-purpose-facilities/student-hostel-and-canteen/accommodation
Comenius University, Faculty of Pharmacy
- https://www.fpharm.uniba.sk/en/applicant/pharmacy-in-english/
- https://www.fpharm.uniba.sk/fileadmin/faf/Legislativa_a_dokumenty/Vnutorne_predpisy/Smernice_dekana/2026/VP_15__2026_Pravidla_PK_2026-2027_Mgr_Farmacia_EN.pdf
Pavol Jozef Safarik University, Kosice
- https://www.upjs.sk/lekarska-fakulta/en/applicants/programs-in-english/
- https://www.upjs.sk/lekarska-fakulta/en/applicants/entrance-examination/
- https://www.upjs.sk/app/uploads/sites/9/2026/03/Rectors-Decision-No.-3_2026_Fees_2026_2027.pdf
- https://www.upjs.sk/en/university/information-for-prospective-students/
University of Veterinary Medicine and Pharmacy in Kosice
- https://www.uvlf.sk/en/general-information/payments-fees
- https://www.uvlf.sk/en/study-programmes/general-veterinary-medicine
- https://www.uvlf.sk/en/general-veterinary-medicine-6-year-study-programme/requirements-for-admission
- https://www.uvlf.sk/en/general-veterinary-medicine-6-year-study-programme/application-process
- https://www.uvlf.sk/en/general-veterinary-medicine-6-year-study-programme/entrance-exams
- https://www.uvlf.sk/en/study-programmes/veterinary-nurse
- https://www.uvlf.sk/en/veterinary-nurse/requirements-for-admission
- https://www.uvlf.sk/en/veterinary-nurse/entrance-exams-veterinary-nurse
- https://www.uvlf.sk/document/payments-for-dormitories-valid-from-01-09-2022.pdf
Slovak Medical University in Bratislava
- https://eszu.sk/faculty-of-medicine/
- https://eszu.sk/wp-content/uploads/INFO-ADMISSION-GM-2026-2027.pdf
Bratislava University of Economics and Business
- https://admission.euba.sk/programmes/bachelor-in-business-economics-and-management
- https://admission.euba.sk/admission-and-enrollment/admission-process
- https://admission.euba.sk/admission-and-enrollment/tuition-and-payment
- https://admission.euba.sk/practical-info/living-costs
Bratislava International School of Liberal Arts (BISLA)
Details can change. Check the official page before you apply.
Courses in our database (0)
No courses match those filters.