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EACEA National Policies Platform:Eurydice
Mobility in early childhood and school education

Slovakia

13.Mobility and internationalisation

13.1Mobility in early childhood and school education

Last update: 12 February 2024

Pupil and student mobility

 

Mobilities in the Slovak Republic first take place at the primary and secondary levels based on Slovak Republic’s participation in international programmes and projects. The Ministry of Education, Research, Development, and Youth of the Slovak Republic also provides participation of young students in international subject Olympiads. 

 

Erasmus+


Mobility programmes Erasmus+ can be taken part in by pupils who have reached the age of 13. Physical mobilities of pupils can take the form of group mobilities (2-30 days), short-term educational mobilities (10-29 days) or long-term educational mobilities (30-365 days).

Pupils spend a period abroad to study at a partner school or perform a traineeship at another relevant organisation abroad. Secondary vocational school pupils spend a period learning abroad at a partner provider of vocational education and training, in a company, or another organisation active in the field of vocational education and training or the labour market.

The main coordinator of the Erasmus+ programme at the national level is the Ministry of Education, Research, Development, and Youth of the Slovak Republic, which is responsible for the overall implementation of the programme in compliance with the created work plan. Two national agencies are responsible for the implementation of Erasmus+ in the Slovak Republic:  SAAIC – National Erasmus+ agency for education and vocational training and NIVAM – National Institute for Education and Youth (Národný inštitút vzdelávania a mládeže), national agency for sport and youth .

If the mobility participants want to record new skills they have gained and educational modules they have completed, they can ask the sending and the hosting organisation to issue a Europass Mobility certificate. Europass Mobility is a document which describes the competences, skills and knowledge developed abroad through mobility programmes (e.g. Erasmus+) and facilitates their recognition upon return to the sending institution or complements the participant’s work portfolio. The document can include information on the participant’s roles and responsibilities, job-related skills, language skills, communication skills, organisation and managerial skills, or digital skills.

 

United Kingdom, USA – Secondary School Scholarship Programme

 The secondary school scholarship programme (Program stredoškolských štipendií), which has been working in Slovakia since 1993, allows pupils to spend one or two school years in a private secondary school in the USA or UK. The programme is designed for pupils of gymnasiums, 8-year gymnasiums and lyceums, business academies, and international schools in the Slovak Republic. To obtain the scholarship, good knowledge of the English language is required, although it is not a decisive criterion.

 The scholarships are provided by the Association of Scholarship Programme Graduates (Asociácia absolventov štipendijných programov) in cooperation with American Secondary Schools for International Students and Teachers, Inc. (ASSIST), USA a The Headmasters‘ and Headmistresses‘ Conference (HMC), UK. In Slovakia, the programme is administered by SAIA.

 

FutureLeadersExchange Program (FLEX)

Secondary school pupils can also apply for a 1-year scholarship programme FutureLeadersExchange Program (FLEX). This programme is fully funded by the U.S. government and administered by the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs  of the U.S. Department of State. The programme aims to allow secondary school pupils to spend one year in an American host family and study at an American secondary school. The American Council for International Education arranges application, selection,training before departure, and travelling affairs.

 

Participation in international competitions


The Ministry of Education, Research, Development, and Youth of the Slovak Republic supports pupils' participation in international competitions, particularly subject Olympiads. The Ministry of Education, Research, Development, and Youth of the Slovak Republic creates conditions  for all pupils who can successfully represent the country to be able to participate in these competitions. The professional aspect of these competitions is the responsibility of relevant nationwide expert committees appointed by the minister of education. Participants' travel is arranged by NIVAM.

 

Educational activities for compatriots


In order to promote learning of the Slovak language abroad, the Ministry of Education, Research, Development, and Youth of the Slovak Republic financially supports the implementation of educational programmes for Slovak primary and secondary school pupils living abroad. The programmes for Slovaks living abroad (Programy na podporu slovákov žijúcich v zahraničí) are implemented in cooperation with Methodological centres in the Slovak Republic and other institutions in the form of several day camps for children or the school in nature.

 

Recognition of education obtained abroad


Should the study be completed at an accredited secondary school abroad, the given grade can be recognised upon the comparison of the secondary school curricula. If necessary, the parent secondary or primary school headteacher will prescribe subjects in which additional examination is to be taken. For this purpose, the ministry published the Manual of Grade Conversion from Primary and Secondary Schools Abroad (Manuál prevodov známok zo zahraničných stredných a základných škôl).

Recognition of maturita examination is within the competence of a competent district authority in the seat of the region (the Department of Education). In this case, the authority prescribes also subjects in which differential examination is to be taken.

Recognition of diplomas is the responsibility of the Ministry of Education, Research, Development, and Youth of the Slovak Republic  – Centre for Recognition of Diplomas (Stredisko na uznávanie dokladov o vzdelaní).

 

Teacher mobility

 

Erasmus+


Erasmus+ offers various interesting opportunities for teachers and other school employees participating in pre-primary, primary and secondary education interested in their professional growth to develop their knowledge and skills. These include

  • participation in structured courses or training abroad (2-30 days);
  • job shadowing or observation in school or other relevant foreign institution (2-60 days);
  • teaching at a partner school (2-365 days).

The main coordinator of Erasmus+ programme at the national level is the Ministry of Education, Research, Development, and Youth of the Slovak Republic, which is responsible for the overall implementation of the programme in compliance with the created work plan. The implementation of Erasmus+ for teachers in the Slovak Republic is the responsibility of  SAAIC – National Erasmus+ agency.

Mobility participants can ask for the Europass Mobility certificate, which confirms the competences, skills and knowledge developed during their stay abroad. Please find more information in the sub-section Pupil and Student Mobility.

 

Teacher mobility in the area of language education


Language teachers in bilingual schools in the Slovak Republic can take part in scholarship stays abroad based on bilateral agreements between the Ministry of Education, Research, Development, and Youth of the Slovak Republic and some countries (Italy, France, and Spain). The type and length of a stay depends on the conditions defined in the agreements. Mobilities based on bilateral agreements are administered by SAIA and the applicants can find them in SAIA database.

 

Slovak language teachers abroad


Teachers of the Slovak language and academic subjects (Učitelia slovenského jazyka a akademických predmetov) are sent abroad by the Ministry of Education, Research, Development, and Youth based on international bilateral agreements (cooperation programmes) between the Slovak Ministry of Education and its counterpart from the respective country.

The Agreement defines the conditions of teachers’ secondment as regards their work, salary, and accommodation. The teacher is sent for at least one year. Their stay can be extended to a maximum of four years during which they are Ministry of Education employees. At the end of the period, based on mutual interest, the Ministry of Education will appoint a new candidate in compliance with the requirements and criteria of the receiving party. The selection procedure for the position of Slovak language teacher abroad is held in compliance with the internal regulations of the Slovak Republic. The Commission of the Ministry of Education, Research, Development, and Youth for the selection of teachers for schools with the Slovak language of instruction abroad is appointed by the minister of education.

 

Scholarship for French teachers


Scholarship for French teachers (Bourse de Perfectionnement à la Didactique du Français en Slovaquie, BPDFS) is a motivational scholarship for teachers of French language and subjects taught in French who come to teach at Slovak secondary schools and higher education institutions. The programme is administered by the Cooperation and Cultural Action department at the French embassy in Bratislava and SAIA, which takes care of the teacher selection process and monthly payment of scholarships.

The programme is based on a bilateral agreement between the Ministry of Education, Research, Development, and Youth of the Slovak Republic and France.

The amount of the scholarship paid to teachers depends on the teachers‘ specialisation:

  • a scholarship in the amount of €500 is paid to teachers employed at secondary schools and universities.
  • a scholarship in the amount of €650 is paid to teachers who are employed at bilingual secondary schools and ensure the coordination of a language or a non-language subject in these sections and/or the organisation of a teacher network, or to university teachers who are required to have teaching experience and/or special competences.
  • in special cases, a scholarship in the amount of €150 can be awarded to a person performing education activities in the hosting school if such a person ensures coordination of a language or a non-language subject.
  • a scholarship in the amount of €250 is paid to part-time secondary school and university teachers.

 

European schools


European schools aim to educate children of European communities' employees. Teaching is carried out by teachers sent by member states. Teaching may also entail kindergartens; five years of primary school, and seven years of secondary school.

There are also teachers of Slovak language and literature and some other subjects taught in English and French working at schools. Teachers are appointed and financed by the Ministry of Education, Research, Development, and Youth of the Slovak Republic (for a certain period). Selection for the position of a teacher of Slovak language and academic subjects abroad takes place in compliance with Slovak regulations by holding a selection procedure. The committee of the Ministry of Education, Research, Development, and Youth of the Slovak Republic for selection and evaluation of teachers' activities in schools abroad where Slovak language and academic subjects are taught is appointed by the minister of education. Teachers’ remuneration is determined according to the sending country’s salary regulations. Subsequently, teachers are paid a so-called European allowance, from the EU sources for their national salary to match the teacher salary in the country where the European school is located.

 

Exchange programmes based on bilateral agreements

Primary and secondary school teachers can participate in mobility programmes based on valid bilateral agreements between the Slovak Republic and other countries. The scholarship type depends on the agreement with the respective country. Based on the bilateral agreements and direct offers from foreign governments, SAIA holds a selection procedure. The programme offer is available in SAIA database (Zoznam štipendií a grantov).