Higher secondary education starts at the age of 15 and it is organised as general, vocational, or art education. 

When pupils achieve lower secondary education by completing 9 grades of primary school, they continue with their studies at secondary schools, where they complete the last year of the compulsory 10-year school attendance. 

Upon successful completion of educational programmes provided by secondary schools, pupils can achieve:

• Secondary vocational education (ISCED 353) completed by final examination; the certificate of the achieved level of education and the acquired qualification is the Certificate of Final Examination. To certify the acquired qualification, it is also accompanied by the Certificate of Apprenticeship. 
• Full secondary general education (ISCED 344) completed by the school-leaving examination (“Maturita”); the  certificate of the achieved level of education is the Certificate of School-leaving Examination.
• Full secondary vocational education (ISCED 354, 454) completed by the school-leaving examination (“Maturita”); the certificate of the achieved level of education and the acquired qualification is the Certificate of School-leaving Examination. As regards the fields of study in which practical lessons take place in the form of vocational training, the acquired qualification is also evidenced by the Certificate of Apprenticeship.
• Higher vocational education (ISCED 554) completed by the graduate examination; the certificate of the achieved level of education is the Certificate of Graduate Examination and the certificate of the acquired qualification is the Graduation Diploma, which authorises graduates to use the title of “Diploma Specialist” (DiS) or Diploma Arts Specialist (Dis.art).

Full secondary education with maturita is a requirement for admission into higher education.

Pupils who completed secondary education by the final examination or the school-leaving examination and want to acquire further qualification can attend the follow-up forms of vocational education, which include:

1. extension courses,
2. post-secondary study,
3. shortened courses.

Extension courses are organised in secondary vocational school fields of study that are linked to the previous vocational education and training and they are completed by the school-leaving examination („maturita“).  Pupils attending extension courses improve their knowledge for the qualified pursuit of their professions and they specialise in the pursuit of some technical-economic activities of operational nature or prepare for further education.

Post-secondary education is organised with the purpose of improving and expanding pupils’ qualifications for the pursuit of professions and professional activities. It is designed for applicants who have previously received full secondary vocational education or full secondary general education. 

The post-secondary study is divided as follows:

Qualification study, in which pupils acquire vocational qualification in a field of study other than the one they took the school-leaving examination in. The study is completed by a vocational component of the school-leaving examination that was not a part of the previously taken school-leaving examination.

Specialisation study, in which pupils obtain special knowledge and skills, including new scientific and technical knowledge required for the pursuit of specific work activities and functions, which correspond to the previously completed field of study in terms of the work duties. The study is completed by the graduate examination and successful specialisation study graduates achieve higher vocational education.

Higher vocational study, in which pupils obtain special knowledge and skills, including new scientific and technical knowledge required for the pursuit of specific work activities and functions. It is designed for applicants who have previously achieved secondary vocational education or full general secondary education. The study is completed by the graduate examination and successful higher vocational study graduates achieve higher vocational education. 

Shortened courses are organised with the purpose of improving and expanding qualifications for the pursuit of professions or a group of professions. It is designed for applicants who have previously achieved at least secondary vocational education and it can be organised as a one- or two-year educational programme. Pupils attending shortened courses study only vocational subjects. Shortened courses are completed by the final examination and the certificate of achieved education is the Certificate of Final Examination.

Legislative references

National Council of the Slovak Republic, 2008. Act No. 245/2008 on education and training (Education Act) and on the change and supplement to some acts as amended by subsequent provisions (Zákon č. 245/2008 Z.z. o výchove a vzdelávaní (školský zákon) a o zmene a doplnení niektorých zákonov v znení neskorších predpisov) (last accessed 22/03/2023).