Secondary education in the Slovak Republic is provided by secondary schools. They provide education and training in compliance with provision of Act no. 245/2008 Coll. on education and training (Education Act) (Zákon č. 245/2008 Z. z. o výchove a vzdelávaní) and Act no. 61/2015 Coll. on vocational education and training (Zákon č. 61/2015 Z. z. o odbornom vzdelávaní a príprave). Secondary education follows up on education obtained in primary school and is the foundation for further education (whether at higher education institutions and universities or follow-up forms of study. The system of secondary schools is comprised of

• gymnasium,
• secondary vocational school,
• secondary sports school,
• school of applied arts and
• conservatory.

Secondary schools are divided into types. The type of school further determines the field of education the school focuses on, the organisation of the school, or the kind of pupils that education is provided to. Types of secondary vocational schools include the secondary vocational school with an attribute (e.g. secondary vocational school of business and services, a secondary vocational school of food industry, etc.), a secondary industrial school with an attribute (e.g. secondary industrial school of construction, secondary industrial school of engineering, etc.), secondary healthcare school, business academy, hotel academy, police secondary vocational school, fire safety secondary vocational school.

Upper secondary education usually starts at the age of 15. It is organised as general, vocational, or art education. 

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

Education is mainly organised as a full-time study, but it can also be part-time (evening, distance) in the form of individual education or an individual education plan.

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

• Lower secondary vocational education (ISCED 253) is completed by the final examination; the certificate of the achieved level of education and the acquired qualification is the Certificate of Final Examination.
• Secondary vocational education (ISCED 353) is completed by final examination; the certificate of the achieved level of education and the acquired qualification is the Certificate of Final Examination 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) is 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 with practical lessons in the form of vocational training, the acquired qualification is also certified by the Certificate of Apprenticeship.
• Higher vocational education (ISCED 554) is 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) for secondary vocational school study fields or Diploma Arts Specialist (Dis.art) for conservatories and schools of applied arts study fields.

Full secondary general education or full secondary vocational education completed by the school-leaving examination ('Maturita') is a requirement for admission into higher education.

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

1. follow-up study,
2. post-secondary study,
3. shortened study.

The follow-up study is organised in secondary vocational school fields of study that are linked to the previous vocational education and training in a field of study and it is completed by the school-leaving examination ('Maturita').  Pupils attending follow-up studies improve their knowledge for the qualified pursuit of their professions and they specialise in some technical-economic activities of an operational nature or prepare for further education.

The post-secondary study is organised in secondary vocational schools and schools of applied arts to improve and expand 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 a 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. Qualification study is only provided by secondary vocational schools.
• 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. Specialisation study is provided by secondary vocational schools and schools of applied arts.
• 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. Higher vocational study is provided by secondary vocational schools and schools of applied arts.

The shortened study is organised in the secondary vocational school fields of study to improve and expand 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 study in a 1-year educational programme in a field of study is completed by the final examination and the certificate of achieved education is the Certificate of Final Examination. Shortened study in a 2-year educational programme in a field of study is completed by the final examination and the certificate of achieved education is the Certificate of Final Examination accompanied by the Certificate of Apprenticeship.