Definition of the target groups

The Act no.131/2002 on higher education (zákon č. 131/2002 o vysokých školách) defines students with special educational needs as students 

• with sensory, physical, and multiple disabilities,

• with chronic disease,

• sick or with weakened health,

• with mental disorders,

• with autism or other pervasive developmental disorders,

• with learning disorders.

To assess their specific needs and the extent of support services, students submit 

• consent with the assessment of their specific needs,
• medical certificate not more than 3 months old, which is medical findings, report on the course and progress of disease and disability, or medical records copy, or
• statement by a psychologist, speech therapist, school psychologist, school speech therapist, or special pedagogue.

Students will apply for the status of a student with special needs at the registration at the beginning of the academic year or term. The application can be submitted at any stage of the study. However, adequate adjustments and support services cannot be granted retrospectively, they depend on the assessment of the student's specific needs and must be approved by the statutory, dean, authorised vice-dean, or coordinator.

All students have a right to apply for social support system services provided they are eligible. The eligibility is usually determined by the income of the household members. Criteria for grading students as socially disadvantaged primarily apply in the context of higher education institutions assessing eligibility for social scholarships.

Higher education institutions create adequate study conditions for students with disabilities, considering their special study needs, without lowering the requirements for academic performance.

Foreign students have the same conditions for counseling and methodological support in higher education as students who are citizens of the Slovak Republic.

Specific support measures

Social support is provided to students directly and indirectly. More detailed information can be found in chapter 3.2 Higher education funding: Financial support learners.

The social support system also includes the provision of subsidised loans to students. Student loans from the Education Support Fund (Fond na podporu vzdelávania) are available to practically all higher education students. If the demand for loans exceeds the available resources, the fund gives priority to students based on specific criteria (e.g., students receiving material need assistance, recipients of social scholarships, full-time students, etc.). Typically, students do not repay the loan during their studies, and interest accrues only after graduation.

In accordance with the law on higher education, higher education institutions establish a fund to support students with specific needs. The financial resources of this fund can be used to ensure appropriate study conditions.

Students with specific needs are entitled to support services based on the extent and type of their specific needs, particularly:

• Adjusted conditions for admission examinations,
• Access to specific educational resources and support technologies,
• Individual educational approaches, especially individual teaching of selected study programme units,
• Special conditions for fulfilling academic obligations without lowering the requirements for academic performance,
• Tuition fee waivers in justifiable cases when the study duration exceeds the standard length of the respective study programme.

Higher education institutions are responsible for implementing adequate measures to remove existing barriers, prevent the creation of new barriers, and compensate for the consequences of academic environment barriers. Spatial and material requirements and requirements related to the study of students with specific needs are stipulated by Decree No. 458/2012 Coll. on the minimum requirements for students with special needs (vyhláška č. 458/2012 Z. z. o minimálnych nárokoch študenta so špecifickými potrebami). These requirements vary according to the type of disability and include measures such as conducting classes in barrier-free spaces, extending the borrowing period for academic library materials, providing an individual schedule for fulfilling study obligations, and developing individual study plans.

The management of accommodation and dining facilities at the higher education institution, upon the proposal of the vice-rector, ensures priority accommodation and dining for students with disabilities within the HEI's capabilities. This is done to ensure that accommodation and dining facilities align as closely as possible with accessibility/barrier-free criteria in terms of their internal setup and proximity to teaching spaces.

From the perspective of the data protection law, higher education institutions are not authorized to obtain or process information about students' disabilities unless the students give consent to the institution. Higher education institutions must take measures to ensure the safety of the personal data of students with special needs.

In the healthcare and social affairs sectors, several general tools are legislatively regulated for students with disabilities at higher education institutions to support their studies. These include partial reimbursement for medical aids, contributions for personal assistance, or the purchase of aids, such as a computer, special computer programs and their updates, printer, scanner, Braille display, FM system, specially trained dog, and others.

Free-of-charge counselling in language education for foreigners is provided by the Migration Information Centre (Migračné informačné centrum ) and the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic is the responsible authority for the field of education. 

Socially disadvantaged foreigners who have completed Slovak secondary school with the maturita exam (school-leaving examination) and have been admitted to full-time study at a university can also apply for the "I Study at Home, Slovakia Rewards Me" scholarship, provided they meet the eligibility criteria. More information can be found in chapter 3.2 Higher education funding.