Frequently asked questions: Validation of Slovak qualifications

I am going to relocate abroad. Will my Slovak education be recognised?

You need to check with the competent authorities of the country where you want to reside.

If you want to practise a regulated profession in a Member State, the Directive on the recognition of professional qualifications guarantees you certain rights (e.g. automatic recognition for the sectoral professions of architect, doctor, dentist, nurse, midwife, pharmacist and veterinary surgeon, etc.). We recommend that you contact the assistance centres within EU. 

Similarly, if you are going to study in one of their signatory countries, you have the right to a fair assessment of your evidence of formal qualifications for continuing your studies under the Lisbon Recognition Convention and the Global Recognition Convention. We recommend that you contact the information centres whose contacts are listed on the ENIC-NARIC portal. 

The Slovak Republic will provide you with the following support materials, if requested by the foreign authority:

• apostille/legalisation of education documents
• confirmation of competence to practise a regulated profession in the Slovak Republic

For which documents does the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic issue an apostille or legalisation? Who will issue me an apostille for another document?

he Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth (Centre for Recognition of Diplomas) is authorised to issue apostille clauses and legalise signatures of public officials on original public documents issued in the Education sector. The public document must contain the signature of the official (rector, vice-rector, dean, vice-dean, school director, deputy school director) and the official (round) seal.

The table below gives an overview of the documents for which the Centre for Recognition of Diplomas issues apostille and legalisation clauses.

Ministry verifies

Ministry does not verify

originals of documents bearing a round stamp and the signature of an official of a Slovak higher education institution (rector, vice-rector, dean, vice-dean) originals of documents bearing a round stamp and signature of an official of a school (director, deputy director) included in the network of schools and educational establishments in the Slovak Republic originals of documents bearing a round stamp and signature of another public official in the sector of Education originals of multi-page documents firmly bound and stamped by the issuing institution in the education department

certified copies or official translations (signatures and stamps of notaries and translators are verified by the regional court) foreign documents (e.g. international language certificate, IB diploma, diploma from a branch of a foreign university in Slovakia) documents issued by medical, police and military institutions - secondary and higher (verified by the pertaining ministries) documents that do not have a round stamp and the signature of a school official (only the signature of the study department or other administrative officer and/or a square stamp, documents from lifelong learning courses) multi-page documents which are not bound and stamped by the issuing institution in the education sector

As regards other public documents, the distribution of competences for issuing apostille and legalisation clauses for public documents issued in the Slovak Republic is as follows:

1. regional courts - public documents issued by district courts, notaries or bailiffs in the territorial area of the regional court for documents certified by them or on which they have certified the authenticity of the signature, as well as for translations made by translators or reports made by experts
2. Ministry of Justice of the Slovak Republic - other judicial documents not mentioned in point 1
3. Ministry of the Interior of the Slovak Republic - public documents issued in its department, with the exception of the documents referred to in point 7
4. Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic - public documents issued in its department (certificates, diplomas, ...)
5. Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic - public documents issued in its department
6. Ministry of Defence of the Slovak Republic - public documents issued in the Ministry of Defence of the Slovak Republic
7. District Offices - civil registry documents (except civil status decisions) and public documents issued by local government authorities
8. Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic - all other public documents issued in the Slovak Republic

More information on the website of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs (Slovak only).

Is it possible to issue an apostille or legalization to a certified copy or is the original document necessary?

The Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic is only responsible for verifying the signatures of public officials in its department. These include signatures of rectors, vice-rectors, deans, vice-deans, school principals and deputy school principals. The original, handwritten signature of the above-mentioned officials is verified, which is contained only on the original edition of the public document in question.

A document that contains the original signature of a notary public is no longer a public document in the Education sector. It is the responsibility of the regional court of the local jurisdiction to provide authentication (apostille, legalisation).

What should I do if I lost the original diploma or certificate from the Slovak Republic?

First of all, you need to contact your educational institution (secondary school or higher education institution). If you require a duplicate or a copy in connection with its use abroad, it is advisable to indicate this to the institution. If the school has ceased to exist by merger, renaming, etc., the successor school should be contacted. If there is no successor school, please contact the local state archive, in case of state-maintained school, the archive of the responsible ministry.

The Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic does not hold archival documents of education from any educational institution and does not issue duplicates or copies.

It is not clear for which categories of teaching and professional staff in education I meet the qualification requirements on the basis of qualification obtained in the Slovak Republic. Whom should I contact?

The Centre for Recognition of Diplomas does not issue statements on professional qualifications obtained in the Slovak Republic for the needs of authorities and employers in the Slovak Republic. Please contact the Secondary Schools and Lifelong Learning Section of the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic.

In case you need the certificate for foreign authorities, it is possible to apply for certificate of competence.

Who issues certificates of competence (or certificates of conformity) for other regulated professions?

Depending on the type of profession, certificates of competence (confirmation that you meet the qualification conditions for the regulated profession on the basis of the education completed in the Slovak Republic) are issued by:

• professions in Education – Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic (Centre for Recognition of Diplomas) - go to Confirmation of professional qualifications in the field of education
• healthcare professions – Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic - go to Certification of equivalence of education in regulated health professions obtained on the territory of the Slovak Republic
• Regulated trades and crafts – Single Point of Contact/Ministry of the Interior of the Slovak Republic - go to Certificate of eligibility to practice a regulated trade in the Slovak Republic
• Other regulated professions – authority competent for recognition of professional qualifications according to the database of regulated professions - go to Regulated professions in the Slovak Republic

Certificates that you have not been suspended, are not subject to disciplinary proceedings, etc. are usually issued by a professional organisation (chamber).

The authority abroad requires various certificates of studies from me. Where can I get them?

Depending on the type of document required from you:

• apostille / legalisation: issued by the apostille authority in the Slovak Republic, depending on the type of document (see For which documents does the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic issue an apostille or legalisation? Who will issue me an apostille for another document?)
• certificate of competence: issued by the relevant ministries (see Who issues certificates of competence for other regulated professions?)
• duplicates and copies of educational documents, curricula, course syllabi: issued by the educational institution
• state educational programme: NIVAM
• confirmation of accreditation of the university and its programme, confirmation of inclusion of the primary or secondary school in the network of schools and educational establishments: relevant sections of the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic

 

Topics:

Recognition statement National regulated professions database Application forms Issuing of decisions Supplementary examination for third country healthcare professionals Proportionality test for regulated professions