After the application submission deadline, you will have an additional 10 working days to:

• supplement your application with the required mandatory attachments.
  

After this period, all applications will be forwarded to the approval process.

The Board of the Education Support Fund will, in the approval process, consider only those applications that:

• were submitted within the specified deadline
• meet all conditions for granting loans
  

> THE APPROVAL PROCESS TAKES PLACE IN THE FOLLOWING STEPS

1. Assessment of compliance with loan provision conditions
2. Determination of the order of applications using:
   • preference criteria according to § 11 para. 3 of the Act on the Education Support Fund
   • priority criteria approved by the Fund Board
3. Approval of loan applications by the Fund Board

> NOTICE

• There is no legal entitlement to receive a loan from the Education Support Fund.
• The loan is not approved through administrative proceedings.

The Education Support Fund will publish a list of approved and rejected loan applications on its website:

• within 3 days of the Fund Board's decision
• but no later than 60 days after the deadline for submitting loan applications.

> HOW TO PROPERLY SIGN THE CONTRACT

Within 20 days of the publication of the list of approved loans, the Education Support Fund will send you the loan agreement:

• the agreement will be signed by the Fund’s director
• you will receive it in two or three copies:
  • one for the Fund,
  • one for the guarantor (if it is a loan with a guarantor)
  • one for you as the borrower.

What needs to be done?

• The copy intended for the Fund must be signed before a notary or at the registry office — your signature must be officially certified. In the case of a loan with a guarantor, the guarantor’s signature must also be officially certified. You and your guarantor do not need to sign the agreement at the same time, but your signature must be certified on the same day or before the guarantor’s signature. If the guarantor signs the agreement before you, the agreement will not be valid.
  
• The certified copy must then be sent by mail or delivered in person to: Fond na podporu vzdelávania, Panenská 29, 811 03 Bratislava.
• It must be delivered no later than 60 days from the receipt of the agreement.
  

> WARNING
Agreements delivered after this deadline will not be published — the loan will therefore not proceed to the disbursement phase.

> WHAT ARE YOUR OBLIGATIONS ARISING FROM THE CONTRACT?

By signing the loan agreement, you assume certain obligations that must be fulfilled correctly and on time. Failure to meet these obligations may result in fees or other penalties according to the valid Fee and Compensation Schedule of the Education Support Fund.

> BASIC OBLIGATIONS

1. Obligation to report and document the performance and changes in performing pedagogical activities

You are required to notify the Education Support Fund of any changes related to the performance of pedagogical activities and to submit the relevant documentation. This obligation applies especially to the following cases:

• if you cease to be a teacher before the reduction of the outstanding loan principal (before principal write-off), you must notify the Fund within 30 days of its occurrence,
• if you were a teacher or university lecturer during the protection period and cease to be one, you must notify the Fund within 30 days of its occurrence,
• - if, after ceasing to be a teacher, you become a teacher, professional employee, or university teacher again before the expiration of the six-month protection period, you are required to notify the fund of this fact in writing within 14 days of its occurrence.
• if you do not become a teacher by the end of the protection period but later become employed again as a teacher or university lecturer (no longer in the probation period), you must notify the Fund in writing within 14 days of its occurrence,
• change of employer,
• change in working hours (e.g., moving from full-time to part-time), ​
• reassignment to a position where you no longer perform pedagogical activities in full according to working hours.
  

The relevant documents regarding changes in pedagogical activity must be sent via the client electronic portal or by mail to the Fund’s address.

2. Obligation to report changes in personal data of the borrower/guarantor

You are required to notify the Fund of any changes to your personal data or that of your guarantor within 14 days using the form “Request to change and update personal data.” This applies, for example, to:

• changes of first or last name,
• changes of permanent or correspondence address,
• changes in contact information (email, phone).

The form must be sent via the client electronic portal or by mail to the Fund’s address.

3. Obligation to report significant situations

If there is any serious change in your financial situation, you are required to notify the Fund immediately, but no later than within 30 days, in writing. This especially includes situations such as:

• you become or may be considered insolvent,
• you stop payments or announce your intention to cease repayment,
• you begin negotiations with multiple creditors regarding changes to your obligations,
• a proposal for bankruptcy, debt relief, or restructuring is filed against you,
• a temporary, forced, or restructuring administrator is appointed to you,
• enforcement or other similar proceedings are initiated against you,
• any other similar legal situation affecting your ability to repay.

4. Obligations during the repayment period

Regarding loan repayment, you are required to:

• make payments on time (no later than the 25th day of the month),
• comply with the monthly payment amount according to the contract,
• provide the correct variable symbol.
  

> LOAN SECURITY THROUGH INSURANCE AND GUARANTEE

The loan is secured by two methods simultaneously:

1. Group insurance of persons – for all loans

2. A single guarantor – a natural person for loans over EUR 5,000
​

1. Insurance

Your loan is automatically insured under the Fund’s group insurance (through Wüstenrot Insurance).

The insurance covers the following cases:

• death of the borrower,
• permanent consequences caused by an accident.

The insurance is part of the loan agreement. By signing the agreement, you consent to its conclusion. The obligation to pay the insurance premium applies to all provided loans. The insurance becomes effective on the date the loan is disbursed and ends on the date the entire loan is repaid. ​

Insurance premium:

• 0.25% per year of the insured amoun — life insurance,
• 0.15% per year of the insured amount— additional insurance for permanent consequences.

The premium is charged annually, at the beginning of each calendar year, based on the current balance.

​

Start and end of insurance:

- Insurance starts on the day the loan is disbursed, i.e., when the funds are withdrawn from the Fund’s account, 
​- Insurance ends on the day the entire loan, including interest, fees, and compensations, is fully repaid.

​

> WHAT TO DO IN CASE OF AN INSURANCE EVENT

Insurance event – death of the borrower

In case of the borrower’s death, the survivors must send the Fund a copy of the Death Examination Certificate and the statistical death report (form “Štatistického úradu Slovenskej republiky Obyv. 3-12” – original or officially certified copy).

Upon receipt of the document, the Fund will handle further communication with the insurance company.

The insurance payout, after the insurance event is settled by the insurer, will be credited to the Fund’s account, which will settle the total debt as of the insurance event date. If the payout exceeds the remaining debt of the deceased borrower, the difference will be transferred to the survivors’ account.

Insurance event – accident with permanent consequences

If an accident resulting in permanent consequences occurs, you must send the Fund:

• a notification of the accident,
• a report from the attending physician.

Upon receipt, the Fund will handle further communication with the insurance company. If additional documents are required, the insurance company may contact you directly.

The insurance payout, after the insurance event is settled by the insurer, will be credited to the Fund’s account, which will settle the total debt as of the insurance event date. If the payout exceeds the remaining debt, the difference will be transferred to your account.

Note: During the entire process of handling this insurance event, you must continue repaying the loan.

2. Guarantee – by a single guarantor

a) Loans up to EUR 5,000 are provided without a guarantor, based only on proof of your income in the loan application. The amount of EUR 5,000 without a guarantor is the maximum cumulative amount of all loans provided without a guarantor to one applicant.

b) Loans of EUR 5,000 and above (including cumulative amounts) must be secured by a guarantor.

The guarantor is responsible for the entire debt – principal and accessories.

Conditions for who may be a guarantor and the requirements they must meet are described in the separate GUARANTOR section.

Procedure in case of a change of guarantor on the loan agreement (change of guarantor, death, insolvency):

In each of these cases, it is necessary to:

1. notify the Fund in writing of the change within 30 days,
2. secure a new guarantor who meets all requirements,
3. send the Fund:
   • a completed request for change,
   • new income confirmation of the guarantor (not older than 30 days).

After verification and approval of the change, the Fund will send you an amendment to the contract for signature.

• The amendment will be signed by the Fund’s director,
• You will receive it in three copies:
  • one for the Fund,
  • one for you as the borrower,
  • one for the guarantor.

What needs to be done?

• The copy intended for the Fund must be signed by both you and your guarantor before a notary or at the registry office — both signatures must be officially certified. You and your guarantor do not need to sign simultaneously, but your signature must be certified on the same day or before the guarantor’s signature. If the guarantor signs first, the amendment will not be valid.
• The amendment must be returned within 30 days of receipt. If returned late, the change of guarantor will not be valid, and the Fund will continue to act in accordance with the provisions of the loan agreement.

NOTE: The guarantor cannot withdraw from the guarantee; a change is only possible at the borrower’s request and after Fund approval.

> PENALTIES FOR BREACH OF CONTRACTUAL TERMS

In case of breach of the contract, the Fund may apply the following penalties:

• increase of the interest rate (if more than 2 installments are overdue), ​
• penalty fee (e.g., for failing to meet reporting obligations), ​
• contractual fine (e.g., for unauthorized loan withdrawal), ​
• acceleration of the entire debt (e.g., in case of overdue payment of more than three installments or serious breach of reporting obligations). ​

Immediately after receiving your signed agreement, the Education Support Fund will verify whether any unauthorized changes have been made to the agreement and whether all signatures are valid.

If everything is in order:

• the agreement will be anonymized,
• and subsequently published in the Central Register of Contracts (in accordance with legal obligations).

​​The agreement becomes effective on the day following its publication — from the effective date, the Fund will proceed with the disbursement of the loan. ​

​

The Fund will disburse your loan no later than 14 days from the effective date of the agreement. The agreement becomes effective on the day following its publication in the Central Register of Contracts.

The disbursement process is set up as follows:

• Every Monday, the Fund processes payments for agreements that were published in the previous week.

Therefore, if your agreement is published during the relevant week, you can expect the payment in the next Monday disbursement cycle.

​> SPECIAL DEFERRAL OF LOAN REPAYMENTS ACCORDING TO § 17(14) OF THE FUND ACT

During a special deferral:

• the loan’s maturity period continues to run,
• the loan accrues interest,
• only interest on the principal must be paid.

Details on the special deferral of repayments are provided in Article IX of the loan agreement.

> ELIGIBILITY FOR SPECIAL DEFERRAL OF REPAYMENTS 

a) due to maternity leave or parental leave

• The period of special deferral of repayments due to maternity or parental leave is not time-limited.
  

What must be submitted when applying for a special deferral of repayments:

• A written application for deferral of repayments,
• and the mandatory attachment:
  • A certificate from the Social Insurance Agency or a doctor confirming the start of maternity leave (original, not older than 30 days, or a notarized copy), or
  • A document from the authority providing the parental allowance (original, not older than 30 days, or a notarized copy) along with a copy of the child’s birth certificate.

​

b) Due to registration with the relevant labor, social affairs, and family office as a job seeker:

• The deferral period due to unemployment may last up to one year in total, with any continuous period of special deferral not exceeding six months.

What must be submitted:

• A written application for deferral of repayments,
• and the mandatory attachment – a document confirming registration as a job seeker issued by the relevant labor, social affairs, and family office (original, not older than 30 days, or a notarized copy).

c) Due to the performance of voluntary military training

• A special deferral of repayments due to participation in voluntary military training is possible for the entire duration of the voluntary military training, as well as for the entire possible duration of an order to perform extraordinary service as a voluntary military trainee.

The special deferral of repayments due to the performance of voluntary military training will be provided to you if you submit:

• A written application for deferral of repayments,
• and the mandatory attachment –a notification from the Personnel Office of the Armed Forces of the Slovak Republic confirming acceptance into voluntary military training (original, not older than 30 days, or a notarized copy).

> IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON THE START AND DURATION OF THE SPECIAL DEFERRAL

• The special deferral begins in the month following the month in which the fund receives the complete application for the special deferral (all conditions must be met + all due installments paid).
• The fund will notify you in writing of the adjusted loan installment amount during the granted deferral period.
  
• If any change occurs during the deferral (e.g., early termination or extension of the deferral), you must send the fund the relevant document and, if necessary, a new application for special deferral within 14 days. The fund will adjust the deferral period accordingly.
• The repayment period of the stabilization loan is extended by the duration of the special deferral, i.e., the period during which the borrower pays only interest on the principal.

​

> HOW TO SUBMIT THE APPLICATION AND ATTACHMENTS

The request for a special deferral of repayments, including attachments, may be submitted in paper form to the address of the fund or in electronic form, whereby:

• Attachments required as originals can be submitted:
• • In paper form (together with the application) as the original, notarized copy, or a document created by certified conversion from electronic to paper form by a notary or another authorized entity (e.g., by post), or
  • Electronically via the client portal (together with the electronically submitted application), with a qualified electronic seal of the issuing institution, or as a document converted from paper to electronic form by certified conversion by a notary or another authorized entity.
• Attachments required as copies can be submitted:
• • In paper form (together with the application) as a regular copy, or
    
  • Electronically via the client portal (together with the electronically submitted application) as a scanned file or photo in *.pdf or another format secured against further changes.

A deferral of loan repayment, or only the principal, may also be requested for another qualified reason – i.e., a reason not explicitly listed in the law but considered serious and justified.

• The same conditions apply as for the special deferral of repayments under § 17 par. 14 of the Fund Act.
• The fund decides individually on granting the deferral.

WHAT THE APPLICATION MUST CONTAIN

• A written application in which you:
  • clearly state the reason for the request,
  • ensure the reason is specific, justified, and relevant,
  • provide documented evidence of the facts (e.g., doctor’s certificate, official documents, etc.).

> LOAN PRINCIPAL WRITE-OFF – SUMMARY OF CONDITIONS AND PROCEDURE

A principal write-off means a reduction of the outstanding principal of the loan after meeting the specified conditions. More information about the principal write-off under §16(3) of the Act on the Fund is provided in Article X of the loan agreement.

To be eligible for a write-off, you must perform teaching activities for at least 5 years from the date the loan was granted, on the established weekly working hours (or multiple part-time positions that together amount to 100% of the established weekly working hours).

During the repayment period, you are obliged to notify the Fund by submitting a confirmation from your employer of any change of employer, adjustment of working hours in your employment contract, or reassignment to a position in which you do not perform teaching activities for the established weekly working hours.

Failure to report the conclusion of a new employment contract, adjustment of working hours, or reassignment to a position in which you will perform teaching activities for the established weekly working hours, or failure to report the end of maternity or parental leave, may result in a delayed recognition of the entitlement to a principal write-off.

The conditions for reducing the outstanding principal of the loan, as well as the interpretation of what constitutes teaching activity for the purpose of a write-off, depend on when you concluded the loan agreement.

a) IF YOU CONCLUDED THE AGREEMENT BASED ON A LOAN APPLICATION SUBMITTED BEFORE THE 2016/2017 SCHOOL YEAR:

• The outstanding principal of the loan will be reduced by one-fiftieth (1/50) if you demonstrate to the Fund that you have performed teaching activities:
  • for the established weekly working hours,
  • for at least five years from the date the loan was granted, whether consecutive or non-consecutive. ​
• The outstanding principal of the loan will be further reduced by another one-fiftieth (1/50) if you demonstrate to the Fund that you have performed teaching activities:
  • for the established weekly working hours,
  • for at least one additional year (beyond the initial five years), whether consecutive or non-consecutive.

Teaching activity is considered to be:  

• the activity of a pedagogical employee under §3(2) of Act No. 317/2009 Coll., meaning a set of tasks performed through direct educational work and other related activities as determined by the employer in the work regulations.
• The activity of a university teacher under §75 of Act No. 131/2002 Coll. and the activity of a full-time doctoral student under §54 of Act No. 131/2002 Coll. are not considered teaching activity for the purpose of principal write-off entitlement.
• Performing teaching activity for the established weekly working hours also includes performing teaching activity simultaneously in multiple jobs for shorter hours or under agreements on work performed outside of employment (shorter contracts), if the sum of these parallel shorter contracts, expressed as a percentage, reaches at least 100%.
• Time spent performing teaching activity includes periods of disability if the disability arose during or as a result of performing teaching activity.
• Time spent on maternity or parental leave is not counted towards the period of performing teaching activity.

b) IF YOU CONCLUDED THE AGREEMENT BASED ON A LOAN APPLICATION SUBMITTED FROM JANUARY 1, 2017 TO MAY 31, 2019:

• The outstanding principal of the loan will be reduced by 3% if you demonstrate to the Fund that you have performed teaching activities:
• • for the established weekly working hours,
  • for at least five years from the date the loan was granted, whether consecutive or non-consecutive.

Teaching activity is considered to be:

• The activity of a pedagogical employee under §3(2) of Act No. 317/2009 Coll., the activity of a professional employee under §4(2) of Act No. 317/2009 Coll.
• The activity of a university teacher under §75 of Act No. 131/2002 Coll. and the activity of a full-time doctoral student under §54 of Act No. 131/2002 Coll. are not considered teaching activity for the purpose of principal write-off entitlement.
• Performing teaching activity for the established weekly working hours also includes performing teaching activity simultaneously in multiple jobs for shorter hours or under agreements on work performed outside of employment (shorter contracts), if the sum of these parallel shorter contracts, expressed as a percentage, reaches at least 100%.
• Time spent performing teaching activity includes periods of disability if the disability arose during or as a result of performing teaching activity.
• Time spent on maternity or parental leave counts towards the period of teaching activity for a total duration of up to three years.

c) IF YOU CONCLUDED THE AGREEMENT BASED ON A LOAN APPLICATION SUBMITTED FROM JUNE 1, 2019 TO AUGUST 31, 2019:

• The outstanding principal of the loan will be reduced by 3% if you demonstrate to the Fund that you have performed teaching activities:
  • for the established weekly working hours,
  • for at least five years from the date the loan was granted, whether consecutive or non-consecutive. ​

Teaching activity is considered to be:  

• the activity of a pedagogical employee under §3(2) of Act No. 317/2009 Coll., the activity of a pedagogical employee under §3(2) of Act No. 317/2009 Coll., the activity of a university teacher under §75 of Act No. 131/2002 Coll., the activity of a research worker under §80 of Act No. 131/2002 Coll., the activity of an artistic worker under §80 of Act No. 131/2002 Coll.
• The activity of a full-time doctoral student under §54 of Act No. 131/2002 Coll. is not considered teaching activity for the purpose of principal write-off entitlement.
• Performing teaching, professional, university, research, or artistic activity for the established weekly working hours also includes performing these activities simultaneously in multiple jobs for shorter hours or under agreements on work performed outside of employment (shorter contracts), if the sum of these parallel shorter contracts, expressed as a percentage, reaches at least 100% of the established weekly working hours of a pedagogical employee. Simply being employed in the education sector does not automatically count as performing teaching activity.
• Time spent performing teaching activity includes periods of disability if the disability arose during or as a result of performing teaching activity.
• Time spent on maternity or parental leave counts towards the period of teaching activity for a total duration of up to three years.
  

d) IF YOU CONCLUDED THE AGREEMENT BASED ON A LOAN APPLICATION SUBMITTED FROM SEPTEMBER 1, 2019:

• The outstanding principal of the loan will be reduced by 3% if you demonstrate to the Fund that you have performed teaching activities:
  • for the established weekly working hours,
  • for at least five years from the date the loan was granted, whether consecutive or non-consecutive. ​

Teaching activity is considered to be:

• the work of a pedagogical employee under §6(1) of Act No. 138/2019 Coll., the work of a professional employee under §6(2) of Act No. 138/2019 Coll., the activity of a university teacher under §75 of Act No. 131/2002 Coll., the activity of a research worker under §80 of Act No. 131/2002 Coll., the activity of an artistic worker under §80 of Act No. 131/2002 Coll.
• The activity of a full-time doctoral student under §54 of Act No. 131/2002 Coll. is not considered teaching activity for the purpose of principal write-off entitlement.
• Simply being employed by a school or another institution defined in §2(1) of Act No. 138/2019 Coll. without actually performing pedagogical work under §6(1) or professional work under §6(2) is not considered performing teaching or professional activity and does not establish entitlement to a principal write-off (e.g., during release for public office, etc.). Similarly, merely being employed by a university without actually performing work under §75 or §80 of Act No. 131/2002 Coll. is not considered performing the work of a university teacher, research worker, or artistic worker and does not establish entitlement to a principal write-off.
• Performing teaching, professional, university, research, or artistic activity for the established weekly working hours also includes performing these activities simultaneously in multiple jobs for shorter hours or under agreements on work performed outside of employment (shorter contracts), if the sum of these parallel shorter contracts, expressed as a percentage, reaches at least 100% of the established weekly working hours of a pedagogical employee.
• Time spent performing teaching activity includes periods of disability if the disability arose during or as a result of performing teaching activity.
• Time spent on maternity or parental leave counts towards the period of teaching activity for a total duration of up to three years.

> HOW TO CLAIM THE ENTITLEMENT

After 5 years from the start of loan repayment, you must submit to the Fund:

• A confirmation of 5 years of work in the education sector, which:
  • is not older than 30 days,
  • is the original or a certified copy.

The confirmation must indicate the period during which you performed teaching activity.

The Fund evaluates and assesses compliance with the conditions for a principal write-off only after proof of meeting the conditions has been provided. The Fund will notify you in writing of the execution of the write-off and any adjustment to the amount of the regular monthly installment.