All mandatory attachments listed below must be submitted with the application. An incomplete application will not be accepted, so please carefully check that you have included all required documents. If you are applying under preferential criteria, also include the relevant optional attachments.

> Mandatory attachments for the application

• document proving student status (does not apply to a Slovak citizen studying at a Slovak university)
• Certificate of a Slovak living abroad (if applicable)
• EU citizen residence permit or residence permit of an EU citizen family member, or a certificate of registration of residence of a Union citizen (if applicable)
• Document proving that the applicant’s study program, according to the decision of the Ministry of Education, Science, Research, and Sport of the Slovak Republic, is equivalent in scope and level to higher education in Slovakia (only if the university is abroad)
• Document proving that the applicant has been granted asylum, subsidiary protection, or temporary refuge

> Mandatory attachments when applying under preferential criteria

• Certificate from the Labour, Social Affairs, and Family Office confirming receipt of material need assistance, or a certificate showing that the applicant is a member of a household receiving material need assistance
• Certificate from the relevant facility under special legislation and a copy of the court decision on institutional care, placement in educational measures, or urgent measures
• Copy of the court decision assigning the applicant to the personal care of someone other than a parent (e.g., foster care, substitute personal care)
• Certificate from the relevant office confirming receipt of orphan’s pension or orphan’s service pension, or parent’s death certificate and applicant’s birth certificate, or adopter’s death certificate and court adoption decision
• Copy of the disability card (ŤZP or ŤZP/S) or another document confirming student status with special needs
• Copy of the university decision granting social scholarship in the previous or current academic year
• Copy of the child’s birth certificate or birth notification
• Certificate from the Labour, Social Affairs, and Family Office confirming receipt of the care allowance
• Documents proving that the applicant has at least three siblings who are dependent children, or at least two siblings who are dependent children and also full-time university students
• Certificate from the university confirming grade point average
• Copy of the high school graduation certificate from the previous school year for first-year and first-cycle applicants
• Document proving that the applicant is enrolled in full-time study (only if the university is abroad)
  

When evaluating applications for a stabilization loan, in addition to the basic conditions, preferential criteria are considered. Meeting one or more of these criteria can increase your chances of approval. If any of these apply to you, it is recommended to provide supporting documents, as this can significantly strengthen your application.

> List of Preferential Criteria

Statutory preferential criteria:

a)	You are a member of a household receiving material need assistance.
b)	You are a dependent child whose parent or adopter has passed away.
c)	You are a student with specific needs.
d)	You are a student who has completed institutional care, or placement under educational or urgent measures according to special legislation, upon reaching adulthood.
e)	You are a student who, by court decision, was entrusted to the personal care of someone other than a parent until reaching adulthood.
f)	You had a social scholarship in the previous academic year or have one in the current academic year.
g)	You are a parent of a dependent child.
h)	You receive a financial allowance for caregiving.
I)	You have at least three siblings who are dependent children, or at least two siblings who are dependent children and full-time university students.
j)	You achieve better academic results than other applicants – with a grade point average of 2.0 or better.
k)	You are enrolled as a full-time university student.
l)	​You have not previously received a student loan from the fund.

After the application submission deadline, you will have 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 the conditions for granting loans.
  

> THE APPROVAL PROCESS TAKES PLACE IN THE FOLLOWING STAGES

1. Assessment of fulfillment of the loan granting conditions
2. Determination of the order of applications using:
   • preferential criteria according to § 13(3) of the Education Support Fund Act
   • preferential criteria approved by the Fund Board
3. Approval of loan applications by the Fund Board

> NOTICE

• No legal entitlement arises for the granting of a loan from the Education Support Fund.
• The loan is not approved through administrative proceedings.

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

• within working 3 days of the decision by the Fund Council
• but no later than 60 days after the deadline for submitting loan applications.

> HOW TO PROPERLY SIGN THE CONTRACT

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

• the contract will be signed by the Fund Director
• you will receive it in two copies:
  • one is intended for the Fund
  • one remains with you as the debtor.

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.
• This signed copy must then be sent by mail or delivered in person to the address: 
  Fond na podporu vzdelávania, Panenská 29, 811 03 Bratislava.
• It must be delivered no later than 60 days from receipt of the contract.
  

> NOTICE
Contracts 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 contract, you incur certain obligations that must be fulfilled on time and correctly. Failure to comply 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 changes in your studies

You are required to notify the Fund of any changes in your studies and submit the relevant document within 14 days of the occurrence of the change, particularly in the following cases:

• proper completion of higher education,
• any other termination of higher education (leaving studies, not completing studies within the maximum allowed study period – extended study duration, exclusion from studies, or cancellation of the study program),
• interruption of studies,
• transfer to another faculty or university that is not divided into faculties,
• change of study program.

The document must be sent via the client electronic portal or by mail to the address of the Fund.

2. Obligation to report and document changes in the performance of a shortage regulated profession

You are required to notify the Education Support Fund of any changes related to the performance of a shortage regulated profession within 14 days of the occurrence of the change and submit the relevant document. This obligation particularly applies in the following cases:

• termination of the performance of a shortage regulated profession,
• interruption of the performance of a shortage regulated profession, e.g., due to maternity/parental leave or holding a public office,
• change in job position,
• change of employer, regardless of whether the performance of the shortage regulated profession was interrupted or whether there was a change in job position.

The document must be sent via the client electronic portal or by mail to the address of the Fund. 

3. Obligation to report changes in your personal data

Any change in personal data must be reported to the Fund within 14 days using the “Request for Change and Supplement of Personal Data” form. This includes, for example:

• change of name or surname,
• change of permanent or mailing address,
• change of contact information (email, phone).

The document must be sent via the client electronic portal or by mail to the address of the Fund.

4. Obligation to report serious situations

If there is any significant change in your financial situation, you are required to report this in writing to the Fund immediately, no later than within 30 days. You must report situations such as, for example:

• you become or may be considered insolvent,
• you stop payments or announce an intention to stop repayment,
• you start negotiating with multiple creditors about changes to your obligations,
• a bankruptcy, debt relief, or restructuring petition is filed against you,
• a temporary, forced, or restructuring administrator is appointed for you,
• execution or other similar proceedings are initiated against you,
• any other similar legal situation affecting your ability to repay occurs.

4. Obligations during the repayment period

Repayment begins after losing student status and the expiration of statutory deferrals. During repayment, you are required to:

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

> SANCTIONS FOR BREACHING CONTRACT TERMS

In case of a contract violation, the Fund may apply the following sanctions:

• increase of the interest rate (if more than 2 installments are overdue),
• penalty fee (e.g., for failure to fulfill reporting obligations),
• contractual penalty (e.g., for unauthorized use of the loan),
• acceleration of the entire debt balance (e.g., in case of delay in payment of more than three installments or serious violation of the reporting obligation).

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

If everything is in order:

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

The contract becomes effective on the day following its publication — from the effective date, the Fund proceeds with the disbursement of the loan.

The Fund will disburse the loan to you 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 organized as follows:

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

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

​> REPAYMENT DEFERRALS ACCORDING TO § 13d para. 3 OF THE FUND ACT

The postponement of repayments according to § 13d para. 3 of the Fund Act applies only to students of the first and second levels of higher education who have not yet completed another second-level higher education program.

During this postponement:

• the repayment term does not run,
• the loan does not accrue interest,
• you are not obliged to repay the loan.

Further information about deferral of repayments according to §13d para. 3 of the Fund Act is provided in Article VII of the stabilization loan agreement.

> ELIGIBILITY FOR REPAYMENT DEFERRAL

a) Due to studies:

• If you are a student of a university in Slovakia or abroad (equivalent study) and have not yet completed second-level higher education:
• within 6 months after the proper completion of first-level higher education,
• within 2 months after the proper completion of second-level higher education,
• within 2 months after interruption or other termination of studies (first or second level).

Repayment postponement for study reasons may be granted for a total of up to seven years, which does not need to be continuous.

Required documents:

• Loan application or a separate written request for repayment deferral and
• Mandatory attachments:
• • certificate of school attendance (original, not older than 30 days / certified copy),
  • translation of the certificate and a declaration of translation (original, not older than 30 days / certified copy) – if the certificate is in a language other than Slovak or Czech.

b) Due to performing a shortage regulated profession in Slovakia, for which you have prepared through your studies, according to the appendix of the stabilization loan agreement (if you were a nursing student and your application for a stabilization loan was approved in the academic years 2018/2019 to 2022/2023, this refers to the profession "nurse").

Required documents:

• Written request for repayment deferral, and
  
• Employer’s certificate confirming employment and the performance of the shortage regulated profession in Slovakia – original, not older than 30 days / certified copy.

The deferral of loan repayments due to the performance of a shortage-regulated profession is granted for one year and can be requested repeatedly during the period of performing the shortage-regulated profession in the territory of the Slovak Republic.

.

c) Due to maternity leave or parental leave

• If you interrupt higher education or the performance of a shortage regulated profession due to maternity or parental leave and
• notify the fund in writing about the start of leave and request repayment postponement within two months of interruption:

Repayment postponement due to maternity or parental leave may be granted for a total of up to five years, which does not need to be continuous.

Required documents:

• Separate written request for repayment postponement (no later than two months after interruption of studies/profession), and
• Mandatory attachments:
• • Certificate from Social Insurance or doctor about starting maternity leave – original, not older than 30 days, or certified copy, or
  • Document from the body providing parental allowance – original, not older than 30 days, or certified copy, and a copy of the child’s birth certificate, and
  • Certificate of study interruption – copy, and
  • If the certificate is in a language other than Slovak or Czech: translation of the certificate of study interruption and a declaration of translation (original, not older than 30 days / certified copy).

d) Due to the performance of voluntary military preparation

• If you interrupt higher education or the performance of a shortage regulated profession due to voluntary military service and
• notify the fund in writing and request postponement within two months of interruption:

Repayment postponement is possible for the period of voluntary military service, including any period of extraordinary service.

Required documents:

• Separate written request for repayment postponement (no later than two months after interruption of studies/profession), and
• Mandatory attachments:
  
• • Notification from the Personnel Office of the Armed Forces of Slovakia about acceptance into voluntary military service – original, not older than 30 days / certified copy, and
  • Certificate of study interruption or employer’s certificate of interruption of profession (copy), and
  • Translation of the study interruption certificate and a declaration of translation – original, not older than 30 days / certified copy (for certificates in languages other than Slovak or Czech).
    

> IMPORTANT INFORMATION ON THE START AND DURATION OF POSTPONEMENT

• Postponement starts the month following the month in which the fund receives your complete request (all conditions must be met + all due installments must be paid).
• If any changes occur during the postponement (e.g., early termination or extension), you must send the relevant document and possibly a new request within 14 days. The fund will adjust the duration accordingly.
• If the postponement was granted based on your request and the date of a state exam changes, the fund will adjust the postponement period according to the new date.

> HOW TO SUBMIT REQUEST AND ATTACHMENTS

Requests for repayment postponement including attachments can be submitted in paper form to the fund’s address or electronically to the email of the respective officer, as follows:

• Attachments required as original may be submitted:
  
• • In paper form (together with the request) as original, certified copy, or notarized electronic-to-paper conversion, or
  • Electronically through the client portal (together with the electronically sent request) with a qualified electronic seal of the issuing institution, or notarized conversion.
• Attachments required as copies may be submitted:
• • In paper form as a simple copy, or
    
  • Electronically via the client portal as a scan/photo in PDF or another format secured against changes.

> SPECIAL POSTPONEMENT OF REPAYMENTS ACCORDING TO § 17 para. 14 OF THE FUND ACT

If the repayment term has already begun and you are not eligible for postponement under § 13 para. 3, you may request a special postponement under § 17 para. 14.

During special postponement:

• The repayment term continues,
• The loan accrues interest,
• Only interest on the principal needs to be paid.

Details on special postponement are provided in Article VIII of the loan agreement.

> ELIGIBILITY FOR SPECIAL POSTPONEMENT

a) Due to maternity or parental leave:

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

Required documents for the application:

• written application for postponement of repayments, 
• and mandatory attachment:
  • confirmation from the Social Insurance Agency or doctor about commencement of maternity leave (original, not older than 30 days, or certified copy), or
  • document from the authority providing parental allowance (original, not older than 30 days, or certified copy) and 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 period of postponement due to unemployment may last a total of one year, with continuous special postponement not exceeding six months.

Required documents:

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

c) Due to the performance of voluntary military training

• Special postponement of repayments due to voluntary military training is possible for the entire period of voluntary military training, as well as the entire possible duration of extraordinary service order for voluntary military training soldiers.

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

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

> IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT THE START AND DURATION OF SPECIAL POSTPONEMENT OF REPAYMENTS

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

> HOW TO SUBMIT REQUEST AND ATTACHMENTS

The application for special postponement of repayments including attachments can be submitted in paper form to the Fund’s address or electronically to the email of the relevant officer, whereby:

• attachments required as original can be submitted:
• • in paper form (together with the application) as original, certified copy, or a document converted from electronic to paper form by a notary or other authorized entity (e.g., by mail), or
  • in electronic form via client portal (together with electronically submitted application) with a qualified electronic seal of the issuing institution, or must be a document converted to electronic form from paper form by a notary or other authorized entity (e.g., by mail).
• attachments required as copy can be submitted:
• • in paper form (together with the application) as ordinary copy, or
    
  • in electronic form via client portal (together with electronically submitted application) as a scan/photo in *.pdf or another format secured against further changes.

> POSTPONEMENT FOR OTHER QUALIFIED REASONS ACCORDING TO § 4 para. 1 letter m OF THE FUND ACT

It is also possible to request postponement of repayment of the loan or only the principal for another qualified reason – i.e., a reason not explicitly stated in the law but considered serious and justified.

• The same conditions as for special postponement under § 17 para. 14 of the Fund Act apply to this postponement.
• The Fund decides individually on granting this postponement.

What the application must include:

• Written application in which:
  • the reason for the application is clearly stated,
  • the reason is specific, justified, and relevant,
  • the stated facts must be documented (e.g., doctor’s confirmation, official documents, etc.).

For such a postponement, there is no legal entitlement – the Fund will review the application and may approve or reject it.

> WRITTEN-OFF PRINCIPAL OF THE STABILIZATION LOAN – SUMMARY OF CONDITIONS AND PROCEDURE

​Written-off principal refers to the reduction of the outstanding principal of a stabilization loan after meeting the specified conditions. Detailed information on principal write-off according to §13d para. 6 of the Act is provided in Article IX of the stabilization loan agreement.

1. Eligibility for principal write-off

Your outstanding principal of the stabilization loan may be reduced each year by a proportionate part of the total loan provided if, during the given period, you perform a shortage regulated profession on the territory of the Slovak Republic for at least the minimum required extent according to Annex No. 1 of your agreement. The definition of a shortage regulated profession is specified in Article V, point 3 of the agreement.

2. Amount of write-off based on the loan amount

The proportionate part of the loan by which your outstanding principal will be reduced for each year worked is determined as follows:

• 1/3 (one third) for a loan up to €6,000 inclusive
• 1/6 (one sixth) for a loan from €6,001 to €12,000 inclusive
• 1/9 (one ninth) for a loan from €12,001 to €18,000 inclusive
• 1/12 (one twelfth) for a loan above €18,000

3. Counting/not counting periods

The write-off is always performed after 12 months of performing the profession – these months do not need to be consecutive; what matters is the total of the entire technical year of performing the profession.

Part-time work is acceptable for fulfilling the year requirement for principal write-off, provided that the part-time position represents at least 50% of a full-time position.

Included in the period of performing a shortage regulated profession:

• Period of disability occurring during the performance of this profession that prevents further work. ​

Not included:

• Periods when you are employed but not actually performing the profession, for example:
  • maternity/paternity leave
  • long-term sick leave
  • performing another profession (even similar) that requires a different qualification
  • holding a public office

The write-off cannot be executed if you do not prove that conditions are met or if you do not perform the profession for a full 12 months (e.g., 11 months and 3 weeks is insufficient). The 12-month condition does not need to be continuous.

4. Proof of profession and write-off

If you perform a shortage regulated profession for longer than one year, each year you must submit an employer’s certificate of performing this profession. This certificate also serves as a request for principal write-off and must include:

• Your identification details
• The exact title of the profession performed
• The period during which you performed the profession

If you have paid installments during the period of performing the profession and later meet the conditions for a write-off, you will be asked to decide whether:

• You want these installments returned to your designated account, or
• You wish to keep them as early repayment of the remaining debt.

If you report interruption of performing the shortage regulated profession, within one month after the expected end of the deferment period, you will be asked to submit documents confirming fulfillment of the conditions for partial loan write-off according to the agreement.

If these documents are not submitted within the specified period, it will be assumed that you do not meet the conditions for loan write-off at that time. However, this does not prevent proving fulfillment of conditions later and requesting a write-off. In such case, you must submit a written request for write-off with the appropriate documents. Note that repeated reminders to submit documents will no longer be sent. The write-off will be executed only after receiving a complete request and documents.

5. Reduction of principal and amount of monthly installments

After the write-off, the Fund will reduce the remaining outstanding principal. Note that the amount of the monthly installment does not change.

After all write-offs, you remain obliged to pay the remaining principal, including any fees, compensations, penalties, and other obligations arising from the agreement.