Credential evaluation/recognition
Legal status of ENIC evaluation
ENIC evaluation/statement has the form of the advice or recommendation to the decision making bodies.
ENIC gives it statements in the form of advice to:
directors of schools /basic and secondary schools)
regional offices /departments for education and culture)
higher education institutions
Ministry of Education and other ministries
other institutions
individuals
The ENIC statements contain information about :
the status of the school (recognized or non-recognized)
the recommended Slovak equivalent
compensation mechanisms in the case of the partial recognition
grade conversion
reason in the case when the recognition was rejected.
According to the subordination of Ministry of Education, the ENIC decides only about the status of a student - Slovak national - studying abroad ( so called continuing preparation for a occupation) in connection to various claims of such student (health assurance, children allowances, taxis reductions etc.)
Legal documents regulating credential evaluation and recognition
a) Credentials giving access to higher education
Recognition of final credentials issued by basic schools and secondary schools is regulated by the DECREE No. 207/1993 of Law Code of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Slovak Republic of September 7, 1993 whereby the details are set up on equivalence of certificates and on conditions of recognition of equivalence of certificates issued by foreign basic and secondary schools.
b) University degrees
The recognition of university degrees is regulated by the DECREE No. 141/1991 of the Law Code, Part 27 of the Ministry of Education, Youth and sports of the Slovak Republic of March 13, 1991 on nostrification of diplomas and other credentials in foreign higher education institutions.
Procedures of evaluation and recognition
a) Credentials giving access to higher education
1. Recognition by nostrification
Nostrification is recognition of validity of final certificate issued by a foreign school in the Slovak Republic.
Only the certificates on completed education /final certificates) are subject of nostrification.
Nostriefied can be the certificate issued by a foreign institution, which is comparable by its specialization and curricula or which corresponds to the study of the same or similar field of study at a secondary school.
The graduate of a foreign school shall attach to the application on nostrification:
a/ a verified copy of certificate ,
b/ unless the document under letter a) directly shows successful completion of the entire study, a verified list of subjects with the number of teaching hours in individual years of study (transcript),
c/ a document of the foreign school on the extent of practical training if it is a profiling component of education and is not shown in curricula.
Also a verified translation of document on education issued by the foreign school and other above mentioned documents into Slovak language is required.
The authenticity of signatures and stamp of school on original documents must be verified by the state authority responsible for its verification or by notary in the appropriate State with an imprint of the stamp of the representative office of the Slovak Republic in that State, unless stated otherwise by the international agreement.
Supplementary Examination
Supplementary examination is meant to verify the knowledge and skills of graduate in subjects or in their parts, unless the graduate was given marks for them at the foreign school, and having a direct relation to the graduates profil or the field of study pursued, in case that
a/ the study at the foreign school only partially corresponds to the curricula in secondary school,
b/ the graduate did not attach all the documents mentioned above.
The graduate who is not a national of the Slovak Republic, shall not take a supplementary examination in Slovak Language and Literature.
The regional office determines the secondary school in which the graduate shall take the supplementary examination, the content and the date of examination; if they are the schools of which it is not a founder, it cooperates with founders of the schools.
The supplementary examination is held before the examination Commission. The Commission consists of three members, at least. The chairman and other members of the Commission are appointed by the regional office.
The results of the supplementary examination are decided by the Commission through voting. At equality of voices the vote of the chairperson of the Commission is decisive.
Recognition without nostrification
The certificates issued by a foreign school of the State with which the Slovak Republic has an agreement on mutual recognition of equivalence of certificates has concluded, are recognized to be equivalent without nostrification.
The graduate of a foreign school shall apply the regional office appropriate according to his place of residence for an issue of a certificate on equivalence of certificates. The application shall be attached
a) verified copy of certificate
b) verified translation of this certificate into Slovak language.
Legalization
Authenticity of signatures and stamp of school on original documents must be verified by the state authority responsible for its verification or by notary in the appropriate State with an imprint of the stamp of the representative office of the Slovak Republic in that State, unless stated otherwise by the international agreement.
The regional office shall issue within 15 days from delivery of the application a written statement about the Slovak credential with which is this foreign credential recognized in Slovakia.
b) University degrees
1. Recognition by nostrification
The Decree No. 141/1991 of the Law Code sets up the conditions and procedure at nostrification of diplomas or other credentials that certify the completion of university ,including Ph.D. studies in a foreign higher education institution.
The credentials that in their content and scope only partially correspond to the courses of the same or similar study branch in a higher education institution in the Slovak Republic, may be nostrified after completion of difference examinations or after completion of a missing practical training The differential examinations and the contents of practical training are defined by the higher education institution that decides on the nostrification.
The diplomas certifying the completion of examinations in a foreign higher education institution that correspond in their content and scope to examinations completed in higher education institutions in the Slovak Republic, are also nostrified.
The foreign diplomas may be nostrified at the request of the graduate of a foreign higher education institution or somebody who passed the examinations in a foreign higher education institution .
The application form is submitted by the applicant to the higher education institution in the Slovak Republic wherein the same or similar study branch is offered; if such an institution is missing, he submits his application form to the Ministry of Education of the Slovak Republic .
It is necessary to submit verified copies of
a/ a diploma or other credentials, or
b/ transcript or other credentials on completed examinations, or
c/ certificates or other credentials on the state examinations or examina rigorosa.
The applicant also has to submit the verified translations of credentials mentioned above into either Slovak, Czech, English, French, German, Russian or Spanish language.
Legalization
Authenticity of signatures and imprints of stamps in original copies of documents is subject to verification by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State in which the institution that issued the diploma is seated, and by embassy of the Slovak Republic in this state.
Time limits
The appropriate higher education institution or the Ministry has to decide about nostrification within sixty days at the latest from the date of delivery of the application or the incentive.
In the case of recognition, the supplement to the diploma about nostrification is issued by the appropriate higher education institution or the Ministry.
The nostrification supplement confirms the validity of credentials with efficacy from the day of issue.
In the case, when the higher education institution or the Ministry do not nostrify the credentials or documents on completed examinations, the applicant is written informed about the reasons of rejection.
The credentials nostrified in the Czech Republic are also valid at the territory of the Slovak Republic.
2. Recognition without nostrification
The diplomas and other credentials issued by a foreign higher education institution of the state with which the Slovak Republic concluded an international agreement on mutual recognition of equivalence of diplomas are recognized according to that agreements without nostrification.
3. Academic recognition
The credentials of the foreign applicant to higher education study in the Slovak Republic or a foreigner who will work as a teacher in institutions of the Slovak Republic, may be nostrified on the basis of an incentive of the rector of the higher education institution or the dean of the faculty or the Ministry.
According to the study and examinations orders of higher education institutions, this documents are required :
-verified copies certificates and diplomas;
-a description of the study program;
-other documents on examinations passed;
-certificates and other documents on state and/or doctorate examinations and qualifications.
When foreign certificates and diplomas are not covered by international agreements, the final decision on recognition lies with Rector or the Dean of faculty. Applicants may be required to attend preparatory courses , including Slovak language courses, and sit special entrance examinations. Such courses are offered by the Institute for Language and Academic Preparation of Foreign Students, an independent unit of the Comenius University in Bratislava.
Useful addresses relevant to credential evaluation
MINISTERSTVO KOLSTVA SLOVENSKEJ REPUBLIKY
(MINISTRY OF EDUCATION OF THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC)
Stromová 1
813 30 Bratislava
Slovak Republic
tel: *421 7 /59 37 41 11
fax: *421 7 /37 63 64
E-mail: tolnay@education.gov.sk
DOM ZAHRANICNÝCH STYKOV, MINISTERSTVO KOLSTVA SR
(FOREING RELATIONS HOUSE, MINISTRY OF EDUCATION OF THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC)
Romanova 37
850 05 Bratislava 5
Slovak Republic
tel: *421 7 /58 22 40 7
fax: *421 7/ 82 54 88
E-mail: am@dzsms.sanet.sk
ÚSTAV JAZYKOVEJ A OdBORNEJ PRÍPRAVY ZAHRANIcNÝCH TUDENTOV UNIVERZITY KOMENSKÉHO
(THE INSTITUTE FOR LANGUAGE AND ACADEMIC PREPARATION FOR FOREING STUDENTS AT COMENIUS UNIVERSITY)
oltésovej 4
811 08 Bratislava
Slovak Republic
tel: *421 7 /52 67 48 8
fax: *421 7 /52 67 24 0
E-mail: sr@ujop.uniba.sk
Slovenská akademická informacná agentúra - scts
(slovak academic information agency)
Na vrku 8, P.O.BOX 108
810 01 Bratislava
Slovak Republic
tel: *421 7 /53 35 21 5
fax: *421 7 /53 35 74 8
E-mail: saia@saia.sk
TEMPUS office
Staré grunty 52
842 44 Bratislava
Slovak Republic
tel: *421 7 /65 42 61 29
fax: *421 7 /65 42 02 64
E-mail: sq_nfo@saaic.sk
Rada vysokých kôl slovenskej republiky
(higher education board of the slovak republik)
Staré grunty 52
842 44 Bratislava
Slovak Republic
tel: *421 7 /65 42 61 27
fax: *421 7 /65 42 61 80
E-mail: bocova@uip.sanet.sk
Akreditacná komisia vlády slovenskej republiky
(accreditation commission of the slovak republic)
Ministerstvo kolstva Slovenskej republiky
Stromová 1
Slovak Republic
813 30 Bratislava
tel: *421 7 /78 56 80
fax: *421 7 /78 56 80
SOCRATES OFFICE
Staré grunty 52
842 44 Bratislava
Slovak Republic
Tel: *421 7 /65 42 43 83
Fax: *421 7 /65 42 44 83
E- mail: socrates@saaic.sk
LEONARDO OFFICE
Staré grunty 52
842 44 Bratislava
Slovak Republic
Tel: *421 7 /65 42 89 11
Fax: *421 7 /65 42 44 83
E- mail: leonardo@saaic.sk
RADA TUDENTOV VYSOKÝCH KôL
(UNIVERSITY STUDENT COUNCIL)
Staré grunty 52
842 44 Bratislava
Slovak Republic
Tel: *421 7 /65 42 85 06
KONFERENCIA REKTOROV VYSOKÝCH KôL
(CONFERENCE OF RECTORS OF HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS)
SLOVENSKÁ TECHNICKÁ UNIVERZITA
(SLOVAK TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY IN BRATISLAVA)
Vazovová 5
812 43 Bratislava
Tel: *421 7 /39 71 96
Fax: *421 7 /35 94 33 3
E- mail: hudoba@ctv.stuba.sk
ABOUT ENIC HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM SYSTEM OF NATIONAL EDUCATION ACCESS TO HIGHER EDUCATION LEGISLATIVE FRAMEWORK CREDENTIAL EVALUATION
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