08 - Slovakia - Financial support for students
Students are provided financial support in the direct and indirect form.
The
direct forms of social support are scholarships. Higher education
institutions provide for the students scholarships from resources
allocated for this purpose from the national budget and/or from their
own resources via scholarship funds. In 2005 the Decree of the Ministry
of Education of the Slovak Republic No. 453/2005 of the Law Code on the
scope and other details on granting motivation scholarship came into
force, which was annulled by amendment to the Act. The granting of
motivation scholarships falls now within the area of competence of
higher education institutions. Its aim is to appraise distinguished
students and to motivate the other students to improve their academic
achievements. The right to receive the merit-based scholarship is
granted to 10 % of the best students pursuing full-time form of
bachelor’s and magister’s degree study in every public higher education
institution. This type of scholarship was awarded for the first time to
10 860 university students in academic year 2005/06. The exact criteria
are determined by every higher education institution, or faculty. Each
student is entitled to receive this type of scholarship automatically
provided he/she fulfils the criteria set by the institution. Number of
students awarded the scholarship as well as its size is upon the higher
education institution. The latter will publicise the list of awardees.
In
2006 a new decree came into force on granting social scholarship to
university students in the Slovak Republic (No.102/2006 of Law Code).
Students are eligible to receive social scholarship upon meeting the
conditions, provided they pursue the first full-time course. This
decree sets out decisive income for assessment of the right to social
scholarship, the area of commonly assessed persons, the salary limit
giving right to social scholarship and other details.
The
handicapped students, that means, those with severe mental and physical
impairments are presented scholarships for the disadvantaged to be able
to study in higher education institutions according to their choice and
be integrated among their healthy peers. The students must submit an
application accompanied by medical report on their health state which
is subsequently assessed by a commission.
The indirect
non-market tools of university policy, such as tax relieves, allowances
for children and contributions to children's allowances, travel
reductions and other discounts for non-provided for children - have
been applied in the Slovak Republic for a long time and their
quantitative and qualitative characteristic depend on prosperity and
economic power of the society. The social services are represented by
subsidized catering and housing services and a contribution for sports
and other activities.
The system of social aid also includes
provision of loans favourable terms, such as the Study Loan Fund on
favourable terms, the Act No. 200/1997 of the Law Code on Student Loan
Fund, as amended by Act 231/2000 of the Law Code. The intention of the
Act is to mitigate the impact of increased financial demands for
student at the study in higher education institution. Nevertheless, the
number of applicants decreases each year (in academic year 2007/08
there were only about 3000 applicants). The reduction may be explained
by introduction of social scholarships, new system of motivation
scholarships, that can bring to student the required cash. In
accordance with the above Act only the student of the first year of
university study in the full-time form, who is a citizen of the Slovak
Republic and has a permanent residence at the territory of the Slovak
Republic as well as a foreign student who studies in a higher education
institution in the Slovak Republic in the position of a foreign Slovak,
is entitled to apply for the loan. The amendment to Act No. 231/2000 of
the Law Code on the Student Loan Fund gives possibility to award a loan
also for students - citizens of the Slovak Republic who study in a
higher education institution abroad. The Fund resources are meant for
covering the part of costs for the applicant’s study, particularly, for
accommodation, board, travel costs, study literature and study stays.
The student may ask for a loan the faculty in which he studies.
According to amendment to Law on Student Loan Fund the amount of loan
was doubled (from 20,000 SK per year to 40,000 SK).
The indirect
aid offered outside the education is a support in the form of "benefits
to children" by 25 years of age, if the student is being prepared in
the daily form of study for future occupation. The amount of monthly
allowance is uniform – 540 SK per student.
The training
institution provides to full-time Ph.D. student a scholarship for the
period of his study. In 2004 the scholarship was not a subject of tax.
Since 1 January 2005, however, the scholarships are again taxed. For
the purposes of health insurance, retirement insurance and for the
purposes of covering the social security contribution in case of
unemployment the Ph.D. student in full-time form of study had position
of employee by 31 December 2007. The amendment to Act specified the
award of PhD scholarships in such a way that the PhD student in
full-time form of study is entitled to it only during his/her standard
length of pursuing the study programme and since 1 January 2008 the
scholarship is not taxable.
Eurydice - the information network on education in Europe
Date: 2009
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