EducationUSA
Slovakia

Photo by Peter Čontoš

The Advising Center by Fulbright Slovakia is part of EducationUSA, a U.S. Department of State network of over 430 international student advising centers in 178 countries and territories. The network promotes U.S. higher education to students around the world by offering accurate, comprehensive, and current information about opportunities to study at accredited postsecondary institutions in the United States. EducationUSA also provides services to the U.S. higher education community to help institutional leaders meet their recruitment and campus internationalization goals. EducationUSA by Fulbright Slovakia is the only official source on U.S. higher education in the Slovak Republic. Besides the comprehensive advising center located in Bratislava, there are two reference EducationUSA Advising Centers located in American Spaces in Banská Bystrica and Košice.

Our services

Our advising center is open to the public and its services are available for individual and group counselling (for secondary school students, as well as undergraduate and graduate students, post-doctoral fellows and researchers). We provide expert, free of charge consultation on how to prepare and apply for admission with financial aid to accredited U.S. colleges and universities. The center also handles inquiries on all aspects of United States education.

In addition to maintaining a collection of materials from U.S. institutions and catalogs of U.S. colleges and universities, we provide guidance in finding the appropriate institution. We also prepare information materials and hand-outs that help prospective students understand the U.S. higher education system, admissions requirements, application procedures and financial aid options. To assist students with their preparations, we provide practice materials for standardized tests, as well as reference books and writing guides for college applications that they can borrow. While our primary focus is U.S. higher education, we also offer limited information about primary and secondary education, youth exchange programs, and internships.

The Center also serves as a resource for information about study and research in Slovakia and assists representatives of U.S. schools and educational organizations with credential evaluation and partnerships with government, non-profit and other institutions involved in education.

NOTE: In-person advising services are by appointment only. Please book your appointment in advance. You can also schedule virtual consultations via ZOOM or Skype.

Telephone hours for education advising are 13:30-15:00.

Contact information

Panenská 29
811 03 Bratislava
Cell phone: +421 911-046-123
E-mail: office@fulbright.sk, zkopcanova@educationusa.org

Education advising is also available at American Spaces in Banská Bystrica and Košice. They manage a reference library collection and provide the public with basic information on study opportunities and the application process in the U.S. For more information, please visit American Spaces Slovakia

Why study in the U.S.?

With thousands of academic programs, world-class institutions, and unmatched flexibility, the United States offers a wealth of higher education opportunities that you will not find anywhere else in the world!

Quality


U.S. colleges are known worldwide for the quality of their facilities, resources, technical equipment, and faculty. Accreditation systems ensure that institutions continue to maintain these standards.

Choice


The U.S. education system is unrivaled worldwide in the choice it offers of types of institutions, academic and social environments, entry requirements, degree programs, and subjects in which you can specialize.

Value


As an investment in your future, a U.S. degree offers excellent value for money. A wide range of tuition fees and living costs, plus some financial help from colleges, have made studing in the United States affordable for thousands of students. Many students are able to fund their studies through scholarships or financial aid from U.S. universities and external funding bodies.

Flexibility


One of the most distinctive features of U.S. universities and colleges is the flexibility in choice of courses (even from different fields) within a college or university, but more importantly, there is also the option for students to move between one institution and another. Completing the first two years of a degree at one institution, usually a community college, and then moving to another, is very common.

Diversity


U.S. universities offer students options to specialize in a variety of academic disciplines and even gain employment training. With the variety of available U.S. higher education options, students are sure to find the right fit for their academic, financial, and personal needs.

Research


Billions of dollars are invested into university research. American research universities are widely recognized as the best in the world, admired for their education and research, and are at the core of the U.S. science and technology system and innovation drivers.

Campus life


U.S. universities are known for their vibrant campus life, with many extracurricular opportunities available, such as social and sports activities, various cultural or religious organizations and associations, sports teams or clubs, theater or music groups, student organizations, etc.

Sport opportunities


Sports are an inseparable part of American universities. Many students have decided to combine their sports careers with university studies, making their studies more affordable.

The U.S. Educational System

More than 4,000 accredited institutions make up higher education in the United States. Unlike many countries, U.S. higher education institutions are not centrally organized or managed, but are accredited on a national or regional level by independent accrediting bodies and thus, the accreditation system of U.S. institutions offering higher education is completely different than in Slovakia. However, it is important for students to know whether the school they apply to is among the accredited ones. To find out if the school or program is accredited please check the Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs

A variety of institution types offer higher-education degrees. There are basically three types of institutions that offer higher education in the United States: universities, colleges, and community colleges. Universities offer Bachelor's (undergraduate), Master's, and doctoral studies (graduate).

Universities

Universities are the most complex type of institution offering higher education (undergraduate as well as graduate programs). Universities can be state or private. State colleges and universities, also called "public universities," were founded and subsidized by U.S. state governments to provide low-cost education to residents of that state. Public universities generally offer access to research opportunities and classes in a wide variety of fields of study. These universities tend to be very large and generally admit a wider range of students than private universities. Each student's interests will guide his/her choice among the many possibilities.

Four-year colleges

Four-year colleges often provide Bachelor's degrees, most commonly a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or Bachelor of Science (B.S.). They are primarily either undergraduate only institutions (e.g. liberal arts colleges), or the undergraduate institution of a university (such as Harvard College and Yale College).

Community colleges

Community colleges (sometimes called junior colleges or two-year colleges) are another option. They provide two-year associate degree programs, usually called associate of arts (A.A.) or associate of science (A.S.) degrees, as well as technical and vocational programs. As the name suggests, community colleges are community-based institutions with close links to secondary schools, community groups, and employers. Tuition costs are often lower at two-year than at four-year institutions, and many have agreements to allow students on transfer programs to move easily into the third year of a Bachelor’s degree at the local state university. Students also transfer to any other college of their choice without losing the credits earned at a community college.

Undergraduate education

In the U.S., undergraduate education is education conducted after high school and prior to postgraduate education (Master´s or Doctoral degree). Bachelor's programs are usually four years. Most universities do not require students to decide which field they want to study or specialize in until the second year. During the first two years, students enroll in courses that are part of the so-called liberal arts. In order to successfully complete their studies, students must complete all required liberal arts subjects and subjects of the field of their choice. Upon successful completion of all subjects, they will obtain a Bachelor's degree.

The. U.S. undergraduate education is based on a unique concept of liberal arts and sciences philosophy, which believes in providing a well-rounded academic education that develops the student’s verbal, written, and reasoning skills. Four-year institutions emphasizing the liberal arts are called liberal arts colleges. They traditionally emphasize interactive instruction. They are known for being residential and for having lower enrollment and lower student-to-faculty ratios than universities. Most of them are private, although there are some public liberal arts colleges. Students at a liberal arts college, or at a university with a strong liberal arts program, begin their study by taking classes in a wide variety of courses in the arts, humanities, languages, and the social and natural sciences.

Graduate education

There are over 1,000 universities in the United States that offer graduate education. Graduate programs grant a variety of Master's degrees (like the Master of Arts (M.A.), Master of Science (M.S.), Master of Business Administration (M.B.A.), or Master of Fine Arts (M.F.A.) in addition to doctorates such as a Ph.D. Both Master’s and doctoral degree involves a combination of research and coursework. Graduate education is characterized by in-depth training and specialized instruction. Study and learning are more self-directed at graduate level than at undergraduate level. The length of graduate education differs by type and institution. A Master´s degree can take from one to two years while a Ph.D. usually takes four to six years.

The U.S. Educational System

Regardless of institution type, in the United States, students typically earn credits for courses they take, and these credits count towards the completion of a program. Courses are often divided into "core" subject areas to provide the foundation of the degree program and "major" courses to provide specialization in a subject area. Students can also take "elective" courses to explore other topics of interest for a well-rounded educational experience.

The U.S. academic calendar typically runs from September to May and can be divided into two academic terms of 16-18 weeks known as semesters. Some schools may operate on a quarter or trimester system of multiple terms of 10-12 weeks. Most universities require first-year undergraduate students, known as freshmen, to live on their campuses. Campuses can be defined as small university towns where the buildings of a college or university are located, such as classrooms, research facilities, libraries, international students’ office, residence halls and dormitories, dining halls and cafeterias, student health centers, academic, cultural, athletic, and other special interest clubs.

Your Five Steps to U.S. Study

Standardized tests

In the United States, there is no national college entrance examination administered by the government that students must pass to gain admission to higher education. To be eligible for admission to a U.S. university, you must meet certain minimum entry requirements. These include a secondary school diploma or examination results, English language ability, and in many cases a score from one of the U.S. university admissions tests. Standardized tests should be taken a year to 18 months before you plan on studying. Many students take the exams more than once to achieve higher scores.

A number of U.S. higher education institutions have recently gone test optional, meaning they do not need test scores to make admissions decisions and students have the choice of whether they submit standardized test scores as part of their application materials. For further information, check the website or contact the admissions office to of your chosen university/universities to discuss your situation.

Undergraduate-level examinations

SAT I (Scholastic Aptitude Test) - reasoning test


It is a three- to four-hour test focused on general knowledge to measure literacy, numeracy and writing skills. It consists of four sections, i.e Reading, Writing and Language, Math (no calculator), and Math (calculator allowed,) and an optional essay part. The verbal and mathematical parts are evaluated separately and it is possible to achieve 200 - 800 points in each. You can get 2 to 8 points for an essay. The best universities require scores above 1100.

SAT II — Subject test


The SAT Subject Tests measure knowledge in specific subject areas, such as literature, history, mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics and languages.

ACT (American College Testing)


This test lasts three and a half hours and consists of four compulsory parts, i.e. Reading, Mathematics, English and Science, and an optional essay. The total score can range from 1 to 36 points and consists of the average of the points obtained in all four mandatory parts.

TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign Language)


It is a language test used to objectively assess the language skills of candidates whose native language is not English. The test consists of four parts - Reading, Listening, Speaking and Writing. The maximum test score is 120, a maximum of 30 points for each part. Each school determines the TOEFL test score that a student must achieve in order to be admitted for study. Schools may accept scores from other examinations or administer their own tests.

Specialized graduate-level examinations

GRE (General Record Examination)


It is a standardized test that is an admissions requirement for many graduate schools. The GRE aims to measure verbal reasoning, quantitative reasoning, analytical writing, and critical thinking skills. The entire testing procedure lasts nearly four hours. Verbal Reasoning and Quantitative Reasoning scores are measured on 130 to 170 score scales. In addition to the General Test, there are also six GRE Subject Tests testing knowledge in the specific areas of Biology, Chemistry, Literature in English, Mathematics, Physics, and Psychology.

GMAT (Graduate Management Admission Test)


This test is intended to assess certain analytical, writing, quantitative, verbal, and reading skills in written English for use in admission to a graduate management program, such as an MBA program. The test consists of four sections: an analytical writing assessment, an integrated reasoning section, a quantitative section, and a verbal section. The testing time about three hours and the score ranges from 200 to 800.

There are also other standardized tests focused on testing in specific areas, such as Dental Admission Testing (DAT) for dentists, Law School Admission Test (LSAT) for lawyers, Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) for prospective medical students, United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) for medical licensure in the United States.