According to the latest available Eurostat data, gross domestic expenditure on R&D (GERD) in Slovakia amounted to 0.98% of GDP in 2024 (approximately 1.0% of GDP). Slovakia continues to rank below the EU average in terms of R&D expenditure as a share of GDP. Total R&D expenditure has shown a generally increasing trend over recent years. The number of researchers and R&D personnel has also been gradually increasing in recent years.

The system of R&D funding at a national level is governed by Act No. 172/2005 Coll. on the Organisation of State Support for Research and Development, as amended. Subsidies for solving research tasks are granted to entitled applicants through grant agencies (in particular the Slovak Research and Development Agency) and state programmes for R&D support.

Since 2021, the Research and Innovation Strategy for Smart Specialisation of the Slovak Republic 2021–2027 (RIS3 SK 2021+) has been in force. RIS3 SK 2021+ is implemented through action plans and supported by funding from the Programme Slovakia 2021–2027 and other national and European funding instruments. It updates the previous RIS3 (Research and Innovation Strategy for Smart Specialisation of the Slovak Republic for 2014 – 2020) and serves as the main strategic framework for research, development, and innovation (RDI) in Slovakia. Its overall aim is to support structural transformation of the economy towards higher added-value activities by strengthening research excellence, innovation capacity, and human resources. The strategy also seeks to foster internationalisation, enhance cooperation between businesses, academia, and public institutions, and ensure more effective use of EU cohesion policy funds for RDI.

The RIS3 SK 2021+ is built on two main pillars:

• Smart specialisation domains, identified through an entrepreneurial discovery process, which focus on developing technologies, products, infrastructures, and collaborative platforms in areas with the greatest transformation potential.

• Systemic measures and public policies, designed to strengthen innovation governance, improve financing tools, and address key societal and economic challenges.

The vision of RIS3 SK 2021+ is to achieve sustainable growth in employment, income, and quality of life by boosting the country’s research and innovation performance and competitiveness, particularly in sectors with the strongest potential for global success.

State research funding agencies
Incentives for research and development
EU structural funds
National Scholarship Programme of the Slovak Republic
Scholarships of the Government of the Slovak Republic awarded for the entire doctoral studies within the Official Development Assistance

 

State research funding agencies

 

Slovak Research & Development Agency (APVV)

Slovak Research and Development Agency (Agentúra na podporu výskumu a vývoja – APVV) – is the major R&D grant agency in Slovakia. It was established in July 2005 and it is a successor of the previous agency running since 2001. The Agency acts in compliance with the long term objective of the S&T policy and its programmes are approved by the Government of the Slovak Republic.

The Agency supports R&D (basic and applied research and experimental development) by providing funds for the implementation of the following types of projects:

• research and development projects in all fields of science and technology;
• within the Agency’s programmes;
• under international agreements on scientific and technological cooperation and projects within international programmes and initiatives in the field of research and development, including costs of their preparations.

Projects can be submitted to the Agency within Agency’s Calls for Proposals. The duration of supported projects depends on the conditions of the specific call but is typically up to four years.

The Agency provides funding based on grant schemes. A grant scheme represents a system for the support of research and development activities, which specifies the fields of promotion of joint R&D programmes; the criteria for evaluating project proposals; the forms of providing funds.

Grant schemes are usually in the form of:

• General Calls
• Programmes
• Bilateral Calls
• Research Bilateral Calls
• Multilateral Calls

General Calls – Research and development support in all scientific areas

The general calls have no predefined thematic priorities; the bottom-up approach is applied. The applicant defines the specialisation, objectives and subject content of the R&D project. Projects in the following groups of disciplines are supported: natural sciences, technical sciences, medical sciences, agricultural sciences, social sciences and humanities.

Programmes

Agency’s programmes support individual projects in areas defined by the Slovak government.

Bilateral scientific and technological cooperation

Based on international agreements concluded by the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic. Calls for submitting projects on bilateral research cooperation are regularly published.

The projects of bilateral cooperation are intended to have these objectives:

• preparation of joint international projects;
• preparation of joint publications and other outputs;
• active participation in conferences and organisation of joint scientific events;
• mutual use of laboratory equipment;
• research materials gathering
• involvement of PhD students and/or early-career researchers

The maximum duration of projects is 24 months. The financial support is strictly limited to short term participants’ mobility.

 

VEGA – Science Grant Agency

Science Grant Agency (VEGA) is a grant agency of the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic (MESRS SR) and the Board of the Slovak Academy of Sciences. Researchers from Slovak higher education institutions, from the institutes of the Slovak Academy of Sciences and from organisations directly controlled by the MESRS SR may apply for financial support from the agency. VEGA accepts applications for grants for scientific projects that solve problems of basic research. A project submitted to VEGA must represent a proposal for a solution to an integral mono topical scientific problem within a specific period. There are no predefined thematic priorities; the bottom-up approach is applied. Calls for proposals are published annually. The deadlines are announced by the Ministry and should be verified for each call.
More information at the website of the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth (in Slovak only).

 

KEGA – Cultural and Education Grant Agency

The Cultural and Education Grant Agency (KEGA) is an internal grant agency of the MESRS SR focused on the financial support of projects of applied research in the field of education and creative art in defined thematic areas. Applicants from Slovak public higher education institutions may apply for financial support from KEGA. Thematic priorities and calls for submitting proposals for the forthcoming calendar year are published annually by the MESRS SR. The deadlines are announced annually by the Ministry.
More information at the website of the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth (in Slovak only).

Excellent Science Programme (Program Slovensko 2021–2027)

Since 2024, several calls supporting excellent research, international collaboration, mobility of researchers and research infrastructures have been launched under the Programme Slovakia 2021–2027, co-financed by the European Union. These calls are managed by the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic and relevant implementing bodies.

Incentives for research and development

Enterprises that invest in fundamental research, industrial research and/or experimental development may qualify for R&D aid according to Act No. 185/2009 Coll. on Incentives for Research and Development, as amended.
The R&D aid can have a form of:

Financial subsidy (grants) provided to:

• support basic research applied research and experimental development,
• develop feasibility studies.

Tax relief

The maximum amount of incentives (grants + income tax benefit) depends on the size of the enterprise and might reach:

• up to 40 million € for fundamental research,
• up to 20 million € for industrial research,
• up to 15 million € for experimental development,
• up to 7.5 million € for feasibility studies,
• up to 20 million € for investment in research infrastructure.

The application for incentives shall be submitted to The Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic. Financial incentives are awarded through calls published by the Ministry. The conditions, eligible applicants and available funding are specified in each individual call. The call provides further details on conditions and is only applicable for a limited period.
More information on eligibility criteria and application process: https://www.vedatechnika.sk/sk/stimuly-vyskum-vyvoj/

EU structural funds

Horizon Europe (2021-2027) is the European Union’s (EU’s) key funding programme for research and innovation, with a budget of more than €93.5 billion (current prices). Horizon Europe is the EU’s key funding programme for research and innovation. The programme facilitates collaboration and strengthens the impact of research and innovation in developing, supporting and implementing EU policies while tackling global challenges. The programme is funded under the EU's Multiannual Financial Framework 2021–2027. The programme is built around three main pillars – excellent science, global challenges and industrial competitiveness, and innovative Europe.

Horizon Europe also includes five EU Missions focusing on:

• Adaptation to Climate Change
• Cancer
• Restore our Ocean and Waters
• 100 Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities
• A Soil Deal for Europe

The programme facilitates collaboration and strengthens the impact of research and innovation in developing, supporting and implementing EU policies while tackling global challenges. It supports creating and better dispersing of excellent knowledge and technologies.

It creates jobs, fully engages the EU’s talent pool, boosts economic growth, promotes industrial competitiveness and optimises investment impact within a strengthened European Research Area.

Horizon Europe helps researchers and top class innovators to develop and deploy their ideas. It teams up the best talent and equips them with world-class research infrastructures. Moreover, it supports breakthrough innovations and helps to create new services and markets. 

National Contact Points (NCPs), coordinated by the National Horizon Office, provide information, guidance and practical assistance to applicants and beneficiaries throughout the application process.

 

National Scholarship Programme of the Slovak Republic

The National Scholarship Programme (NSP) is the flagship of Slovak mobility funding, established in 2005 by the Government of the Slovak Republic. The NSP is funded by the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic.

The NSP supports incoming and outgoing mobility – the incoming scheme supports international university students, PhD students, university teachers, researchers and artists to come and stay at higher education institutions and research organisations in Slovakia. The outgoing scheme supports students, PhD students and postdocs with a permanent residence in Slovakia to spend a part of their studies or conduct their research at a higher education institution or research organisation abroad (outside Slovakia).

The scholarship for the incoming applicants is provided for 1 – 10 month stays at higher education institutions and research organisations in Slovakia. The scholarship does not support the pursuit of the entire Master/PhD programme in Slovakia, nor Slovak nationals studying abroad. Citizens of any country in the world are eligible to apply for the NSP scholarship. The scholarship covers living costs during the study/research/teaching/artistic stay of international applicants.

Amount of a monthly scholarship

a) university student €620
b) PhD student  €1025.5
c) university teacher/researcher or artist:

– early-stage university teacher/researcher/artist (without PhD and less than 4 years of work experience)
– experienced university teacher/researcher/artist:  €1025.5
– with PhD and less than 10 years of work experience  €1370
– with PhD and more than 10 years of work experience €1470

In addition, students and PhD students can be awarded a travel allowance, (travel grant), if they apply for it along with their scholarship application. Travel allowance is awarded as a lump sum and it will be paid to the scholarship holder at the end of his/her stay together with the last scholarship payment. Travel allowance amount depends on the distance (in a direct line) between the applicant's place of residence and the place of his/her stay in Slovakia:

• distance up to 300 km –  €50,
• distance from 351 km to 500 km – €100,
• distance from 501 km to 1 000 km – €250,
• distance from 1001 km to 2 000 km – €350,
• distance from 2001 km to 3 000 km – €500,
• distance from 3001 km to 5 000 km –  €750,
• distance from 5001 km to 7 000 km – €1 100,
• distance more than 7 000 km – €1500,

Scholarship applications are submitted online. The online application system is opened at least six weeks before the application deadline.

Application deadlines:

31 October at 16:00 CET – scholarship stays during the summer semester of the current academic year
30 April at 16:00 CET – scholarship stays during the next academic year

Scholarships of the Government of the Slovak Republic awarded for the entire doctoral studies within the Official Development Assistance

The Government of the Slovak Republic annually awards scholarships for doctoral (PhD) degree programmes to students from the countries eligible for the Official Development Assistance (ODA). Scholarships offered under the OECD defined terms and conditions for implementing the ODA also include scholarships for persons with the status of Slovaks Living Abroad.
Studies can be carried out only at public higher education institutions in Slovakia and are held in the Slovak language. The support includes a scholarship for a 10-month language preparation course in the case that the applicant has not completed his/her previous education in the Slovak Republic.

Scholarships of the Government of the Slovak Republic for doctoral degree programmes:

• to students from countries eligible for the Official Development Assistance (ODA) - Brasil, Georgia, Sudan. The list of eligible countries may vary every year.
• for persons with Slovak Living Abroad status - Croatia, France, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, Ukraine.

Studies can be carried out only at public universities in Slovakia and are held in the Slovak language. The Scholarships of the Government of the Slovak Republic include a scholarship for a 10-month language preparation course in the case that the applicant has not completed his/her previous education in the Slovak Republic.

Applications are submitted online.
Deadline: 25 May
Scholarships are awarded by the Assessment Committee of the Ministry of Education, Research, Development and Youth of the Slovak Republic.