The Slovak Republic has its own legal regulations governing the recognition of educational qualifications awarded abroad. It is also bound by international agreements (especially those of the European Union and European Economic Area) and bilateral agreements to which it has acceded or which it has concluded with regard to qualifications acquired in another state.

The term of recognition of diplomas means recognition of a diploma, issued by a foreign higher education institution or other authorized body according to the regulations of the respective State as equivalent to a diploma issued by a higher education institution in the Slovak Republic.

The key points when arranging recognition of a diploma are the type of activity to be carried out in Slovakia (academic studies including PhD studies or employment purposes) and the state where the diploma was issued.

The recognition of degrees of the 1st and the 2nd level (Bachelor and Master) issued by foreign higher education institutions (of Member states or other states except for the states with which there exist a bilateral treaty) falls within the competence of the appropriate higher education institution in Slovakia which provides the same or similar study program.

If the contents of the studies are only partly identical, the higher education institution may invite the applicant to take additional examinations or to complete and defend his/her Bachelor thesis, diploma thesis or dissertation thesis

In case that there is no higher education institution to carry out the study programs identical or related to those stated in the submitted certificate in Slovakia, the recognition of equivalence is issued by the Ministry of Education, Centre for Recognition of Diplomas.

The diplomas issued by a foreign higher education institution or other authorized bodies of the State that has concluded an agreement with the Slovak Republic on mutual recognition of diplomas are equivalent with those issued by a higher education institution in the Slovak Republic, provided that these credentials are covered by the agreement. Decisions on the equivalence of diplomas shall be issued by the Ministry of Education, Centre for Recognition of Diplomas. The decisions made under this Clause refer to the recognition for academic purposes only. (The bilateral treaty has been concluded with the following states: Austria — memorandum, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Poland, Romania.) In all cases the application is submitted to the Centre for Recognition of Diplomas, which either decides on  the recognition of the equivalence itself or issues the recommendation/assessment for or the appropriate higher education institution in Slovakia.