APPLICATION PROCESS

A basic condition for admission to the Bachelor study is the completion of full secondary education, or full secondary vocational education.

For applicants who acquired the mandatory education abroad, the basic prerequisite for admission is the recognition that their final examination and the documents confirming the final level of education meet the requirements of the Higher Education Act.

Further admission prerequisites for the study under the accredited study programs at the FAD STU are:

• successful completion of the complete entrance exam,
• payment of the fee for the material ensurance of the admission procedure,
• uploading an electronic version of the portfolio of graphic works through AIS (Academic Information System).

The admission process works as follows:

1. Complete the application form, and present the necessary documents for recognition of academic eligibility.
2. Should the candidate be successful; you will be invited for an entrance exam, to test your skills, with the academic committee for final admission to the school.
3. Upon a successful interview, the student will be notified by the FAD STU about their acceptance into the program.

• A concise CV of the applicant
• Proof of payment of the fee covering the material ensurance of the admission procedure. It is to be submitted electronically, as an attachment to the application form in pdf format
• An applicant who graduated earlier than in 2022 must attach a notary authenticated copy of the School Leaving Certificate (SLC / matriculation certificate) in paper form at the same time as submitting the application in electronic form (if provided subsequently, a notary authenticated copy of the matriculation certificate has to be submitted to the study department of the Faculty, however it has to be done no later than the date of the admission procedure).
• The SLC must not be delivered later than 8 days after the School Leaving Examination (SLE) has been passed. The latest date of SLC delivery is the date of registration for the study.
• An applicant with a Slovak citizenship who has passed the SLE abroad and the applicant with a foreign citizenship alike, who want to study at the Faculty, have to apply for equivalency of their secondary school study.
• An electronic version of the portfolio of original graphic works submitted through AIS and processed according to the requirements specified for individual fields of study and with the applicant’s declaration of oath confirming the authorship of the applicant’s work (in one file in pdf format max. up to 40 MB in size, to be submitted by May 31, 2024 till 11:59 p.m.).
• Applicants for study in the English language shall submit to the application a certificate of language proficiency (TOEFL, IELTS, certificate min. B2) or a certificate of completion of secondary school studies with the language of instruction in English (bilingual grammar schools, foreign secondary schools). The certificate must be submitted no later than 31 May 2024 by 11:59 p.m.).

If the application form does not contain the required information and/or documents, or if the applicant does not submit them within the date given by the FAD STU, the applicant will not be allowed to take the admission examination.

Form and content of the admission examination

The entrance exam is organized in one round, physically at FAD STU. Since admission examination for 2023/2024, we do not offer distant nor online form of the entrance examination.

Form and content of the admission examination

• The aim of the entrance examination in the Bachelor’s degree program Architecture and Urban Planning is to verify the applicant’s prerequisites for study. These are verified by a test and graphic tasks.

  In the graphic tasks, the applicant expresses his/her ability to perceive and reproduce space and its elements, as well as the principles of representation (drawing according to a template) in the form of a linear pencil drawing; he/she assembles and documents a composition on a specified theme from specified geometric solids. In particular, the expression of basic spatial relationships, correctness of representation (orthogonal and perspective representation), correct proportions of the elements depicted, placement on the format and, in the case of a compositional task, the inventiveness of the design are evaluated.

  In the test of general knowledge in the field of architecture and art as well as in the test of spatial imagination, the applicant demonstrates his/her knowledge in the mentioned fields and expresses his/her ability to represent basic and modified geometric solids.

Electronic version of the portfolio

• In his/her portfolio of original graphic works, the applicant is supposed to demonstrate skill in developing a drawing according to a real, visually perceived reality. The correct representation of proportions and shapes is required, as well as the correct artistic and graphic expression in the chosen format. (Portfolio should consist of selection of max. 20 works in A3 or A2 format from the field of graphic, fine art, sculptural creation).
• Failure to submit an electronic version of the portfolio to the AIS by the deadline will be considered as failure to meet the other conditions for admission.

Method of verifying the fulfillment of the conditions of the admission examination

Verification of the fulfillment of the conditions in the form of an admission examination is divided into individual assignments (assignment number 1 to 5), where the applicant can obtain the following scores (max. 1,000 pts).

• Linear pencil drawing according to the model:
  1/ still life: 250 pts
  2/ bust: 250 pts
• Design of spatial composition – pencil drawing
  3/ composition of geometric solids: 250 pts
• Test
  4/ general knowledge of architecture, art and design: 50 pts
  5/ spatial imagination test: 200 pts

The results of the tasks are evaluated by examination committees appointed by the Dean of FAD STU. Each examination board has at least three members.

The evaluation of the results of the entrance examination takes place in the form of anonymous scoring of the tasks (individual works are marked with a QR code). The results of the entrance examination are determined by the sum of the scores obtained in Tasks 1 to 5. On this basis, a list of all applicants is drawn up (starting with the applicant with the highest score in descending order), which produces a qualitative ranking of the applicants. The successful candidate is the one who has obtained a total of at least 400 points in the admission procedure.

The planned number of the accepted applicants for Bachelor individual study program: 20

The results of the admission exam will be published on the website of the Faculty of Architecture and Design of STU. The applicant will find out the total number of points he/she achieved in the admission exam after entering his/her social security number at the following address.

Fees for the admission administration procedure in a foreign language: 80,- €

The fee for the full time, and in person, form of study for students studying in the English language course: 3 600,- € per year

The fee should be paid by bank transfer to the given account (see Full Instructions for Bachelor Admission Process).

Download Full Instructions for Bc Admission Process

The basic conditions for admission to the study program of the second degree of higher education at FAD STU:

• the completed education of the first degree or completed education of the second degree;
• when the candidate has accumulated a total of at least 300 ECTS credits, for a previous university study;
• the compliance of the content of the education in the field or a related field of study in the previous bachelor’s degree, or applicant’s engineering studies.

For applicants who completed their previous education abroad, the basic condition for admission is the recognition of their final examination, and presentation of the documents, confirming completion of the study level, that are in accordance with the required level of education. 

A further condition of admission to the Architecture, or Urban Design study programs, is the successful completion of the admission examination and the payment of the fee for the material supply of the admission procedure.

All students are required to have mastered a B2-level knowledge of the English language.

• An authenticated copy of a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree, or a Diploma supplement;
• Applicants – both foreign and Slovak Republic Nationals who completed the previous Bachelor’s or Master’s study abroad – must submit a certified copy of the issued document (certificate) on the equivalence of education at a foreign university, translated into Slovak;
• A document proving the remittance of the fee for the materials provided for the admission examination. It is to be submitted electronically as an attachment to the application form in pdf format;
• CV
• Applicants who pass the state final examination of the current study level after the term of the Admission examination, will submit the authenticated copy of their Bachelor’s or Master’s diploma and certificates in the Slovak language at the Study Department of the Faculty, immediately after having passed the final state examination. This can be submitted at the latest, on the day of study registration;
• List of subjects and grades from previous studies.
• Document certifying the achieved level of command of the English language at least at B2 level (TOEFL, IELTS) according to the applicable Common European Framework of Reference for Languages – SERR or CEFR, or a certificate of completion of secondary school studies with the language of instruction in English (bilingual grammar schools, foreign secondary schools). The language certificate must be issued by an authorized institution. The certificate is to be attached to the electronic application (no later then 31st May 2024).

Should the application form not contain the required information, and/or documents, and if the applicant does not submit them within the date given by the FAD STU, they will not be allowed to participate in the admission examination.

All applicants for master degree studies are obliged to submit not later than 16 June 2024 by 11:59 p.m. a mandatory pdf summary portfolio of their studio works as an electronic attachment to their application.

The aim of the admission exam is to check the creative abilities and prerequisites of the applicant to study in the chosen master study program. The test is talent-based and consists of a practical and an oral part. It is non-anonymous. In the practical part, the applicant must demonstrate the required degree of creativity, invention and logical ability to solve the creative tasks of the field using the abilities and skills acquired in the bachelor’s degree. The oral part of the exam is aimed at evaluating the candidate in terms of his argumentative ability to factually and convincingly justify the solution to the assigned task and works from the portfolio. The applicant documents previous studies with a list of completed subjects and a portfolio of studio and other school works from the period of study.

a) Practical part of the exam (practical work) – preparation of a proposal on the given topic with regard to the chosen study program, in which the creative and technical skills acquired in the bachelor’s or master studies are synthetised while a strong emphasis is put on inventiveness.

b) Oral part of the exam and portfolio – defense of the practical work, quality of discussion of the works in the portfolio and evaluation of the content and results of the previous study.

The portfolio will be submitted on the day of the entrance exam to the examination committee by the student in a printed A3 or A4 format. The portfolio is identical to the electronic version attached to the application in AIS. The portfolio contains selected examples of his/her studio works from the previous study in the same or related study programme, or selected samples from undergone professional experience (verified by the employer).

Verification of the fulfillment of conditions and success in the entrance exam is carried out by commission evaluation of individual parts of the exam. Evaluation committees consist at least of three members (chairman + at least 2 other members), appointed by the dean of FAD STU. In the individual parts of the entrance exam, the applicant can be evaluateed with the following points (max. 100 pts).

Practical part Practical work: max. 60 pts

• originality and invention of the design, idea of the design, artistic and graphic processing, proof of typological and technical or other knowledge, demonstrating spatial imaging skills.

Oral part: max. 40 pts

• defense of practical work (10 pts)
• the composition and quality of the presented portfolio of studio works from the previous study ( 20 pts)
• evaluation of the study results of the previous education (10 pts)

The planned number of the accepted applicants for Master (Ing. arch.) study program (English language): 20.

The evaluation of the results of the admission exam is done by commissions appointed by the dean of FAD STU in accordance with applicable regulations. Each evaluation committee has at least three members.

The evaluation of the results of the admission exam takes place in the form of point evaluation of individual parts of the exam. The results of the admission exam are determined by the sum of the points obtained from the individual parts of the admission exam. On this basis, a list of applicants is created (starting with the applicant with the highest number of points in descending order), which creates a qualitative ranking of the applicants. The results of activities beyond the scope of previous university studies are not taken into account in the admission process.

The admission examination results will be released on the web page of the Faculty of Architecture and Design STU. The applicant will find the total number of reached points after entering their birth number on the following address.

Fees for admission administration procedure in the foreign language: 80,- €

The fee for the full time, and in person, form of study for students studying in the English language course: 3 600,- € per year

The fee should be paid by bank transfer to the given account (see Full Instructions for Master (Ing. arch.) Admission Process).

Download Full Instructions for Master Admission conditions

The basic prerequisite for the study admission of the third grade is graduation from second grade of university study.

For the applicants who graduated from foreign universities, the basic prerequisite for admission is the acknowledgement of documents that confirm the required level of completed education and successful final examination.

Further conditions for the study admission:

• the successful pass of the admission examination. For the doctoral study within the fields of Architecture and Urbanism, only the graduates from the related fields can be admitted;
• the payment for the admission process.

General content:

• The admission examination is conducted in person and takes the form of an oral interview. In justified cases, with the consent of the dean, the entrance exam can be conducted remotely (online).

  The aim of the interview is to check the applicant’s knowledge and information in subjects on engineering or master’s degree level of studies, within the studied field, which are related to the selected topic of dissertation. The aim of the admission process is to find out the applicant’s eligibility for self-reliant creative activity in the field of science, technology, and art, as well as to determine the corresponding level of his/her professional and language skills.

The way of assessment of the admission examination:

• A sequence of applicants will be established, based on acquired points for professional and language knowledge and the achieved study results and creative activity in the field of science, technology, and art according to established admission criteria.

Release of the admission examination results:

• The results will be released on the FAD STU web page and Academic Information System (AIS).

• CV;
• Letter of motivation in which the applicant provides a brief description of the chosen topic of the dissertation;
• Certified copy of the applicant’s Engineering or Master’s Degree diploma (for STU graduates, a certified copy is not required);
• Foreign applicants and Slovak state citizens who graduated from engineering and Master’s studies abroad will submit the documents in accordance with the Act No. 422/2015 Coll. on recognition of documents on education and on recognition of professional qualifications and on changing and amending certain laws;
• The applicants who pass the state final examinations in the current grade of the study after the term of the admission examination are required to present their verified copy of the diploma and the state exam certificate in Slovak language immediately after having passed the state exam, not later than by 12/07/2024;
• List of published scientific works of the applicant or the list of his/her professional or artistic works, eventually the references on these works or activities;
• Certified document of the achieved level of min. B2 knowledge of the English language according to the current Common European Framework of Reference for Languages – CEFR. The certificate must be issued by an authorised institution. The certificate is attached to the electronic application, no later than 31/05/2024.
• Extract of subjects and marks from the previous (engineering/master) study;
• An outline of the doctoral dissertation project (recommended range of 3 – 5 pages: introduction to the topic, objectives, current state, expected outputs…).

In case that the application form does not contain the required information and/or documents and the applicant does not submit them within the date given by the FAD STU, he/she will not be allowed to take the admission examination.

The admission board will work out the sequence of applicants according to the following criteria:

• Level of oral interview (in person / online), the level of professional knowledge, their prerequisites for individual creative activity in science;
• Level of knowledge of the English language verified in an oral interview;
• Scope and quality of publication activity, publication of work results;
• Scope and quality of artistic activity, awards of studio works, awards in international student competitions, or public competitions;
• Achieved results in the engineering / master’s degree of study (according to General Conditions of Study);
• Results and awards of student scientific and professional competitions (e.g. PRO Teoria,…);
• participation in foreign students mobility (Erasmus, Leonardo da Vinci), participation in students workshops, summer schools, etc.

Assessment of professional knowledge and verification of prerequisites for creative work in science : 70 pts

Previous study results, prizes, awards, professional activities: 15 pts

Foreign language: 15 pts

Total: max. 100 pts

Fees for admission administration procedure in the foreign language: 80,- €

The variable symbol and the bank account number are stated in the electronic application form in the section informing about the payment.

The fee should be paid by bank transfer to the given account.

The fee for full-time students studying in the English language: 3 500,- € per year.

The fee for external students studying in the English language: 3 600,- € per year.

Download Full Instructions for PhD Admission Process