The transformation of experimental fields to study fields of higher professional study leads to the legislative introduction of a new kind of postsecondary study, higher professional study. In this kind of study, upper secondary vocational schools can provide the higher professional education  to the graduate with upper secondary education or upper secondary vocational education completed by school-leaving examination but they will not provide higher education, which in compliance with the Act on higher education can be provided only by higher education institutions. 

Students achieve higher professional education by successfully completing:

• Two-year or three-year educational programme in upper secondary vocational school which is completed by graduation examination. The certificate on the achieved level of education is the certificate on graduation examination and graduation diploma with the right to use title “diploma specialist” with the abbreviation “DiS".
• Coherent six-year educational programme at conservatory which is completed by graduation examination or by the last grade of coherent eight-year educational programme at dance conservatories. The certificate on the achieved level of education is the certificate on graduation examination and graduation diploma with the right to use title “diploma artist” with the abbreviation “DiS.art.”.

The content of education is governed by the state educational programme and school educational programme. The state educational programme is a binding document that sets out the general objectives of education and core competencies. It defines the core curriculum. It is the starting point for the development of the school educational programme, which takes into account the specific conditions and needs of the region. The state educational programme is published for the various stages of education by the Ministry of Education, Science, Research, and Sport of the Slovak Republic. By creating a school educational programme the school receives a part of the responsibility for the choice of objectives and content of education.

Education includes lessons, exercises, seminars, consultations, and excursions. Emphasis is put on practical training in the second and third grade. In order to take their practical training, students are placed into organizations with which schools have had a long and good cooperation. Students can be divided into groups, in particular with regard to safety and health and hygiene requirements in compliance with generally applicable legislation.

Conservatories organise internal and public theatrical, musicals, opera, dance, and ballet performances, competitions, national and international exchange of presentations and art projects as a part of the training.

Conservatories provide 4-year upper secondary education completed by the school-leaving examination and 5/6-year higher professional education completed by absolutorium. In the field of dance, conservatories provide 8-year education completed by the school-leaving examination and absolutorium.

Conservatories prepare students for careers (for example teachers of basic schools of art) and also for further study at higher education institutions.

Legislative references

National Council of the Slovak Republic, 2008. Act No. 245/2008 on education and training (Education Law) and on the change and supplement to some acts as amended by subsequent provisions (Zákon č. 245/2008 o výchove a vzdelávaní (školský zákon) a o zmene a doplnení niektorých zákonov v znení neskorších predpisov) (last accessed 07/01/2020).