Funding of facilities providing care for children up to 3 years of age
Facilities providing care for children up to 3 years of age are not a part of the school system. Their primary source of funding is the fees paid by parents. Public facilities are partly funded from budgets of municipalities.
Pre-primary, primary and secondary education funding
Free primary and secondary education is guaranteed by the constitution. Church and private schools can provide education and other services for a fee.
Public sources for education come from the public budget which is comprised of
- the state budget,
- budgets of municipalities and
- budgets of the higher territorial units.
Other sources of funding include revenue from renting space, profit from the business, contributions and gifts and other sources, and in case of non-state (private and church) schools and school facilities also tuition fees and other fees.
The school funding is based on the normative principle; the schools are funded according to the number of pupils and personnel and economic demands of the educational process.
Higher education funding
Full-time higher education study of the standard length is free-of-charge at public higher education institutions.
The main source of funding of public higher education institutions is constituted of subsidies from the state budget. Higher education institutions can use other sources of funding to cover operating expenditure. It is possible to provide subsidies from the state budget to a private higher education institution as well.
Adult education and training funding
If further education takes place within the school system or state and regional development programmes, it is funded from the state budget. Other sources of funding include fees from students, the budget of the Central Office of Labour, Social Affairs and Family (SK), sources of municipalities, non-profit organisations, and legal persons.
Legislative references
National Council of the Slovak Republic, 2002. Act No. 131/2002 on higher education and on the change and supplement to some acts as amended by subsequent provision (Zákon č. 131/2002 Z.z. o vysokých školách a zmene a doplnení niektorých zákonov) (last accessed 10/01/2020).
National Council of the Slovak Republic, 2004. Act No. 523/2004 on budget rules of public administration and on the change and supplement to some acts as amended by subsequent provision (Zákon č. 523/2004 Z.z. o rozpočtových pravidlách verejnej správy o zmene a doplnení niektorých zákonov v znení neskorších predpisov) (last accessed 03/01/2020).
National Council of the Slovak Republic, 2004. Act No. 564/2004 on budget determination of tax revenue from incomes of the territorial administration as amended by subsequent provision (Zákon č. 564/2004 Z.z. o rozpočtovom určení výnosu dane z príjmov územnej samospráve v znení neskorších predpisov) (last accessed 03/06/2019).
National Council of the Slovak Republic, 2003. Act No. 596/2003 on state administration in education and school self-government and on change and supplements of some acts as amended by subsequent provisions (Zákon č. 596/2003 Z.z. o štátnej správe v školstve a školskej samospráve a o zmene a doplnení niektorých zákonov v znení neskorších predpisov) (last accessed 03/01/2020).
National Council of the Slovak Republic, 2003. Act No. 597/2003 on financing primary schools, secondary schools and school facilities as amended by subsequent provision (Zákon č. 597/2003 Z.z. o financovaní základných škôl, stredných škôl a školských zariadení v znení neskorších predpisov) (last accessed 03/01/2020).