Who needs the exam
Since 15 July 2025, a foreigner who applies for long-term residence (dlhodobý pobyt) in Slovakia must prove Slovak at CEFR level A2 or higher. Most people apply after five years of continuous residence.
The rule does not apply to temporary residence or to permanent residence for five years or for an unlimited time. Some applicants are exempt, for example children under 14 and people who completed school or university studies in Slovak. The exemptions changed in July 2026, so check the current list at the IOM Migration Information Centre before you plan anything.
Where you take it and what it costs
The exam is run by registered language schools and public universities. Each centre sets its own dates and fee, usually between 80 and 180 €. You receive a certificate from the centre and attach it to your application. Book a date early: in the busy months the nearest free date can be weeks away.
What the exam looks like
Every centre writes its own test, but the parts are similar almost everywhere:
- Reading: notices, adverts, short messages and forms. You pick the right answer or fill in information.
- Listening: short announcements and everyday dialogues, usually played twice.
- Grammar and vocabulary: the right ending, preposition or verb form in a sentence.
- Writing: a short e-mail or message, for example to a colleague, a landlord or a school.
- Speaking: a conversation of about 10–20 minutes about yourself, your family, home and work, often with a short role-play, such as at the doctor’s or at an office.
You need at least 70 % of the points to pass. Strong reading cannot fully make up for a weak speaking part, so practise all of them.
What A2 means in practice
A2 is not perfect Slovak. It means you can handle simple, routine situations: introduce yourself, talk about your family and work, buy things, ask the way, make an appointment, understand a short notice and write a simple message. Mistakes are fine as long as the other person understands you.
Five mistakes that cost points
| Wrong | Right | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Idem u lekárovi. | Idem k lekárovi. | “To” a person is k + dative; u + genitive means “at”: som u lekára. |
| Bývam na Bratislave. | Bývam v Bratislave. | Cities and countries take v; na is for islands, mountains and some places like na Slovensku. |
| Kúpil som liter mlieko. | Kúpil som liter mlieka. | After quantities (liter, kilo, veľa, málo) the noun goes into the genitive. |
| Chodím do práce autobus. | Chodím do práce autobusom. | How you travel is the instrumental, without a preposition. |
| Včera som byť doma. | Včera som bol / bola doma. | The past tense is the l-form plus som, si…; it changes with the speaker’s gender. |
A six-week plan
- Week 1: Take the free practice test and note which parts cost you points. Book your exam date now, because centres fill up.
- Weeks 2–3: Grammar that appears in every task: the cases in common phrases, past and future tense, prepositions v, na, do, k, u. Fifteen minutes of reading or listening every day.
- Week 4: Writing: short e-mails and messages of 40–60 words. Learn a greeting, three useful sentence patterns and a sign-off by heart.
- Week 5: Speaking: answer the typical topics aloud for one minute each and record yourself. Practise asking questions, not only answering them.
- Week 6: A full mock exam under time pressure, then fix the two or three things that still go wrong.
Our lessons on everyday topics help with the vocabulary, for example at the doctor’s, looking for a flat and personal details and forms.
Check your level today
The free Slovak A2 practice test takes about 20 minutes and scores reading and grammar instantly. It is also available in Ukrainian, Russian and Slovak. Unsure whether A2 is your level? There are also free tests from A1 to B2.