Maturita (maturitná skúška) is a state final exam that finishes secondary school (stredná škola) studies and gives a certificate of maturity. Without maturita, you cannot enroll in a Slovak higher education institution (vysoká škola).
What it consists of
- Mandatory subjects are Slovak language and a foreign language.
- Profile subjects depend on the type of school.
- The exam has a written part (externá časť) and an oral part in front of a committee (ústna časť).
Maturita is usually taken in the final year of school, at about 18–19 years old. Ukrainian students who finished school in their home country usually need to have their certificate recognized (nostrifikácia) instead of taking the Slovak maturita. This is a separate procedure for enrolling in higher education. The specific subjects and deadlines depend on the school and the year. It is advisable to prepare in advance due to the large amount of material. The results of the maturita affect admission to specific faculties, so subjects should be chosen considering your future major. Retaking individual parts is usually possible at later dates.