Social security for students (including PhD students)
Fulltime PhD students are considered to be students, not employees; hence a university is not in the position of an employer in connection with the social and health insurance of the PhD students.
Levies into social insurance funds are not compulsory for students/doctoral students, although they may opt for voluntary insurance of defined percentage rates from the assessment basis of their choice. Then if needed and upon fulfilling stated conditions, they may receive social security benefits.
In case a labour relationship exists with a student, the work is carried out occasionally and is typically based on the concluded Agreement on a part-time job of students. An employer is obliged to register the employee, i.e. the student, at the competent office of the Social Insurance Agency. Social contributions are paid both by the employee and the employer and are deducted automatically by the employer as a percentage of the basis of assessment, which is usually the gross wage. Students have a right for a waiver of social insurance premiums (pension and disability insurance), however they need to inform the employer in writing about exercising this right and file a statement of exercising this right with one employer only.
Benefits from state social support
One component of the social security system in Slovakia, may be used by foreign nationals with a permanent or temporary residence on the territory of the Slovak Republic upon meeting specific conditions for entitlement.
Which of the social security and health insurance benefits are students in general entitled to?
yes
The health insurance is obligatory for foreign students in Slovakia. The insurance is paid by the state for EU students and foreign students coming to Slovakia to study within a programme arising from an international treaty. In other cases, the student must arrange his/her health insurance with a commercial provider.
yes/no
Students can contribute voluntarily to the sickness insurance of social insurance fund.
yes/no
Students can contribute voluntarily to the unemployment insurance of the social insurance fund.
yes/no
(in Slovakia present within 2 main schemes: maternity benefit as a part of sickness insurance within social insurance obtainable after some minimum duration of insurance; and parental allowance, child allowance, etc. within state social support)
Students can contribute voluntarily to the sickness insurance of social insurance fund.
Different allowances within the state social support are available to students without the condition of being employed if having a permanent or temporary residence on the territory of the SR and upon completion of certain conditions.
yes/no
In case a labour relationship in the form of an Agreement on a part-time work of students exists, contributions are mandatory for the employee and for the employer. (Students have right for a waiver of social premiums, however, they need to inform the employer in writing about exercising this right and file a statement of exercising this right. In case of several contracts with different employers, they can choose only one contract, from which social insurance premiums will not be deducted, if meeting also stated conditions.)
Students can also contribute voluntarily to the pension insurance of social insurance fund.
yes/no
In case a labour relationship upon the Agreement on a part-time work of students exists, contributions are mandatory for the employee and for the employer. (Students have right for a waiver of social premiums, however, they need to inform the employer in writing about exercising this right and file a statement of exercising this right. In the case of several contracts with different employers, they can choose only one contract from which social insurance premiums will not be deducted, if meeting also stated conditions.)
Students can also contribute voluntarily to the pension insurance of the social insurance fund.
yes/no
In case a labour relationship upon the Agreement on a part-time work of students exists, the 3rd pillar, which is completely voluntary, in addition to the mandatory 1st and 2nd pillar of pension regime, can be used as an additional old-age pension saving.
yes/no
Guarantee and accident insurance, as well as the contribution to the solidarity reserve fund, are mandatorily paid by the employer in case the labour relationship exists upon the Agreement on a part-time work of students. Voluntarily pension insured persons contribute to the solidarity reserve fund.