Shaping minds and hearts
The Catholic University in Ružomberok
Guide
for E r a s m u s+
S t u d e n t s
Foreign Relations and Mobility Office
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Slovakia in Brief
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History of Slovakia
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The Town of Ružomberok
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The Catholic University in Ružomberok
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Faculties of The CU in Ružomberok
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Faculty of Education
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Faculty of Arts and Letters
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Faculty of Theology (in Košice)
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Faculty of Health
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UPaC – University Pastoral Centre
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University Library
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Erasmus Study Application Procedure
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International Cooperation
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Useful Information
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The Counselling Centre
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Practical Information
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Sightseeing
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Tips for Trips
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Vocabulary
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Useful Links and Phone Numbers
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Contents
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Address:
The Catholic University in Ružomberok
Rector´s Office
Námestie Andreja Hlinku 60
034 01 Ružomberok
SLOVAKIA
www.ku.sk/en/
Foreign Relations and Mobility Office
Staff responsible:
Mgr. Michaela Moldová Chovancová
Erasmus Institutional Coordinator
Tel.: +421 44 4304693
E-mail: michaela.moldova.chovancova@ku.sk
Mgr. Lucia Kravčáková
Erasmus Officer responsible
for Incoming/Outgoing Students
Tel.: +421 44 4304693
E-mail: lucia.kravcakova@ku.sk
Vitajte!
Velkommen!
Üdvözöljük!
Welcome!
Willkommen!
Bienvenido!
Serdecznie witamy!
Benvenuti!
Bienvenue!
Dear friends,
Guide
The Catholic University in Ružomberok
It´s a great pleasure for us to welcome you to
The Catholic University in Ružomberok (CU). We wish
you a pleasant and successful time at our institution.
We hope that this guide will provide you with all the
necessary information about our campus, programmes,
student facilities, as well as social and spiritual life,
leisure activities and other useful information concerning your stay in Ružomberok. Should you have any
questions or need additional information, please do not
hesitate to contact us at any time.
Erasmus team of CU in Ružomberok
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Slovakia in Brief
Natural resources:
iron ore, mercury, copper, lead, zinc
The highest mountains: Vysoké Tatry (High Tatras)
The highest point: Gerlachovský štít
(2654,40 m above sea level)
The lowest point: River Bodrog
(94 m above sea level)
The biggest river: Dunaj
The longest river: Váh (378 km)
Official language: Slovak
Currency: Euro (€)
Form of government: republic
Political system: parliamentary democracy
President: Ing. Andrej Kiska
Administrative organisation:
8 Higher Territorial Units, 8 Regions, 79 Districts
Member of international organisations:
EU, NATO, UN, OECD, OSCE, WHO etc.
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Official name: The Slovak Republic
Capital: Bratislava
Date of establishment: 1st January 1993 (after separation of the Czech and Slovak Federative Republic)
Location: Central Europe
Bordering countries:
Austria, The Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, Ukraine
Area: 49 035 km2
Population: 5,4 million
Density of population: 110/km2
Large towns: Košice, Prešov, Nitra, Žilina, Banská
Bystrica, Trnava, Martin, Trenčín, Poprad
Ethnic mix of population: Slovaks (85,8 %),
Hungarians (9,7 %), Roma (1,7 %), Czechs (0,8 %),
Ruthenians (0,4 %), Ukrainians (0,2 %),
Germans (0,1 %), others (0,2 %), unknown (1,1 %)
Main agricultural crops:
wheat, rye, corn, potatoes, sugar beets
Breeding: cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, poultry
Main fields of industry: automobile industry, chemical industry, iron ore processing, fertilizers, plastics,
mechanical and electrical engineering
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The Slovak territory has been inhabited since prehistoric
times. Several archaeological artefacts from this period
have been preserved and placed in national history museums all around the country. One of the most valuable
artefacts is the Neanderthal skull cast dating from over
100 000 years ago found in 1926 near Gánovce (Poprad
district). Prehistoric settlements were discovered in
Smolenice, Čaka, Očkov, Nitriansky Hrádok, Havránok,
Spišský Štvrtok and many other places in Slovakia.
The territory of Slovakia was the border area of the
Roman Empire (The Limes Romanus) and Romans
waged several wars of conquest here. In 179, after
winning the battle with Marcomans, Marcus Valerius
Maximianus – a general of the Roman legions – chiselled an inscription dedicated to the goddess of victory
into the rock on which Trenčín Castle was built in
later centuries. Besides Trenčín, remains of the Limes
Romanus are also preserved in Rusovce and Iža.
against nomadic invaders. This activity resulted in the
creation of the first political formation in our territory
under the rule of the Frankish merchant Samo, known
as Samo’s Empire.
The Samo Empire was followed by the establishment
of the Principality of Nitra at the beginning of the 9th
century, and finally the Great Moravian Empire was
established in 833 AD – the first common state of the
Slovak and Czech ancestors. After the fall of Great
Moravia, the Hungarian tribes invaded the Slovak territory and it became a part of the Kingdom of Hungary,
which was eventually included in the Austro-Hungarian
Empire ruled by Habsburg monarchs.
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History of Slovakia
The creation of Czechoslovakia in 1918 was the culmination of the long struggle of the Czechs against their
Austrian rulers and of the Slovaks against Magyarization
As a result of its geographical location in Central
Europe, the territory of Slovakia was threatened by
raids and military incursions of the Romans, the Tatars,
the Turks and the Frankish Empire. During the Migration
of Nations (by the turn of 6th century), the first Slavs
arrived here and soon they had to defend themselves
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Important Historical Events
7th century – Tribal Union of Samo’s Empire
9th century – Great Moravia, the first state formation
in Central Europe
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and their Hungarian rulers. Czechoslovakia became
a Communist nation within Soviet-dominated Eastern
Europe. In 1989, the Soviet era ended with the Velvet
Revolution, and Czechoslovakia became a democratic
state. The countries agreed to separate peacefully in
1993, in what is called the Velvet Divorce, and Slovakia
was finally independent. In 2004, Slovakia became a
member of both the European Union and NATO.
11th century – Hungarian state ruled by King Stephen I.
was founded at the territory of Slovakia
1536 – The Parliament of the Kingdom of Hungary
promoted Pressburg (now Bratislava) to Capital
of the Kingdom
16th century – Hungary became a part of Austria after
the lost battle against the Turks at Moháč
17th century –Thirty Years` War – a period full
of the Turkish raids and anti-Habsburg uprisings
18th century – political and national situation created
conditions for development of the Slovak National
Revival when the Slovak educated class started to organise the social movement
1787 – Anton Bernolák codified the first literary form
of the Slovak language
1843 – The second codification of the Slovak literary language by Ľudovít Štúr was more successful
and it became the basis of the current Slovak literary
language
1863 – Matica slovenská, the first national institution
involved in the promotion of education and culture
of Slovaks, was founded in Martin
28/10/1918 – Slovakia became a part of the newly
established Czecho-Slovak Republic declared on
28 October in Prague
14/03/1939 – The independent Slovak State was declared in Bratislava. Dr. Jozef Tiso became the president
of the First Slovak Republic from 1939 to 1945
29/08/1944 – launch of the Slovak National Uprising
- an armed insurrection organised by the Slovak resistance movement during World War II
From 1968 – Soviet troops occupied Czechoslovakia
for more than twenty years
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Source:
www.slovakia.com, www.euraxess.sk,
www.slovak-republic.org
The Town of Ružomberok
Ružomberok is an administrative centre of Dolný
Liptov. The town is situated on the confluence of rivers
Váh and Revúca. The location of Ružomberok creates
a beautiful silhouette of the town surrounded from
three sides by mountains - Veľká Fatra Mountains,
Chočské vrchy Mountains and Nízke Tatry (Low Tatras)
and from Eastern side it is open to the Liptovská kotlina
basin.
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17/11/1989 – the Velvet Revolution - the end of totalitarianism and communist dictatorship
01/01/1993 – the dissolution of Czechoslovakia Slovakia became an independent and sovereign state
29/03/2004 – Slovakia became a member of NATO
01/05/2004 – Slovakia became a member of the EU
21/12/2007 – Slovakia became a part of the Schengen
Area
01/01/2009 – Slovakia adopted the single European
currency Euro and thus became one of the countries
of the European Monetary Union
The first written reference to Ružomberok dates back
to 1233 AD. According to the legend, after their arrival to the territory of Ružomberok, German colonists
found a hill covered with rosebush and therefore they
named their new home Rosenberg (Rosehill). In the
course of seven centuries the town developed into a
major centre of trade, market and crafts and became
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A quality school system was the basis for the development of trade and industry as well. Gradually, many important schools were established in the town. The first
recognized school of a higher type was an Evangelical
Latin Aristocratic School originated in 1567. From
the last third of the 19th century almost to the middle of the 20th century, Ružomberok was an important centre of the Slovak national revival. The main
philosophical and political streams of that time, which
were influencing the politics in Slovakia, emerged and
Ružomberok became their breeding ground. In 2000
The Catholic University in Ružomberok was established
and began a new chapter in the history of the town
in terms of education and the school system.
Today, with population a little over 31 000, Ružomberok
is the regional centre of tourism mainly due to its location. Many foreign tourists find their way to Skipark
Ružomberok, a well-known skiing resort with the longest
piste or groomed run in Slovakia (3 900 m) every winter.
www.ruzomberok.sk
The Catholic University
in Ružomberok
The Catholic University in Ružomberok is a public university with a religious character. It was established in
2000 and in 2002 it was granted public university status. The Conference of Slovak Bishops and the National
Council of the Slovak Republic took part
in its foundation.
Declaration of Mission
Guide
an important crossroads for European trade. Strong
agricultural and craft tradition at the end of the 19th
century pushed Ružomberok to become the most
important Slovak industrial town with several big
factories, mills and plants (paper, wood pulp and textile
industry, woodworking, brickworks, cheese factories,
etc.). Before the World War I. Ružomberok had been
the biggest town of Slovakia in terms of Slovak population and industry.
CU forms the mind and the heart in the sense of the
Catholic moral, intellectual and academic tradition. We
also offer university education and formation, and do
research leading to the integral development of individuals and society.
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The university educates experts who respect human
dignity and have a sense of the Christian way of life.
It develops knowledge, research, and at the same time
it contributes to the dialogue among religions and cultures; between faith and science. It encourages the
complex personality improvement of students in the
spirit of Christian principles and values.
Values
The Catholic University in Ružomberok consists
of four faculties (Faculty of Education, Faculty of Arts
and Letters, Faculty of Theology, Faculty of Health).
As a relatively young institution, CU is still growing
and developing. The latest big project – to build a new
modern university library meeting the highest requirements of students, professors and researchers – was
finished in September 2013.
All students of The Catholic University are full members
of the university community and are entitled to the opportunities and responsibilities which are available for
them. All buildings provide barrier-free access through
ramps and lifts.
Truth
•
- to search for the truth and to be willing to share it
Unity
•
- to work for the common goal and apply the principle
of subsidiarity
Professionalism
•
- to work toward the progress of individuals with quality education, science and research
•
Responsibility - to do good with the best intentions and respect
the principle of solidarity
Faculties of The Catholic
University in Ružomberok
Guide
CU performs its activities especially in the areas of the
humanities, historical, pedagogical, social, and health
sciences, as well as in the areas of art, music, economics, management and law.
Faculty of Education
www.pf.ku.sk
Faculty of Arts and Letters
www.ff.ku.sk
Faculty of Theology
www.tf.ku.sk
Faculty of Health
www.fz.ku.sk
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pf.ku.sk
Study programmes
BACHELOR PROGRAMMES (3 years)
• Management (single major) in Poprad
• Pedagogy
• Pre-school and Elementary Education (single major)
• Pre-school and Elementary Education of Socially
Disadvantaged Groups (single major)
• Special Education and Education of Mentally
Challenged People (single major)
• Social Work
• Medical Pedagogy (single major)
• Teacher Training Study Programme (double major):
Biology, Fine Art Education, Geography, Chemistry,
Church Music, Computer Science, Italian Language
and Literature, Mathematics, Music Education, Organ
Playing, Piano Playing, Physics, Religious Education
(Roman Catholic), Russian Language and Literature,
Singing
• Teacher Training Study Programme (single major):
Fine Art Education, Computer Science, Religious
Education (Roman Catholic)
MASTER DEGREE PROGRAMMES (2 years)
• Management (single major) in Poprad
• Pre-school and Elementary Education (single major)
• Social Work (single major)
• Social Work in Public Administration and Social
Services
• Special Education and Education of Mentally
Challenged People (single major)
• Teacher Training Study Programme (double major):
Biology, Fine Art Education, Geography, Chemistry,
Church Music, Computer Science, Mathematics, Music
Education, Organ Playing, Piano Playing, Physics,
Religious Education (Roman Catholic), Singing
• Teacher Training Study Programme (single major):
Fine Art Education, Religious Education
(Roman Catholic)
DOCTORAL PROGRAMMES (3 years)
• Didactics of Music
• Social Work
• Theory of Religious Education
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Faculty of Education
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ff.ku.sk
• Psychology (single major)
• Teacher Training Study Programme (double major):
English Language and Literature, German Language
and Literature, Slovak Language and Literature, History,
Philosophy, Religious Education (Roman Catholic)
Study programmes
BACHELOR PROGRAMMES (3 years)
• English Language for Commercial Purposes
(single major)
• German Language and Culture (single major)
• History (single major)
• Journalism (single major)
• Philosophy (single major)
• Psychology (single major)
• Political Science (single major)
• Religion Science (single major)
• Slovak Language and Culture (single major)
• Teacher Training Study Programme (double major):
English Language and Literature, German Language
and Literature, Slovak Language and Literature, History,
Philosophy, Religious Education (Roman Catholic)
DOCTORAL PROGRAMMES (3 years)
• History
• Journalism
• Philosophy
MASTER DEGREE PROGRAMMES (2 years)
• History (single major)
• Journalism (single major)
• Philosophy (single major)
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Faculty of Arts and Letters
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Faculty of Theology (in Košice)
MASTER DEGREE PROGRAMMES (6 years)
• Catholic Theology
tf.ku.sk
DOCTORAL PROGRAMMES (3 years)
• Catholic Theology
• Missionary and Charitable Work
Study programmes
BACHELOR PROGRAMMES (3 years)
• Family Studies (single major)
• Social Philosophy (single major)
• Social Work (single major)
• Teacher Training Study Programme (single major):
Religious Education (Roman Catholic)
• Teacher Training Study Programme (double major): Ethics, Philosophy, Religious Education (Roman
Catholic)
MASTER DEGREE PROGRAMMES (2 years)
• Family Studies (single major)
• Social Philosophy (single major)
• Social Work (single major)
• Teacher Training Study Programme (single major):
Religious Education (Roman Catholic)
• Teacher Training Study Programme (double major): Ethics, Philosophy, Religious Education (Roman
Catholic)
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UPaC – University Pastoral Centre
fz.ku.sk
www.upac.sk
Study programmes
The role of the University Pastoral Centre of Ján
Vojtaššák in Ružomberok is to assist in the integral
formation of CU students through spiritual, cultural,
social and sports events, and participate in fulfilling the
mission of CU - shaping minds and hearts. It organises
various activities aimed at spiritual, intellectual, social
and physical development.
BACHELOR PROGRAMMES (3 years)
• Laboratory Diagnostic Methods in Health
• Nursing
• Physiotherapy
• Public Health
• Urgent Health Care
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Faculty of Health
UPaC takes care of the spiritual needs of CU students,
teachers and employees, organises spiritual exercises
and retreats, and offers spiritual consulting. Holy
Masses are celebrated every day. UPaC priests are available for the administration of sacraments, individual
spiritual discussions, and invite students to join other
spiritual activities such as Bible study, Alpha courses,
Lectio Divina, Taizé meetings, devotions, worship
evenings, discussion groups, prayer groups, meetings
or pilgrimages.
UPaC is located at the premises of CU, in the basement of the Faculty of Pedagogy right near the Chapel
of St. Albert. There is a computer room with a library
and copy services available, a tea room with kitchen,
a game room with darts, billiards, table tennis, table
football and a fitness centre, UPaB - a large common
room with a stage, bar, large sofa and plasma TV
where students can watch movies or sports broadcasts
together. Lectures, discussion clubs and film clubs take
place in UPaB as well.
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Sport Events and Other Activities
Sports meetings and tournaments in football, floorball,
volleyball, basketball, table football, table tennis or billiards are organised on a weekly basis. Throughout the
year students can enjoy tours and hiking expeditions,
ski trips and cycling. Students have free access to the
fitness centre in UPaC.
Guide
For more information visit the website:
www.upac.sk
Other activities organised by UPaC:
Cultural and Social Events
Cultural life at CU is enriched by various cultural events
such as concerts, theatre performances, film evenings
(www.dobryfilm.sk), exhibition and presentations
organised usually once a week. A few times a year students are invited to thematic parties such as the Oldies
party, Historical Ball in historical costumes or “Sedliacka
veselica” in folk costumes.
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University Library
Erasmus Study Application Procedure
The new modern library of The Catholic University is
located in the university campus on Hrabovská cesta
1A. It is a centre of academic activities for teachers, students, citizens of the Liptov region and Žilina
self-governing region. You can find more than 310 000
books and a large archive with more than 470,000
volumes in the library, as well as a section with valuable
publications. More than 500 students have possibility
to study there at the same time. The building also contains rooms for cultural and social events, conference
rooms, quiet study rooms, a bookshop, a coffee bar and
a number of study places with computers providing access to digitized books. The library staff is ready to help
you and explain how to use the on-line catalogue and
electronic information resources faster and more easily.
Erasmus students can use the full library services.
Deadlines for submitting Erasmus applications for study
at CU are as follows:
uk.ku.sk
library.ku.sk
Please note that applications received after deadline
will not be accepted.
Guide
For more information visit the website of the library:
For Winter Semester – May 31st
For Summer Semester – November 30th
Together with the application form the following documents are required to be submitted in order to become
an Erasmus+ Student at CU:
• Learning Agreement for studies
• a photocopy of passport or ID card
• a photocopy of European Health Insurance Card
(EHIC)
• 2 colour passport photographs: 1 glued on the
Application form, 1 with the applicant´s name written
on the reverse of the photograph
• a digital colour photograph in .jpg format
(300x360 pixels) sent by e-mail
Students of Health care are obliged to submit a confirmation of being vaccinated and a copy of Occupational
Safety and Health Protection Certificate.
All necessary documents can be found on our website:
www.ku.sk/en/
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International Cooperation
The Catholic University in Ružomberok is a full member of FUCE (Fédération des Universités Catholiques
Européennes) – an organisation officially representing the cooperation of European catholic universities
– which is a filial organisation of IFCU (International
Federation of Catholic Universities). Progress in the field
of International Relations was indicated by hosting the
Conference of ACISE (Association of Catholic Institutes
of Education) which took place in April 2010 at CU.
At present, more than 100 inter-institutional agreements and contracts with foreign universities have
been signed. Since 2001, when university obtained
an Erasmus University Charter, Socrates/Erasmus, LLP/
Erasmus and later Erasmus+ Programme have become
the most attractive scopes of international student and
teacher mobility. The number of outgoing and incoming
students, teachers and other staff members has been
increasing annually.
Our Erasmus partner countries:
Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, The Czech
Republic, England, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy,
Latvia, Lithuania, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia,
Spain, The Netherlands, Turkey.
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Accommodation
The Catholic University in Ružomberok offers accommodation for ERASMUS students in student dormitories
at a cost of around 90 EUR per month for one person.
In order to apply for accommodation you have to fill
in the column „Accommodation“, which is part of the
Application form. Please keep in mind that the number
of rooms is limited.
Private Accommodation
Many CU students find their accommodation in private
houses or flats paying monthly rent starting at 70 EUR
per month. If you prefer, there are many private landlords and accommodation providers within Ružomberok.
Here are some useful websites:
www.ruzomberok.sk/sk/obcan/inzercia/byvanie
www.studentskebyvanie.sk
www.reality.sk
Erasmus Orientation Week
One week before the official beginning of each semester all international students are invited to take
part in Erasmus preparatory week organised by the
Foreign Relations and Mobility Office at CU. You will
be invited to attend a number of events which will
help you learn more about studying at CU and living
in Ružomberok. You will have the opportunity to socialise, meet other new students, attend a free Slovak
language course, find out more about your course and
discover the full range of services and support available
at CU. We highly recommend all new international
students to attend Erasmus Orientation Week.
Buddy System
As far as we do not want our Erasmus students to
feel lost at the beginning of their Erasmus stay at
CU (and of course during all this time), we provide a
Buddy system to make your life at our university more
comfortable and pleasant. Before arrival, each incoming
Erasmus student is put into contact with a local student
(CU buddy). Your buddy will pick you up upon arrival
to Ružomberok, help you to arrange all the formalities,
show you the campus and town, and will be at hand
throughout the semester to guide you and help you if
needed.
Guide
Useful Information
Slovak Language Course
for International Students
Led by a qualified lector, a special course of Slovak
language for international students is organised at CU.
It starts one week before the official beginning of the
particular semester and is a part of Erasmus Orientation
Week. During this week, 4 hours of Slovak language
per day are offered for incoming Erasmus students.
After preparatory week, 2-hour class is held once a
week during the whole semester – that makes 40-46
hours altogether. Two ECTS credits are given for this
course. One of the conditions to obtain them is that
students follow the course from the beginning till the
end (preparatory week included). Students can enrol
in the Slovak language course at the beginning of each
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Language of Instruction
The regular language of lectures and seminars at CU
is Slovak. On our website you can find a list of courses
and subjects offered in English, as well as in German,
Italian, Polish, Russian and Spanish.
Please, note that some of these courses may not open
until an appropriate number of students is interested.
ECTS Credit System
The Catholic University in Ružomberok uses the
European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System
(ECTS) as a standard for comparing the study attainment and performance of students of higher education
across the European Union and other collaborating
European countries.
ISIC Card
As an incoming Erasmus student you become a temporary student of CU, therefore we suggest you get the
International Student Identification Card (ISIC). It can
be useful not only to identify yourself as a student but
it functions as a library card of the University library
as well as a credit smart card providing access to a
university catering system. Besides, ISIC allows you to
get great deals and discounts on sightseeing, entertainment, food, shopping, cultural activities or travel tickets.
You can find more information here:
www.isic.sk
The Counselling Centre
The Counselling Centre of CU provides its students and
graduates with comprehensive advice, help and support
in different life situations. A professional team of the
Counselling Centre offers:
- career counselling,
- psychological counselling,
- social and legal counselling.
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academic year or particular semester. For more information, please, contact our Foreign Relations and Mobility
Office.
The Counselling Centre is also a supportive workplace
for students with special needs and for students/parents with children. The Counselling Centre cooperates
with the University Pastoral Centre (UPaC).
The service includes a psychological SOS line:
00420 917 224 662 (daily from 8 p.m. to 12 p.m.)
and distance counselling via e-mail address:
poradna@ku.sk (anytime).
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Arrival
There are several options of travelling to Ružomberok
(train, bus, plane):
By plane:
- to: Vienna-Schwechat International Airport
(direct lines from the airport to Bratislava Main Bus
Station – Mlynské Nivy)
- to: Bratislava Airport (BTS)
- to: Košice International Airport
(take a train or bus to Ružomberok)
By train:
- from: Bratislava Main Station – fast trains
(direction Košice)
- from: Košice Railway Station – fast trains
(direction Bratislava, Prague)
- from: Poprad-Tatry Railway Station – fast trains
(direction Bratislava, Prague)
By bus:
- from: Bratislava Main Bus Station – Mlynské Nivy
(direction Ružomberok, Liptovský Mikuláš, Tatranská
Lomnica, Poprad, Prešov, Košice, Bardejov)
- from: Košice Bus Station
(direction Ružomberok, Námestovo, Žilina, Zvolen,
Trnava, Bratislava)
::in Ružomberok::
From Ružomberok Railway Station to the Catholic
University (Hrabovská cesta 1, 034 01 Ružomberok)
you can go on foot (about 30 min), pick up a taxi either
from a taxi rank or by calling a taxi service (taxi fare
approximately 3 - 5 € within the city) or use public
bus transport (MAD; tickets available in a bus; you can
use a bus No. 1, 3 or 4 direction Katolícka univerzita, Klačno; normal adult ticket price = ”celý lístok”
is 0,55 €). For more information, please see:
www.cp.sk
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Practical Information
Foreign Police
Please note that as a foreign student you have to legalize your stay in Slovakia by presenting yourself at the
Foreign police office after your arrival within ten days.
The Foreign police building is located on Bánovská
cesta 8111, 010 01 Žilina.
Health Insurance
There is no health insurance coverage provided for students by CU or clinical facilities. Students are expected
to be personally responsible for treatment needed due
to accidental injury or health risks. Students are strongly advised to purchase personal accident and health
insurance for the entire period of their stay in Slovakia.
Incoming students are required to have a health
insurance policy (e.g. European Health Insurance Card
– EHIC).
Health Service
There is an ambulance service with an emergency room
in the Central Military Hospital Ružomberok (Ústredná
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IN CASE OF EMERGENCY CALL 112.
www.uvn.sk
Visa
The Catholic University in Ružomberok will provide
assistance, when required, in securing visas for incoming participants, according to the requirements of the
Erasmus Charter for Higher Education. Information and
assistance can be provided by the Foreign Relations and
Mobility Office staff.
Money
The official currency in the Slovak Republic is Euro (€)
and it is not possible to pay for services in other currencies. You can change your money at an exchange
office (Zmenáreň) which is more advantageous than
a bank (rates and fees are not very favourable there).
You can pay by credit card in most shops, however, it
is not common to pay this way in post offices or local
transport.
Catering
If you prefer, you can have meals in one of our student
canteens or in a restaurant. The prices for lunch range
from 2,60 € to 3,20 € (when using ISIC card you will
get a discount of at least 1 €/meal).You need to buy
lunch tickets or you can activate your student card to
work as a prepaid lunch card in our student canteens.
To place an order, you have to load your ISIC card
with cash at the Accommodation and Catering Facilities
Office or via internet banking. Please do not forget to
book your meal one day in advance.
You can buy a quick snack directly on campus (the
ground floor of the Faculty of Arts and Letters, the
Faculty of Education and the University Library).
For more information go to:
usz.ku.sk
Internet
Internet is available in all buildings of CU (class rooms,
corridors of the faculties, student houses, library etc.).
When you register at the university, you will get the
password to have access to CU WiFi with your own
devices (laptop, smartphone, or tablet).
Guide
Vojenská nemocnica) that is open 24/7. It is necessary
to bring a valid European Health Insurance Card (EHIC)
for medical treatment in the hospital.
Mobile Phone Operators
There are three mobile phone network operators in
Slovakia at present: Orange, T-mobile and O2 (Mostová
20, Podhora 10, A. Bernoláka 4). Each operator has a
local store in the centre of Ružomberok. We recommend you to buy a SIM card from one of the operators
mentioned. Starter kits cost around 12 €.
Post Offices
Main Post Office (Hlavná pošta)
Antona Bernoláka 3
Mon. – Fri.: 8:00 – 18:00
Sat.: 8:00 – 11:00
Post office in TESCO
Hrabovská cesta 5270
Mon. – Sun.: 9:00 – 19:00
www.posta.sk/en
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Indians Steakhouse and Pub (www.indianspub.sk),
Pizzeria da Andrea (www.utaliana.sk), Pizza Camino
(www.camino.sk), Koloseum (www.koloseumrestaurant.
sk), Laverna (www.laverna.sk), Hotel Áčko Restaurant
(www.hotelacko.sk), Hotel Kultúra Restaurant (www.hotelkultura.sk), Koliba u dobrého pastiera (www.kolibaupastiera.sk), Café Efekt (www.cafeefekt.sk), Café Passé
(www.passe.sk), Relax Club, People Lounge, Club 33
You can find current information on discos, concerts,
cinema, theatre and other cultural events on the following website:
www.ruzomberok.sk/sk/kalendar-akcii
Shopping
Besides various small shops in the centre of the town,
you can choose from several supermarkets (TESCO,
KAUFLAND, LIDL, BILLA, HYPERNOVA) or the retail park
Stop Shop area on Bystrická cesta.
Sightseeing
Culture House of Andrej Hlinka
(Kultúrny dom Andreja Hlinku)
The historical dominant of the pedestrian zone is the
Culture House of Andrej Hlinka. The object was built
in 1928 and it was named after Andrej Hlinka, an outstanding figure of our history, a priest and a native
from Černová who has a prominent place in the history
of fostering the Slovak national awareness.
Guide
Restaurants, clubs, disco, cinema
The majority of pubs, cafés and restaurants are situated in the centre of Ružomberok. If you are up for
dining out or going out for coffee, you can choose from
various kinds of restaurants and cafés that might differ
in the quality of the service, price, size or location.
A Daily Menu (“Denné menu”) consisting of two courses
is served in restaurants from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and
starts at the price of 3,50 €. The most favourite restaurants and cafés are:
Roman-Catholic church of St. Andrew
(Rímsko-katolícky kostol sv. Andreja)
The Roman-Catholic church of St. Andrew was built
in late Gothic style in 1585 and reconstructed in New
Roman style in 1902. There is an original Gothic baptistery (16th century) and significant artworks of the artists such as A. Belopotocký, J. Hanula and E. Massanyi
inside the church. Stained glass windows in the southern nave of the church were created by Ľudovít Fulla.
The church bell “Andrej” (1506) placed in the tower
is the oldest one in the Liptov region.
Liptov Museum (Liptovské múzeum)
The Liptov Museum in Ružomberok emerged as
an institution of Liptovská muzeálna spoločnosť
(The Liptov Museum Society) in 1912. The museum
is located in a building which was constructed by the
project of Vojtech Donner, a renowned architect from
Ružomberok. Museum exhibitions offer the visitor
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For opening time and more information see:
www.liptovskemuzeum.sk
Ľudovít Fulla Gallery (Galéria Ľudovíta Fullu)
In Ružomberok you can find an extended exposition
of the Slovak National Gallery presenting a valuable
collection of paintings, graphics, tapestries and commercial artworks of the national artist Ľudovít Fulla,
one of the most important figures of Slovak Modern Art.
The Gallery was opened in 1969. It is situated close
to the Liptov Museum.
Tips for Trips
Likava Castle
www.zamky.sk
The biggest castle of Liptov was built in 1315 when
Liptov became a part of the larger Zvolen district which
was administered from Pustý hrad near Zvolen. The
castle was owned by the Hunyady family, later by Ján,
the non-marital son of King Matej Korvín, in the 16th
century the owners were the Krušič family and in the
second half of the 16th century the Illesházy family.
Guide
a comprehensive picture of the living and non-living
nature of the Liptov region, significant archaeological finds and sites, its history from the earliest times
to the present. There are many expositions available
to the public, e.g. an exposition about the life and work
of Andrej Hlinka and other permanent exhibitions:
folklore, ethnography, history of Liptov 1948 – 1945,
history of paper-making, sacral art, geology, palaeontology, botany, zoology, archaeology, feudalisms and
guilds. All exhibitions are located in the main building
of the museum.
At the beginning of the 18th century, the castle was the
site of battles between the Rákoczi and the emperor‘s
armies during the uprisings of the estates. From 1707
the castle has been in ruins. Since 1980 archaeological
research and conservation works are being carried out.
There is a hiking trail from Ružomberok to the castle.
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Bešeňová, Thermal Spa
Vlkolínec
www.vlkolinec.sk
Vlkolínec is a picturesque village under the administration of the town of Ružomberok. Vlkolínec has been
listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1993, and
is one of ten Slovak villages that have been given the
status of folk architecture reservations. This status was
granted because the village is an untouched and complex example of folk countryside architecture ofthe region of the Northern Carpathians.
Veľký Choč
www.chocskevrchy.sk
Veľký Choč peak is one of the most scenic points
in Slovakia. In sunny weather it provides a wonderful
view ranging from the Polish border (Babia hora 1723
meters above sea level) in the north to Krížna and Low
Tatras in the south, Western and High Tatras in the
west and the summit of Malá Fatra Mountains (Veľký
Rozsutec 1610 meters) in the east.
Guide
Skipark Ružomberok, Malinô Brdo
www.skipark.sk
SKIPARK Centre in Ružomberok is situated on the
hillsides of Veľká Fatra Mountains above the town
Ružomberok, at altitudes of 545 to 1209 metres.
Distance from the centre of the town is 2 km. The
gate of the centre is Hrabovo, from where the cableway to Malinô Brdo leads. The town Ružomberok
forms a centre of the region of Lower Liptov, attractive
for tourists.
www.besenovanet.sk
The modern thermal baths Bešeňová which offer their
services all year long are situated about 12 km from
the town. The Spa uses geothermal water springs form
a depth of 1987 m with a temperature of 60,5 oC.
Lúčky, Medical Spa
www.kupele-lucky.sk
The Lúčky Spa is convenient for prevention and treatment of various diseases and also for people looking for
relaxation and rest from their everyday obligations and
stress. Moreover, visitors can choose from a number
of attractions offered.
For more advice and information on Ružomberok and its
surroundings please contact or visit the Tourist information centre:
Informačné centrum Ružomberok
Tourist Information Centre
A. Bernoláka 1, 034 01 Ružomberok
+421 44 432 10 96, +421 44 431 36 11
info@ruzomberok.sk
www.ruzomberok.sk
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Vocabulary
Thank you - Ďakujem
Please / You are welcome – Prosím
Not at all – Niet za čo
Here you are – Nech sa páči
Hello – Ahoj
Good morning – Dobré ráno
Good afternoon – Dobrý deň
Good evening – Dobrý večer
Good night – Dobrú noc
Goodbye / Bye – Dovidenia
I´m sorry / Pardon? – Prepáčte
I don´t speak Slovak – Nehovorím po slovensky
I do not understand – Nerozumiem
I need help – Potrebujem pomoc
What is your name? – Ako sa voláte?
My name is... – Volám sa...
Nice to meet you – Teší ma
I am from... / I come from – Pochádzam z...
I like... – Mám rád…
I study... – Študujem...
How do I get to... – Ako sa dostanem do...
Railway station – Železničná stanica
Train – Vlak
Bus station – Autobusová stanica
Bus – Autobus
Arrival/Departure – Príchod/Odchod
Where is...? / Where do I find...? – Kde je ....? / Kde sa
nachádza...?
Campus / Student hall – Internát
Café – Kaviareň
Restaurant – Reštaurácia
Grocery – Potraviny
Bakery – Pekáreň
Pharmacy – Lekáreň
Newsstand – Novinový stánok
Police – Polícia
Open/Closed – Otvorené/Zatvorené
How much is it? – Koľko to stojí?
Have you a table for... – Máte stôl pre... ľudí?
May I have the bill, please. – Účet, prosím.
Meals – Jedlá
Drinks - Nápoje
Main course – Hlavné jedlo
Breakfast – Raňajky
Lunch – Obed
Dinner – Večera
Water – Voda
Bread – Chlieb
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Yes – Áno
No – Nie
I do not know – Neviem
Maybe - Možno
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Price - Cena
one, two, three, four, five – jeden, dva, tri, štyri, päť
six, seven, eight, nine – šesť, sedem, osem, deväť
ten – desať
twenty, fifty – dvadsať, päťdesiať
a hundred, a thousand – sto, tisíc
Help! – Pomoc!
Stop! – Zastavte!
Call the doctor! – Zavolajte doktora!
Call the police! – Zavolajte políciu!
Where is the nearest hospital? – Kde je najbližšia
nemocnica?
Entrance – Vstup
Exit – Východ
Emergency Exit – Únikový východ
Useful Links and Phone Numbers
Emergency phone numbers
112
150
155
158
159
–
–
–
–
–
General Emergency
Fire Brigade
Ambulance
Police
Local Police
Useful links
The Catholic University official website:
Guide
Milk – Mlieko
Vegetable – Zelenina
Fruit – Ovocie
www.ku.sk
The Catholic University on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/katolickauniverzita
Ružomberok official website:
Liptov region official website:
Slovakia travel guide:
Travel connections:
www.ruzomberok.sk
www.liptov.sk
www.slovakia.org
www.slovensko.com
www.cp.sk
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6
7
2
4
3
1 Rector`s Office of the CU
2 Faculty of Education 1
3 Faculty of Education 2
4 Faculty of Arts and Letters
5 Faculty of Health
6 University Library
7 Railway Station
Bus Station
8 Ruža Student Hall
9 Saint Family Church in Rybárpole
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8
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2 1
3
5 4
6
7
8
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This publication has been funded with support from the European Commission.
This publication reflects the views of the author.
Text: Foreign Relations and Mobility Office of The Catholic University in Ružomberok
Photo: CU archive, Internet