Student mobility

Admission of foreign students

TERTIARY PROFESSIONAL SCHOOLS

Majority of mobility opportunities carried out within the tertiary professional education are included in the section on Pupil and student mobility in early childhood and school education. If a tertiary professional school (vyšší odborná škola) is awarded the Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE), it can participate in learning mobility of individuals and/or cooperation for innovation and good practices under Erasmus+ Higher Education Programme.

HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

Czech higher education institutions (vysoké školy) offer study opportunities for foreign students. The Higher Education Act stipulates a general condition for this type of study, namely that applicants must have completed the upper secondary education with an examination equivalent to the Czech Maturita examination (maturitní zkouška). Admission to a master’s degree programme requires proper completion of a bachelor’s degree. Foreign students study under the same rules as Czech students. If they study in the Czech language at a public higher education institution, they do not pay tuition fees (unless they exceed the standard duration of studies by more than one additional year). If they study in a foreign language, the relevant fees are set by the higher education institution. However, a higher education institution may require foreign students to pay a fee for the admission proceedings. Graduates are awarded a Czech diploma corresponding to the study programme completed (Bachelor’s, Master’s, Doctoral).

Czech higher education institutions have the possibility to implement study programmes in cooperation with foreign higher education institutions. The Higher Education Act allows higher education institutions to award graduates who have completed these study programmes a Czech academic degree and, if relevant, also the academic degree of the foreign higher education institution pursuant to legislation applicable in the relevant country. The diploma includes the name of the cooperating foreign higher education institution and, if relevant, it may include the information that the foreign academic degree being awarded is a joint degree that is simultaneously awarded also at the foreign higher education institution.

The number of foreign students enrolled in higher education institutions in the Czech Republic exceeds 50 000 (source: Basics of HEIs statistics). Apart from that, additional foreign students come to the Czech Republic for short-term stays.

The Czech National Agency for International Education and Research (Dům zahraniční spolupráce), an allowance organisation of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, prepares numerous activities presented under the general title “Study in the Czech Republic”, aiming to provide information about the possibilities for studying at higher education institutions in the Czech Republic. These activities include preparation and distribution of information materials, cooperation with Czech embassies and Czech Centres abroad and information services for universities as well as managing a website studyin.cz. The website offers basic information about the Czech Republic, its higher education system, about study and life in the country and provides useful news. It is possible to download from the website a list of accredited programmes in foreign languages and printed materials in English, e.g. Higher Education Institutions.

Mobility of foreign students takes place within:

• Offers by higher education institutions

• European programmes

• Bilateral, intergovernmental and interministerial agreements

• Foreign development assistance

Offers by higher education institutions

• Courses for foreigners

• Higher education institutions offer specialised paid courses for foreign applicants, such as the one-term programme in East and Central European Studies at the Charles University. After completing the course, students receive a certificate of study (this is not a study programme for which an academic degree is awarded).

European programmes

Higher education institutions admit students for short-term study stay and internships. These study stays are often carried out within the Erasmus+ programme, the students can go on their own, provided that the home institution holds an ECHE, or within projects and grants. 

See the statistics on higher education incoming students to the Czech Republic at Erasmus+ Vysokoškolské vzdělávání – studenti přijíždějící do ČR (in Czech).

Admission of foreigners pursuant to bilateral, intergovernmental or interministerial agreements

Each year, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports offers scholarships to foreign nationals pursuant to bilateral intergovernmental or departmental agreements concluded with a number of countries. Scholarships are awarded to applicants who have been nominated by authorized authorities of given countries.

These scholarships are usually provided for a period ranging from 2 to10 months, depending on the specific agreement negotiated between the Czech government and the government of the given country. Scholarships are intended for students, graduates and doctoral students of higher education institutions, exceptionally also for researchers/ education staff from higher education institutions, who wish to complete a study or research stay at a Czech higher education institution. Scholarship holders may be admitted for study stays where they are enrolled in a study programme or a research stay, i.e. depending on their qualifications and preferences they either attend courses of their choice, or pursue their independent research activities at the host institution. The numbers of short term mobilities are registered in the Statistical Information System of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (in Czech).

Admission of foreigners as part of foreign development cooperation

Within the foreign development cooperation programme, the Czech Government offers scholarships to foreigners from countries receiving development assistance provided by the Czech Republic. Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Ethiopia, Cambodia, Moldova, Ukraine and Zambia are currently involved in the programme. The scholarship is awarded to support study in the Czech language (for follow-up Master's degree programmes), to support study in English (for selected follow-up Master's and Doctoral study programmes), and to annual language and professional training of those who applied for a scholarship to study in the Czech language.

Government Scholarships at public higher education institutions are awarded pursuant to a government resolution in a joint project of the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The scholarships offered are announced annually via Czech embassies. After previous Strategy for Granting Government Scholarships for Students from Developing Countries in 2013–2018 a new The Strategy of Programme for Granting Development Scholarships in 2019–2024 was approved in 2019 and in line with it a new methodology was prepared. The scholarship offer was announced only for the year 2022/2023, not for the academic year 2020/2021.

A limited number of scholarships are also available to students from developing countries who submit their applications to the respective National Commissions for UNESCO.

Additional information about study opportunities in the Czech Republic is available on the websites of the Czech National Agency for International Education and Research and the websites of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports or via Czech embassies in the respective countries.

Summer Schools of Slavonic Studies

Every year, courses of Czech language, literature, history and culture are organised (so called Summer Schools of Slavonic Studies) at six public higher education institutions in the Czech Republic (University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, Masaryk University in Brno, Charles University in Prague, Palacký University in Olomouc, Charles University – Institute for Language and Preparatory Studies in Poděbrady and University of West Bohemia in Pilsen). Foreign students and teachers of Czech and other Slavonic languages predominate among the participants.

Pursuant to bilateral international agreements, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MEYS) offers scholarships for participation in these courses to applicants from countries all over the world. The offer is announced via Czech Embassies. Applicants are selected by authorised bodies of the involved countries, or alternatively by embassies of the Czech Republic abroad which submit the nominations to the MEYS by 31 March of the given calendar year. Czech Embassies in the given countries can provide advice and additional information. The scholarship includes free of charge instruction, accommodation, meals and excursions, in particular cases some countries also provide a financial allowance.

In addition to scholarship holders, an applicant wishing to cover the participation costs themselves may also register for the courses. In that case, applications shall be submitted to the relevant higher education institution, which will afterwards decide about the admission of the applicant.

Programme to Support Czech Cultural Heritage Abroad

Czech compatriots can enrol via Czech embassies in one- or two-term courses, which mainly focus on instruction of Czech language and literature and on history, ethnology, history of art and possibly theology. The courses usually take place at Faculties of Arts at universities in the Czech Republic. Admitted students receive a scholarship and are entitled to the same accommodation and meals as Czech students. After completing the course they receive a certificate.

Study stays of Czech students abroad

TERTIARY PROFESSIONAL SCHOOLS

See information in section Admission of foreign students.

HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

Higher education institutions (vysoké školy) offer their students enrolled in Bachelor’s, Master’s and also doctoral degree programmes study/research stays at higher education institutions abroad. Students use opportunities to study at universities abroad on practically all continents. Besides European countries, higher education institutions in North and South America, Asia, Africa and Australia are involved.

Mobility of Czech students takes place within:

• cooperation between universities or faculties

• international/development programmes

• intergovernmental or interministerial agreements

• research, scientific and other projects

Cooperation between universities or faculties

Interuniversity cooperation is based on bilateral agreements concluded to support student mobility (study stays, study visits, summer language courses).

Interfaculty cooperation is based on an agreement between a faculty of a higher education institution and a foreign university.

These stays may be covered by scholarships, but this is not always the case. It is possible to use support from university or faculty scholarship funds or from the resources of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (Institutional Programme).

International cooperation

Higher education institutions ensure international cooperation within programmes such as Erasmus+, CEEPUS (focuses on multilateral cooperation between countries of Central and Eastern Europe), Aktion Czech Republic – Austria (a programme aimed at cooperation in science and research between the Czech Republic and Austria), EEA Grants. The programmes are both for the Czech students studying abroad and for foreign students from countries which participate in these programmes.

Erasmus+

An important tool for ensuring cooperation between higher education institutions is the Erasmus+ programme. The programme allows for mobility of students via study stays and practical traineeships (work placements for graduates can also be realised). The student can go by himself/herself, provided that the home institution holds an ECHE, or within projects and grants

See the statistics on higher education students going outside the Czech Republic at Erasmus+ Vysokoškolské vzdělávání – studenti vyjíždějící z ČR (in Czech).

The Erasmus+ programme also includes cooperation with countries outside Europe.

Recognition of education and qualifications in tertiary education

Recognition of foreign higher education is regulated by the Higher Education Act However, in some cases the Convention on the Recognition of Qualifications concerning Higher Education in the European Region which was adopted in Lisbon in 1997 (the Lisbon Convention) takes precedence over the Higher Education Act. This is a situation when the Czech Republic has not signed a bilateral equivalence agreement with a party to the Lisbon Convention. Pursuant to the Lisbon Convention, an application may only be rejected if the degree programmes differ substantially and everything is properly justified. For the Lisbon Convention see the website of the Council of Europe (in English).

The procedure pursuant to the Higher Education Act is outlined below.

In cases when the Czech Republic is bound by an international agreement with the country in which the foreign higher education institution (vysoká škola) is established and recognised (the Ministry is authorised by the agreement to recognise education), a graduate of a foreign higher education institution may ask the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MEYS) to recognise his/her higher education or a part thereof.

If there is no agreement between the countries, the graduate may apply for the recognition of his/her higher education to a public higher education institution which carries out a degree programme with a similar content. The public higher education institution issues a certificate based on the knowledge of the quality of the foreign higher education institution in question or based on the extent of knowledge and skills certified by the higher education qualification. The same applies analogously to individual examinations taken at the higher education institutions abroad, where this is not a joint degree programme with a partner higher education institution.

Decisions on the recognition of higher education and qualification acquired abroad are made by the rector on behalf of the public higher education institution. The documents that are required for recognition include the original or a certified copy of the diploma, report/certificate or a similar document issued by the foreign higher education institution, or alternatively an original or a certified copy of a diploma supplement and supplementary information confirming that the degree programme was carried out by an institution authorised to provide comparable education as well as information on the content of the higher education received abroad. If necessary, a certified translation of the documents is to be attached.

Unless the international agreements state otherwise, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports or a public higher education institution may require the authenticity of the signatures and stamps on the original documents issued by the foreign higher education institution to be verified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country in which the higher education institution that issued the document is based, or by a relevant foreign body and the relevant embassy of the Czech Republic.

In case of doubting the existence of a similar degree programme at higher education institutions in the Czech Republic, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (Department of Higher Education) may decide on recognition itself. The Ministry is also the appellate body for rejected applications.

In case of an individual who has been granted international protection in the form of asylum or subsidiary protection in the Czech Republic or any other member state of the European Union, or who – based on the Czech Republic’s international commitments – must be regarded as a refugee or a displaced person or a person in a situation similar to that of refugees, the proof of education and the verification of authenticity may be replaced with an affidavit.

For more information see the website of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports.

The amendment to the Higher Education Act (2016) newly regulates the conditions for the admission of applicants into a Bachelor’s or a Master’s programme that does not follow a Bachelor’s programme. This concerns applicants who completed upper secondary education abroad.

Academic staff mobility

TERTIARY PROFESSIONAL SCHOOLS

Similarly as students, also teachers and other staff of tertiary professional schools (vyšší odborné školy) can participate in activities within the Erasmus+ programme. The application for grant support is submitted by the organisation. If the school receives the Erasmus Charter for Higher Education (ECHE),  it can also take part in the mobility for higher education .Erasmus+ Programme for Higher Education.

HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS

Similarly to student mobility, the international mobility of academic and non-academic staff of public higher education institutions (vysoké školy) is among the priorities of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MEYS) that are set out in the Strategic Plan of the Ministry for Higher Education for the Period from 2021 and its annex Strategy for the Internationalisation of Higher Education for the Period from 2021, where the goals and tasks are further elaborated. Under the Priority 4, the strategic plan emphasises the need to strengthen the internationalisation of the HEIs´ environment, inter alia, by increasing the number of foreign staff, setting rules for the mobility of academic staff, including organisational support for the mobility of academic and non-academic staff, increasing the share of these staff who have completed studies or professional experience abroad. 

Mobility within the research activities is also mentioned in the National Research, Development and Innovation Policy of the Czech Republic for 2021+. One of the objectives of this policy is to support the involvement of research teams in Horizon Europe, mutual international mobility and international cooperation of research organisations and enterprises.

Mobility of academic staff takes place within:

• Agreements between universities or faculties

• International cooperation programmes

• International agreements

• Research and other projects financed by grants, and programmes focusing on supporting scientific projects

Agreements between higher education institutions / faculties

The conclusion of agreements between universities or faculties is fully in the competence of the individual higher education institutions and faculties. Agreements are often concluded on the basis of specific cooperation themes proposals. The sending higher education institution usually contributes to travel expenses, whereas expenses related to the stay are paid by the host institution. Pursuant to international agreements and programmes, higher education institutions also admit foreign academic staff.

International cooperation programmes

Erasmus+

Stays of academic staff are also carried out within the Erasmus+ programme, especially for teaching visits and short training courses. 

See the statistics on outgoing and incoming staff at Erasmus+ Vysokoškolské vzdělávání – pracovníci vyjíždějící z ČR a Erasmus+ Vysokoškolské vzdělávání – pracovníci přijíždějící do ČR. 

EEA and Norway Grants

Three non-EU member states (Iceland, the Principality of Liechtenstein and the Kingdom of Norway) established the European Economic Area (EEA) Grants. In addition, the Kingdom of Norway established a separate grant. The main mission of the projects funded via grants is to reduce social and economic disparities in Europe and to strengthen bilateral contacts and mutual co-operation. In April 2017, the second phase of the "School Cooperation and Scholarship Programme" was completed. In September 2017, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed for the new periods of the European Economic Area (EEA) and Norwegian Funds between the Czech Republic and the donor states of Norway, Liechtenstein and Iceland. In November 2018 within the EEA Grants 2014–2021, the Programme Agreement for the programme Education was signed between the Ministry of Finance and the donor states. Four activities are offered within the programme Education: projects of institutional cooperation, mobility projects, VET projects and inclusive education projects.

CEEPUS

Activities within CEEPUS – the Central European Exchange Programme for University Studies focus on supporting regional cooperation in higher education. The programme is intended for higher education students, including doctoral students and education staff of higher education institutions. The support is intended for academic staff with a full-time contract. Another condition is the necessity to teach at least 6 lessons during 5 working days. The CEEPUS financial contribution is always paid by the host country (the contribution varies depending on the member state of the programme). Travel expenses on stays abroad can be paid by their home higher education institution.

AKTION Czech Republic – Austria

Aktion is a programme aimed at promoting bilateral cooperation in education and science. It supports cooperation between the Czech Republic and Austria. The programme provides scholarships to public higher education institutions for study and scientific stays and for participation in summer language and professional schools. It supports for example projects for institutional cooperation between educational institutions. Academic staff of public higher education institutions can apply for a one-month scholarship that covers all costs.

Central European Initiative University Network

The Czech Republic is a member state of the University Network of the Central European Initiative (CEI UniNet) which promotes regional cooperation of European higher education institutions, including e.g. student and education staff mobility.

Visegrad Scholarships Programmes

The Visegrad Scholarship Programme offers scholarships for post-graduate study/research which can be realised at higher education institutions or the Academy of Sciences in the V4 countries, or possibly in other countries. For more information about the types of scholarships and the countries in which the stays can take place, see Student mobility. The Visegrad Fund also offers other possibilities of cooperation.

Programme to Support Czech Cultural Heritage Abroad

Within the programme to support Czech cultural heritage, the Czech language and literature are taught abroad, particularly at universities, within Slavic philology departments as a part of the faculties of art. The Ministry of Education decides on the number and location for Czech language and literature education abroad. Decisions on the selection of new lectors are made by a committee composed of representatives of the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and experts on Czech studies. The teachers of Czech language and literature must have a master’s or doctoral degree, preferably in the Czech language, and practical experience in teaching the Czech language is an advantage. They are usually sent abroad under international agreements. It is possible to go to a foreign higher education institution offering the study of the Czech language and literature.

International agreements

The Czech Republic has international agreements with a number of countries. These are concluded by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports and include an offer of scholarship stays abroad. They specify the number of places, length of stays, requirements for applicants etc. The offer of scholarship stays abroad, which is based on international agreements, is published by the Academic Information Agency (AIA) on its website.

Centralised development programmes and Institutional programmes for public higher education institutions

Higher education institutions can use centralised development programmes as a source for financing academic staff mobility. Centralised development programmes are announced annually by the Ministry of Education. The focus of the projects must be in line with the Strategic Plan of the Ministry for Higher Education for the period from 2021; the Strategic Plan includes support for both student and academic staff mobility.

Furthermore, a higher education institution may also receive financial resources from Institutional programmes that are announced by the Ministry of Education. As a prerequisite, the higher education institution must create an institutional plan that is in line with the priorities set by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports in its strategic documents.

Scientific cooperation

Many foreign visits of academic staff are carried out within scientific cooperation. These visits are financed by grants aimed at specific research projects. The main grant providers in the Czech Republic are the Czech Science Foundation (GACR), the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic (TACR) and individual ministries.

Czech scientists can also apply for scholarships provided for a specific research project by foreign programmes. For example, the Fulbright Program focuses on cooperation between the U.S. and the Czech Republic. The German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) offers research stays for education staff of the higher education institutions and for scientists.

The Euraxess Czech Republic Service Centre has been set up at the Czech Academy of Sciences to support the mobility of researchers. The centre is part of the EURAXESS European Network of Services Centres and aims to provide the information and services necessary for realising the stays of international researchers in the Czech Republic and also of Czech researchers abroad. A network of regional cooperating points has been created at higher education institutions. The project is supported by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports under the EUPRO programme.

Czech Liaison Office for Education and Research in Brussels CZELO provides information on EU programmes for research and education.

Other possibilities for cooperation – Foundations

Mobility is also supported by some foundations, e.g. travel scholarships for young researchers are included in the annual programmes of some Czech foundations such as the Czech Literary Fund Foundation and the Josef, Marie and Zdeněk Hlávka Fund.