Often overlooked by many students who want to study abroad, the Czech Republic is a fascinating and welcoming country. Home to the oldest university in Central Europe (The Charles University in Prague), the Czech Republic is a heaven for students, welcoming around 35,000 internationals each year.
Universities have been increasing their number of English-taught degrees and the best part is tuition fees and living costs are low, if you compare them with more popular study locations in Europe.
Find Masters in the Czech Republic
1. The Czech Republic has top-ranked universities
Some of the world’s best universities can be found in the Czech Republic and the following are present in the QS World Rankings and the Times Higher Education Rankings:
- Charles University
- Czech Technical University of Prague
- Masaryk University
- University of Chemistry and Technology Prague
- Palacký University Olomouc
In these Czech universities and many others, you can apply to Bachelor's and Master's degrees in popular fields like:
2. Enjoy low tuition fees and living costs in the Czech Republic
- If you have very good knowledge of the Czech language, you can study for free in public universities, because degrees taught in Czech don’t require any tuition fee.
- For English-taught degrees, the average tuition in public universities ranges from 0 to 20,110 EUR/year, depending on the university and specialisation.
- The price for tuition is the same for both EU/EAA and non-EU/EEA students.
- Tuition is usually higher in private universities, which can set any fee they want.
In the Czech Republic, living costs are definitely cheaper when compared to most countries in Western Europe. On average, students spend between 315 and 675 EUR/month for all expenses, including accommodation, food, transportation and social activities.
3. It's simple to apply to a university in the Czech Republic
To increase your chances of being admitted, you should apply to more than one university or choose several similar programmes at the same university. The application process is quite easy and straightforward, you will just need to follow these steps:
- Complete an online application form on the university website
- Pay the application fee (around 20 EUR for Czech degrees and 50 EUR for English degrees)
- Undertake an entrance examination (if required)
For instance, economics/business universities ask for Math and Czech/English language exams. Although the exams are held at the institutions' facilities, some universities accept international English language degrees and/or international exams.
Entry requirements for Czech universities
For Bachelor's degrees
You will first have to send your high school diploma to the Czech Ministry of Education, where the admission committee will check your qualifications. If your diploma is not recognised, you will be sent an invitation to take an oral test on the subjects needed.
For Master's degrees
If you’re interested in pursuing a Master’s degree, you should know that most universities will accept candidates that have completed their Bachelor’s degree in the same field or a related discipline.
Read Marianne's story and find out more about studying abroad in the Czech Republic.
4. The great teaching style and assessment in Czech universities
For each study field, you will be awarded a number of credits that represent the number of study hours you spend for completing the course. Universities in the Czech Republic follow the Bologna system, and as the country is part of the EU, they all use the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) or a system compatible with ECTS.
Types of assessment include a combination of the following:
- Credits
- Graded credits (an evaluation of how the student has managed to meet the requirements of the credit)
- Oral/written examination
At some universities or for certain degree programmes, you will have to undertake partial examinations during the semester or at the end of the module – part of a continuous assessment.
To have the right to sit at the final exams of each semester, students should complete the requirements for continuous assessment before the final exams.
The teaching style in Czech universities involves lectures, seminars, exercises, laboratory work and practical work. Attendance at lectures is set by each university but mostly, participation in seminars is mandatory.
Find Bachelors in the Czech Republic
5. Ready for the most fun of your life in the Czech Republic?
The Czech Republic is a fascinating and uniquely beautiful country, where you can visit several cultural attractions and also enjoy splendid natural landscapes. Home to numerous medieval castles and great spa resorts, the Czech Republic is a place that combines the fairy tale atmosphere with a modern and urban flair.
In Prague, you can admire the Astronomical Clock on the Old Town Square, the Charles Bridge, and the Prague Castle, listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the largest ancient castle in the world.
In Brno, you should check out a fantastic science museum and Vila Tugendaht, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Apart from these, Brno is a city of coffee, also hosting the Coffee festival, because there is literally a café or coffee shop at every corner.
Hradec has many lovely parks and organises plenty of music festivals, while Olomuc gathers a large number of students, so most of the services are based on students’ needs.
Last but not least, if you love beer, you’ll love spending your free time in the Czech Republic; the country takes pride in brewing over twenty types of beer, so it is no wonder Czech people are the world’s heaviest consumers of beer.
Studying in the Czech Republic is worthwhile
So, you have an affordable lifestyle, low tuition and a wide range of study programmes to choose from, and to all of these you can add tons of social and cultural activities. Whether you choose Prague, Brno or other city in the Czech Republic as your temporary home, the fairy tale atmosphere provided by medieval architecture will make sure you'll have the most amazing study experience.