FAQ

Nostrification is the process of evaluating (recognising) your previous education and ensuring that it meets all Czech legal standards allowing you to enter the chosen study program. There are three options:

Nostrification of your high school education is organised by individual faculties as the final part of the admission process. This is the easiest way for any applicant to Charles University. For more information, visit the faculty website or contact their Admission Office directly.

Recognition of higher (university) education is organised by the university Nostrification Office. This option is ideal for those who need the recognition to study at another Czech university or for the purpose of employment in Czechia. For more information, please contact directly the Nostrification Office at .

Lastly, you may use the services of any Czech Regional Authority to get your previous foreign education recognised (high school or university degree). This option is usually more time-consuming but it’s universally valid. Therefore, it is a good choice if you are applying to more than one Czech university or for the purpose of employment in Czechia.

IB (International Baccalaureate) and EB (European Baccalaureate) diplomas are considered equivalent to the Czech maturita and therefore do not require to be nostrified.

You can learn more about the nostrification here.

Charles University has five faculties of medicine, three of which are in Prague, one in Pilsen and one in Hradec Králové. Prague faculties are named based on the order in which they were established, so their number does not necessarily indicate their prestige, ranking or quality.

All our faculties are independent institutions of equal standing, each having its own facilities and Admissions Offices. They all offer study programmes in English and the awarded degrees are comparable. Their curricula are fully compatible with the current international standards and are accredited by the European Union.

All medical faculties offer entrance examination in Czechia and abroad through a network of agencies, some also offer online exams.

The key differences then come down to:

• teaching methods

• size of the student body

• student-staff ratio

• admissions criteria

• location

• tuition fees

You can check the faculty profile and the offered study programmes for more details.

Most of our faculties either allow you to complete the entrance exam online (via evaluation of submitted documents, interviews, or written tests) or, in case of medical and pharmeceutical faculties, through agencies operating all over the world. Please refer to the faculty profiles or admission criteria of the chosen study programme for further details.

Our goal is to offer the same study opportunity to everyone, regardless of their academic backgroud. To give a fair chance to all our applicants, we do not require any particular IB courses, IGCSE (A-levels, O-levels) or any other scores such as SAT etc. as mandatory. Instead, we focus on our in-house entrance exams or we simply evaluate your documents (CV, motivation letter, etc.) submitted during the admissions.

Some of our study programmes have minimum IB scores set among their admission criteria but applicants can always choose a different scores to submit.

For applicants

Scholarships at Charles University are organised by individual faculties and tied to specific study programmes:

• Faculty of Mathematics and Physics

• Faculty of Science: STARS (for Ph.D. only)

• First Faculty of Medicine: Federal Direct Loan Program via Federal Student Aid

• Faculty of Social Sciences:

  • Development Scholarships

  • GI Bill [for U.S. veterans only]

We'd like to encourage you to obtain further scholarships via means such as educational organisations, private beneficiaries, foundations, or through governmental scholarships offered by the Czech Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (MEYS). You can find an overview of scholarships on the Study in Czechia or Study in Prague websites.

For students

Scholarships and financial support for our full-degree students are organised by individual faculties. Most of them offer merit-based scholarships for outstanding students (after the first year of studies) or some other forms of tuition fee reductions. The exact amounts are always set by the internal regulations of the respective faculty.

CU scholarship and bursary rules

Majority of our students also work while studying which helps them to cover the living costs.

Yes, you can. If you are still working towards your high school or university diploma (or any other certificate), you can still apply for studies at Charles University. Unless specified otherwise, all the recognised documents must be submitted to the faculty by the enrolment date at the latest.

The rules governing admissions do not specify the term “transfer” (nor changing the focus/major of your studies). You would need to apply as a regular applicant, meet the admission requirements, and enter the first year. Only after that, you could eventually ask for the recognition of credits you have already received for identical courses elsewhere (based on your transcript). Their recognition cannot be guaranteed beforehand. Therefore, we recommend you to contact the chosen faculty and consult your options.

Medicine

Charles University has 5 independent faculties ("schools") of medicine. Only two of them allow transfers under very specific conditions:

Second Faculty of Medicine – TRANSFER CONDITIONS

Third Faculty of Medicine – TRANSFER CONDITIONS

Note that knowledge of the Czech language is required in higher years of study due to the clinical training in hospitals.

Charles University does not have one single central campus. Our facilities are located in four different cities – Prague, Pilsen, Hradec Králové, and Poděbrady. Although some of our 17 faculties (“schools” or “colleges”) have their own campuses, the dorms and canteens are spread around these university cities.

You can ask our student ambassadors for a tour of the faculty they are studying at or join the official Open Door Days. You can also stop by the CU Point, our contact place for information and services, or join any of the virtual office hours.

Currently, we do not offer any online degree programmes. Only some of our postgardaduate study programmes are available in a combined form (part distance learning, part in person).

Yes, you can! As a student, you have the right to work in the Czech Republic while you are studying. Remember that if you are a non-EU citizen, the purpose of your stay must remain as specified on your visa. For more information, visit our university website.

Charles University cooperates with other prestigeous universities worldwide. We encourage our students to study abroad and participate in exchange programmes during their studies. There are many options to choose from and we also provide financial support for all study abroad.

Depending on the chosen study programme, you are expected to fhave at least B2 or C1 level. Holding a fluent conversation is the key to passing the entrance exams. Don't forget to check the specific admission requirements or contact the faculty directly for any further questions.

There is no age restriction for Charles University applicants, regardless of the level of studies.

Yes! Our Carolina Centre helps students with special needs throughout their studies while faculties are able to accommodate even the needs of our applicants. From peer programmes, mentoring, and guidance to scholarships, individual study plans, and additional courses – we have it all. Just ask!