INSTITUTION
TYPES & CREDENTIALS
Types of higher education
institutions:
Univerzita
(University)
Vysoké
učení technické (Technical University)
Vysoká
škola ekonomická (University of Economics)
Vysoká
škola chemicko-technologická (Institute of Chemical Technology)
Vysoká
škola polytechnická (College of Polytechnics)
Vysoká
škola uměleckoprůmyslová (Academy of Arts, Architecture
and Design)
Technická
univerzita (Technical University)
Akademie (Academy)
Vysoká
škola (Institute, College, School)
Vyšši
odborná škola (Tertiary Professional School)
School leaving and higher
education credentials:
Maturitní
vysvědčení
Diplomavaný specialista
Bakalář
Bakalář
umění
Doktor
medicíny
Doktor
veterinární medicíny
Zubní
lékař
Inženýr
Inženýr
architekt
Magistr uměni
Magistr
Doktor
Doktor farmacie
Doktor filozofie
Doktor práv
Doktor
přírodních věd
Doktor teologie
Licentiát
teologie
STRUCTURE
OF EDUCATION SYSTEM
Pre-higher
education:
Duration
of compulsory education:
Age of
entry: 6
Age of
exit: 15
Structure of school system:
Basic
Type of
school providing this education: Basic School (2 stages: 1-5, 6-9)
Length
of program in years: 9
Age
level from: 6 to: 15
Certificate/diploma awarded: Vysvědčení
(Primary School Leaving Certificate)
General Secondary
Type of
school providing this education: General School (Gymnásium) (admission
after 5th year of basic school)
Length
of program in years: 8
Age
level from: 11 to: 19
Certificate/diploma awarded: Vysvědčení
o maturitní zkoušce (Secondary School Leaving Certificate)
General Secondary
Type of
school providing this education: General school (Gymnásium) (admission
after 7th year of basic school)
Length
of program in years: 6
Age
level from: 13 to: 19
Certificate/diploma awarded: Vysvědčení
o maturitní zkoušce (Secondary School Leaving Certificate)
Academic Secondary
Type of
school providing this education: Gymnázium (General Secondary School)
Length
of program in years: 4
Age
level from: 15 to: 19
Certificate/diploma awarded: Vysvědčení
o maturitní zkoušce (Secondary School Leaving Certificate)
Technical Secondary
Type of
school providing this education: Střední odborná škola
(Secondary technical school)
Length
of program in years: 4
Age
level from: 15 to: 19
Certificate/diploma awarded: Vysvědčení
o maturitní zkoušce (Secondary School Leaving Certificate)
Technical Secondary
Type of
school providing this education: Konzervatoř (Conservatory) - A special
category of secondary technical schools (dance) - Admission after 5th year of
basic school
Length
of program in years: 8
Age
level from: 11 to: 19
Certificate/diploma awarded: Vysvědčení
o absolutoriu (Final certificate "absolutorium") + diplom (Diploma)
or Vysvědčení o maturitní zkoušce (Secondary
School Leaving Certificate)
Technical Secondary
Type of
school providing this education: Konzervatoř (Conservatory) - A special
category of secondary technical schools (music, drama)
Length
of program in years: 6
Age
level from: 15 to: 21
Certificate/diploma awarded: Vysvědčení
o absolutoriu (Final certificate "absolutorium") + diplom (Diploma)
or Vysvědčení o maturitní zkoušce (Secondary
School Leaving Certificate)
Vocational Secondary
Type of
school providing this education: Středni odborné
učiliště (Secondary Vocational/Technical School)
Length
of program in years: 4
Age
level from: 15 to: 19
Certificate/diploma awarded: Vysvědčení
o maturitní zkoušce (Secondary School Leaving Certificate)
Vocational Secondary
Type of
school providing this education: Středni odborné
učiliště (2- or 3-year Secondary Vocational School)
Length
of program in years: 3
Age
level from: 15 to: 18
Certificate/diploma awarded: Výuční
list (Vocational Certificate)
Professional
Type of
school providing this education: Vyšší odborné
školy (Tertiary Professional Schools - 3 years' study and 3.5 in medical
fileds)
Length
of program in years: 3
Age
level from: 19 to: 21
Certificate/diploma
awarded: Vysvědčení
o absolutoriu (Final certificate "absolutorium") + diplom (Diploma),
the graduates are awarded the title of diplomovaný specialista (Dis.).
School
education:
Primary education lasts for nine years
divided into two stages of five and four years respectively. It leads to a
Vysvědčení. Secondary education comprises three main types of
schools: secondary general schools (gymnasium), secondary technical schools and
secondary vocational schools. Gymnasiums prepare for study at higher education
institutions and for professions. The secondary technical schools and 4-year
courses or three-year follow-up courses at secondary vocational schools prepare
students for a wide range of professions, as well as for studies at higher
education institutions. All these studies culminate in the passing of the
Maturitní zkouška/Maturita. The 2-year and 3-year courses at the
vocational schools prepare students for professional activities.
Higher
education:
Tertiary professional schools, even though
they are not part of higher education belong to tertiary education and offer
professional education leading to a diploma, mostly in economics and health
care. Higher education institutions can be of university and non-university
type. The non-university higher education institutions usually offer Bachelor
study programmes and, if accredited, master study programmes. They are not
allowed to provide doctoral study programmes. University-type higher education
institutions offer Bachelor, Master and in most case also Doctoral study
programmes. Higher education institutions offer courses in the Humanities,
Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, Engineering, Medicine and Pharmacy, and
Theology, as well as in Economics, Veterinary Medicine, and Agriculture,
Teacher Training and Arts. They are public, state or private institutions.
Public institutions are financed by the state budget through the Ministry of
Education, Youth and Sports. The private institutions can be partially financed
by the State. The Czech higher education system also includes 2 state higher
education institutions (the University of Defence and the Police Academy) which
are financed by the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of the Interior. All
higher education institutions provide accredited study programmes which are
assessed by the Accreditation Commission. Important partners of the Ministry of
Education in all decisions concerning higher education are the Czech Rectors'
Conference and the Council of Higher Education Institutions.
Main
laws/decrees governing higher education:
Decree:
Higher
Education Institutions Act No. 111 Year: 1998
Concerns:
all
higher education institutions
Academic
year:
Classes
from: Sep to: Aug
Long
vacation from: Jun
to: Sep
Languages
of instruction: Czech,
English, German
Stages
of studies:
Non-university level post-secondary studies
(technical/vocational type):
Non-university
level:
Tertiary professional
schools offer three-year professional education, including vocational training
(3.5 years in medical branches), leading to a diploma. The documents certifying
the achievement of tertiary professional education are the Absolutorium Report
and the Diploma.
University level studies:
University
level first stage:
Bachelor
studies (bakalářské studium):
The Bachelor study programme usually takes
three to four years and covers all the main disciplines, except Medicine,
Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine, Pharmacy, Law and some other fields. The
programme aims at providing a qualification to both practise a profession and
continue studying in a master's programme. This cycle leads to the academic
degree of "bakalář" (Bc.) or "bakalář
umění" (BcA.) in the field of Arts. Students must sit for a
state final examination, part of which is usually the defence of the Bachelor
thesis.
University
level second stage:
Master
studies (magisterské studium):
The Master programme lasts from one to three
years after the Bachelor. In Medicine, Dentistry, Veterinary Medicine, Pharmacy
and Law, where there are no Bachelor studies, the Master programme lasts from 4
to 6 years (Medicine, Veterinary Medicine: 6 years; Dentistry, Law, Teacher
Training for secondary schools: 5 years; Teacher Training for the first stage
of basic school: 4 years). Graduates in the Humanities, Education and Social
Sciences, Natural Sciences, Pharmacy, Theology and Law are awarded the academic
degree of "magistr" (Mgr.), "magistr umění"
(MgA.) in Arts, "inženýr" (Ing.) in Engineering,
Economics, Agriculture and Chemistry and military fields,
"inženýr architekt" (Ing.arch.) in Architecture,
"doktor medicíny" (MUDr.) in Medicine, "zubní
lékař" (MDDr.) in Dentistry, "doktor veterinární
medicíny" (MVDr.) in Veterinary Medicine. At the end of this stage,
students must sit for a State final examination part of which is composed of
the defence of a diploma thesis. In Medicine, Dentistry and Veterinary
Medicine, they must sit for the "státní
rigorózní zkouška (State Rigorosum examination). The holders
of the degree of "magistr" can sit for a State Rigorosum examination
in the same field and defend a thesis to acquire the academic degree of
"doktor práv" (JUDr.) in Law , "doktor filosofie"
(PhDr.) in the Humanities, Education and Social Sciences, "doktor
přírodních věd" (RNDr.) in natural sciences,
"doktor farmacie" (PharmDr.) in Pharmacy, "doktor teologie"
(ThDr.) or "licenciát teologie" (ThLic.) in Theology. The
abbreviations of all the academic degrees mentioned above are written before
the name.
University
level third stage:
Doctoral
studies (doktorské studium):
The third and highest
level of higher education consists in studies for the Doctorate under the
guidance of a tutor. The programme comprises scientific research and
independent study. The programme usually lasts between three and four years.
Holders of a Master's Degree (Mgr., MgA., Ing., Ing.arch., MUDr., MDDr., MVDr.)
may apply. Studies lead to the academic degree of "doktor" (Ph.D.) or
"doktor teologie" (Th.D.) in the field of Theology. The abbreviations
are written behind the name. Studies end with the State Doctoral examination
and the defence of a dissertation.
Teacher education:
Training
of pre-primary and primary/basic school teachers
Basic school teachers are trained at
Faculties of Education. Teachers of the first stage of primary school follow a
four-year course, those for the second stage follow a five-year course
combining two subjects. Those specialized in Music Education are usually
graduates of four-year or six-year conservatories.
Training
of secondary school teachers
Secondary general school and secondary
technical school teachers are trained in Faculties of Education, Arts,
Philosophy, Natural Sciences, Mathematics and Physics, Physical Education and
Sports, as well as in Technical, Economic and Agricultural Faculties. They
obtain their qualifications through Master's degree courses.
Training
of higher education teachers
Higher education
institution teachers must hold an academic degree awarded after having
successfully completed the Master study programme, and usually hold a degree of
"kandidát věd" (before 2001) or "doktor",
abbreviated as "Ph.D.". Academic staff members may be appointed to
the following ranks: profesor (professor), docent (associate professor),
odborný asistent (senior assistant), asistent (assistant) and lektor
(lecturer). Docents (associate professor) in a specific field are appointed by
the Rector on the basis of the habilitation procedure. Professors in a specific
field are appointed by the President of the Czech Republic according to the
procedure for the appointment of a professor.
Non-traditional studies:
Distance
higher education
Four distance education centres in Prague,
Liberec, Brno and Olomouc have been established. Some non-governmental
educational institutions, such as J.A. Comenius and the Open University Fund
also offer distance education. The National Centre for Distance Education was
established in 1995 as a department of the Centre for Higher Education Studies.
Lifelong
higher education
Czech higher education
institutions have been offering adult education for over a century. Several
institutions, centres or institutes of lifelong learning have been established
which offer a whole range of educational activities to enable participants to
upgrade their qualifications, re-qualify or follow up special interests. In
the sphere of adult education, a number of higher education institutions
cooperate with foreign universities in various fields, and more especially in
Management and Languages. Universities of the Third Age have been created in
sixteen faculties and cover a large range of subjects.
NATIONAL
BODIES
Administration
& co-ordination:
Responsible
authorities:
Ministerstvo
školství, mládeže a tělovýchovy (Ministry
of Education, Youth and Sports)
Head: Petra Buzková,
Minister
Administrative officer:
Vladimír Ševela, Director
International relations:
Jindøich Friè, Director
Ul.
Karmelitská 7
118 12 Praha 1
Czech Republic
Tel: +420 257 193111
Fax: +420 257 193753
EMail: info@msmt.cz
WWW: http://www.msmt.cz
Role of
governing body: Responsible
for the administration and the financing of higher education institutions
Rada vysokých
škol (Council of Higher Education Institutions)
Head: František Ježek,
President
José
Martího 31
162 52 Praha 6 - Veleslavín
Czech Republic
Tel: +420 220 560221
Fax: +420 220 560221
EMail: arvs@ftvs.cuni.cz
WWW: http://www.radavs.cz
Česká
konference rektorů (Czech Rectors' Conference)
Administrative officer: Marie
Fojtíková, Secretary-General
Masaryk
University
Nám. Žerotínovo 9
60177 Brno
Czech Republic
Tel: +420 549 491121
Fax: +420 549 491122
EMail: fojtikova@muni.cz
WWW: http://crc.muni.cz
Role of
governing body: Represents
the universities in their dealings with the Ministry
Akreditační
komise, MŠMT (Accreditation Commission, Ministry of Education, Youth and
Sports)
Head: Miroslav Liška,
President
Ul.
Karmelitská 7
118 12 Praha 1
Czech Republic
Tel: +420 257 193457
Fax: +420 257 193457
WWW: http://www.msmt.cz
ADMISSIONS
TO HIGHER EDUCATION
Admission
to university-level studies
Name of
secondary school credential required: Maturitní vysvědčení
For
entry to: all
higher education institutions
Numerus
clausus/restrictions: The
number of students is limited by the capacity of each institution or faculty.
Other
admission requirements: An
entrance examination or interview may be required in all higher education
institutions.The decision on admission at the study programme level is made by
the Dean, the decision on admission at the higher education institution level
is made by the Rector. In higher education institutions specialized in Arts
study, including Architecture, and in faculties of Education and Sport, part
of the entrance examination is called "talentová zkouška"
(talent examination).
Foreign
students admission
Definition
of foreign student: A
foreign student is a person enrolled at a Czech higher education institution
who is not a permanent resident of the Czech Republic.
Quotas:
None
Admission
requirements: The
Secondary-School-Leaving Certificate must either originate from a state with
which the Czech Republic has agreements on the equivalence of diplomas for
university entrance or be validated by the Regional School Authorities
(školská oddělení krajských úřadů).
Entry
regulations: Entry
regulations are governed by Act no.326 of 30 November 1999 on Residence of
Aliens in the Territory of the Czech Republic. The text of this Act and
applications for permission to reside in the Czech Republic can be found at
http://www.mvcr.cz/inf_turi/english/index.html.
Health
requirements: Health
certificate required.
Language
requirements: Foreign
students who do not have adequate knowledge of the Czech language can follow a
basic one-year course. Information is available at
http://www.cuni.cz/cuni/ujop. Some faculties teach several courses in English
or German.
Recognition
of studies & qualifications:
Studies
pursued in home country (System of recognition/accreditation): The study programmes
of all higher education institutions are subject to accreditation. Accreditation
is conferred by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports which decides on
the basis of the Accreditation Commission statement.
Studies
pursued in foreign countries (bodies dealing with recognition of foreign
credentials):
Centrum pro studium vysokého
školství - Středisko pro ekvivalenci dokladů o
vzdělání (Centre for Equivalence of Documents about
Education)
Head: Štépánka
Skuhrová
Centre
for Higher Education Studies
U Lužického semináře 13
118 00 Praha 1
Czech Republic
Tel: +420 257 530500
Fax: +420 257 531672
EMail: skuhrova@csvs.cz
WWW: http://www.naric.cz
Deals
with credential recognition for entry to: University
Services
provided & students dealt with: Provision of information, advisory services
for decision-makers, evaluation of diplomas at the request of decision-makers.
Special
provisions for recognition:
For
access to university level studies: The relevant regional school authority
(školské oddělení krajského úřadu)
is competent to confirm the equivalence of secondary-school-leaving
certificates obtained abroad with the "maturitní
vysvědčení" if there are bilateral agreements between
the Czech Republic and the countries of origin of the documents. It can also
establish the nostrification of the documents if there are no agreements.
For
access to advanced studies and research: Recognition of higher education diplomas
obtained abroad is the responsibility of public higher education institutions,
which have similar or equal study programmes. In some special cases,
recognition is provided by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports.
Multilateral
agreements concerning recognition of foreign studies
Name of
agreement: Additional
protocol to the European convention on the equivalence of diplomas leading to
admission to universities N°49
Year of signature: 1991
Name of
agreement: Convention
on the recognition of qualifications concerning higher education in the
European region (Lisbon Convention)
Year of signature: 1997
Name of
agreement: Convention
on the recognition of studies, diplomas and degrees concerning higher education
in the states belonging to the Europe region
Year of signature: 1993
Name of
agreement: European
agreement on the association of the Czech Republic with the European Community
Year of signature: 1993
Name of
agreement: European
convention on the academic recognition of university qualifications N°32
Year of signature: 1991
Name of
agreement: European
convention on the equivalence of diplomas leading to admission to universities
N°15
Year of signature: 1991
Name of
agreement: European
convention on the equivalence of periods of university studies N°21
Year of
signature: 1992
Bilateral
agreements concerning recognition of foreign credentials
Name of
agreement: Agreement
between the governments of the CSSR and Afghanistan Democratic Republic on the
mutual recognition of documents on education and degrees
Year of
signature: 1981
Country/state involved: Afghanistan
Name of
agreement: Agreement
between the governments of the CSSR and Bulgaria on the mutual recognition of
documents on education and degrees
Year of
signature: 1982
Country/state involved: Bulgaria
Name of
agreement: Agreement
between the governments of the CSSR and Poland on the mutual recognition of
documents on education and degrees (new agreement signed in 2005 but not yet
entered into force)
Year of
signature: 1987
Country/state involved: Poland
Name of
agreement: Agreement
between the governments of the CSSR and the USSR on the mutual recognition of
documents on education and degree - Moldova; Georgia; Tajikistan; Turkmenistan
Year of signature: 1973
Name of
agreement: Agreement
between the governments of the CSSR and the Yugoslavia on the mutual
recognition of documents on education and degrees - Bosmia and Herzegovina;
Slovenia
Year of signature: 1989
Name of
agreement: Agreement
between the governments of the Czech Republic and Hungary on the mutual
recognition of documents on education and degrees
Year of
signature: 2005
Country/state involved: Hungary
Name of
agreement: Agreement
between the governments of the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic on the
mutual recognition of documents on education and degrees
Year of
signature: 2001
Country/state
involved: Slovak
Republic
References
to further information on foreign student admissions and recognition of studies
Title: Database on Higher
Education Studies
Publisher:
www.naric.cz
Year of publication: 2006
Title: Higher Education in
the Czech Republic. Guide for Foreign Students
Publisher:
Centre
for Higher Education Studies, Praha
Year of
publication: 2005
STUDENT
LIFE
Main
student services at national level
Akademická
informační agentura (Academic Information Agency)
Senovážné
náměstí 26
P.O.Box 08
110 06 Praha 06
Czech Republic
Tel: +420 224 229698/ 224
398303
Fax: +420 224 229697
EMail: aia@dzs.cz
WWW: http://www.dzs.cz
Category
of services provided: Academic
and career counselling services
Services
available to foreign Students: No
Dům
zahraničních služeb, MŠMT (House of International
Services of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports)
Senovážné
náměstí 26
P.O.Box 8
110 06 Praha 06
Czech Republic
Tel: +420 224 398111
Fax: +420 224 229697
EMail: dzs@dzs.cz;
info@dzs.cz
WWW: http://www.dzs.cz
Category
of services provided: Special
services/Centre for foreign students
Services
available to foreign Students: Yes
National
student associations and unions
Student Chamber of
Council of Higher Education Institutions
Masarykova univezita,
Údolní 53
602 000 Brno
Czech Republic
Tel: +420 541 146292
Fax: +420 541 146293
EMail: skrvs@skrvs.cz
WWW: http://www.skrvs.cz
Health/social
provisions
Social
security for home students: Yes
Social
security for foreign students: Yes
Special
student travel fares:
By
road: Yes
By
rail: Yes
Available
to foreign students: Yes
Student
expenses and financial aid
Student
costs:
Average
living costs: 300
(Euro)
Type of
financial aid available:
Scholarships/grants/fellowships:
First
Degree studies:
Home: Yes
Foreign:
Yes
Advanced/doctoral
studies:
Home: Yes
Foreign:
Yes
Bodies
providing information on student financial aid:
House of
International Services of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (Dům
zahraničních služeb MŠMT)
Senovážné
náměstí 26
P.O. Box 8
110 06 Praha 06
Czech Republic
Tel: +420 224 398111
Fax: +420 224 229697
EMail: dzs@dzs.cz
WWW: http://www.dzs.cz
Deals
with: Grants
Category
of students: foreign
students
INTERNATIONAL
COOPERATION & EXCHANGES
Principal
national bodies responsible for dealing with international cooperation and
exchanges in higher education:
International
Relations, Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports
Head: Jindøich
Friè, Director
Karmelitská
7-8
118 12 Praha 1
Czech Republic
Tel: +420 257 193111
Fax: +420 257 193397
EMail: info@msmt.cz
WWW: http://www.msmt.cz/_DOMEK/?CAI=2889
Participation
of country in multilateral or bilateral higher education programmes
Name of
exchange programme: AKTION
Name of
exchange programme: ASIA
LINK
Name of
exchange programme: CEEPUS
II
Name of
exchange programme: ERASMUS
MUNDUS
Name of
exchange programme: JEAN
MONNET
Name of
exchange programme: LEONARDO
DA VINCI
Name of
exchange programme: SOCRATES
II
Name of
exchange programme: TEMPUS
GRADING
SYSTEM
Usual
grading system in secondary school
Full
Description: 1-výborně
(excellent); 2-velmi dobře (very good); 3-dobře (good);
4-vyhověl (pass); 5-nevyhověl (unsatisfactory/fail).
Highest
on scale: 1
Pass/fail
level: 1,2,3,4/5
Lowest
on scale: 5
Main
grading system used by higher education institutions
Full
Description: 1-výborně
(excellent); 2-velmi dobře (very good); 3-dobře (good);
4-nevyhověl (unsatisfactory/fail).
Highest
on scale: 1
Pass/fail
level: 1,2,3/4
Lowest
on scale: 4
Other
main grading systems
Theses: with honours;
pass; fail.
NOTES
ON HIGHER EDUCATION SYSTEM
Data
for academic year: 2005-2006
Source:
IAU from
Centre for Higher Education Studies, Prague, 2006