Higher Education in the Czech
RepublicThe Czech Republic's
higher education system consists of over 25 public and more than 40 private
universities and colleges. Post-secondary vocational programs are also available
at professional schools. The government fully funds public universities and
colleges and thus tuition is free at public institutions. There are ongoing
discussions about charging modest tuition fees but there is substantial
opposition to this idea. Tuition at private institutions varies from reasonable
to very expensive. Admission
requirements are set by individual institutions and faculties, which are
equivalent to colleges or departments at US universities. Admissions decisions
are typically based on some combination of entrance examinations, secondary
school grades, interviews and sometimes, psychological testing. Entrance exams
usually focus on subject matters related to the field of study the student has
applied for admittance to. The Ministry of
Education, Youth and Sport is responsible for the administration and funding of
higher education institutions. The Accreditation Commission, which exists under
direction of this ministry, is responsible for assessing public and private
higher education institutions and degree programs. Types of
Schools and DegreesEach university
offers a variety of degree programs although most specialize in specific areas
such as medicine, engineering, business or technology with private universities
having more limited offerings than public universities. Many of the private
universities specialize in business and most offer courses in English which is
helpful for local students who plan to work internationally. The Czech Republic's
higher education degree programs conform to the Bologna Agreement which created
standards for degrees across Europe. Three and four-year bachelor's degrees, one
to four-year master's degrees and doctoral degrees are all available at the
various universities. First degree master's programs which take five years to
complete, are a common option which many students choose. International StudentsOver 34, 000
international students, representing about nine percent of all higher education
students, study in the Czech Republic each year. International students are
welcome to apply to specific programs of study at universities in the Czech
Republic or study there through an exchange program or independent study abroad
program. Some courses are available in English but those who will be taking
classes taught in Czech need to have language fluency.
Tuition at public
universities is free if courses are taken in the Czech language and if the
student meets certain other requirements. Tuition for programs taught in English
vary widely at public and private institutions and at the high end, approach the
cost of some private universities in the US. About Czech
RepublicThe Czech Republic,
located in central Europe, is bordered by Germany, Poland, Austria and Slovakia.
Its population of over 10 million people primarily speaks Czech while Polish,
Slovak, German and Romani are recognized as minority languages. The Czech Republic
is one of the most prosperous of the former communist states and ranks high on
the Economist magazine's Democracy Index. It has a growing economy led primarily
by exports to the European Union countries and has privatized much of the
economy since becoming a democracy in 1989. Its education system has been ranked
15th in the world based on an evaluation of scholastic performance. Resources
Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport
Czech Republic Accreditation Commission
Study in the Czech Republic
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