Education (vzdělávání)

Schools are overseen by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MŠMT); most primary schools are set up by municipalities. Free primary education at public schools is guaranteed by law, and degree programmes taught in Czech at public universities are free for everyone, whatever their nationality. All foreign children living in the Czech Republic have access to basic education, regardless of their residence status or their Czech.

Compulsory schooling

• Pre-school year: attending kindergarten is compulsory in the year before school, for children who are 5 by 31 August. In public kindergartens this year is free (meals are paid). Enrolment runs from 15 March to 15 April.
• Primary school (základní škola): school starts in the school year after the child turns 6 by 31 August. It lasts 9 years (a first stage of grades 1–5 and a second stage of grades 6–9), and at most until the end of the school year in which the pupil turns 17. A head teacher can defer the start, at the latest until the child is 8.
• Compulsory schooling applies to foreign children who have lived in the Czech Republic for more than 90 days.
• Enrolment for grade 1 takes place between 15 January and 15 February. Each child has a place at the catchment school (spádová škola) for its permanent address, but parents may choose another school.
• Schools designated by the regional office offer Czech preparatory courses for children who do not speak Czech well. School meals and after-school clubs are usually available.

Higher education

• Czech-taught degrees at public and state universities are tuition-free for all nationalities. Many require Czech at B2 level.
• English-taught programmes charge fees set by each university: usually EUR 0–6,000 a year, and EUR 8,000–25,000 in medicine, the arts and some specialised fields. Private universities set their own fees.
• Public universities charge a fee for longer study if you study more than one year beyond the standard length of a bachelor's or master's programme. It is charged for each started 6 months, and earlier unsuccessful studies count.
• Support: Czech Government scholarships for students from selected countries, Erasmus Mundus scholarships, and university scholarships and grants. Families keep benefits for a dependent child in education up to age 26.

Common pitfalls for newcomers

• Do not miss the enrolment windows (January–February for school, March–April for kindergarten). Children can also join school during the year.
• Children under 3 have no legal right to a kindergarten place, and outside the compulsory year public kindergartens charge a fee capped by decree.
• Foreign school certificates may need formal recognition (nostrifikace) before your child continues at a Czech secondary school or university.
• A study fee can be reduced, waived or postponed on appeal to the rector, but the appeal must be lodged within 15 days of the decision.

Official guidance: Portal: primary education, Portal: early childhood education, Study in Czechia: scholarships and finances, Portal: fee for longer study