Types of universities in the Czech Republic and the Bologna system of higher education
Types of universities in the Czech Republic
The system of higher education in the Czech Republic. Czech higher education system. A higher education institution in the Czech Republic is called vysoká škola. There are several types of them in the Czech Republic.
- Foreign higher education institution (or branch) operating in the Czech Republic, but not accredited by the Czech Ministry of Education, but accredited in “another country”.
- Private universities in the Czech Republic (soukromá), which are accredited by the Czech Ministry of Education. Basically, this is “business education”, education in the field of “law”, education in the field of finance, there is politics and economics in private Prague universities.
- Public universities in the Czech Republic for foreign students (public – veřejná). In total, there are 26 public universities in the Czech Republic in the Czech Republic.
Bologna Process at Czech Universities
Education in the universities of the Czech Republic takes place according to the Bologna process and has a three-level system:
1. On a bachelor’s degree in the Czech Republic (bakalářský), studying at a Czech university lasts mainly 3 years (sometimes 4 years). A bachelor’s degree in the Czech Republic, when applying for a job, gives the right to occupy a position for which the qualification requirements provide for higher education in the Czech Republic.
- The normal degree awarded is the Bachelor (Bc) while the Bachelor of Arts (BcA) is awarded for degrees in the Arts.
2. Studying in the Czech Republic on the master’s program, which comes after the bachelor’s degree (navazující magisterský) – basically study in the Czech Republic at the university for 2 years (occurs 1.5, 2.5 and 3 years).
Some specialties are not divided into undergraduate and graduate programs, and then applicants in the Czech Republic enter the magisterský, where the total period of study in the Czech Republic for foreign students is 5-6 years. Studying in the Czech Republic ends with a state exam with the defense of a graduation project.
- Entry into a Master’s programme normally requires a Bachelor’s degree.
- The Advanced Master’s Procedure, rigorózní zkouška, which included the defence of a thesis, is the terminal examination of a Master’s programme.
- Graduates of Master’s programmes are either a Magistr (Mgr.) or Inženyr (Ing.).
- However for Law, Medicine, Pharmacy, Veterinary Medicine, and Dentistry the long-cycle four to six-year Magistr, is entered directly from the secondary school.
3. After you have received the title of master, you can apply for postgraduate studies (doktorský) with a study period of 3-4 years. Doctoral studies are focused on independent scientific research. After successfully passing the exams and defending the scientific work, the graduate receives a Ph.D.
How long to study for free at a university in the Czech Republic
Czech higher education system
All specialties in the universities of the Czech Republic are called – obor. There are the following forms of education in Czech universities:
prezenční – full-time education,
kombinované – “combined”, something between evening and correspondence courses.
distanční – distance learning in the Czech Republic.
Most higher education institutions use the ECTS credit system (European Credit Transfer System), where each course is assessed using a number of credits which reflects its demands. This system allows credit transfer among universities and enables students to study and gather credits at various institutions.
Academic calendar
The academic year is usually divided into two semesters – a winter semester, starting in October, and a summer semester, starting in February. A semester normally consists of 15 weeks of teaching followed by an examination period.
Free higher education in the Czech Republic for foreigners
Free higher education in the Czech Republic for foreign citizens can only be obtained at public universities and only in the Czech language. Education in English in the Czech Republic at state universities is always paid. Education in private universities in the Czech Republic is always paid, even in the Czech language.
Studying in English at Charles University. Prague Universities in English
Czech education. Many universities in the Czech Republic at the level of the dean or at the level of the department open paid preparatory courses for admission to the university of the Czech Republic. A student of Czech language courses in the Czech Republic is not a student. Regardless of the form of study, all students of the Czech Republic and students of all courses pay for housing. Student hostels in the Czech Republic are always paid. University students receive a state scholarship for living.
