Financing your Studies in the Czech Republic | EFG

With living costs being some of the lowest in Europe, the Czech Republic attracts a lot of students from around the globe. Additionally, the Czech universities charge no tuition fees except from few cases, but on the other hand, public support is also low. So, students who want to study in Czech Republic should think carefully about how to finance their studies. The Czech Republic is not part of the Euro Zone. The currency is the Czech Koruna (CZK), or Kč.

Look out for financial help in the Czech Republic

Cost of your studies

Tuition fees

In the Czech Republic tuition in courses taught in the Czech language is free for all students of all nationalities at public and state TEIs.

There are however some charges and penalties that may be applied. Administration fees of 500 Kč are charged all students on enrolment. If a student extends their study beyond an additional year, fees of 7,000 Kč per year are then charged for the additional years, except when parental leave is taken. Students enrolling in a second programme are charged 2,700 Kč per year.

Since the majority of foreign students take courses in English, most foreign students pay fees. The normal fee for programmes not taught in Czech is 27,000 Kč per semester. Private HEIs charge fees, which are set by the institution. There is a considerable range, depending on the prestige of the programme or institution. The typical range is 80,000 to 400,000 Kč per year.

Cost of living

Living costs in the Czech Republic are significantly lower than in most other EU countries. Total living costs for a student range from 7,000 to 15,000 Kč a month. The variation depends on lifestyle and location. The International Student Card is used to obtain discounts for trains, buses and internal plane flights. Most Universities have dormitory accommodation, called koleje. A shared dormitory room is around 2,700 Kč a month. Sharing an apartment may cost 4,000 Kč and a private flat 9,500 Kč. A cafeteria meal is around 50 Kč, a restaurant meal around 110 Kč and a beer in a pub around 30 Kč. A loaf of bread is 20 Kč, a kilo of chicken 100 Kč and a kilo of apples 30 Kč. A movie ticket is 70 to 200 Kč and museum admissions begin at 40 Kč.

Financing your studies

Public support

Because of the economic situation in the Czech Republic there is little support for students beyond free tuition. Only 1% of students receive additional state support. There is an accommodation grant for study at an institution away from the student’s home. This amounts to 5,400 Kč per year. There are social scholarships of 16,200 Kč a year for students in difficult economic circumstances. Child allowances of 700 Kč per month are paid to parents if students are under 26 years of age and if the family income is less than 2.4 times the official subsistence level. Parents also receive a tax allowance of 13,404 Kč a year, or double that if the student is disabled.

Scholarships

There are a variety of scholarships available to foreign students for study in the Czech Republic. The Czech government issues a number of scholarships under various bilateral agreements. These typically range from two to ten months in length and are available for undergraduates, graduates and PhD students. There are also scholarships provided by the government under its Foreign Assistance Programmes. These typically include a preparatory year of study in the Czech language, followed by the normal time taken for a Bachelor or long-cycle Master’s programme. They may also be available for follow-up Master’s or Doctoral study.

The Republic participates in the European Erasmus Mundus programme for advanced study at Master’s and Doctoral levels. The Czech Republic is a member of the Visegrad Group, which also includes Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. Students from these countries may be eligible for Visegrad Fund Scholarships.Individual universities also offer scholarships based on academic excellence and/or need. Details are available from the specific universities.

Student Loans

There is no government-sponsored loan system in the Republic, but some banks do offer student loans. Loans are available for up to 150,000 Kč for deferred-payment loans or to 600,000 Kč if payments begin immediately. Deferred payments of the loan capital must begin within ten years of graduation and payments of the interest must begin immediately. Security may have to be given.

Student Jobs

Non-EU students with a visa require an additional job permit to work. Permits are for a maximum of two years, but can be re-applied for on expiry. However if they work no more than seven days consecutively or 30 days a year, and are under 26 years old, no permit is needed. EU citizens may work freely under the freedom of movement provisions of the European Union. However given the high levels of unemployment in the Republic, work is difficult to find, pay rates are low by European standards, and fluency in Czech is normally required.