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The Czech Republic – Attractive Country for Study
Foreign cooperation programmes, such as ERASMUS and CEEPUS, are some of the best-known ways for foreign students to obtain admission to Czech universities. This, however, is not the only opportunity for Czech university students to meet their foreign mates on university grounds. The Czech Republic has become a much sought-after educational centre in recent years.
The following is a review of the current situation in which foreign university students studying in the Czech Republic find themselves. The review is based on a survey carried out by the Foreign Cooperation House in conjunction with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Physical Culture, and Czech universities at the turn of the year 2019/2020.
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FOREIGN STUDENTS IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC
The enrolment of foreign students at Czech universities at the beginning of 2020 was 46 534, which is 16 % of the total number of university students studying in Czech educational institutions. Over the past 9 years, those students have been supplementing the continuously declining number of Czech university students. The number of foreign students is increasing year on year (the increase since 2011 is 6.2 percentage points). Nearly half (45 %) of foreign students come from Slovakia, proving the close relationship between the two nations, which for more than half a century constituted one country. The second largest group (27 %) are students from the territory of the former Soviet Union (Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, and Belarus), followed by students from India, Germany, China, and other European and non-European countries.
LARGEST CZECH UNIVERSITIES ARE MOST ATTRACTIVE
Which universities and which courses of study are most popular? Unequivocally in the lead are the largest Czech universities, where the most popular field of study is Medicine, followed by Economic Studies, Natural Sciences, ICT and technical fields. For nearly half of the foreign students, the main reason for coming to study in the Czech Republic is a specific field of study or a specific university. For one-third of them a role is played by the geographical position of this country in the centre of Europe, which enables them to travel easily across the entire European continent. For one-quarter of the respondents, the decisive fac-
tor is the low cost of living and of the study itself (in public universities, studies are free). In the current unstable global situation, safety is one of the most important factors influencing the choice of the country of study, especially for students from outside the European Union. A positive finding, among others, is the fact that, for two-thirds of foreign students, Czech universities are the first choice – the prestige of Czech education is high.
FOREIGN STUDENTS’ STUDIES IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC
Students coming to the Czech Republic for the full form or the shorter form of study must not forget that they are coming not only because of the studies, cheap locality and the possibility of learning about a new culture, but also that they are coming to another country that will gladly welcome them, of course provided they have fulfilled their basic obligations. Already upon entering the country, they must know how long they will be staying and for what purpose they have decided to visit the country. Therefore they must take care of certain obligations already before their arrival and visit the Czech Embassy in their home country. There, students who are EU citizens and know that they will be staying in the Czech Republic for more than 90 days and students of third countries (countries outside the EU) may apply for a residence and study permit.
Foreign students who want to stay in the Czech Republic for more than three months for the purpose of study, for example at a university, or for secondary-school study in the framework of an exchange programme, may apply for a long-term permit.
WHAT DOCUMENTS ARE NEEDED?
To obtain a long-term residence permit, the applicant must submit to the Embassy of the Czech Republic a valid passport and documents confirming the purpose of the applicant´s stay – e.g. certificate of admission to study. Before their arrival, students will have to prove that they have arranged accommodation in the Czech Republic. An important requirement when filing the application is to prove that the applicant has the necessary funds for the purpose of long-term residence in the Czech Republic. The sum is derived from the existential minimum (the accurate amount can be found on the websites of the Ministry of the Interior). The applicant is also required to have health insurance arranged for the whole duration of the stay.
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO HAVE THE APPLICATION PROCESSED?
The length of time the Embassy has to process the application for long-term residence for the purpose of study is 60 days. In the case of study at a higher-level technical school or at a university, the permit may be extended to a maximum of two more years of study. The application for a long-term visa for the purpose of study concerns foreign students who intend to be studying in the Czech Republic for more than three months. This, however, does not apply to university study, but to study at a secondary school, excluding study within the framework of an exchange stay or study at a conservatory.
DEADLINE FOR PROCESSING THE APPLICATION
As in the case of the previous application, the deadline for its processing is a maximum of 60 days. Foreign students may study in the Czech Republic under the terms of the application for a long-term visa for the purpose of study. This study, however, is not classified as study under Act 326/1999 Coll. The applicant is required to attach to the application his passport, confirmation of the purpose of his stay, etc. The application will be processed within 90 days. The study of foreign students in the Czech Republic does not begin on the first day of their study; students must realise that their obligations already begin on the day of their arrival in the Czech Republic.
EU STUDENTS
In the case of the stay of EU students in the territory of the Czech Republic being more than 30 days, students are obliged to report to the Aliens Police. There they must present a filled in Foreigner´s Registration Form (the form can be downloaded from the Czech Police website). Although the main purpose of the stay of foreign students in the Czech Republic may be study, it is also good to bear in mind practical things, such as, for example, transport in the city. Therefore, students are recommended to provide a local transport card, complete dormitory residence formalities and to go to the educational facility personally for registration. Study sojourns of foreign students in the Czech Republic – practical references http://www.studyin.cz/ http://www.mvcr.cz/clanek/informace-pro-skoly. aspx?q=Y2hudW09Nw%3D%3D http://www.msmt.cz/vzdelavani/zakladni-vzdelavani/ vzdelavani-zaku-cizincu?lang=1 University Degree in the Czech Republic – How to obtain it Would you like to obtain a university degree in the Czech Republic? Higher learning institutions in the CR offer accredited study programmes at three levels: Bachelor´s, Master´s and Doctorate, as well as life-long educational courses. Higher learning institutions in the Czech Republic are either private or state-run. The traditional public or state-run institutions (university type) offer a number of study programmes, while private institutions (non-university type) mostly run Bachelor´s study programmes. Several public and private institutions offer programmes ending with an MBA degree – Master of Business Administration. Apart from universities, MBA programmes are also offered by other educational institutions (more at Czech MBA Schools Association). Foreign students may also study in the Czech Republic within the framework of the Erasmus Programme. There are also other exchange study programmes, such as CEEPUS – the Central European Exchange Programme, AKTION Programme, grant programmes within the framework of the International Visegrad Fund, and Master´s and Doctoral studies at universities in Brno supported by the South Moravia International Mobility Centre, and the Fulbright Programme. Czech universities also participate in several joint programmes, such as the Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree (EMJMD). Established by an international higher learning consortium, these programmes are distinguished by their academic excellence. In the framework of EMJMD, students can obtain a full study scholarship for a Master´s degree international study programme.
