Education in Czechia for foreigners

Nostrification is the official recognition of Ukrainian education in Czechia. Certificates from basic and secondary schools (ZŠ, SŠ) and diplomas from VOŠ are recognized by the krajský úřad (regional office). Higher education is recognized not by the ministry, but by a public university with a similar program — private universities do not have this right.

The fee is 3,000 CZK for both levels. The figure of 1,000 CZK, which is still circulating in old guides, is no longer valid: the fee was raised from March 1, 2025 (zákon č. 52/2025 Sb.). Decisions are made within 30 days; in more complex cases, the period can be extended by another 30 days.

If the university refuses, there are 15 days to appeal — it is reviewed by the MŠMT (Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports). And separately: foreigners do not take a nostrification exam in Czech language and literature.

Procedures and contacts are described on msmt.gov.cz.

Mostly no longer — and this is the most common mistake in outdated guides. The exemption from the fee was narrowed from September 1, 2024: it is valid only if you were granted temporary protection (dočasná ochrana) less than 12 months ago on the date of application.

Distinction is made by visa code. Code 6 is the primary DO (temporary protection), it is always less than 12 months old, so nostrification is free. Code 7 or 8 is an extended DO, and then you pay the full 3,000 CZK.

The practical rule is simple: if you have extended your temporary protection at least once, you pay. The basis is § 9 of Act No. 67/2022 Sb. as amended by Act No. 454/2023 Sb.

Before applying, check your visa code: this is what the official will look at. Current conditions are on msmt.gov.cz.

No. A bilateral treaty on legal assistance č. 123/2002 Sb. m. s. is in force between Ukraine and Czechia, effective from November 8, 2002: according to its Article 18, documents from one country are used in the other without any further certification. Apostille is not required for Ukrainian documents.

Only a translation by a soudní tlumočník — a court (sworn) translator from the Czech registry is needed.

Where the confusion comes from: the general page msmt.gov.cz on recognition of education requires certification through the embassy. This rule applies to countries with which there is no treaty — Ukraine is not among them. Because of this detail, people pay for an unnecessary procedure every year.

If documents are lost — a typical situation after leaving — holders of temporary protection can replace them with a sworn statement, čestné prohlášení (§ 90 para. 4 of Act No. 111/1998 Sb.). This option is available.

No, not all. Diplomas issued during the Soviet era between June 6, 1972, and February 27, 2000, inclusive, are automatically recognized in Czechia without nostrification, according to the 1972 protocol on the equivalence of documents. If your diploma falls within these limits, neither the procedure nor the 3,000 CZK fee is needed.

Next, you should ask yourself the question 'why'. For unregulated professions, nostrification is not required at all: the employer makes the decision.

And the main misunderstanding: nostrification does not equal the right to work in your profession. It confirms the level of education — and nothing more. Regulated professions (doctors, nurses, lawyers, teachers) have separate qualification recognition procedures, and without them, you will not be allowed to work even with a nostrified diploma.

The procedure for recognition and the list of regulated professions are on msmt.gov.cz.

There is no separate enrollment anymore, and the general deadline has shifted. **Enrollment for the 1st grade takes place between January 15 and February 15** — earlier than before: each school sets specific days. The special enrollment for children with temporary protection was canceled by the Constitutional Court by decision Pl. ÚS 30/25 of December 17, 2025, calling the separate summer term direct discrimination. Now, children are enrolled in the general procedure and within the same deadlines as Czech children. The separate June enrollment, which old instructions mention, does not exist — relying on them can cause you to miss the only deadline. The right of children with temporary protection to education has not disappeared: Lex Ukrajina for education has been made indefinite.

Language support remains and works systematically: jazyková příprava (language preparation) — up to 400 hours per year free of charge for children with DO (temporary protection), through krajské úřady (regional offices), directly at school.

However, adaptation groups as a separate subsidized initiative were a story of 2022–2023. From January 1, 2026, they were replaced by systematic funding through 'school indexing': schools with a larger proportion of children with language barriers receive more automatically, without any applications.

Deadlines and admission rules are on msmt.gov.cz and on the website of the specific school. ⚠️ For 2027, the rules are changing again — a new amendment from September 1, 2026, will take effect.

New rules for secondary school admission in 2026/2027 apply from January 1, 2026: the Czech language exam is replaced by an interview (rozhovor) if a student studied outside the Czech Republic for at least one academic year out of the previous three. Plus, they get 25% more time and are allowed a translation dictionary.

A change for the worse that is easy to miss: you can no longer take the math exam in Ukrainian. If you prepared using last year's advice, check this first.

Matura: there is no special regime "for Ukrainians" and never was – the general rule for those who studied abroad applies. From January 1, 2026, the scope is wider: 2 years of study abroad within the previous 8 (it was 1 year out of 7). For the didactic test in Czech language and literature – plus 30 minutes and a dictionary, for the written work – plus 40% of the time.

Another restriction: from January 1, 2026, the automatic right to use the Pravidla českého pravopisu (Rules of Czech Orthography) and Slovník spisovné češtiny (Dictionary of Standard Czech) during the Matura exam is canceled. The conditions for a specific year are available at msmt.gov.cz.

Studying in Czech at a public university is free – for everyone, regardless of citizenship. This is not a benefit for Ukrainians and does not depend on status: you pay for programs in foreign languages, not for your passport.

You will have to pay for submitting an application. Application fee (Poplatek za přijímací řízení): Charles University (UK) – 880 Kč, VŠE (University of Economics and Business) – 1,050 Kč. The application deadline for UK is February 28.

There is no single standard for the level of Czech – the requirement is set by the faculty itself. Verified example: the 1st Faculty of Medicine of UK (medicine) requires C1. Therefore, do not look at general advice, but at the page of the specific faculty.

Separately: under Lex Ukrajina, the rector may exempt Ukrainians from the application fee and fees related to studies. This is the university's right, not your automatic entitlement – so ask at yours. General higher education rules are at msmt.gov.cz.