Over the years, more and more students are choosing to study in the Czech Republic. Most expat students choose to study there because it is strategically located in the heart of Europe but compared to other European counties, it offers an affordable cost of living.
There are more than 43,000 foreign students in the Czech Republic, and the majority of them are enrolled in degree programs taught in Czech language. This is because, by law, higher education programs conducted in Czech language at public universities are free of charge for all nationalities! This is not to say those non-Czech speakers will still have difficulty finding a study program because there are more than 1,000 English-taught courses in public and private universities all over the Czech Republic.
Historically, medicine is the most popular area of study for international students. However, in recent years more and more internatinonal students are going to the Czech Republic for engineering, electrical engineering, IT, and other technical programs.
The diverse program offering, safe and affordable cost of living are good reasons to consider getting a higher degree in the castle capital of the world. This article will discuss the best Czech Republic scholarships for international students.
Living Costs in Czech Republic for International Students
Compared to other European countries, the living costs in the Czech Republic are affordable. The average living expenses of a student range from $350 to $730 per month.
Depending on the budget, there are several options for accommodation available. A fully furnished apartment-type shared room at a student dorm costs around $140 per month. Students usually share rent for two to three-bedroom flats, ranging from $600 to $950 per month.
Transportation is very cheap as one can get a monthly student pass from $6 to $13, depending on your location. The Czech Republic also honors the International Student Identity Card, allowing users to get discounts for transport, dining, and entertainment. This card should be secured from the students’ country of origin.
Can international students work in the Czech Republic?
Except for scholars funded by the Czech Republic government, all international students can work in the Czech Republic. Per European education law, EU citizens are allowed to work throughout their studies without any restriction. However, students of other nationalities are limited to 20 to 26 hours per week. The Czech Republic also allows expatriates to apply for a nine-month visa post-graduation to look for job opportunities.
Top Universities in Czech Republic:
Founded in 1348, Charles University in Prague is one of the oldest universities in the world. Ranked 260 in the 2024 QS World University Rankings, it is the top-rated university in the Czech Republic. Charles University has more than 300 degree programs across 17 faculties, and almost 18 percent of its 50,000 students are international students.
The University of Chemistry and Technology (UCT) is the second top-rated university in the Czech Republic. UCT Prague has faculties focused on technical chemistry, chemical and biomechanical technologies, material and chemical engineering, food chemistry, and environmental studies.
The Czech Technical University in Prague ranked 432 in the 2024 QS World University Rankings. It is the top-rated technical university in the Czech Republic and offers almost 100 courses in foreign languages.
Masaryk University, the fourth top-rated university in the Czech Republic, was founded by and named after its longest-serving President Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk.
The second oldest university in the Czech Republic, Palacký University Olomouc, is the fifth top-rated university. The university offers 840 study programs across eight faculties.
Best Scholarships in the Czech Republic:
1. Czech Republic Government Scholarships for Developing Countries
The Government of the Czech Republic offers scholarships to foreign nationals according to their foreign development cooperation program. For the academic year 2022/2023, this scholarship program is open to citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cambodia, Ethiopia, Georgia, Moldova, Ukraine, and Zambia.
This Czech Republic scholarship is available in selected areas of study for master’s degree programs in both Czech and English language and doctoral degree programs in the English language. Scholars who enroll in the master’s degree in Czech language undergo a year-long language and preparatory program at Charles University. Those who opt for a course in English must pass an English proficiency exam to qualify for a scholarship.
Scholars enrolled in a master’s degree program receive CZK 14,000 or $652 per month, whereas those enrolled in a doctoral degree program receive CZK 15,000 or $698 per month. Recipients of this scholarship program are not allowed to engage in full-time or part-time work for the duration of the program and are required to return to their home country at the completion or termination of their studies.
2. Visegrad Fund Scholarship
The International Visegrad Fund Scholarship is funded by the Visegrad Group countries (the Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia). Under this fund, citizens of Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia may secure scholarships to support their bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees at the accredited universities in the Czech Republic.
The Visegrad scholarship for master’s and Ph.D. students is open to citizens of Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, Moldova, Montenegro, Northern Macedonia, Serbia, and Ukraine.
This scholarship program at the Czech Republic provides host universities €1,500/semester for every scholar and encourages the university not to charge additional fees. Also, the scholar directly receives €2,500/semester to cover living costs. The scholar pays any expenditure exceeding the lump sum.
3. Charles University Scholarships
Charles University offers various scholarships and financial support opportunities. These Czech Republic scholarships range from CZK 10,500 to CZK 25,000 per month.
The Charles University Faculty of Mathematics and Physics also offers tuition fee waiver scholarships for its bachelor’s and master’s programs in Computer Science. The scholarship is awarded to applicants with high qualifications and stellar academic performance.
Programs in Computational Linguistics, Mathematics, and Physics are offered only to postgrads. The tuition fees covered by free waivers range from CZK 84,000 to CZK 420,000.
4. Czech Technical University Scholarships for International Students
CTU grants a scholarship allowance to qualified masters and doctoral students studying at CTU. This scholarship at Czech Republic is equally funded by the rectorate of CTU and the faculty of the university to which the scholar belongs and cannot be combined with other scholarship programs or exchange student arrangements. The scholarships are awarded based to students by the vice-rector upon recommendation of the commission on vice-deans for international relations.
CTU Scholarship typically covers one to two semesters, which may be extended to cover the program’s full length if the student delivers excellent results. Master’s students receive a scholarship grant of CZK 10,000 per month, while doctoral students receive up to CZK 16,000 per month.
5. Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports Scholarship
Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports Scholarship is a well-established Czech government program focusing on the inter-governmental student exchange. This Czech Republic scholarship program is offered to the countries that are a part of the government agreement, so an interested student should first check if the home country is under this contract.
Students usually complete one or two semesters in this program, but they can opt for a stay from 2 to 10 months at the university. One of the great feats of this program is that the students can re-apply and be granted another scholarship, even at the same university.
The primary language of the program is Czech, but there are plenty of courses in English. However, it is essential to note that not all courses offered can be in English, so for someone who wished to be a part of this program, an intermediate level of the Czech language is necessary.
The undergrad funding for this scholarship is CZK 9,000 per month, while the postgrad students receive about CZK 9,500 per month.
