The Czech Republic
To earn an internationally recognised graduate degree in one of the world's most frequent languages, it is no longer necessary to limit your search to the UK or the United States. Central Europe offers a number of educational opportunities and connects them with cultural and historical heritage to create an unforgettable experience for life. Located in the very centre of European continent, the Czech Republic offers a high-quality graduate and the opportunity to learn new values and ways of operating in today's multicultural world.
Things to See and Do in the Czech Republic
The Czech Republic attracts numerous visitors every year, especially to its capital city, Prague. Millions of tourists come to experience the magical atmosphere. Prague is the city of bridges, cathedrals, gold-tipped towers and church domes, whose image has been mirrored in the surface of the Vitava River for more than ten centuries. Apart from architecture, this modern European metropolis has been home to ranges of artists and writers, among them Franz Kafka or Karei Capek, who invented the word "robot" in one of his world-famous novels.
However, the Czech Republic does not consist only of Prague. Brno, the Moravian capital, has became the city of trade and students, with its large exhibition centre organizing trade fairs in innumerable branches of business and industry and with the highest percentage of university students in the republic. Among its world-known people were the composer Leoš Janácek or the great?grandfather of modern genetics Johan Gregor Mendel.
The Czech Republic is fringed with mountain ranges with popular ski resorts, while its mild climate makes it possible to cultivate grapevine in the south. In several spa towns, you can taste mineral springs and relax, and in Karlovy Vary also meet celebrities during its international film festival. The Czech Republic entered the EU two years ago and its economy is gradually stabilizing (now out of the list of the transition countries), while still keeping low expenditure for life and study.
Graduate Education in the Czech Republic
Education has a long tradition in the Czech Republic. As early as the middle of the ninth century, the missionaries Cyril and Methodius came to Moravia, where they created the first Slavonic alphabet and the first works of Slavonic literature. However, it is no longer necessary to learn Czech to be able to enrol in many graduates programs here, even if this still remains an option.
The Czech Republic system of higher education is mostly organized in accordance with the Bologna structure, i.e. divided into Bachelor, Master's and Doctoral programs. There are several branches of foreign universities and colleges in Prague nowadays and you can choose graduate programs from an MBA to languages. However, also traditional Czech universities and other higher education institutions began to introduce study programm in other languages than Czech. Very frequently, these are English taught programs in the fields of medicine or sport studies and physiotherapy, but there are also economic and social sciences available. Apart from medicine, which is a special type of study lasting 5 or 6 years (after secondary school), Master's programs are two years in duration, and develop critical thinking and analytical skills accompanied by individual work on final thesis. Doctoral programs require a Master's degree and are based on your original research interest and academic excellence.
Applying to a Czech Republic University
When applying for a graduate course, check the university website for the offer and deadlines. While Bachelor programs (especially those taught in Czech) accept student applications at the end of February, graduate studies have deadlines later in the year. After acceptance, it is advisable to start the process of the recognition of prior degrees in the Czech Republic.
Visas and Residence Permits
Even if EU/EFTA citizens do not have to get a visa in their passports, they can obtain a residence permit within the first month of their stay in the Czech Republic, which will make their lives easier with most authorities.
Students coming from non-EU countries will need a visa (residence permit) for a stay longer than three months, citizens from most countries in the world also for shorter stays. It is advisable to apply for a long-term visa, on the basis of acceptance documents from the university, at least three months before your expected arrival into the country.
International graduates can expect quality teaching in their desired field of study. For example, the tradition of social sciences in the Czech Republic dates back to 1921, when one of the oldest sociological centres in Europe was founded at Masaryk University in Brno. The followers of this Durkhemian school have recently established two Master's programs (Sociology and European Politics) preparing experts for the new millennium.
