Recognition of diploma
Recognition of basic, secondary
and tertiary professional education
obtained abroad
Recognition of basic, secondary and higher vocational
education is regulated by Section 108 of Act No.
561/2004 Coll. (the Education Act) and by its
Implementing Decree No. 12/2005 Coll. It is important to
realize that education attained is only recognized if the
respective level has been fully completed (i.e. basic,
secondary or higher vocational level of education
as a whole, not any part of them). Validation of the
documents alls within the competence of the relevant
Regional Authority according to the applicant's place
of residence. The Regional Authority decides whether
the education obtained abroad corresponds to Czech standards. However,
the regional authorities will reject the application for validation if they determine
within the validation procedure that the content and scope of education in the foreign
school significantly differ from a similar framework education
programme in the Czech Republic. If the content and scope
of education in the foreign school differ only partially, the regional authorities will prescribe a validation examination. The conditions of this examination are set in the above-mentioned Decree.
The validation examination is decided by a committee and is usually held in Czech language, if not agreed otherwise by and between the applicant and the Regional Authority.
Recognition of university education obtained abroad
The process of validating university diplomas or documents certifying completion of part of a study program differs depending on whether the Czech Republic have concluded a bilateral international agreement on the mutual recognition of equivalence of documents on education attained and documents on granting scientific degrees and titles (so called “Equivalence agreement”) with the country where the foreign university which issued the diploma is located. Equivalence Agreements have been concluded with Hungary, Poland, Slovenia, Slovakia and Bulgaria. Recognition (validation) is not required for citizens of the first four countries; education of German citizens is recognized based on an application which must be approved if it meets all requirements.
For countries with no valid equivalence agreement, the recognition of foreign higher education is usually decided on by a state university (private universities do not hold such powers) in the Czech Republic running a study programme of similar content. The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports will issue a certificate of recognition of education only if some doubt exists as to which public higher education institution implements a study programme of similar content and is thus competent to decide on recognition. If the area of military science is concerned, recognition is determined by the Ministry of Defence; in the area of security services, recognition is determined by the Ministry of Interior.
We recommend that you read the information on academic qualifications recognition provided on the website of MEYS, where you can find detailed description of the procedure of education recognition.
Education obtained abroad is recognized based on an original or certified copy of the final school report and a document certifying the content and scope of education obtained; university graduates need to provide an original or certified copy of their diploma and an original or certified copy of the appendix (if any) to the diploma. A certified translation of these documents into Czech shall be enclosed if necessary. All signatures and stamps on original documents must be authenticated in case there is no bilateral treaty on legal assistance concluded between the Czech Republic and the country concerned. The authentication must be carried out by the ministry of foreign affairs of the country where the university in question is located and the relevant representative body of the Czech Republic in that country.
