General Recognition of Foreign Higher Education

Nostrification is the academic recognition of a diploma and a completed study cycle. General nostrification is valid for an unlimited period of time.

The university decides on the application for recognition of a foreign higher education degree and qualification in the Czech Republic on the basis of an assessment of whether the institution at which the foreign degree was obtained is a foreign higher education institution. This is assessed on the basis of the qualification level resulting from the knowledge and skills attested by the foreign higher education qualification. For these purposes, a foreign higher education qualification means a higher education diploma or similar foreign document certifying the acquisition of abilities, knowledge and skills.

Graduates from Bachelor’s, Master’s or doctoral degree programmes gained at foreign universities who wish to obtain recognition of their foreign diplomas are required to submit a written application along with other documents to the Rector’s Office.

Written application must contain:
- applicant´s full name, date and place of birth, citizenship and contact information;
- original name of the higher education institution, its registered office address;
- start and end dates of study;
- name of the study programme/field of study;
- study cycle, mode of study;
- applicant´s signature (if the application is submitted by a graduate´s representative, then a notary-certified power of attorney in writing shall be submitted);
- list of attached documents.

 Annexes are the following:
- Original or legally attested copy of a diploma, certificate or similar proof of completion of studies issued by a foreign university.

- Original or legally attested copy of a diploma supplement or transcript of records of all completed courses for the entire duration of study.

If the above mentioned documents have not been issued in Czech, Slovak or English languages, they must be translated into Czech or English language by a court interpreter. The directory of the court interpretors can be found on the website of the Ministry of Justice of the Czech Republic.

The written translation shall be provided by the interpreter in a similar arrangement as that laid down for the expert’s written opinion. On the first page of the written translation, the interpreter shall indicate from which language the translation was made and on the last page shall attach an interpreter's clause, a stamp and a signature. The translated document must be attached to a written translation. If this document cannot be attached to the translation, a certified copy of the document shall be attached. (Section 14 of the Decree No. 37/1967 Coll.).

- Notary-certified power of attorney in writing if a representative will be acting on behalf of the applicant. A certified translation of the power of attorney into Czech or English is required (documents issued in English do not need to be translated).

- If the applicant changed his/her name after the completion of his/her studies, presentation of a legally attested copy of the marriage certificate or other document proving this fact is required. A certified translation of such a document into Czech or English is required (documents issued in English do not need to be translated).

- Upon request course description of the completed courses in English or translated into Czech.

- Upon request additional information confirming that the degree programme was carried out by an institution authorised to provide higher education or information on the specific content of the higher education studies abroad.

- Upon request, proof of change of the name of the higher education institution, if the name stated on the submitted documents does not match the current name of the higher education institution.

Verification of authenticity of signatures and stamps on original educational documents

It may be required that the authenticity of signatures and stamps on the original documents is verified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State in which the foreign university that issued the document has its seat, or by the competent foreign authority and the competent embassy of the Czech Republic, unless an international treaty by which the Czech Republic is bound provides otherwise.

a) Verification is not required for higher education diplomas issued in countries, which the Czech Republic entered into bilateral agreements on legal aid with: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, France, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Korea (North Korea), Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Mongolia, Montenegro, Poland, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Russian Federation, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Syria, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Yemen

b) Verification by apostille

If the educational documents have been issued by a state which is a signatory to the Hague Convention (signatories) of 5 October 1961 Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents, the document is legalized by certifying the authenticity of the signature, the capacity in which the person signing the document has acted and, where appropriate, the identity of the seal or stamp which it bears by the diplomatic or consular agents of the country in which the document was produced.

Hague Convention countries:

Andorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Botswana, Brunei Darussalam, Cape Verde, People´s Republic of China - Hong Kong a Macao only, Colombia, Cook Islands, Denmark, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, Grenada, Honduras, Iceland, India, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Republic of Korea, Latvia, Lesotho, Liberia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malta, Marshall Islands, Mauritius, Mexiko, Monaco, Namibia, Netherlands, New Zealand, Niue, Norway, Panama, Peru, Portugal, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucie, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, South Africa, Suriname, Swaziland, Sweden, Tonga, Trininad and Tobago, Turkey, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America, Vanuatu, Venezuela

c) Superlegalization

Verification of the authenticity of signatures and stamps on the original documentation is being done by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country in which the higher education institution that issued the document is domiciled, or by a relevant foreign body and the relevant embassy of the Czech Republic

Authorities governing the recognition of foreign education:

- Public higher education institution which pursues or is authorized to pursue a degree programme in at least one of the fields of education into which a foreign higher education degree programme can be classified.
- The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports decides in case of doubts about determining the competence of a particular public higher education institution.
- The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports is the appeal body if a decision refusing the recognition has been issued.

Legal regulations governing the recognition of foreign higher education and qualifications in the Czech Republic:

- The Lisabon Treaty, No. 60/2000 Sb.m.s.
- Act No. 111/98 Coll., on Higher Education Institutions and on Amendments and Supplements to Some Other Acts (The Higher Education Act), as amended, Sections 87, 89, 90, 105, 106
- Act No. 500/2004 Coll., on Administrative Procedure (Administrative Rules), as amended
- International agreements binding upon the Czech Republic

Bilateral agreements

Slovakia
Agreement between the governments of the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic on mutual recognition of educational documents issued in the Czech Republic and Slovak Republic (Prague, 28 November 2013, published under No. 23/2015 Coll. of International Treaties).

Diplomas issued in the Slovak Republic are valid in the Czech Republic; no certificate of recognition of foreign higher education is required.

Poland
Agreement between the Government of the Czech Republic and the Government of the Republic of Poland on the mutual recognition of educational documents and documents relevant to academic degrees and titles issued in the Republic of Poland (Prague, 16 January 2006, No. 104/2006 Coll. of International Treaties).

Diplomas issued in the Republic of Poland are valid in the Czech Republic; no certificate of recognition of foreign higher education is required.

Hungary
Agreement between the Government of the Czech Republic and the Government of the Republic of Hungary on the mutual recognition of educational documents and documents relevant to academic degrees and titles issued in the Republic of Hungary (Budapest, 6 May 2004, published under No. 92/2005 Coll. of International Treaties).

Diplomas issued in the Republic of Hungary are valid in the Czech Republic; no certificate of recognition of foreign higher education is required.

Slovenia
Agreement between the Government of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic and the Federal Assembly (Skupština) of the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia on the mutual recognition of educational documents and documents relevant to academic degrees and titles issued in the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia (Belgrade, 12 September 1989, No. 89/1991 Coll. of International Treaties) – applicable only to Slovenia.

Diplomas issued in the Republic of Slovenia are valid in the Czech Republic; no certificate of recognition of foreign higher education is required.

Germany
Agreement between the Government of the Czech Republic and the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany on the mutual recognition of higher education documents (Prague, 23 March 2007, No. 60/2008 Coll. of International Treaties).

The document holder has tosubmit an application for the recognition of foreign higher education(recognition for the purpose of further studies) to a public higher education institution in the Czech Republic implementing a similar curriculum. If the application meets all the requirements, the higher education institution will issue a certificate of recognition.

Holders of higher education qualifications issued by German higher education institutions, which are not covered by the Agreement (this is not recognition for the purpose of further studies), may apply for recognition of foreign higher education and qualifications in the Czech Republic according to the general provisions of § 89 and § 90 of the Higher Education Act.