Assessment of Foreign Secondary and Higher Education Within the Admission Process

Admission to a bachelor’s or an integrated master’s degree programmes is conditional upon the completion of secondary education completed by the “maturitní zkouška” examination.

Admission to a post-graduate master’s degree programme is conditional upon the completion of any type of degree programme.

Admission to a doctoral degree programme is conditional upon the completion of studies in a master’s degree programme; in addition, doctoral students in the area of the visual arts must hold an academic degree.

Assessment of foreign secondary and higher education as part of the admission procedure at UMPRUM

The assessment of foreign secondary and higher education as part of the admission procedure at UMPRUM involves checking that one of the conditions of the admission procedure has been met, namely that the applicant has completed previous education:
- at a school that is recognized as part of the education system of a specific (also recognized) country, or is authorized to operate within the territory of another country even if its place of education does not align with its registered location;
- by graduating from the school, the graduate obtains academic rights to access the level of education to which they are applying;
- the length of study and the study load correspond to the Czech education system;
- the condition for access to study under Section 48 of the Higher Education Act has been met (i.e., a bachelor's degree must have been completed prior to a post-graduate master's degree).

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
- ACT No. 561/2004 Collection of Law, on Pre-school, Basic, Secondary, Tertiary Professional and Other Education (the Education Act)

The applicant demonstrates meeting the condition of secondary education completed by the “maturitní zkouška” examination by means of:

- document proving general recognition of the equivalence of a foreign document granting secondary education qualification issued by regional authorities in the Czech Republic pursuant to Sections 108 and 108a of the Education Act and Section 48(4)(a) of the Higher Education Act;

 - document proving granting of the European Baccalaureate; pursuant to Section 48(4)(b) of the Higher Education Act;

- document proving granting of the International Baccalaureate; pursuant to Section 48(4)(b) of the Higher Education Act;

- foreign document proving a foreign secondary education completed by the “maturitní zkouška” examination, if it is automatically its equivalent in the Czech Republic in accordance with its international agreements without any further administration procedures; this applies to holders of documents issued in:
a) Slovakia (“vysvedčenie o maturitnej skúške”)
b) Poland (“świadectwo dojrzałości”)
c) Hungary (“érettségi bizonyítvány”)
d) Slovenia (“Spričevalo o Splošni/Poklicni maturi”)
e) Germany („Zeugnis der Allgemeinen Hochschulreife“)
f) other countries on the basis of historical agreements relating to documents issued during the period of validity of these agreements.

Reguired documents

Secondary education

-Legally attested copy of a document proving completion of the secondary education.
- Confirmation from the relevant foreign secondary school or other competent foreign authority that a graduate of the secondary education programme of the foreign secondary school in question is entitled to apply for admission to a bachelor's degree programme in that foreign country.

Higher education

-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.
- Information about the place 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.).

- 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).