1) Certified copies of proofs of education
Upon arrival to the Czech Republic, the first thing to do is to obtain certified copies of your proofs of education by an authorized institution (or a notary).
Certification services:
Certified copies can also be issued by an office of the Czech diplomatic mission.
Missing documents or verification
As mentioned above, you may be asked to complete missing information. If you have been granted international protection (asylum), subsidiary protection, or temporary protection in the Czech Republic, you can replace a missing document or any of the required verifications (i.e., you have only provided non-certified copies instead of original documents) with a sworn statement. You must attach a non-certified copy of the type of residence / visa along with the sworn statement.
If the sworn statement is used to replace missing documents, it should be as detailed as possible and describe all the courses taken during the individual years of study, information about attendance, and a list of final examinations including grades. You should only state information that you are absolutely sure about. You can use additional relevant documents to support your statement, e.g., course annotations, transcript of records, etc.
2) Sworn translation of proofs of education
Use a sworn translator to translate the certified copies into Czech.
Database of sworn translators and interpreters.
Most schools do not require sworn translation if your proofs of education are written in English. This also applies to bilingual diplomas, i.e., if the content is identical in both languages, one of them being English, sworn translation is not needed. This information is also available on public universities’ websites.
3) Filling out a request
The next step is to fill out a request form with your personal details, current contact information and details about your education. The name of the school and field of study must match the sworn translation. If your full name transliteration to Czech differs from the spelling as it appears on your passport (English transliteration), please indicate the English version as well to avoid problems, for example, when picking up the decision letter at the post office.
In addition to certified proofs of education and their sworn translation, you may also attach a proof of a name change and/or a power of attorney if the request is submitted (and communication with authorities handled) by a third person (attorney).
4) Sending the request
The achieved level of education determines where the request is to be submitted. Information on the payment of the administrative fee can be found on the relevant authority’s website.
Elementary, secondary, and post-secondary technical education – regional authorities:
- Prague
- South Bohemian Region
- South Moravian Region
- Karlovy Vary Region
- Hradec Králové Region
- Liberec Region
- Moravian-Silesian Region
- Olomouc Region
- Pardubice Region
- Pilsen Region
- Central Bohemian Region
- Ústí Region
- Vysočina Region
- Zlín Region
University studies – public schools
If you choose to send your request and its attachments by post, please send it as a registered letter and keep the certificate of posting. If you submit your request in person at a filing office, remember to keep the receipt.
5) Administrative procedure
What happens after the request is sent? The periods for recognition of foreign education are governed by the Rules of Administrative Procedure. You should receive a decision within 30 days, but it can take up to 60 days for more complex cases. During this time, a designated official assesses the similarities between the curriculum stated in the submitted documents and a similar study program at a Czech school in terms of the content of the courses and the number of classes. Based on this, they issue the appropriate decision.
The best scenario is that you receive a certificate of recognition of foreign degree and/or qualifications in the Czech Republic together with the decision. The certificate is usually requested if you intend to continue your studies or used to prove your qualifications when applying for a job. In any event, keep the original document. If you are requested to produce the document, make a certified copy.
You are not required to stay in the Czech Republic during the administrative procedure. If you leave, you must provide a mailing address where you will be staying outside the Czech Republic. You can even submit the request for recognition before arriving in the Czech Republic. Please check your e-mail and your mailbox regularly. If you use a third person to submit the request on your behalf, you must sign a power of attorney.
Right to appeal
You have the right to appeal if you disagree with the decision. The period for appeal is 15 days. You should always file the appeal with the institution that issued the decision. For primary, secondary, and post-secondary technical education, it is the regional authority; for university education, it is the corresponding public university. In your appeal letter, please indicate, for example, any additional information that might be relevant to the reasons for the rejection. The regional authority or public university may change the decision based on the appeal, but more often it forwards the decision along with all documents and the request to the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic, which either confirms or changes the previous decision.
Counseling services on recognition of foreign education
The institutions where requests for recognition are submitted offer office hours during which you may get advice on different topics, e.g., whether your proofs of education are complete, whether your documents have been sufficiently verified, etc. Regional offices have office hours on Mondays and Wednesdays, on other days you must make a telephone appointment in advance. You can always find further information – exact schedule and room numbers – on the website. Public universities also post contact details and office hours on their websites.
You can also use the services of non-profit organizations that offer free consultation and assistance throughout the process of recognition of foreign education. You will have to actively participate in the whole process, but this experience may help you deal with a similar issue on your own next time.
If you are busy and willing to pay, you can use the services of agencies that can arrange everything from document verification and sworn translation to submitting your request based on a power of attorney. The only thing for you to do is to come in person for any examinations. Beware of unreasonably overpriced services or fraudulent agencies. Always ask in advance how much the service will cost, including any fees. If possible, always check references beforehand.