An amendment to the Education Act has come into effect on September 1, 2025.
Here’s what you need to know about the important changes it brings and when they’ll take effect.
New rules for deferring school attendance
As of September 1, 2025, the option to defer school attendance during the first semester (known as an “dodatečný odklad”) will be abolished.
By 2029, preparatory classes for children with deferred school attendance will be abolished.
Gradually, by 2029, the possibility of deferral due to a child’s school immaturity will be abolished.
According to the new rules, the only reason for deferral can be a health condition that prevents daily attendance at school. The old rules for granting deferrals will apply to fewer and fewer children each year based on their date of birth:
- For enrollments in 2026 — the new rules apply to all children born after April 1, 2020
- For enrollments in 2027 — the new rules apply to all children born after July 1, 2021
- For enrollments in 2028 — new rules for all children born after August 31, 2022
- For enrollments in 2029, the new rules will apply to all children.
To have your request for deferral approved under the new rules, you need to provide:
- A health certificate from a specialist doctor or clinical psychologist
- Recommendation from an educational counseling facility (PPP or SPC)
In the event of a deferral of school attendance, the child will always receive an individual education plan.
New dates for unified enrollment in kindergartens and elementary schools
- Kindergarten enrollment — March 15 to April 15
- Enrollment in elementary schools — from January 15 to February 15
It is also possible to apply for the admission of children of compulsory school age during the school year.
Gradual introduction of verbal assessment only in grades 1 and 2 of elementary school
- From the 2027/28 school year, verbal assessment in grade 1
- From the 2028/29 school year, verbal assessment in grades 1 and 2
Repeating the 1st grade of elementary school
- From September 1, 2026, the option to repeat grade 1 of elementary school will be abolished.
Language training in elementary schools
- All pupils with insufficient knowledge of Czech who have been in the Czech education system for less than 24 months are entitled to support in the form of Czech language courses for foreigners.
Nostrification
In the event of failure in one of the nostrification exams, it will not be necessary to retake all nostrification exams:
- You will only need to retake the subjects in which you failed
- A new application must be submitted for the retake.
Secondary schools — adaptation of entrance exams
Applicants who have studied abroad for at least 2 years in the last 4 years are entitled to adjustments to the conditions of the admission procedure:
- Replacement of the standard entrance exam in Czech with an entrance interview
- 25% increase in time
- Option to use a translation dictionary
High schools — adaptation of final exams (Maturitní zkouška)
- Secondary school students who have studied outside the Czech Republic for at least 2 years in the last 8 years are entitled to an increase in time and the option to use a translation dictionary.
- It will no longer be possible to use a dictionary of standard Czech and spelling rules for the final exam.
- Schools can now offer students with a different mother tongue a different form of final exam — komplexní profilová práce. This form of exam is more practical and linguistically accommodating.