A preparatory year takes you from zero to B2 Czech and prepares you for the entrance exams of a tuition-free Czech-taught degree. For applicants from Central Asia and other non-EU countries the safest option is a course run by a public university: ÚJOP at Charles University costs $5,616–7,909 (CZK 120,000–169,000) for the year starting in September 2027, while courses at Masaryk University, CTU, Brno University of Technology and Palacký University start from $2,808 (CZK 60,000) at 2026/27 prices. Only university-run preparation counts as "study" for immigration purposes: a 60-day decision, the right to work without a permit, and one permitted extension of the residence permit. A year at a private language school falls under a different purpose of stay. Russian citizens currently cannot file a visa application for a preparatory course at any Czech embassy.
Do you need a preparatory year?
| Situation | Sensible choice |
|---|---|
| No Czech, goal is a tuition-free Czech-taught degree | One-year course including the subjects of your entrance exams |
| Czech already at B1 | A shorter or advanced course (e.g. ÚJOP PROGRESS) |
| Medicine, dentistry, pharmacy | A course with biology, chemistry, physics and medical terminology: B2 general Czech plus C1 terminology |
| English-taught programme | No Czech course needed; you need IELTS/TOEFL and a tuition budget |
| Russian citizen | No visa available: Czech embassies do not accept applications from Russian citizens |
| Belarusian citizen without an MŠMT, EU or Czech government scholarship | Also not possible |
Why not learn Czech at home? A university course in Czechia gives you a legal basis to live in the country a year before admission, time to complete nostrification and exams on site, and a certificate that faculties accept. Without it, the first visa collides with the calendar: admission decisions arrive in June and the visa can take up to three months.
University course or private school: the key difference
| Course at a public university | Private language school | |
|---|---|---|
| Legal purpose of stay | "Study" (Section 64(b), Act No. 326/1999) | "Other educational activities" |
| Visa processing | 60 days | Embassies in Moscow, Astana and Tashkent quote up to 120 days |
| Work during the course | No separate permit needed | Free labour-market access for students does not apply |
| Extension | A preparation permit can be extended only once | A long-term visa is valid for at most 1 year including extensions |
| Switching to a university permit after admission | At the Ministry of the Interior in Czechia | At the Ministry of the Interior in Czechia |
| Certificate | University final exam; according to ÚJOP, its certificate is recognised by more than 80 universities and faculties | Depends on the school |
The Ministry of the Interior lists post-secondary Czech courses outside the Section 64 definition under "other educational activities". ÚJOP and Masaryk University, by contrast, state that their preparation qualifies as study under Section 64. Before paying, ask the organiser in writing which purpose of stay its admission letter supports.
University-run courses compared
| University and course | City | Volume | Price | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ÚJOP, Charles University, COMPLEX (from zero, with subject preparation) | Prague, Poděbrady | 35 lessons a week, 1,250 lessons a year | $7,815 (CZK 167,000); medicine and sciences $7,909 (CZK 169,000) | Starts September 2026 and September 2027; for Humanities COMPLEX 2027, applicants needing a visa must apply by 31.05.2027 |
| ÚJOP, PROGRESS (from B1) | Prague | 25 lessons a week | $5,616–5,709 (CZK 120,000–122,000) | September 2026 and 2027 |
| Masaryk University, Department of Czech for Foreigners | Brno | 440–635 lessons | $3,252–4,907 (€2,850–4,300) | 2026/27: 14.09.2026–13.06.2027 |
| CTU, Masaryk Institute of Advanced Studies | Prague | 700 hours, 20–25 a week | $4,633 (CZK 99,000) | 2026/27 from 21.09.2026; applications closed 30 April 2026 |
| Brno University of Technology, Lifelong Learning Institute | Brno | 560 teaching units | $2,808 (CZK 60,000) | 01.10.2026–30.06.2027 |
| Palacký University, Faculty of Arts | Olomouc | 600 lessons, groups of 6–12 | $4,072 (CZK 87,000), incl. a non-refundable CZK 2,000 fee | From mid-September; last applications in April |
| University of West Bohemia | Pilsen | 800 hours (A1–B1 or A2–B2) | $5,148 (CZK 110,000) | Non-EU deadline 31.03.2026 |
ÚJOP has already published 2027/28 prices; the others still show 2026/27, and new prices usually appear in autumn or winter. Content differs as much as price: ÚJOP includes subject preparation, whereas several other courses teach language only, so you would prepare for mathematics or biology exams separately. Czech courses are also run by Mendel University, the University of South Bohemia, the University of Ostrava, VSB–Technical University of Ostrava and Tomas Bata University.
What a year really costs
The course is usually less than half of the budget. Accommodation is not included (ÚJOP says so explicitly), nor is insurance.
| Item | Annual estimate | Source |
|---|---|---|
| University course | $2,808–7,909 (CZK 60,000–169,000) | University websites |
| Living in a dormitory or shared flat | $6,847–10,955 (€500–800 a month) | Study in Czechia |
| Comprehensive health insurance | Insurer's rate, limit at least €400,000 | Ministry of the Interior |
| Visa fee | $117 (CZK 2,500) | Ministry of the Interior |
| Nostrification and translations | $140 (CZK 3,000) plus translations | MŠMT |
The funds shown for the visa, $5,420 (CZK 115,810) for a year, are the same living money, not an extra payment. Full budgets are in our guide to the cost of studying in Czechia.
If the visa is refused. Refund terms differ: ÚJOP refunds 95% if you cancel before the course starts; Masaryk University refunds 75% if you cancel before the start (visa applicants must send proof of the refusal); Palacký University's CZK 2,000 administrative fee is non-refundable. Read the terms before paying.
Language: what level is realistic in a year?
Most Czech-taught programmes require B2; medicine requires B2 general Czech and C1 medical terminology. Study in Czechia says many international students reach B2 within one year of intensive preparation; ÚJOP adds that this is realistic for speakers of Slavic languages, while others may need two years.
Ways to prove your level:
- the course's final certificate (according to ÚJOP, its certificate is recognised by more than 80 universities and faculties);
- the CCE certificate exam run by ÚJOP (from $140 (CZK 3,000));
- the faculty's own language test.
The language requirement is set by each faculty. Check the programme page before paying for a course.
Visa for a preparatory course
The procedure is the same as for degree students: admission letter, accommodation, funds, criminal record certificate, insurance when the visa is issued. By country:
- Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan. The school books your appointment at the embassy in Astana by e-mail; the embassy currently reports a 21–30 day wait.
- Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan. The embassy in Tashkent books language and preparatory course participants separately, through a monthly e-mail registration with random selection, even if the course is run by a Czech university. For October 2026, 40 slots were allocated. Plan several months of buffer.
- Russia. Czech embassies do not accept applications from Russian citizens, including students and course participants.
- Belarus. Only MŠMT, EU or Czech government scholarship holders.
Masaryk University warns that students who arrived on its admission letter must attend classes, otherwise the department notifies the Ministry of the Interior. The residence permit for preparation can be extended only once, so plan for one, at most two, years before university. Details are in our guide to the Czech student visa and residence permit.
How to choose a course: checklist
- The organiser is a public university and its admission letter supports "study" under Section 64.
- The programme covers your entrance-exam subjects, not only language.
- Your target faculty accepts the final certificate.
- The number of hours fits your starting level: university courses range from 440 to 1,250 lessons.
- Refund terms for a visa refusal are clear.
- Accommodation is solved: ÚJOP has its own dormitories; Palacký University does not arrange housing.
- The course city matches where you want to study, or is convenient for exam trips.
Calendar: course starting September 2027
| When | Step |
|---|---|
| Autumn 2026 | Choose a field and 2–3 universities; check their language and exam requirements |
| Winter 2026/27 | Apply for the course (ÚJOP's 2027/28 intake is already open); collect school documents for nostrification |
| March–May 2027 | Admission letter, embassy appointment, visa application (ÚJOP visa deadline 31 May) |
| September 2027 | Course starts; registration in Czechia; file for nostrification |
| November 2027 – March 2028 | University applications for 2028/29 |
| May–June 2028 | Language and entrance exams |
| September 2028 | University starts; residence permit for study |
Common mistakes
- Choosing the cheapest private-school course and ending up with a different purpose of stay, longer processing and no right to work.
- Taking a language-only course when your faculty tests mathematics or biology.
- Counting the course fee but not housing, insurance and translations.
- Applying for a course in June and expecting a visa by September, especially via Tashkent.
- Skipping classes: organisers must report this to the Ministry of the Interior.
- Assuming a course leads to automatic admission: the faculty decides on the basis of its exams.
FAQ
University-run courses cost from $2,808 (CZK 60,000, Brno University of Technology, 2026/27) to $7,909 (CZK 169,000, ÚJOP medicine and sciences, 2027/28). Housing and insurance are extra.
Some schools offer online formats, but they do not provide a basis for a study visa, and you will still need to travel to Czechia for entrance exams.
No. The dean decides on admission based on the entrance exams. Success rates published by course providers are their own internal statistics.
Yes, if the course is run by a public university and your purpose of stay is "study"; no separate work permit is needed.
A permit for preparation can be extended only once. After admission you apply to the Ministry of the Interior for a permit for university studies, which can be extended repeatedly, up to 2 years each time.
Yes, look for one that includes biology, chemistry, physics and medical terminology. ÚJOP runs a C1 medical terminology exam developed with the Charles University medical faculties. See studying medicine in Czechia.
Under a contract we match a course to your programme and timeline, check visa and nostrification documents and plan the admission calendar. The organiser decides on course admission, and the Ministry of the Interior on the visa. The next steps are covered in applying to Czech universities and nostrification in Czechia.
Sources
- ÚJOP, Charles University: preparation in Czech, Humanities COMPLEX, FAQ, student visa, CCE exams — checked 24.09.2026
- Masaryk University: year-long preparation — checked 24.09.2026
- CTU MIAS: Czech preparatory course — checked 24.09.2026
- Brno University of Technology: Czech courses — checked 24.09.2026
- Palacký University: Czech for Foreigners 2026/2027 — checked 24.09.2026
- University of West Bohemia: intensive courses — checked 24.09.2026
- Ministry of the Interior portal: studies under Section 64, other educational activities, study residence permit — checked 24.09.2026
- Czech Embassy in Tashkent: course registration, Czech Embassy in Astana: student booking, Czech Foreign Ministry: Russian and Belarusian citizens — checked 24.09.2026
- Study in Czechia: learn Czech, study tuition-free, living costs — checked 24.09.2026
- Exchange rate: ECB, 23.09.2026, €1 = $1.1411 = CZK 24.383
Next steps
- Studying Medicine in Czechia: Free in Czech or Paid in English — Faculties, Exams, Fees and Degree Recognition
- Nostrification in Czechia: How to Get Your School Certificate and Degree Recognised
- Applying to Czech Universities for 2027/28: Step-by-Step Plan, Deadlines, Documents and Exams
- Cost of Studying in Czechia: 2026/27 and 2027/28 Tuition, Living Costs and a First-Year Budget
- Czech Student Visa and Residence Permit: Who Can Apply, Documents, Funds and Timing
- Free University Education in Czechia: Conditions, What You Still Pay and the Real Annual Cost
