Charles University (Univerzita Karlova)

Charles University (Univerzita Karlova) is the oldest university in Central Europe, founded in 1348 in Prague. It's the largest and most prestigious university in the Czech Republic, strong in medicine, law, pharmacy, the humanities and natural sciences.

Tuition in Czech is free; there are also paid English-taught programs. A Charles University degree is highly valued across Europe. See how tuition-free study in Czechia works and how Charles compares with other universities in Prague.

Charles University - the flagship of Czech education:

• The oldest university in Central Europe (1348)
• The largest and most prestigious university in the Czech Republic
• Strong medicine, law and pharmacy

The university spans faculties across Prague and other cities, with historic buildings, clinics and research institutes.

Charles University covers virtually every field:

• Medicine
• Law
• Pharmacy
• Psychology & Humanities
• Natural Sciences

Admission depends on the chosen faculty's assessment of your previous education (or another accepted recognition document) and the program's language rules; some fields have entrance exams. Charles University explains its admission-specific assessment separately from general nostrification (official guidance).

Admission to Charles University (Univerzita Karlova) takes six months or more; here are the key stages:

1. Choose a program (9–12 months ahead). Decide on the field — Law, medicine, pharmacy and psychology — and the level: bachelor’s or master’s. Programs differ in requirements, deadlines and fees.
2. Language certificate. For free programs, yes. Many students first take a year-long Czech course. English-taught programs require IELTS/TOEFL.
3. Application. Applications are submitted online; once reviewed, the university sends an offer — with it you can plan finances and housing.
4. Student visa and relocation. After the offer, StudyU helps prepare visa or residence-permit documents for the Czech Republic; the consular or migration authority makes the decision. Czech MFA visa rules.

• Passport
• Verified school-leaving certificate or degree diploma and transcript, as applicable
• A language certificate (Czech B2 or IELTS/TOEFL)
• A motivation letter - for certain programs

Exact requirements depend on the faculty - we'll help you prepare.

Tuition in Czech is free; English-taught programs are paid but affordable. You see tuition, required extras and scholarship options before the application.

Country benchmark for the Czech Republic. No - the cost of living in the Czech Republic is among the lowest in the EU, especially outside central Prague.

When planning the budget, add housing, insurance, visa fees and flights on top of tuition; we map the full route before the application.

Prague is a compact, safe and - by European standards - affordable capital with a large student community.

Once there, you will sort out registration, a bank account and a travel pass — we guide you through these steps after enrollment.

After graduation. Whether you can work after getting your degree depends on the current visa rules of the Czech Republic — we will help you review the up-to-date options before graduation.

The strong fields of Charles University (Univerzita Karlova) are Law, medicine, pharmacy and psychology. As at most universities in the Czech Republic, students have access to a career centre, job fairs and internships — use them from the first semesters: hands-on experience is decisive for the first job.

Another path is a master’s degree: with a bachelor’s from the Czech Republic you can apply to programs and scholarships worldwide.