The Czech Republic normally recognizes all health insurances valid within EU. Students from EU countries, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland are entitled to the provision of necessary and urgent health care free of charge. It is only necessary, that they have a certified E 128 form from their home country or a European Health Insurance Card, which replaces the paper forms needed. You should check with your insurance office, whether this is the case of your particular health insurance. Students are strongly recommended to have supplementary travel insurance from their country.

Students are responsible for acquiring their own insurance before coming to the Czech Republic. Detailed information can be found in the Insurance in the Czech Republic.

Note, that only health care that is “necessary and urgent“ is provided free of charge, and not, for example, routine dentistry. The standard of medical and dental care is good in the Czech Republic, and charges for “non-urgent“ care are very reasonable.

All exchange students must arrange their health and accident insurance for the whole period of their stay in the Czech Republic prior to leaving their country!

Students from non-EU countries should check, whether their country is on the list of countries, that have closed a bilateral agreement with the Czech Republic on the mutual provision of necessary and urgent health care free of charge. Insurance has to be arranged for a sum of at least 30,000 EUR. A list of these insurance companies is available at Czech consulates.

Applying for a student visa (EU students)

Students from EU countries, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Switzerland and some other countries do not need a visa to come and study in the Czech Republic! To enter the Czech Republic, EU students only need a valid passport or national ID card.

EU citizens can apply for a temporary residence permit, if they intend to stay in the Czech Republic for more than three months. The following documents must be enclosed to the application:

• a copy of the applicant’s passport,
• a photograph,
• a document certifying the purpose of the stay,
• a health insurance policy certificate,
• a sworn statement, that he/she will not claim social benefits during his/her stay in the Czech Republic.

Temporary residence permit certificates are issued for various periods of validity depending on the purpose for which the temporary residence permit is issued, and the validity of the permit may be repeatedly extended.

Non - EU students

Students from other countries (non-EU) are required to have a valid visa for their stay in the Czech Republic. Students from Turkey need a visa in any case. It is not possible to apply for a visa on the territory of the Czech Republic; the application must be submitted to the Czech Embassy or Consulate in the student’s home country. It is necessary to apply for a visa immediately after receipt of the Letter of acceptance. The procedure may take up to 60 days.

The Czech Embassy may require particular documents. The basic documents required for a visa for a stay above 90 days are as follows:

• an original visa application form
• a letter of acceptance
• a valid passport (valid for at least half a year beyond the expiry of the visa)
• 2 passport-size photographs
• an original confirmation of accommodation in the Czech Republic
• a financial contract or other documents corroborating financial support for your stay in the Czech Republic
• an official extract from the Criminal Register of the Czech Republic confirming, that the applicant has not been prosecuted and punished for crimes in the Czech Republic (it is enough to apply for the extract at the Czech Embassy when applying for a visa and to agree that the extract will be sent directly to the respective immigration police department).

Many of the necessary procedures have been changed, so do not rely on old information, and read the following very carefully. When you have received the forms from us, you can apply for a visa at the relevant Czech Embassy/Consulate in your home country. You can apply at any Czech Consulate, but there are limitations. Please contact the relevant Consulate for details.

The application forms (in five main European languages) are available only at the Consulates and cannot be copied. You have to visit the Consulate and complete the form there with the help of its personnel. Information about the visa can be obtained at the Czech Embassy or consulate in the respective country or at the website of the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs.