General Information for Schools about Foreign Student’s Study

Studies of foreign students in the Czech Republic are governed by laws no. 326/1999 Coll., on Residence of Aliens in the Territory of the Czech Republic, law no. 111/1998 Coll., on Higher Education Institutions, and law no. 561/2004 Coll., on Pre-school, Basic, Secondary, Tertiary Professional and other Education (the Education Act).

Regarding the studies, EU citizens (including citizens of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) have the same rights and duties, as citizens of the Czech Republic. These students are obliged to report their anticipated stay exceeding 30 days to the police, within 30 days of their arrival to the Czech Republic.

Family members of EU citizens (both close and distant ones) who are not EU citizens themselves, and have applied for a residence permit, or already have a residence permit issued, can stay in the Czech Republic and study without any limitation. If their application has not been approved, their temporary residence in the Czech Republic ends with that.

Third-country nationals, who want to stay in the Czech Republic for the purpose of study, can sojourn in the Czech Republic only during the time of validity of their long-term residence visa or their long-term residence permit issued by the Czech Republic, or issued by another EU member state withing the frame of a study exchange programme, including mobility aspects (e.g. ERASMUS), or under agreements between  universities.

If students from third countries are holders of a long-term residence permit for the purpose of studies issued by another EU member state, they can stay in the territory of the Czech Republic for up to 1 year without any visa, and they do not need to ask for a residence permit in the Czech Republic, if the purpose of their future stay in the territory is study. Students from third countries, who are holders of a long-term visa for the purpose of study issued by another EU member state, can stay in the Czech Republic under the same condititons for up to 360 days.

The validity of the residence visa and of the residence permit is not extended automatically. You have to apply for it, by submitting your application to the Ministry of the Interior as follows:

  • No sooner than 90 days before its expiry, and no later than on the last day of its expiry, if the student’s stay is based on the issuance of a long-term visa.
  • No sooner than 120 days before its expiry, and no later than on the last day of its expiry, if the student’s stay is based on the issuance of a long-term residence permit.

Students can submit the application for the extension of their residence permit validity at the offices of the Ministry of the Interior, send it by mail, through Data Box or through an e-mail with an advanced electronic signature or through an authorised representative.