Secondary Education system in Czech Republic

What

The system of secondary schools and conservatories in the Czech Republic includes both state and private institutions.

There are two types of secondary schools in the Czech Republic:

• The grammar school providing general education completed with a school.-leaving examination and designed to prepare the students for their higher or university education. The length of the study is usually 4 years.
• The eight-year grammar school providing general education completed by a school-leaving examination and designed to prepare the students for their higher or university education. The length of the study is usually 4 years.
• Secondary technical school providing complete secondary technical education completed by a school-leaving examination with the following subjects: technical and economic, health, pedagogical and other subjects. The length of the study is usually 4 years.
• Secondary apprentice schools provide secondary education completed by a school-leaving apprentice examination. The length of the study is usually 2 – 3 years. The completed education is marked by apprenticeship certificate providing qualification of labour and similar professions. The apprentices can also continue with their studies at higher secondary schools with school-leaving examination.
• Conservatories – provide general education and preparation of the students for performing demanding performing professions in music, dance, singing and stage drama. Successful completion of conservatory studies leads to two levels of completed education: secondary with school-leaving examination and higher professional education in performing arts. The length of the study is 6 – 8 years.

Who

The network of state and private secondary schools and conservatories is approved and all related legislative measures are taken by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (Ministerstvo školství, mládeže a tělovýchovy). Education provided by state (public) secondary schools is free of charge, and education provided by private secondary schools is charged in the amount published on the web sites of the individual private schools.

How

Entrance examinations to secondary schools and conservatories (in Czech): http://www.msmt.cz/vzdelavani/stredni-vzdelavani/informace-o-prijimacim-rizeni-ke-strednimu-vzdelavani-podle

Successful completion of the relevant study programme leads to obtaining the following education levels:

• Secondary education – after successful completion of a 1-year or 2-year intramural study programme,
• Secondary education with apprenticeship certificate – after successful completion of a 2-year or 3_year intramural or abbreviated study programme for secondary education with apprenticeship certificate grant,
• Secondary education with school-leaving examination – after successful completion of a study programme of a six-year or eight-year grammar school, a study programme in the length of 4 years of intramural study, a higher secondary level study programme in the length of 2 years of intramural study or abbreviate study programme for obtaining secondary education with school-leaving examination pass.

When

After successful completion of basic education or after covering the compulsory school attendance the child may continue his/her studies at a secondary school. The spectrum of secondary schools is broad, including state and private schools providing professional preparation, preparing for university studies (grammar schools), special schools for handicapped students, schools with extended language learning etc. The selection of secondary school is the sole responsibility of the student and his/her parents/custodians.

Good to know

The secondary school may absolve a foreigner of the entrance test in the Czech language or replace it with an interview. Most secondary schools, however, require at least basic knowledge of the Czech language.
In the Czech Republic secondary school may also be attended by students with other than permanent stay in the country (long-term stay permit, family members of an EU citizen, asylum seekers and holders of accessory protection status etc.) or individuals about to ask for a permit to stay for more than 90 days on the basis of successful entrance examination to a secondary school, not yet staying in the Czech Republic.

In Czech Republic, the education system doesn’t make a difference between girls and boys.

Where

All information about entrance examinations to secondary schools and conservatories is provided on the web site of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport (Ministerstvo školství, mládeže a tělovýchovy)

(in Czech): http://www.msmt.cz/vzdelavani/stredni-vzdelavani/prijimani-na-stredni-skoly-a-konzervatore

including the secondary school register (in Czech): https://profa.uiv.cz/rejskol/

Praha 1, Czech Republic