Charles University
Univerzita Karlova
Central Europe's oldest university, where degrees taught in Czech are free and English-taught ones charge fees.
- Students
- 55,291
- International
- 21%
- of students
- Tuition
- €1,000
- From · 2026-27
- Founded
- 1348
About CU
Charles University was founded in Prague in 1348 by Charles IV and is the oldest university in Central Europe. Its medieval seat, the Karolinum in the Old Town, still hosts graduations. Today it is a large public research university with 17 faculties spread across Prague, Plzeň and Hradec Králové, about 55,000 students and more than 11,000 international students from 143 countries.
The faculties run their own admissions, so there is no central admissions office. They include three theology faculties, law, five medical faculties plus pharmacy, arts, science, mathematics and physics, education, social sciences, sport and humanities. Charles is best known internationally for medicine and dentistry, taught in English at several faculties, for its Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, and for humanities and social sciences in the heart of Prague.
The key thing for applicants is language. Programmes taught in Czech are free of charge, and international applicants can take them on the same terms as Czech students, including a Czech-language entrance exam and sometimes a Czech language certificate. Programmes in English (and some in German, French or Russian) charge fees; English-taught bachelor's and medical degrees cost from about EUR 1,000 to EUR 24,250 a year depending on the programme. It suits independent students who are comfortable choosing a faculty directly, preparing for subject entrance exams, and living in a historic capital where the university is woven into the city rather than set on a campus.
Why students choose CU
Czech-taught degrees are free for everyone who meets the admission requirements, including international students, as long as they finish within the standard length plus one year.
English-taught medicine and dentistry at several medical faculties, with entrance exams held in English and, for medicine, also abroad.
The Faculty of Mathematics and Physics runs an English-taught Bachelor of Computer Science for EUR 4,200 a year (EU) or EUR 7,100 (non-EU) from 2026/27.
Charles reports a 98.2% employment rate for graduates 6 to 12 months after graduation (2025 data).
Admissions
2027/28 academic year (applications from late 2026 to mid 2027)
Selectivity
In 2025, 44,695 applicants submitted 72,792 applications and there were 27,577 admissions and 17,468 enrolments across all programmes. Selectivity varies widely by faculty and programme; medicine, law and some social science programmes are the most competitive.
Typical entry requirements
| Minimum | Completed secondary education; foreign diplomas need recognition (nostrification) unless automatically recognised, e.g. IB or European Baccalaureate |
|---|---|
| A-levels (Computer Science BSc, English-taught) | AAB including an A in Mathematics (one of several ways to meet the reasoning requirement) |
| IB Diploma (Computer Science BSc, English-taught) | 6 or higher in Mathematics: analysis and approaches HL or applications and interpretation HL; total IB score not a factor |
| Czech-taught programmes | Same requirements as Czech students plus, at some faculties, proof of Czech (e.g. B1, B2 or C1 certificate or a Czech test in the entrance exam) |
| English language | IELTS 6.5 · TOEFL iBT 85 Example from the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics English-taught bachelor's (2026/27): TOEFL iBT 85, IELTS 6.5, Cambridge C1 Advanced pass, Duolingo 110 or PTE Academic 66; waived after two years of English-medium schooling in selected countries. Other faculties set their own requirements. |
Deadlines
- Bachelor of Computer Science (English), Faculty of Mathematics and Physics Non-binding Passed30 April 2026 (2026/27 intake)
Previous cycle's date; the application server opened in December 2025. Check the faculty site for the 2027/28 date.
- Czech-taught bachelor's and master's programmes Non-binding28 February or 31 March (depending on programme)
Standing deadlines published by the university; entrance exams usually May to June/July.
- English-taught bachelor's and master's programmes Non-bindingVaries by faculty, from February to June/July
Non-EU applicants should apply early to leave time for a student visa.
Most programmes open for applications in late January or early February, with no rolling admissions and no individual extensions. Faculty-specific 2027/28 deadlines are not yet all published; the Computer Science date shown is from the 2026/27 cycle.
How to apply
Choose a programme in the university catalogue and apply online to that faculty, paying the application fee (e.g. CZK 1,500 at the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics for 2026/27). If the programme has an entrance exam, you are invited once your application is complete; other programmes assess your documents and profile. Admitted students receive a letter of acceptance for the visa and must prove recognised secondary education by enrolment.
What admissions looks for
- Completed secondary education that is recognised in Czechia (or will be by enrolment).
- Performance in the faculty's entrance exam where one is required, or in the standardised tests a programme names, such as the reasoning requirement for Computer Science.
- Sufficient English (for English-taught programmes) or Czech (for Czech-taught programmes where the faculty requires it).
- For programmes without exams, the applicant's overall profile and submitted documents, as set out in each programme's catalogue entry.
Tips for applying to CU
- 1 Decide early between a free Czech-taught programme and a fee-paying English one: the Czech route needs Czech good enough for the entrance exam and, at some faculties, a B1 to C1 certificate.
- 2 Apply to the faculty, not the university: each of the 17 faculties has its own procedure, deadline and fees, so read the programme's catalogue entry closely.
- 3 Start foreign diploma recognition (nostrification) early; you must prove recognised secondary education by enrolment.
- 4 Medicine and dentistry applicants should look at entrance exam dates and locations early: exams are in English and some are offered abroad.
- 5 The Institute for Language and Preparatory Studies offers optional foundation programmes, including Czech-language preparation for the free route.
Costs & financial aid
2026-27 · figures in EUR
Czech-taught study is tuition-free. Scholarships for international students include Czech Ministry of Education scholarships (for applicants from developing countries, general scholarships and Visegrad Fund awards), the Václav Havel Bursary for students affected by repression, and faculty schemes such as those at Mathematics and Physics and the FSV UK Scholars programme at Social Sciences. After the first year, most faculties offer merit scholarships and fee waivers or reductions.
- About EUR 180 shared, EUR 260 private
- Dormitory room in Prague (per month)
- CZK 1,500 (about EUR 60) per application
- Application fee example (Mathematics and Physics, 2026/27)
Academics
Academic calendar: Two semesters (winter and summer), academic year starting in late September/October
General Medicine (English)
A six-year long-cycle programme leading to the MUDr. title, offered in English with English entrance exams.
Dentistry (English)
A long-cycle programme leading to the MDDr. title, taught in English at the medical faculties.
Bachelor of Computer Science (English)
Admission by clear reasoning thresholds (e.g. SAT Math 720, IB Maths HL 6, A-level A in Maths) and fees of EUR 4,200 or EUR 7,100 a year.
History and Area Studies (English), Faculty of Social Sciences
An English-taught bachelor's run by the Institute of International Studies in central Prague.
Czech-taught programmes
Hundreds of accredited programmes (961 in total across all languages) with no tuition for students who can study in Czech.
Research
- Home to the Centre for Economic Research and Graduate Education (CERGE-EI) and the Centre for Theoretical Study.
- Research projects bring in about a third of the university's income, and its researchers regularly win ERC grants, such as Jana Mynářová's EUR 2.5 million Advanced Grant on violence in ancient Mesopotamia.
- A member of the 4EU+ Alliance of European research universities.
- Nobel laureate Jaroslav Heyrovský, the inventor of polarography, studied and worked at Charles.
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Law
- First Faculty of Medicine
- Second Faculty of Medicine
- Third Faculty of Medicine
- Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen
- Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove
- Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Kralove
- Faculty of Arts
- Faculty of Science
- Faculty of Mathematics and Physics
- Faculty of Social Sciences
- Faculty of Education
Charles University reports a 98.2% employment rate 6 to 12 months after graduation, among 10,184 graduates (2025 data).
Student life
Charles has no single campus: its faculties occupy historic and modern buildings across Prague, with medicine and pharmacy also in Plzeň and Hradec Králové. First-year students have a room automatically pre-reserved in a university dormitory by their faculty, and every dormitory has a local student housing assistant. International students can join the CU Buddy Programme before arrival and a pre-departure onboarding course. Academic life is marked by old ceremonies: new students are welcomed at a formal matriculation ceremony, and graduations are held in the historic Karolinum.
- Matriculation and graduation ceremonies in the medieval Karolinum.
- CU Buddy Programme pairing international newcomers with local students.
- The university chorus and orchestra, open to new members through informal auditions each autumn.
- About 4,400 incoming exchange students a year, and membership of the 4EU+ Alliance.
Housing. First-year students get a dormitory place pre-reserved by their faculty (to be confirmed by the student); a Prague dormitory room costs about EUR 180 a month shared or EUR 260 private.
Location
Most faculties are in Prague, the Czech capital, many within walking distance of the Old Town, Malá Strana and the Vltava river. Living costs are moderate by Western European standards: the university estimates about EUR 550 a month for a modest lifestyle in a dormitory and up to EUR 1,000 for an active lifestyle in private accommodation. Public transport is cheap for students, and Plzeň and Hradec Králové are smaller, cheaper cities.
Nearest airport: Václav Havel Airport Prague (PRG)
Notable alumni
- JH Jan HusReligious reformer and rector of the university in 1409
- FK Franz KafkaWriter; law graduate of the German University in Prague
- JH Jaroslav HeyrovskýChemist, Nobel Prize in Chemistry 1959
- GC Gerty CoriBiochemist, Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 1947
- KČ Karel ČapekWriter who popularised the word 'robot'
- MK Milan KunderaNovelist, The Unbearable Lightness of Being
- MH Milada HorákováLawyer, women's rights activist and resistance figure
- AH Antonín HolýChemist whose compounds underpin antiviral drugs for HIV and hepatitis B
Frequently asked questions
Is Charles University free for international students?
Yes, if you study in Czech: Czech-taught programmes are free for everyone who meets the requirements, as long as you finish within the standard length plus one year. English-taught bachelor's and medical programmes charge fees of about EUR 1,000 to EUR 24,250 a year.
Does Charles University have entrance exams?
Many programmes do, usually between May and July, set by each faculty. Czech-taught exams are in Czech and English-taught ones in English; some programmes, like Computer Science, use SAT, ACT, AP, IB or A-level results instead.
When is the application deadline for Charles University?
Czech-taught programmes close on 28 February or 31 March. English-taught deadlines vary by faculty from February to June/July; for example, the Bachelor of Computer Science closed on 30 April 2026 for the 2026/27 intake.
What IELTS score does Charles University require?
It depends on the faculty. The Faculty of Mathematics and Physics asks for IELTS 6.5 or TOEFL iBT 85 (or equivalents such as C1 Advanced or Duolingo 110).
How much does it cost to live in Prague as a student?
The university estimates about EUR 550 a month for a modest dormitory lifestyle and up to EUR 1,000 for an active lifestyle in private accommodation.
Sources & methodology
Figures on this page were checked against official university publications, national application services and ranking publishers in September 2026. Each number is shown with the year or admissions cycle it describes. Always confirm deadlines and fees on the university's own website before applying.
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