Czech University of Life Sciences Prague
Česká zemědělská univerzita v Praze (ČZU)
Prague's life-sciences university on a green Suchdol campus, with low-cost English bachelor's degrees and its own forests, farms and winery.
- Students
- 20,000
- International
- 29%
- of students
- Student–faculty
- 17.4:1
- ratio
- Tuition
- €1,000
- From · 2027-28
- Founded
- 1906
About CZU
The Czech University of Life Sciences Prague (CZU, in Czech ČZU) traces its roots to 1906, when agricultural studies began at the Czech Technical University. It became an independent university of agriculture in 1952, moved to a purpose-built campus in Prague-Suchdol in 1966, and took its current name in 1995. It has about 20,000 students, and the university says every third student is international.
CZU has six faculties and one institute: Economics and Management; Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources; Engineering; Environmental Sciences; Forestry and Wood Sciences; Tropical AgriSciences; and the Institute of Education and Counselling. It offers more than 170 programmes, around 60 of them taught in English, and runs its own forests, farm estates and a winery off campus. Its strongest research areas, by its own account, are agricultural, forestry and environmental sciences.
For international students the appeal is price and focus: English-taught bachelor's degrees cost 500 euros a year for EU students and 1,000 to 3,200 euros for others, while Czech-taught degrees are tuition-free for anyone who is admitted, whatever their nationality. It suits students interested in sustainability, food, forestry, environmental engineering, agribusiness or informatics who want a campus university in a European capital with low living costs.
Why students choose CZU
English-taught bachelor's degrees such as Business Administration, Informatics and Environmental Engineering cost 500 euros a year for EU students.
Czech-taught programmes at public universities are tuition-free regardless of nationality, so students who reach B2 Czech can study for free.
CZU reports the most sustainable campus in Czechia and 31st in the world in the UI GreenMetric rankings (2024), with dormitories on campus from about 300 euros a month.
The Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences is a specialist centre for tropical agriculture, rural development and agroforestry, with English master's programmes.
Admissions
Autumn 2027 entry (academic year 2027/28)
Selectivity
CZU publishes no overall acceptance rate. Admission is programme by programme, usually through an online General Academic Prerequisites (GAP) test in mathematics and English or an online interview, plus a recognised school-leaving certificate.
Typical entry requirements
| Secondary school-leaving certificate | A completed high-school leaving certificate or equivalent, recognised by CZU's recognition authority before enrolment |
|---|---|
| Entrance exam (English-taught bachelor's) | Online General Academic Prerequisites test in mathematics and English (e.g. Business Administration, Informatics, Economics and Management, Environmental Engineering, Agriculture and Food), or an online oral interview in maths, physics and English (Agricultural Engineering) |
| Czech-taught programmes | Czech at a level the programme accepts (the national Study in Czechia portal says many Czech-taught degrees require at least B2) plus the faculty's entrance test or interview |
| English language | English is tested through the entrance test or interview for English-taught programmes; the programme pages set no separate IELTS or TOEFL score. |
Deadlines
- English-taught bachelor's: Environmental Engineering, Agricultural Engineering, Agriculture and Food Non-binding Next deadline · In ~3 months15 January 2027
Applications open 15 September 2026.
- English-taught bachelor's: Business Administration, Informatics, Economics and Management Non-binding In ~6 months31 March 2027
Applications open 15 September 2026; the online entrance test runs from January to mid-April. Studies start 27 September 2027.
- Czech-taught programmes Non-bindingEnd of March 2027 (faculty-specific)
CZU says admissions for Czech programmes normally run from November to the end of March.
CZU's general admissions page says the first round runs from September to December and a second round from January to March, but each programme sets its own dates, so check the programme page. Dates above are for autumn 2027 entry.
How to apply
Apply online only, through the CZU University Information System, and pay the non-refundable 850 CZK application fee. Then take the online entrance test or interview, wait for the admission decision (usually January or late June), have your school-leaving certificate recognised, and, if you are a non-EU citizen, apply for a Czech student visa (which can take up to 60 days).
What admissions looks for
- A completed secondary education, recognised by CZU before enrolment.
- Solid mathematics and English, measured by the online General Academic Prerequisites test.
- For engineering programmes, maths and physics knowledge shown in an online interview.
- Motivation for the field, especially in interview-based programmes.
Tips for applying to CZU
- 1 You only get one attempt at the online entrance test for the Faculty of Economics and Management programmes, so prepare the maths section before you sit it.
- 2 Environmental Engineering, Agricultural Engineering and Agriculture and Food close on 15 January 2027, much earlier than the business and informatics programmes.
- 3 Start recognition of your school-leaving certificate early; you need it before you can enrol.
- 4 Non-EU students should apply for the visa as soon as the acceptance letter arrives and arrange accommodation proof, since the process can take up to 60 days.
Costs & financial aid
2027-28 · figures in EUR
CZU faculties award merit scholarships to talented students, and there is an accommodation scholarship for eligible students. Studying in Czech removes tuition entirely at public universities, regardless of nationality.
- 850 CZK (non-refundable)
- Application fee
- 500 to 5,000 euros a year
- English-taught tuition range across CZU programmes
- About 300 euros a month
- Campus dormitory
Academics
Academic calendar: Semesters (winter and summer)
Business Administration (BSc, English)
Three-year English-taught business degree with a focus on agribusiness; 2,600 euros a year for non-EU students.
Informatics (BSc, English)
IT degree in the Faculty of Economics and Management, applications open until 31 March 2027.
Environmental Engineering (BSc, English)
Earth sciences, environmental chemistry and remediation of contamination, taught in the Faculty of Environmental Sciences.
Agricultural Engineering (BSc, English)
The cheapest English bachelor's at 1,000 euros a year for non-EU students, with admission by online interview.
Agriculture and Food (BSc, English)
Farm-to-fork programme with training in the university's food demonstration facilities and analysis labs.
Tropical Crop Management and Ecology (MSc)
A master's in the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences on agrobiodiversity, nutrition and climate change in tropical farming, combining agroecology and agroforestry with plant biotechnology.
Research
- CZU says its research is strongest in agricultural, forestry and environmental sciences.
- The university runs its own CZU Forests, Farm Estates and Winery, used for teaching and research.
- CZU is a member of the Euroleague for Life Sciences (ELLS) and the Association for European Life Science Universities (ICA).
Schools & faculties
- Faculty of Economics and Management
- Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources
- Faculty of Engineering
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences
- Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences
- Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences
- Institute of Education and Counselling
CZU says employment of its graduates has been consistently high for many years, and its Career Centre runs an annual Job Fair; it publishes no percentage on these pages.
Student life
CZU is a true campus university: lecture halls, residence and dining halls, a library, sports centres and green spaces are together in Suchdol, on the edge of Prague. More than 20,000 students study there and, by the university's count, every third one is international. Student groups include the Erasmus Student Network, AIESEC and the CZU Prague Formula Racing team, and the year features a Welcome Week at the end of September, the Prague Science Film Fest, Miss Agro and an ice hockey match.
- Welcome Week at the end of September for new students.
- CZU Prague Formula Racing, ESN and AIESEC among student organisations.
- Farm estates, forests and a winery owned by the university.
- Most sustainable campus in Czechia in UI GreenMetric 2024, according to CZU.
Housing. Students can apply for rooms in CZU's halls of residence on campus (about 300 euros a month) once admitted; there are also off-campus dormitories.
Location
The campus is in Suchdol, a green district on the edge of Prague, connected to the city centre by public transport. CZU points out that Prague has one of the world's best public transport systems and that living costs in Czechia are low compared with western Europe.
Nearest airport: Václav Havel Airport Prague (PRG)
Notable alumni
- MC Mário Caetano JoãoAngolan Minister of the Economy and Planning; master's study in agrarian economics
- ID Ivan DejmalCzech environmentalist and politician; studied 1965-1970 until expelled for student activism
- JP Jaroslava Pokorná JermanováMember of the European Parliament; studied operations and economics
- MT Miroslav TetterMayor of České Budějovice; graduate
- FL Ferdinand LefflerLandscape architect, founder of Flera studio; graduate in Landscape Planning and Garden Engineering
- MP Marie PošarováMember of the Czech Chamber of Deputies; graduated in adult pedagogy and economics from Comenius University and CZU
Frequently asked questions
Is the Czech University of Life Sciences free for international students?
Czech-taught degrees at public universities are tuition-free for all nationalities. English-taught bachelor's degrees cost 500 euros a year for EU students and 1,000 to 3,200 euros a year for non-EU students.
What bachelor's degrees does CZU teach in English?
They include Business Administration, Informatics, Economics and Management, Environmental Engineering, Agricultural Engineering and Agriculture and Food, all three years long.
What is the CZU application deadline for 2027?
It depends on the programme: 15 January 2027 for Environmental Engineering, Agricultural Engineering and Agriculture and Food, and 31 March 2027 for Business Administration, Informatics and Economics and Management.
Does CZU have an entrance exam?
Yes. Most English bachelor's programmes use an online General Academic Prerequisites test in mathematics and English, while Agricultural Engineering holds an online interview in maths, physics and English.
How much does it cost to live at CZU?
A room in the campus dormitories costs about 300 euros a month, and CZU says living costs in Czechia are relatively low compared with western Europe.
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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