The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport of the Czech Republic (hereafter referred to as the “Ministry”) annually offers scholarships to foreign nationals, pursuant to bilateral intergovernmental or departmental agreements concluded with a number of countries. Scholarships are awarded to applicants nominated by the competent authorities of eligible countries.
Scholarships of this type are designed for university/college students or graduates and Ph.D. candidates (exceptionally also for university researchers/teachers) who wish to accomplish a study or research stay at one of the Czech public institutions of higher education. Its length usually ranges from 2 to 10 months depending upon the agreement made by the Czech government and the foreign government concerned that specifies also the categories of eligible recipients.
Scholarship-holders may be admitted for research visits (i.e. either attending non-degree courses of their choice, or pursuing an independent research activity, depending on their qualifications and preferences), or for study visits, when they enroll in a standard study programme for the period of scholarship specified in the appropriate intergovernmental/departmental agreement. Since the courses they follow in the Czech Republic do not lead to the award of a degree, the universities concerned usually do not require them to sit entrance examinations.