Current as of 1 October 2026
An applicant for doctoral study will not complete their Master's study programme until the end of September. Can they still submit an application for admission to a doctoral study programme?
Yes. Confirmation of successful completion of a Master's study programme must be submitted during the period designated for the verification of admission requirements in accordance with the Admissions Procedure Schedule, which is established annually by a Rector's Directive. The University Schedule of the Academic Year normally takes into account the fact that some applicants complete their Master's studies during September.
If the applicant fails to provide proof of completion of their Master's studies within the prescribed period, a decision not to admit the applicant to the study programme will be issued on the grounds that the admission requirements have not been fulfilled.
An applicant for a doctoral study programme has completed a Master's study programme abroad and will not receive their degree certificate until the summer vacation period (or later). Are they required to obtain a decision on the recognition of foreign education (nostrification)?
Evidence of the successful completion of education at the Master's level is one of the admission requirements for enrolment in a doctoral study programme.
As a general rule, applicants may demonstrate that they satisfy this admission requirement (previous foreign education) either by submitting a decision on the recognition of foreign higher education and qualifications or by presenting a foreign higher education qualification (diploma) directly, which will be assessed by the faculty as part of the admissions procedure.
If the foreign higher education institution has not yet issued the applicant's degree certificate, the applicant may request that the faculty assess their previous education as meeting the admission requirement pursuant to Section 48(5)(c) of the Higher Education Act. In such cases, it must be demonstrated unequivocally that the applicant has successfully completed education at the Master's level, for example by means of an alternative document issued by the foreign higher education institution (such as a certificate of graduation).
Is nostrification required for qualifications from all countries?
For the purposes of study at Charles University, applicants whose previous education was obtained in countries with which the Czech Republic has not concluded an equivalence agreement (currently Slovakia, Poland, Hungary and Slovenia) have two options for demonstrating that they meet the Master's-level education requirement for admission.
They may either:
submit to the faculty a decision on the general recognition of their foreign higher education qualification in a Master's-type study programme within the relevant field(s) of education (pursuant to Section 89 et seq. of the Higher Education Act; Act No. 111/1998 Coll.), or
submit their foreign Master's degree directly to the faculty, which will assess the qualification as part of the admissions procedure.
Master's degrees awarded in Slovakia (with the exception of qualifications obtained through studies conducted outside the territory of the Slovak Republic), Poland, Hungary, and Slovenia should, provided that the conditions of the relevant equivalence agreements are met, be accepted automatically within the admissions procedure. Applicants holding such qualifications are therefore not required either to provide a decision on the general recognition of their qualification or to request an assessment of their foreign education by the faculty.
For further information, please visit web page about Diploma Recognition.
An applicant for doctoral study at Charles University is already enrolled in a doctoral study programme at another university. Can they transfer to a faculty of Charles University and continue their studies there?
No. The Higher Education Act, provides only for transfers between study programmes offered by the same higher education institution. Furthermore, the Code of Study and Examination of Charles University stipulates that transfers between doctoral study programmes within Charles University are not permitted.
However, the applicant may submit an application for admission, participate in the admissions procedure and, if admitted, subsequently apply for recognition of study requirements completed during their previous studies.
Does a student have only two attempts to fulfil a requirement or complete a course specified in their Individual Study Plan (hereinafter the “ISP”)?
Yes, pursuant to Article 55(3) of the Code of Study and Examination of Charles University:
“A student enrolled in a doctoral study programme may take an assessment in a course no more than twice, i.e. they are entitled to one resit attempt. An extraordinary resit attempt is not permitted.”
Can a student apply to transfer to a different doctoral study programme at Charles University?
No. A student enrolled in a doctoral study programme must undergo the standard admissions procedure and, if admitted, subsequently apply for the recognition of study requirements already completed. The decision on the recognition of previously completed requirements (with the exception of the state doctoral examination, see below) rests with the Dean.
Please note: under this procedure, the student's previous studies are classified as unsuccessful. Consequently, for the purposes of calculating the doctoral student income, the period of the previous "unsuccessful" study will be deducted from the total period of study taken into account.
A student is enrolling in a doctoral study programme for a second time, having previously failed to complete a doctoral programme. Can they apply for recognition of the state doctoral examination?
No. Section 68(1)(d) of the Higher Education Act, provides only for the recognition of examinations and the imposition of supplementary examinations. Furthermore, Article 33(3) of the Code of Study and Examination of Charles University expressly states that the Dean shall reject an application if a student requests recognition of a state examination or any part thereof.
For students who commenced their studies in 2025 or later, the state doctoral examination has been abolished. In these cases, the State final examination consists solely of the defence of the dissertation. Students who commenced their studies prior to 2025 remain subject to the previous requirements and are therefore still required to complete the state doctoral examination.
Can a student take the state final examination after the maximum period of study has expired if they registered for the examination before the end of the maximum period of study?
No. Pursuant to Article 6(5) of the Code of Study and Examination of Charles University, a student may neither take any examinations nor defend their dissertation after the expiry of the maximum period of study. Any examination, final state examination, or other study requirement completed after the maximum period of study has expired is considered invalid.
Is the student's consent required for all requirements set out in the Individual Study Plan (ISP)?
No. The Individual Study Plan (ISP) is not an agreement between the faculty and the student. The student has both the right and the responsibility to specify and submit proposals concerning their study requirements during the preparation of the ISP and in the course of its subsequent evaluations within the SIS module. However, following the supervisor's recommendation, the final decision on the content of the ISP always rests with the Subject Area Board.
The Subject Area Board is not obliged to approve a student's requests for amendments to the ISP and may reject such requests provided that its decision is duly justified.
Can a student be awarded a fail grade if they do not attend an examination without providing an excuse?
No. Failure to attend an examination without a valid excuse cannot be graded at all. In such cases, the examination attempt is forfeited.
Failure to attend an examination does not entitle the student to a special examination date.
Can a student apply for a change in the form of study?
Yes. Where a study programme is offered in both full-time and combined forms of study, the Dean may, on the basis of recommendations from the supervisor and the Subject Area Board, transfer the student to the requested form of study (Article 54(2) of the Code of Study and Examination of Charles University).
After the expiry of the standard length of study, the Dean may transfer a student from the full-time form of study to the combined form of study even without such recommendations.
Is it possible to commence a cotutelle arrangement, i.e. a jointly supervised doctorate, other than in the first year of study?
Yes. The student must be admitted to, and enrolled in, a related study programme at a foreign higher education institution. The final study requirement within both programmes will then be the defence of a joint dissertation.
Does a student enrolled in a Czech-language study programme have the right to take examinations in the Slovak language?
Until 2012, students were permitted to use the Slovak language on an equal footing with the Czech language in the course of their studies. Since then, however, it has been for the higher education institution, or the faculty concerned, to decide whether examinations may be taken in Slovak. This matter is not regulated by University regulations.
The Code of Study and Examination of Charles University regulates only the language in which a dissertation may be written. Pursuant to Article 59(3) of the Code of Study and Examination, a dissertation is normally prepared in the language in which the study programme is delivered, or in English. It may be written in another language if this has been approved by the Subject Area Board upon the request of a doctoral student.
If one reviewer´s report on a doctoral thesis is favourable and the other unfavourable, may an additional report be requested?
No. However, the student may raise objections to a reviewer’s report. If the Dean considers the student’s objections to be justified, they may grant such a request and appoint another person to prepare an additional report (Article 62(4) of the Code of Study and Examination).
The thesis defence proceeds even if all reviewer reports are unfavourable. If at least one report does not recommend the thesis for defence, the student may withdraw from the defence before it takes place; however, in such a case, the scheduled defence date is forfeited.
What is the procedure if a vote of the Examination Board for a doctoral thesis defence or a state doctoral examination result in a tie?
In such cases, pursuant to Article 64(3) of the Code of Study and Examination, the classification that is more favourable to the student shall prevail.
May a student publish their dissertation as a book prior to the dissertation defence? Is this permitted?
Yes. Neither statutory provisions nor the internal regulations of Charles University prevent the publication of a dissertation before its defence. A student or graduate may publish or otherwise make their dissertation publicly available at their own discretion. The matter is governed in detail by Section 60 of Act No. 121/2000 Coll., the Copyright Act, as amended.
May a student choose not to make their dissertation publicly available?
No. A dissertation cannot be withheld from publication. However, pursuant to Article 76 of the Code of Study and Examination of Charles University, the University may, at the student's request, postpone public access to a thesis or to parts thereof for the duration of any impediment to disclosure, for a maximum period of five years.
Is a student entitled to a doctoral scholarship if they are enrolled in a part-time form of study?
No. Pursuant to Article 19(1) of the Scholarship and Bursary Rules of Charles University, a doctoral scholarship may be awarded only to students enrolled in doctoral study programmes in the full-time form of study and only for the standard length of study. Doctoral students enrolled in the part-time form of study may be eligible to receive other types of scholarships in accordance with the applicable Scholarship and Bursary Rules.
A student is enrolled and duly pursuing a doctoral study programme in the part-time form of study. Are they entitled to a doctoral scholarship if, for example, after two years of study in the part-time form of study, they apply for a change to the full-time form of study?
Yes. Pursuant to Article 19(1) of the Scholarship and Bursary Rules of Charles University, a doctoral scholarship may be awarded to all students enrolled in doctoral study programmes in the full-time form of study. However, in assessing an application for a change in the form of study, the Dean will, in accordance with Article 54(2) of the Code of Study and Examination of Charles University, take into account the opinion of the supervisor and the Subject Area Board.
If the application is approved, the student will receive the doctoral scholarship only until the end of the standard length of study. I.e. for the purposes of scholarship payments, any period previously spent studying in the part-time form of study will be deduced in the calculation of the standard length of study.
Do years from a previous doctoral programme count towards the eligibility criteria for a doctoral scholarship, and how is the higher education institution informed of this fact?
Pursuant to Article 19(2) of the Scholarship and Bursary Rules, the total period of study considered for the purposes of doctoral scholarship payments also includes any previous period of enrolment in a doctoral study programme that was terminated unsuccessfully. A student's study history is recorded in the national Student Information System (SIMS) database administered by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports. In accordance with the Higher Education Act, all universities are required to submit data on their students to this database.
Can a doctoral scholarship be awarded beyond the standard length of study?
No. There is no basis for this in the University's internal regulations. However, after the standard length of study has been exceeded, a doctoral candidate may be eligible to receive other types of scholarships in accordance with the Scholarship and Bursary Rules currently in force.
Is a student entitled to a doctoral scholarship if they undertake a one-year study placement abroad?
Yes. Provided that the student remains enrolled in the full-time form of study and is still within the standard length of study, they remain eligible for the doctoral scholarship throughout the duration of the placement abroad.
What level of employment may a student hold (for example, at a university hospital) while remaining eligible for a doctoral scholarship?
Provided that the student is able to fulfil the obligations set out in their Individual Study Plan (ISP), the extent of their employment at any institution does not constitute an obstacle to the award of a doctoral scholarship. Eligibility for the scholarship depends on whether the student is enrolled in the full-time form of study and has not exceeded the standard length of study.
However, a doctoral scholarship may not be awarded if the student's countable remuneration for work forming part of their doctoral income, as defined in Article 18(2) of the Code of Study and Examination, exceeds in aggregate 1.2 times the minimum wage. In other words, if the student is employed in a position directly related to the subject matter of their dissertation project and receives a salary for that work, they may not be eligible for the doctoral scholarship (Article 21(2) of the Code of Study and Examination).
A student requires confirmation of the amount of scholarship they have received during their period of study. Who can issue such confirmation?
Upon request, this confirmation will be issued by the faculty at which the student is enrolled.
Is it possible for a graduate’s parent to collect the diploma on their behalf?
The diploma may be collected either by the graduate or by a person authorised through a power of attorney. For the purpose of collecting a diploma, the power of attorney does not need to be notarised.
A graduate married during her studies and now has a different surname. Which name will be shown on the diploma?
The diploma will bear the name that the student held at the time of completing their final study requirement, as stipulated in Article 3(2) of Rector's Directive No. 38/2025.
In addition, the graduate's birth surname may be included on both the diploma and the diploma supplement, provided that the graduate selects this option in the Student Information System (SIS) before graduation.
What is the procedure if a supervisor's employment with Charles University comes to an end?
A supervisor does not necessarily have to be an employee of the University, provided that a mandate agreement, an Agreement to Perform Work (DPP), or an Agreement on Work Activity (DPČ) has been concluded between the University, or the relevant faculty, and the supervisor concerned at the commencement of the supervision of the dissertation project (Benchmark for Supervisors, as currently in force).
If a University employee acting as a supervisor ceases to hold their employment position at the University (and no longer has any other employment relationship with the University), a mandate agreement, DPP or DPČ must be concluded with that individual in order for the supervision of the doctoral candidate to continue.
Is there a prescribed number of supervision hours per month or per semester?
No. However, under the Benchmark for Supervisors (as currently in force), supervisors are expected to ensure that they have sufficient time available to provide responsible supervision of their doctoral candidates and to discuss the progress and results of the candidate’s studies with them on a regular monthly basis.
The precise extent and frequency of consultations is therefore flexible and depends on the agreement between the supervisor and the doctoral candidate. It is advisable to discuss expectations regarding supervision during the initial meetings, in line with the Principles of the Supervision.
May a supervisor resign from their role?
Yes. A supervisor may resign from their role at any time. In such cases, the appointment terminates on the last day of the third calendar month following the delivery of the written notice to the Dean, unless another date is agreed.
The resignation of the original supervisor and the appointment of a new supervisor should be coordinated so that the doctoral candidate enrolled in the doctoral study programme always has an appointed supervisor. If this is not the case, the role of supervisor shall, to the necessary extent, be performed by the Chair of the Subject Area Board.
The Dean may approve a doctoral candidate’s request for a change of supervisor.
Charles University
Rectorate
Student Affairs Department
Ovocný trh 5
116 36 Prague 1
Czech Republic
Identifikátor datové schránky: piyj9b4
IČO: 00216208
DIČ: CZ00216208
