Recognition of Education
- Recognition of Primary, Secondary and Higher Vocational Education
- Recognition of University Education
Recognition of studies – basic information
Recognition of education (also known as nostrification) is an official process for confirming the validity or equivalence of education completed in a country other than the Czech Republic. This recognition of a document certifying a certain level of studies is often required in order to continue education at a Czech school or university, or to obtain employment or start a business. By having your education recognized, you receive confirmation that the level you have attained corresponds to the level you would have achieved had you studied at a comparable school or university in the Czech Republic. You can apply for academic recognition of part of your studies, a school report, or a diploma.
Professional recognition is recognition of your professional qualification. This is what you apply for when you want to work or do business in Czechia and your profession is regulated (e.g. a doctor, teacher, engineer or lawyer). You must meet certain conditions, such as having the required education, experience, or medical fitness. Apart from a certificate or diploma there are usually other criteria such as having a proof of work experience or other confirmation. The aim is to determine whether you have sufficient knowledge and skills to be able to perform the profession. A list of regulated professions can be found on the website of the Ministry of Education, Youth, and Sports.
For more information about recognition of professional qualification obtained in another member state of the European Union, European Economic Area (Norway, Iceland, Lichtenstein) or Switzerland, see the Citizen Portal.
How to apply for recognition of studies
Recognition of education can be obtained through different authorities. Documents certifying primary, secondary, or higher vocational education are handled by the education department of the relevant regional authority. In Prague, this is the Education Department of the Prague City Hall.
For university education, the application for recognition of a university diploma is submitted directly to the university that offers the same or a similar study programme.
Recognition of education can be done in various ways. Documents on achievement of primary, secondary and higher vocational education fall within the purview of the education department of the relevant regional office. In Prague it is the education department of the Prague City Hall. As for the university education, the application for recognition of a university diploma is submitted directly at the university which offers the same or a similar study programme.
Based on an interpretation issued by the Ministry of Education in April 2025, anyone applying for recognition of studies must have the authenticity of the signatures and stamps on their foreign education certificates verified (e.g. school report, diploma). In other words, a higher level of verification is required for public documents issued abroad to ensure that the document was issued or verified by a competent authority with the relevant jurisdiction (as stated in the document), or that it was signed in the presence of such an authority. The type of verification required depends on the country in which the document was issued.
This means you must obtain either:
- apostille – a special stamp confirming the authenticity of the document, required if the country of issuance is a party to the Hague Convention Abolishing the Requirement of Legalisation for Foreign Public Documents (the Apostille Convention). A list of member countries can be found here.
- superlegalization – verification of the document first by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the country where the document was issued and then by the Czech diplomatic mission (embassy or consulate).
Recognition of primary, secondary and higher vocational education
If you or your children want to apply to a Czech secondary school or university after studying abroad, the school or university will require a certificateconfirming the recognition of your primary or secondary education. You may also need this certificate in order to find a job or start a business in the Czech Republic. To have your documents recognised, you must submit an application to the Department of Education and Youth at the Prague City Hall (Jungmannova 35/29, 111 21 Prague 1).
Recognition of equivalence of foreign education
If the Czech Republic has concluded an international treaty on mutual recognition of education documents with the country that issued your documents, you will automatically be issued a certificate of equivalence of foreign education. In such a case, you do not need to undergo the standard process of recognition of education obtained abroad. You only need to apply for the certificate of equivalence.
For more information, see the Citizen Portal.
Recognition of studies obtained abroad (nostrification)
If the country that issued your documents has not concluded an international treaty on mutual recognition of education documents with the Czech Republic, you must apply for recognition of studies obtained abroad (nostrification) to have it validated.
Both the recognition of equivalence of education and recognition of studies obtained abroad are subject to an administrative fee of 3,000 CZK. In some cases, one of the conditions for recognition of education may be a nostrification exam, which means taking an examination in selected subjects again.
Link:
Detailed information on the recognition of foreign education documents, as well as contacts for the relevant officials, is available on the website of the Department of Education and Youth of the Prague City Hall:
In Prague, there are intermediaries who offer to arrange recognition of education for large sums of money. Be careful: you may sometimes encounter fraudulent practices (such as issuing counterfeit documents certifying recognised education or charging unnecessary mediation fees).
If you need advice on how to submit an application for recognition of education or how to prepare for the nostrification exam, you can contact the Integration Centre Prague or professionals from organisations that provide assistance to migrants.
Recognition of University Education
Have you graduated from a university abroad? Similar to the previous case, you can apply for recognition of equivalence or validity of your diploma. Such confirmation may be required by your future employer and you may need it to start a business here as well.
Unlike documents certifying the completion of primary or secondary education, university diplomas are not recognized by the regional authority but by the university that offers the same or a similar study programme. For example, if you have studied economics, you can apply for recognition of your university education at the University of Economics in Prague.
Information on the procedure and application forms can usually be found on the websites of the individual universities. For further queries, you can also contact the subject department or the secretariat of the respective university.
Recognition of university education is subject to a charge of 3,000 CZK.
If you fail to find an appropriate study programme on offer of a Czech university, you can apply to have your education recognized directly at the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports. For more information, see the website of the Ministry.