Czech Language Courses
In this section we will tell you which organisations and schools organise Czech language courses. Here you will find an overview of courses and the different types, together with some useful contacts. They are usually divided according to the level of knowledge and the age of students. You will also find details on whom to contact if you want to learn professional terminology in Czech or if you want to study a Czech university in the Czech language.
To be able to fully participate in life in Prague you need to know Czech. Your friends, relatives or paid interpreters may be able to help you with communication at the beginning, but from a long-term perspective it is much better to learn Czech. It will help you understand people around you much better and avoid a lot of misunderstandings. Furthermore, you will be able to choose from a lot more job opportunities, which use your knowledge and skills.
Are you new in Prague and do not yet speak Czech well?
In Prague you can start attending Czech language courses. They are offered by various providers – Integration Centre Prague, the city districts, NGOs, language schools and other institutions.
Integration Centre Prague and NGOs which work with migrants have a lot of experience with various types of Czech courses for foreigners. There are courses for children as well as for adults. Some courses are free, for some others you have to pay. You can usually choose from several language levels – beginner, intermediate and advanced. To get an idea of what courses you can attend, have a look at this basic overview we have prepared for you. If you want to know details about individual courses that are currently available, contact the respective organisation. Remember that especially courses which are free of charge are fill up especially very fast and therefore it is necessary to register on the selected course in time.
Integration Centre Prague (ICP)
The ICP offers Czech language courses for adults – beginner, intermediate as well as advanced. You can choose from early morning, late morning, afternoon, evening and weekend courses. The ICP also provides courses for parents with children where you can use babysitting free of charge. The lessons are for free, you only pay a deposit of 1,500 CZK. The deposit is refunded once you have completed 70% of the course. These courses are not intended for citizens of the European Union member states and for Czech citizens!
The ICP also offers Czech language courses for children. Children may attend holiday courses as well as courses that take place throughout the whole school year in the afternoon or at weekends. Courses are free of charge. There are two levels of courses for children: preschool children (4–6 years old) and young school children (7–13 years old). Children are taught Czech in a playful way. As a part of the course children also learn about the sociocultural environment of the CR. These courses are not intended for citizens of European Union member states and for Czech citizens!
Courses organised by the ICP take place in various places in Prague. To find the current list of local courses, contact the ICP.
Contact:
Integrační centrum Praha, o. p. s.
Žitná 1574/51, 110 00 Prague 1
Tel: +420 252 543 846
Email: edu@icpraha.com
Website: www.icpraha.com
Non-Governmental Non-Profit Organisations
Centre for the Integration of Foreigners
The Centre for the Integration of Foreigners offers the following courses:
- – Low-threshold Czech language courses for foreigners – beginner level
- – Preparation for exams for permanent residence permit applicants and citizenship applicants
- – Family Czech language courses (for parents and children) and courses for parents of school children
- – Intensive Czech language courses for young people
- – Intensive Czech language courses (4 weeks)
- – Semestral Czech language courses – beginner and intermediate levels
Contact:
Pernerova 10/32, Prague 8, 180 00
courses also take place in Prague 3, Prague 4, Prague 13, and online
Tel: +420 735 173 738
Email: npk@cicpraha.org
Website of CIC’s courses: www.cicpraha.org
CIC’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/centrumprointegracicizincu
Nová škola, o. p. s. – the ROZLETY Programme (“Starting to Fly”)
Nová škola offers extra lessons for primary and secondary school students. Lessons take place at least 3 times a week in the afternoon. The time is agreed according to the needs of students and the capacity of the classroom. One lesson takes 60 minutes and the duration of the course is not specified. Children may join the course at any time during the school year.
The aim of these extra lessons is to increase children’s school success. The groups are small and consist of foreigners as well as Czech children. Nová škola offers extra Czech language lessons but also lessons of Mathematics and English. Other subjects can be arranged as well.
Contact:
Nová škola, o. p. s.
Křižíkova 344/6, Prague 8 – Karlín, 186 00 (at the premises of Nová škola) / or individually by arrangement
Email: novaskola@novaskolaops.cz
Links:
- Nová škola, o. p. s. (Czech)
- Portal for school assistants and teachers’ assistants (Czech)
- Readers’ clubs (Czech)
Counselling Centre for Integration / Czech In Centre
The Counselling Centre for Integration offers courses for adults at the level of beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. It is possible to join the course even after the semester has started. The price is then calculated accordingly.
The Centre also provides courses for children. The levels are as follows: young school children – advanced, young school children – beginners/intermediate, older school children – advanced, older school children – beginners/intermediate. Children can join the course even after the semester has started. The price is then calculated accordingly.
Furthermore, the Centre offers preparatory courses for the exam taken by permanent residence applicants and citizenship applicants. They also provide individual courses / extra lessons for children and adults and intensive courses for children (and for adults if they are interested).
Contact:
Opletalova 6, entry from the Opletalka passage, Prague 1, 110 00
Tel: +420 734 154 229
Email: praha@p-p-i.cz
Websites: www.czechinskola.cz, //p-p-i.cz/en/
InBaze
InBaze offers courses for adults at beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. It is possible to join the course even after the semester has started. The price is then calculated accordingly.
InBaze also offers courses for children. They can choose from the following levels: young school children – advanced, young school children – beginner/intermediate, older school children – advanced, older school children – beginner/intermediate. It is possible to join the course even after the semester has started. The price is then calculated accordingly.
You can also attend courses that will prepare you for the exam taken by permanent residence applicants and citizenship applicants. InBaze also provides individual courses / extra lessons for children and adults and intensive courses for children (and for adults if they are interested).
Contact:
InBáze
Legerova 50, 120 00 Prague 2
Tel: 739 037 353
Email: info@inbaze.cz
Website: //www.inbaze.cz/jazyky/english/
META
META offers a wide range of Czech language courses for adults from A0 to the B1 level. You can also attend Czech language improvement courses which will help you extend your vocabulary and polish your conversation skills. Students may attend intensive summer courses organised by META. It is also worth mentioning that they offer a one-year preparatory course for pupils who want to study at Czech secondary schools.
Furthermore, after a consultation with a social worker, META provides extra lessons to students of primary and secondary schools. They are taught by volunteers and are therefore free of charge. They take place in the premises of META, o. p. s. and are tailored for individual clients. Students usually come here for catch-up lessons in various subjects, preparatory lessons for entrance exams to secondary schools, higher vocational schools and universities of various types. It is also possible to attend preparatory lessons for exams which children sit when they change from a foreign school to a Czech one, for exams related to the recognition of education and other exams.
Contact:
META
Žerotínova 1124/35, 130 00 Praha 3, Žižkov
Tel: 773 304 534
Email: cjkurzy@meta-ops.cz, info@meta-ops.cz
Website: //www.meta-ops.cz/en/
www.facebook.com/metavzdelavani
www.meta-ops.eu/cizinci/kurzy-cestiny
Language Schools
Some language schools also offer Czech language courses for foreigners. The City of Prague is the founder of the Language School of the Capital City of Prague with Accreditation for State Language Examination. To find out more about their Czech courses, see their website.
There are plenty of language schools in Prague and quite a lot of them offer Czech language courses. Check what they offer as well.
Are you preparing for university studies?
If you want to study at a Czech university, you need to know Czech at a good level. Some universities require foreign nationals to sit Czech exams. The Institute of Language and Preparatory Studies of Charles University in Prague offers a wide selection of Czech courses for foreigners. You can choose from intensive one-year or semester courses where you can learn Czech at the level required for university studies. You will also learn technical terminology which you need for the entrance exams. You can attend courses based on your specialization (economics, humanities, medicine and natural sciences, technical fields, artistic fields, architecture etc.).
Link:
The offer of preparatory courses for university studies is available on the web of the Institute of Language and Preparatory Studies:
Czech Exam for Permanent Residence and Czech Citizenship
One of the reasons for learning Czech are Czech exams for foreign nationals. The exams are taken in order to obtain a permanent residence permit in the Czech Republic and Czech citizenship. Czech language exams are nationally uniform and can be taken all around the Czech Republic.
All information on the Czech language exams can be found on a specialised official website cestina-pro-cizince.cz. This site is multilingual and contains all information about the exam, preparation, prices, deadlines, as well as the subsequent application for permanent residence or Czech citizenship.
Everyone who submits their application for permanent residence no later than 31st August 2021 will be able to prove that they have passed the A1 exam. If you do not provide your exam certificate by this date, you will be able to register for the Autumn dates in 2021. Each application is considered individually, and by the time you submit your application you must already meet all the conditions set out in the law (in particular continuous residence of 5 years in the CR).
At level A2, you understand sentences and frequently used expressions related to areas of most immediate relevance (e.g. very basic personal and family information, shopping, local geography, employment). You can communicate in simple and routine tasks requiring a simple and direct exchange of information on familiar and routine matters. You can describe in simple terms aspects of your background, immediate environment and matters in areas of immediate need.
Links:
- The description of level A2 in Czech is available here.
- Information on the language examination for permanent residence is available here.
Czech for state citizenship of the CR
You need to know Czech language at level B1 to be able to obtain Czech citizenship and to pass the exam.
At level B1, you can understand the main points of clear texts in standard Czech on everyday topics such as work, study, or leisure time. You can cope with most of the situations that you may encounter when travelling. You are able to write a simple, coherent text about familiar topics. At this level of Czech knowledge, you are also able to describe experiences, events, wishes, and aspirations.
In addition to the Czech language exam, you need to pass a test on Czech life and institutions. This test consists of three areas: basic information about Czech life and institutions, basic geographical information on the Czech Republic, and basic history and culture of the Czech Republic
Links:
- A description of the level B1 is available here.
- Information on the language exam for Czech citizenship is available here
Where to take the exam in Prague
In Prague there are four places where you can take the Czech exam.
Charles University, Institute for Language and Preparatory Studies
Study Centre Prague – Albertov
Albertov 7/3a
128 00 Prague 2
Tel: +420 224 918 775
Language School of the City of Prague with Language Exam Rights
Školská 15
116 72 Prague 1
Tel: +420 222 232 235, +420 773 949 159
Charles University, Institute for Language and Preparatory Studies
Study Centre Prague – Hostivař
Weilova 1453/2i
102 00 Prague 10 Hostivař
(building No.8)
Tel. +420 267 215 412
Charles University, Institute for Language and Preparatory Studies
Study Centre Prague – Krystal
José Martího 407/2
162 00 Prague 6
Tel: +420 235 358 557