Nostrification process
The Prague University of Economics and Business was granted the so-called institutional accreditation, consequently, it will be able to recognize foreign secondary education of its applicants. Only when the Faculty of International Relations expresses doubts about sufficient level, scope, or content of the previous foreign education of an applicant, the applicant will be asked to present the nostrification clause, which is issued by the Czech authorities.
A nostrification clause is a result of a successful nostrification process. The nostrification clause is a document proving general recognition of the equivalence or validity of a foreign document concerning receiving secondary education in the Czech Republic.
Applicants need to submit:
- A notarized (officially certified) copy of a secondary school leaving certificate (diploma);
- A document confirming the content and scope of education completed in a foreign school (all subjects with a number of hours for every particular year of study);
- A document confirming that the applicant’s secondary school – i.e. the school that issued the school leaving certificate (diploma) – is recognized as part of the educational system of the state according to whose legislation the certificate was issued. This document is not necessary if the mentioned information is clearly stated in the certificate
- An apostille or a legalization clause on the above documents if necessary (legalization by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the state where the certificate was issued as well as legalization by the Embassy of the Czech Republic) – depends on the state where the certificate was issued;
- Official translations into Czech of the above documents, made by a translator listed on the Register of Certified Forensic Experts and Translators of the Czech Republic;
- A copy of a passport;
- A filled in “Žádost o uznání zahraničního vzdělání“/ “Application for the Recognition of Foreign Education”;
- A receipt of payment for the administrative fee CZK 1000 (cash payment).
All the above documents should be submitted to one of the Regional Authorities in the Czech Republic depending on the applicant’s address in the Czech Republic. In case the applicant has no address in the Czech Republic, he/she can choose and submit the documents to one of the Regional Authorities, e.g.:
- to the Registry (in Czech – PODATELNA, ground floor) of the Prague Municipal Authority, praha.eu:
- Magistrát hl. m. Prahy (Prague Municipal Authority)
- Jungmannova 29/35
- 110 00 Praha 1
- Czech Republic
- Magistrát hl. m. Prahy (Prague Municipal Authority)
- to the Registry (in Czech – PODATELNA, ground floor) of the Regional Authority of the Central Bohemia Region, kr-stredocesky.cz:
- Krajský úřad Středočeského kraje (Regional Authority of the Central Bohemia Region)
- Department of Education, Youth and Sport
- Zborovská 11
- 150 21 Praha 5
- Czech Republic
- Krajský úřad Středočeského kraje (Regional Authority of the Central Bohemia Region)
The Regional Authority can:
- issue a “Certificate of Equivalence” in case of the existence of an international treaty recognizing the equivalence of educational documents;
- issue a positive decision on the recognition of a foreign certificate in the case of the same content and scope of education;
- issue a negative decision on the recognition of a foreign certificate in the case of completely different content or scope of education;
- order a nostrification examination (from chosen subject/s), which must be passed as a prerequisite for a positive decision, in the case of partially different content or scope of education. It is usually held in the Czech language, but a court interpreter can be used for the nostrification examination, on the applicant’s expenses.
It is strongly recommended to proceed personally to those who can manage it. The applicants, who have no other possibility, can proceed through the Prague University of Economics and Business (VŠE).
In that case:
- A power of attorney is needed (prepared by VŠE and signed by the applicant);
- Transfer of money for payment for the administrative fee (40 EUR) and payment for other fees is needed (e.g. official translations from English into Czech – approx. 30 EUR per page);
- Official translations into Czech of all documents will be ensured by VŠE in the Czech Republic.