Author
Under the Asylum Act, applicants for international protection have access to education under the conditions laid down in the Education Act[1]. Through the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, the State shall ensure the conditions for the successful integration into primary education of those applicants for international protection for whom school attendance is compulsory under the laws of the Czech Republic.[2] Compulsory schooling in the Czech Republic lasts nine years, beginning at age six and ending no later than age 17, when pupils complete the ninth grade of elementary school.[3]
Education of asylum seeking children is provided in regular schools. There are no major limitations regarding asylum seekers’ access to education, with the exception of the language barrier. For newly arriving asylum seeking children, RFA provides initial Czech language courses in its centres but as soon as the child understands some Czech, he or she must attend a Czech school. Czech schools also have a duty to offer Czech language training courses (the volume has been set for the maximum of 400 extra hours of Czech language for foreign/refugee pupils[4]).
Special needs must be addressed by the local Czech school using teacher assistants and special measures.[5] There are no separate schools for disadvantaged kids. In special circumstances parents are allowed to provide home schooling for their children, but OPU has never heard about such a situation in case of asylum seeking children.
In the Czech Republic, asylum seekers aged 18 and over face some obstacles in accessing vocational training and further education. While access to compulsory education ends at 18, participation in vocational or higher education is subject to general admission and administrative requirements, including proof and recognition of prior education (nostrification), which is often lengthy, complex and costly. A major barrier is insufficient knowledge of the Czech language, as most vocational programmes and university courses require a relatively high level of Czech. Financial constraints also play a significant role, as asylum seekers typically have very limited income and are not systematically supported as students. In addition, there is no comprehensive national policy specifically aimed at facilitating asylum seekers’ transition into vocational or higher education, and preparatory or bridging programmes are scarce.
Some support mechanisms nevertheless exist. Asylum seekers and beneficiaries of international protection may access Czech language courses and requalification or vocational training through the Labour Office, provided they meet the conditions for registration as job seekers; these measures are often funded through active labour market policies and EU instruments, notably the European Social Fund Plus (ESF+). However, financial support for formal education is limited, and there is no nationwide scholarship scheme specifically targeting asylum seekers or refugees wishing to pursue higher education. While some universities offer general scholarships, fee reductions or limited social support, these are not tailored to the specific situation of asylum seekers and are usually insufficient to cover living and study costs in practice.
Children of asylum seekers have the same right to attend kindergarten as Czech citizens, as long as they are present in the Czech Republic and meet legal residence requirements (e.g., having asylum seeker status).[6] Knowledge of Czech is not a condition for admission. Children in their final year before compulsory school attendance have priority admission, just like Czech children. Children must have proof of vaccination or a medical certificate if they cannot be vaccinated.[7]
[1] Act No. 561/2004 Coll. on Preschool, Basic, Secondary, Higher Professional and Other Education (the Education Act).
[2] Section 80(4) of the Asylum Act.
[3] Section 36(1) of the Education Act.
[4] Section 11b(1) of the Decree No. 48/2005 Coll.
[5] Decree No. 27/2016 Coll. on the education of pupils with special educational needs and gifted pupils.
[6] Section 20(2)(d) of the Education Act.
[7] Section 50 of the Act No. 258/2000 Coll., on the Protection of Public Health and on Amendments to Certain Related Acts.