Admission Proceedings
Secondary Schools: An Overview

Secondary Schools

Once having finished their primary education, the children may pursue further education at a secondary school. The assortment of secondary schools is quite wide: the student may choose among public and private schools, vocational schools, schools preparing the students for higher education (“gymnásium”), schools for children with disabilities, schools with extended languages programmes etc. The selection of the school is at the sole discretion of the pupil and his/her parents.

If the student proves within the admission proceedings that he/she is able to study in the Czech language, his/her education is free-of-charge. The admission of a foreign student is subject to presenting a certificate of legal residence in the Czech Republic. This situation is not trouble-free, though: the authorities that issue the relevant residence permits require that the applicants present a certificate of study. The schools or, as the case may be, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports resolve this issue by way of a conditional admission for study, which will be changed to a regular admission after the relevant residence permit has been issued.

Admission Proceedings

Secondary schools (established by the state and the local government authorities) admit students and applicants for study in compliance with Ministry's Directive no. 10/1997 Coll., on Admission of Students and Other Applicants for Study at Secondary Schools, as amended. The Directive stipulates that any pupil having finished his/her primary education and completes the compulsory education in the given school year and expressing his/her interest to study at a secondary school, must fill in the blank questionnaire and send the questionnaire to the chosen secondary school through the director's office of his/her primary school. A Directive by the Ministry of Education (Section 1(2) of Directive no. 10/1997 Coll.) stipulates that the pupil must present the application to his/her primary school's director by 20 February, and that the director must hand over the application to the relevant secondary school by 15 March.

An applicant who does not complete his/her compulsory education in the relevant year must file the application with the secondary school him/herself within the deadline mentioned above.

The application must contain no more than two secondary schools ranked according to the pupil's choice.

The following must be attached to the Secondary School Application:

• Certificate of limited working capacity of applicants with disabilities

• Medical certificate of disability and recommendation of a suitable procedure in organising the entrance exams, if suitable conditions must be created to allow the applicant to attend the admission exams

• Recommendation by an educational and psychological counsel or an educational centre as to the suitable admission procedure, in case of a student with a specific learning disorder

• Upon the secondary school director's request, a medical examination of health capacity, in cases of educational or apprenticeship programmes where the examination is necessary

• Applicant having completed his/her primary education at a school abroad must present a certificate of attestation equality issued by a school abroad, or a certificate of education featuring a recognition clause under a special regulation (Directive by the Ministry of Education no. 385/1991 Coll., on Recognition of Equality and Conditions for Recognition of Foreign School Certificates).

• The foreign student must further present a certificate of legal residence in the Czech Republic under the Act on Residence of Foreign Nationals (a recognised residence permit or a certificate of refugee status).

The secondary school's director will decide whether to hold entrance exams or not. In case the admission exams will be held, the director will inform the applicant or his/her parents accordingly without undue delay.

Admission exams will be held on the first working day of the last full April calendar week. The second round of the admission exams will be held no sooner than 30 days after the first round. The secondary school's director will send an invitation to the applicant no later than 14 before the exams are to be held; the invitation will inform the applicant of the requirements for the exams. The exams usually focus on two subjects - the Czech language and mathematics, a motivation test and a test of general knowledge. The exigency of the admission exams reflects the demands of the school and the number of applicants. The director will assess the grasp of Czech acquired by the foreigner who has attended a foreign school and who has presented his/her residence permit and certificate of equality of attestations, by means of an interview held within the framework of the entrance examination. The results of the admission exams will be posted by the school's director within five days on the school's notice board or at the school's web pages.

The students having been admitted to a secondary school do not participate in the second round of exams. In case the applicant does not pass the exams, he/she is entitled to file an appeal addressed to the director's office of the school. The appeal is approved or rejected by the regional office on the basis of information provided by the school.

If the pupil is not admitted to a school after the second round of the entrance exams, he/she may file an application for admission with a secondary school that has not filled all the vacancies within the set date (for information on vacancies, address the relevant school or the Office of Education). Blank application questionnaires are available at the director's office of the relevant secondary school.

Classification of the subject of “Czech Language and Literature”:

The scores achieved by foreign students in the subject of “Czech language and literature” will be assessed in light of the student's grasp of the Czech language. Language insufficiencies are deemed an objective reason giving rise to the failure to classify the student in the first year of his/her secondary school studies. The secondary school studies may be terminated in compliance with the valid regulation on termination of study.

Secondary Schools: An Overview

Gymnasia:

Gymnasia offer general education and do not train the student for a specific profession.

The students of gymnasia usually study two foreign languages,

The backbone of the education provided at gymnasia consists of Czech and literature, mathematics, foreign languages, physics, chemistry, biology, history, humanities (psychology, basic law, sociology etc.); many gymnasia offer a wide choice of selected and non-mandatory classes, so that the student may acquire further knowledge and training for further studies.

The studies at a gymnasium take four years and culminate in the passing of a school-leaving examination (“maturitní zkouška”) consisting of exams from Czech, one foreign language and selected subjects (the student must pass exams from at least four subjects).

Having received the school-leaving certificate, the student will usually pursue further education at a higher vocational school or university.

Perennial Gymnasia:

• Perennial gymnasia may admit students before they have completed their primary education.

• Perennial gymnasia offer eight and six-year study programmes (applications are filed in the fifth and seventh class; the pupil may file the application with only one school in the given year); after completing the fifth class, pupils may also attend eight-year conservatories - the dance department

• Perennial gymnasia usually teach two foreign languages; a number of six-year gymnasia offers classes of selected subjects taught in a foreign language (see the related link)

• The backbone of the education provided at gymnasia consists of Czech and literature, mathematics, foreign languages, physics, chemistry, biology, history, humanities (psychology, basic law, sociology etc.); many gymnasia offer a wide choice of selected and non-mandatory classes, so that the student may acquire further knowledge and training for further studies

• The studies are completed with a leaving certificate (“maturitní zkouška”) consisting of exams from Czech, one foreign language and selected subjects (the student must pass exams from at least four subjects)

• Having received the leaving certificate, the student will usually pursue further education at a higher vocational school or university.

Secondary Vocational Schools:

• Secondary vocational schools offer four years of professional education completed with a leaving certificate (“maturitní zkouška”) consisting of exams from Czech, one foreign language and profiled subjects (the student must pass exams from at least four subjects; at some schools, leaving exams include practical exams)

• The classes include Czech and literature, at least one foreign language and profiled classes reflecting the selected profession.

• Having completed his/her studies and having received the leaving certificate, the student may pursue further education or find a job.

• Conservatories are a specific type of secondary vocational schools. They provide education in the following artistic fields: vocal arts, music, dance or drama. The studies at a conservatory last for six years, or eight years if you study dance. Conservatory studies are usually completed with graduation.

Vocational Training Centres:

• The studies take three years and are completed with a final apprenticeship exam. The student will receive an apprenticeship certificate.

• Vocational training centres prepare the students for the practice of their profession.

• A common part of the studies is professional practice, which alternates with theoretical education in regular turns; the study is therefore very costly and the school often require some tuition, which is usually paid by the employer that is to employ the apprentice. Having completed the studies, the apprentice usually assumes his/her duties in the organisation of the employer that has paid for his/her studies. For detailed information, visit the school of your interest on its open-door day.

• The classes include Czech and literature, a foreign language as a voluntary subject, and other classes reflecting the chosen profession.

• Having completed these studies, the student may pursue further two-year studies completed with a leaving certificate.

Apprentice Training Centres:

• Apprentice training centres offer two-year education programmes and prepare the students for the practice of their profession.

• The studies are completed with an apprenticeship exam. The student will receive an apprenticeship certificate.

• The terms of payment for the studies are the same as in the case of vocational training centres.

• the student is admitted for study on a recommendation of his/her doctor and the educational and psychological counsel; the applicants usually recruit form pupils of remedial schools and special schools - this form of study is less challenging and it is aimed at students with lower educational capabilities

All the above-mentioned forms of study may be attended on a daily basis (regular form of study), by correspondence (exams are taken on the prescribed dates); there are also evening schools (classes are usually given every working day in the afternoon or at night), combined forms of study (various forms reflecting the possibilities of the school and the needs of the students), and individually planned studies (a teacher will set up the student's schedule based on mutual agreement).