The study program of General medicine at the 3rd Faculty of Medicine
The 3rd faculty of medicine offers studies in the English language for international students. The study program is accredited since 1991/1992 and graduates get degrees of Medical doctor (M.D.). Students come from various countries, such as Greece, USA, Germany or Norway. The study program is organised in 3 cycles: 1st cycle in 1st and 2nd year, there are basic biomedical sciences, 2nd cycle contains principles of clinical medicine and 3rd cycle contains clinical preparation from Internal Medicine; Surgery; Gynaecology and Obstetrics; Paediatrics and Preventive Medicine.
Tuition fees and duration of course
The duration of the studies are 6 years. The tuition fees per year is 330.000CZK (approximately 13400€). There are 90 students planned to be admitted in 2022/23. Students can apply for scholarships based on their marks, but it will cover a maximum 5% of their tuition fees.
Admission Procedure to the program of General Medicine
The application for a study program in the English language and the whole admission procedure is straightforward and student-friendly. Applicants will submit the application form online and pay the application fee (820CZK – 33€). They will get access to the Charles university administration system which is important for an overview of applications and their current status (which is useful especially if you plan to apply to more medical faculties within Charles University).
Direct admission to the medical program
The faculty is offering direct admission for students with exceptional results from SAT, IB, or A-levels (which conditions must be met before the 15th of March), otherwise students need to write entrance exam. The entrance exam is organized in person in Prague or with cooperative agencies in various countries. It has 2 parts: multiple choice with 30 questions from biology, 30 questions from chemistry, and 30 questions from Physics / Mathematics. The maximum number of points is 90. Successful applicants will be invited to the oral part of the exam which includes the interpretation of a popular scientific text, – evaluation of communication skills, – the ability of independent judgment, – a general overview. Applicants can score a maximum of 62 points. The best students will be offered a place to study.
About the 3rd faculty of medicine, Charles University
Charles University has a total of 5 faculties of medicine – 1st faculty of Medicine, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, 3rd faculty of Medicine in Prague, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, and Faculty of Medicine in Hradec Kralove.
The 3rd faculty of medicine is offering study program General medicine in English language.It has over 2200 students and 173 professors or associated professors. The history of the faculty started in 1953 with the name the Medical Faculty of Hygiene (LFH) in the Vinohrady University Hospital Complex. There are various research projects running at the Faculty within 21 domestic and 3 international grants. English study program has been running since the academic year 1991/92, so right after the Fall of Communism in Czechoslovakia.
Foreign students are obliged to master Czech language by the end of the 2nd year of studies so that they can communicate with patients and hospital staff during their clinical training. The Third Faculty of Medicine is accredited by the U.S. Department of Education for the study of U.S. students. Students are encouraged to take part in exchange or reseaach programs, such as Erasmus Plus, 4EU Plus Network, IFMSA or the Charles University Strategic Partnership. Teaching facilities of the 3rd faculty are located at various places around Prague, including the University Hospital Královské Vinohrady, Psychiatric Centre Praha, Hospital Na Bulovce, Thomayer Hospital, Institute for Mother and Child Care, Hospital Na Homolce, Central Military Hospital and The National Institute of Public Health. Prominent experts of the Czech Academy of Sciences and Institute of Clinical and Experimental Medicine also participate in the teaching.
Accommodation for international students
Admitted students will get the option to stay at dormitories in Prague. It is mandatory to file a request in order to book it. The complete list of dormitories: Student residence Jednota Student residence Budeč Student residence Švehlova Student residence Jižní Město – Kolej Vtava Student residence Jižní Město – Kolej Otava Student residence Na Větrníku Student residence Hvězda Student residence Kajetánka Student residence Komenského Student residence 17. listopadu Student residence areál Hostivař. There are single, double or triple rooms and prices vary from 4-7€ per night for students.
Canteens for international students at Charles University
Students can visit also canteens (Kantyna) for students and enjoy discounted prices for students. There are located in various places, especially at dorms or close to faculties. Payment is done by student card where a balance needs to be uploaded before payment. One meal’s price will vary from 3-7€ in most cases.
Recognition of previous studies – nostrification
It is mandatory to have recognition of a secondary school certificate completed. The process is called nostrification and the following documents must be submitted:
- High-school leaving certificate – Original or verified copy Translated to Czech or English Authenticated with an Apostille or Superlegalisation
- official transcript including all marks/grades and number of hours
- copy of the first page of your passport passport-size photo
Please note that not all secondary school documents must be apostilled / superlegalised. IB graduates have also the option to ask their IB institution to send their certificates and mark lists directly in electronic form to the school.
Cost of living for students in Prague
Students also need to prepare a sufficient budget for living in Prague. As per the latest updates from Numbeo.com from 2022, the price of a cheaper meal is 200Kč (around 8€), 1kg of tomato 77kč (around 3€), 1kg of banana 35kč (around 1,4€), a single ticket on public transport 32€ (1,3€) and taxi starting rate 44kč (1,8€) and 28Kč (1,2€) per kilometer. To sum it up, the rent will be 3000-7000Kč in shared apartments or dorms, food 3500-5000Kč per month, and transport 300-350Kč per month. It is recommended to have a budget of at least 400-500€. The local currency is the Czech Crown, with a conversion rate of approximately 24-25 Czech crowns per 1 euro.
How to get a visa to the Czech Republic as an international student
Once you get accepted, you need to submit the required documents to the Faculty. There is also a useful step-by-step guide provided by the University to give you more details about the study or visa requirements: https://www.lf3.cuni.cz/vademecum/en
Accepted students from outside of the EU or EFTA are required to take long-term visas or long-term residence. The documents with sworn translations must be provided at the Czech embassy according to the residence of the student. Compared to other countries (e.g. Slovakia), a police clearance certificate needs to be provided only upon request of the embassy and can be a maximum of 6 months old.
List of documents for submission at the embassy
Submitted documents (bank declaration, PCC or other supportive documents) need to be translated by official translator from a list of Czech Sworn translators. run by the Ministry of Justice. The embassy might accept also translations from abroad (especially in case of submission at an embassy outside of the EU or EEA), so make sure to double-check the requirements before starting the procedure. One of the documents needed for visas is medical insurance. You can arrange it with AXA.
- Acceptance letter from the University – original
- Bank declaration translated to Czech language
- Passport
- Health insurance – you can buy from AXA
- Accommodation contract or dorm confirmation
- 2 pictures
- PCC might be requested by the Embassy as well
