Charles University Prague: Studying Medicine in the Czech Republic

Charles University Prague at a glance

Five medical faculties – and how they differ

The university itself makes it clear: the degrees awarded are equivalent. The profiles of the faculties are not – and that is precisely where the opportunity lies to find the right learning style.

The biggest difference in teaching approach lies with the 3rd Faculty of Medicine: there, in the first year, you do not learn anatomy, histology, physiology, and biochemistry separately but within an integrated curriculum. Anyone who wants to learn in a classically structured way is better served at the 1st Faculty or in Pilsen; anyone who wants to think clinically from early on, at the 3rd. Anyone with paediatrics in mind, at the 2nd. Which faculty suits your learning type is something we discuss in a free consultation.

What does studying at Charles University cost?

The conversions use an assumed rate of around 24.5 crowns to the euro and are therefore indicative; the crown amounts are binding. One thing is clearly visible: at 24,250 euros a year, the 1st Faculty of Medicine is around 40 to 50 per cent above the other Prague faculties. That is not a conversion effect but a genuine price difference.

Two points that mean real money: first, several faculties apply grandfathering – once enrolled, you continue to pay the rate of your cohort. In Pilsen, for instance, the 2021/22 cohort still pays 350,000, the 2023/24 cohort 370,000, and only from 2024/25 does the rate of 390,000 crowns apply. Second, the Czech-language programmes are free of charge; you may even study them for seven years instead of six at no cost.

Application fees also differ considerably: 285 euros at the 1st Faculty, 2,500 crowns at the 2nd and in Hradec Králové, and 940 crowns at the 3rd and in Pilsen.

Admission: two-stage at every faculty

All the medical faculties of Charles University select in two stages: a written multiple-choice part and an interview or interview-style format.

One detail that is of interest to German applicants: the 1st Faculty of Medicine awards ten per cent bonus points for outstanding international school-leaving qualifications – the German Abitur is expressly named there. The 3rd Faculty additionally admits up to 25 students without an entrance examination on the basis of documented qualifications. Which documents are needed in an individual case is something we assess individually in a free consultation.

Charles University is selective: at the 1st Faculty of Medicine the admission rate over a five-year average is 19.3 per cent. The path through the degree is demanding too – the faculty reports a completion rate of 58 per cent. The credit system sets fixed interim targets: 50 points after the first year, 110 after the second, 170 after the third, 230 after the fourth, 300 after the fifth, and 360 after the sixth. Anyone who knows these thresholds can plan their studies around them.

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MUDr., MDDr., and the rigorosum – what the titles really mean

There is a common misunderstanding here. The titles MUDr. (Medicinae Universae Doctor) and MDDr. (Medicinae Dentium Doctor) are awarded under Czech higher education law on passing the state rigorosum examination. In medicine and dentistry this rigorosum is an integral part of the degree – it is the final examination itself, called the „State Final Examination“ at the faculties. It is therefore not a subsequent additional procedure and carries no extra fee.

Pharmacy is different: the degree ends with the Final State Examination and the title Mgr. The PharmDr. is a separate, subsequent rigorosum with its own thesis and fee – the faculty states expressly that it is not part of the degree.

The content of the state examination in Hradec Králové shows what it comes down to: internal medicine, surgery, gynaecology and obstetrics, paediatrics, and hygiene and preventive medicine.

Where may you work as a doctor with a Prague degree?

The Czech Republic has been an EU member state since 1 May 2004. Czech degrees are listed by name in Annex V of Directive 2005/36/EC: under point 5.1.1 the „Diplom o ukončení studia ve studijním programu všeobecné lékařství (doktor medicíny, MUDr.)“ and under point 5.3.2 the dental equivalent with the title MDDr. Automatic recognition therefore applies throughout the EU and the EEA.

The British point is notable: the General Medical Council maintains its own country page for the Czech Republic and expressly names the MUDr. diploma there as an acceptable qualification. That is a clarity not available for every EU country after Brexit.

Dentist, pharmacist, psychologist, veterinarian at Charles University

Dentist. Dentistry in English is available at the 1st Faculty in Prague, in Pilsen, and in Hradec Králové. The MDDr. degree is listed by name in Annex V point 5.3.2 and is automatically recognised EU-wide. Hradec Králové is particularly hands-on: a phantom laboratory from the first semester, patient treatment from the third year, two students per treatment chair, a supervision ratio of 1 to 2 to 6, and digital equipment including intraoral scanners, CAD/CAM, and 3D printing. The faculty emphasises that no additional licensing or specialisation year is required. Further options are shown in our article on studying dentistry abroad without a numerus clausus.

Pharmacist. The Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Králové offers pharmacy in English for 7,900 euros a year – one of the most attractive prices in the EU for a master's-level degree. The pharmacy profession is regulated EU-wide and listed in Annex V point 5.6.2; the directive requires five years of training including at least six months of placement in a pharmacy or hospital. For the German Approbation after an English-language degree, a specialist language certificate at level C1 is relevant, in three parts with a patient conversation, a written task, and a professional discussion; those who had ten years of German-language schooling are generally exempt.

Psychologist. New since 2026: the Faculty of Arts has introduced a fully English-language bachelor's degree in psychology – by its own account the first fully accredited English-language psychology bachelor's programme at a Czech public university. The fee is 250,000 crowns per academic year, around 10,000 euros; selection is without an entrance examination, on the basis of a portfolio of certificates, a motivation letter, and a CV. An important point of context: there is no automatic EU recognition for psychologists, because the profession has no harmonised minimum training under Annex V. Anyone wanting to become a psychotherapist in Germany takes the study route set out in the reformed Psychotherapists Act, followed by the Approbation.

Veterinarian. Veterinary medicine is not part of Charles University. The responsible institution is the University of Veterinary Sciences Brno, founded in 1918 and by its own account the only institution of its kind in the Czech Republic. It offers Veterinary Medicine in English over six years with the MVDr. degree and is EAEVE-accredited; the faculty has around 790 students, and the application fee is zero crowns. The tuition fee is given on the national study portal as 7,600 euros a year – a figure worth having confirmed again before any decision. We describe a cheaper EU alternative in our article on studying veterinary medicine in Bulgaria.

Czech for the patient conversation

At the 3rd Faculty of Medicine, international students have to demonstrate Czech language skills by the end of the second year so that communication with patients is possible in clinical teaching; the course „Czech Language I“ carries 3 ECTS over two semesters, and in the third year „Czech Language – Communication with Patients“ follows. In Hradec Králové the language institute expressly teaches Czech for foreigners with a focus on patient communication. At the other faculties Czech is available as a course; how binding it is there varies and should be checked faculty by faculty. In Pilsen, Latin is also a compulsory examination subject.

Living in Prague

With 1.4 million inhabitants, Prague is one of the most beautiful capitals in Europe, very well connected to Germany and surprisingly affordable for students – provided you use the student fare.

These figures come from the university's official cost breakdown as of 17 February 2026. The most striking item is the public transport ticket: 5.20 euros a month for students against around 22 euros at the standard price. Anyone studying in Prague should use this fare from day one. All locations compared can be found in our monthly budget for studying medicine abroad.

Transferring to Germany

The legal basis for the recognition of academic credits is section 12 of the German Medical Licensing Regulations: periods of medical study completed abroad can be credited on application where they are equivalent. It is important to distinguish two entirely separate procedures: the crediting of academic work during the degree runs through the state examination office, while the recognition of the completed diploma runs through the licensing authority. Crediting is a case-by-case decision on equivalence and additionally depends on free places. More on this in our article on switching back to Germany.

Who Charles University is the right choice for

Prague is a particularly good fit if the name and research strength matter to you: 273rd place in the QS ranking 2026 is unmatched among all the classic overseas locations, and an employment rate of 98.2 per cent within a year of graduating speaks for itself. It fits if you want to choose a faculty deliberately to match your learning type – that choice exists at no other location. And it fits if pharmacy is your goal: 7,900 euros a year at a university of this standing is an exceptional offer.

Anyone who puts price first will find the cheapest entry within the university in Pilsen at 390,000 crowns – and considerably lower figures still in Romania or Bosnia. And anyone who wants to study in German is better served in Hungary than in Prague.