Students from EU/EEA countries and Switzerland are exempt from student visa requirements. To enter Czechia, EU students only need a valid passport or national ID card. Holders of a long-term residence permit or a long-term visa for the study purpose issued by a different EU member state may also remain in Czechia without needing a visa, but only up to 1 year. This visa-free stay only applies to participants of exchange programs (e.g. Erasmus) and their permit/visa has to bear a note "student" and the name of the exchange program.
Students from countries outside the EU are required to obtain a visa or a residence permit. Czech visa is issued by the Czech embassy or consulate in your home country where you can also get more information. Please note that the whole procedure can take up to 60 days, so it is recommended to apply for the visa well in advance. Check the website of the Ministry of Interior of the Czech Republic for the latest information on visa/permit requirements.
Non-EU citizens
Non-EU citizens can apply for short-term visas (for stays up to 90 days), long-term visas (for stays over 90 days up to 1 year) or long-term residence permits for the purpose of studies (students arriving for more than 1 year).
Application documents
The following documents are usually required for receiving a student visa or a residence permit. Please note that all the documents must be presented in original or official certified copies and in Czech language or official certified translations into Czech:
- application form,
- a valid passport,
- 2 passport photos,
- proof of funds for the stay (e.g. a bank account statement),
- health insurance*,
- confirmation of accommodation,
- confirmation of acceptance,
- abstract from the Register of Criminal Records.
The documents submitted with the application shall not be older than 180 days except for the travel document and the photo.
University assistance
Immediately after your successful entrance exam, our faculty staff will ask you to confirm your current address and send you the following documents needed for a visa/residence permit application:
- confirmation of acceptance,
- confirmation of accommodation (for those who apply for accommodation at the university dormitory).
Silesian University (SU) also participates in the project of the Czech Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport called Student Mode: a concept for facilitating the visa procedure for a specific group of students from third countries. It’s a concept of visa facilitation for students-foreigners from selected non-EU countries who are admitted to study at higher education institutions in Czechia and at the same time they are enrolled in the Student Mode. The students and successful applicants from eligible countries are contacted by our faculty staff regarding enrollment in the Student Mode. More information and a list of eligible countries is available here.
* As a result of International Treaty on Cooperation in the Area of Health and Social Security, medical travel insurance is not required from citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Cuba, Japan, Macedonia, Montenegro, Turkey and Serbia. The same exception applies to participants of the Erasmus+ program, Fulbright scholarship program, European Voluntary Service of the EC Youth in Action program, as well as holders of EHIC or GHIC.
After arrival
Please note that within 3 working days of entering Czechia, all non-EU students are obliged to register within the Czech Foreign Police. The same obligation applies to EU students, but within 30 days after their arrival. Students accommodated in university dormitory are not required to follow this obligation. Students are also obliged to report changes concerning their stay in Czechia, such as a change in address, a change in their travel document or family status. Students that have been issued a residence card are obliged to return the card before ending their stay in Czechia.
Students who hold a Czech long-term student visa for 1 year and their purpose of stay persists, shall apply for a long-term residence permit for the purpose of studies in person at a local Ministry of Interior office. Residence permit for the purpose of studies is issued for up to 1 year and may be extended at a local Ministry of Interior office in person or by post. Holders of a long-term residence permit for the purpose of studies who successfully completed university education in Czechia and were awarded a degree may apply for a long-term residence for the purpose of seeking employment in Czechia for the period of 9 months. More information is available on the website of the Ministry of Interior of the Czech Republic.
