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.
For applicants from India, we strongly recommend contacting the agency UA Networks Limited (UAN) as our trusted partner to assist you with the application procedure, diploma recognition, visa process and other necessary support. Additional service fees may be applied for their services, such as interviews, smooth admissions process, documents authentication and recognition, visa application or documents delivery. The contact e-mail address of the agency is admission.su-sba@ua-networks.com.
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).
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.
The documents submitted with the application shall not be older than 180 days except for the travel document and the photo.
*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.
Immediately after your successful entrance exam and diploma recognition process, our faculty staff will ask you to confirm your current address and send you the following documents needed for a visa/residence permit application:
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”.
Please note that participation in the Student Mode (SM) does not automatically apply to all accepted students. After internal evaluation of all admitted applicants, their entrance examination results and other relevant documents and facts, the faculty staff will create a nomination list and inform the applicants of their enrollment in the SM after admission without delay. Acceptance of student nominations is not within the power of the university and is therefore not guaranteed. The list of candidates nominated by the university must then be confirmed by the Ministry of Education, which has the right to exclude candidates if they do not meet the conditions of the SM or exceed the national quota limits. In the event that an applicant is not nominated for the SM, the applicant should apply for a visa individually at the embassy, outside of this program.
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.