Career Colleges and Vocational Schools in Czech Republic

Vocational education is the main route through upper secondary school in the Czech Republic: according to Eurydice, 73.1% of upper secondary pupils were in the vocational stream in 2023, against an EU average of 49.1%. After school, students can continue at tertiary professional schools (vyšší odborné školy), which train specialists in about three years. For international students, the most accessible part of the sector is different: private schools in Prague that teach practical courses, such as filmmaking, in English.

SpainExchange lists one vocational school in the Czech Republic: Prague Film School, an international film school in Prague.

How vocational education works

Compulsory schooling starts at six and lasts nine years. Upper secondary education then usually runs from 15 to 18 or 19, in general or vocational fields, and leads to one of three levels:

• secondary education with a Maturita examination, available in vocational as well as general fields and required for tertiary education
• secondary education with a VET certificate
• secondary education

Holders of a VET certificate can take a follow-up course to obtain the Maturita. Conservatoires are a separate type of school that teach the arts from lower secondary up to tertiary professional level.

Tertiary professional schools

Tertiary professional schools, set up mainly by the regions, offer professionally oriented education that is not university education. Fields include health care, education and social work, the humanities, economics, and technical and agricultural subjects. Full-time programmes last three years including work placements, and they end with a graduate examination (absolutorium). Graduates receive the title diploma specialist (DiS.), written after the name.

Since 1 January 2026, these schools can also run one- and two-year authorised programmes, mainly in technical fields. They lead to a professional specialist certificate at level 5 of the European Qualifications Framework.

Private schools for international students

Most public vocational programmes are taught in Czech; according to Eurydice, teaching some subjects in a foreign language is not common at tertiary professional schools. International students who want practical training in English therefore often choose private schools that set their own programmes, fees and admission rules. Prague Film School, for example, teaches filmmaking and acting for film in English. Such schools award their own certificates or diplomas, so it is worth checking what a qualification is and whether it is recognised before enrolling.

Admission for international students

Tertiary professional schools require upper secondary education with a Maturita, or an equivalent. A certificate obtained abroad may have to be recognised first. For the first admission round, applications go to the school head by 31 May, and an entrance examination usually has a written part and an interview. The law states that age cannot be a barrier to admission.

Citizens of the EU, EEA and Switzerland do not need a visa. Students from other countries apply for a short-term visa for short courses of up to 90 days, and for a long-term visa or residence permit for study purposes for longer programmes.

How to choose a vocational programme

• Type of qualification: a state Maturita or VET certificate, a DiS. diploma, an EQF level 5 certificate, or a private school's own certificate
• Language: Czech for public programmes, English at some private schools
• Length: short workshops, one- or two-year programmes, or three-year tertiary professional programmes
• Practical training: the share of workshop hours and work placements
• Visa: the length of the course decides whether a short-term or long-term visa is needed

Frequently asked questions

What is a vyšší odborná škola?

A tertiary professional school: it offers vocational education after the Maturita, usually in three-year programmes, and graduates receive the title DiS.

Can I study a vocational programme in English in the Czech Republic?

Public vocational programmes are mainly taught in Czech. Some private schools in Prague, such as Prague Film School, teach in English.

Do I need a visa for a short vocational course?

Non-EU students need a short-term visa for courses of up to 90 days and a long-term visa or residence permit for longer study. EU, EEA and Swiss citizens do not need a visa.