For many families, the school question decides the whole move. The Czech system is public, free and demanding, taught in Czech, with real support for children who arrive without it, and a handful of international schools if you prefer another language. This guide to schools in the Czech Republic covers who must attend, how to enrol, what help exists and what the year looks like.
Who must attend schools in the Czech Republic?
Compulsory schooling lasts nine school years. It begins at the start of the school year after the child turns six and ends at the latest at the end of the school year in which the child turns 17. It applies to Czech children and to children of other EU countries who stay in the Czech Republic more than 90 days, as well as to other foreign children authorised to stay more than 90 days.
Nursery is different. The mateřská škola, the kindergarten in the Czech Republic, takes children from about two to six, and the last year before school is compulsory and free in public schools. Enrolment for the following September is held from 15 March to 15 April. Before age three there is no right to a place, so a child group (dětská skupina) from six months or a private nursery may be your option.
How do you enrol in first grade?
Enrolment, the zápis do základní školy, takes place once a year. Under the rule applied in 2026, it runs from 15 January to 15 February of the year the child starts school, on the dates each head teacher publishes. The Ministry has announced new arrangements for the 2027 enrolment, so check them in autumn 2026.
- Find your catchment school (spádová škola) through your municipality. Children in the area have priority; for foreigners, the place of stay counts rather than permanent address.
- Submit the application in person, by post, by email with an electronic signature or by data box. Presence of the child and parents is not required, and one parent can sign.
- Provide the documents: the application with the child's name, date of birth and address, your identity document if asked, proof of address, and where the child attended compulsory nursery. Lists vary from school to school, so ask.
Failing to enrol a child is an offence, with a fine of up to 5,000 CZK.
Moving mid-year, with a child of an in-between age or with one who needs support? The route changes. Moovy can lay out the options for your child's age and date of arrival and point to the official page for each. It does not enrol your child; the school and the municipality do.
What if you arrive during the school year?
Contact the catchment school directly. A foreign child is placed in the class that matches their age, and where necessary can be placed one class lower depending on level. If your child has been abroad, bring previous reports, with a translation if possible.
What help exists for children who do not speak Czech?
This is the strongest part of the system. A foreign pupil is entitled to language preparation (jazyková příprava): 100 to 400 hours of free Czech lessons within the first 24 months of schooling in the country, spread over at most 20 months, during school hours. Groups are small. Within a week of admission, the head teacher must tell you about this right. You then make a written request to a school designated by the region, saying whether you want classroom or distance learning; the school must start within 30 days of your request. In nurseries it is automatic; in primary school you must ask.
The National Pedagogical Institute offers schools free adaptation coordinators and interpreters. Ask the school whether it uses them.
What does the school year look like?
For 2026-2027: the year starts on Tuesday 1 September 2026; autumn break on 29 and 30 October 2026; Christmas holidays from 23 December 2026 to 3 January 2027; end of the first semester report on 28 January 2027; spring break one week between 1 February and 14 March 2027 depending on the district (for example, 22 to 28 February 2027 in Prague 1 to 5 and in Brno); Easter holiday on Thursday 25 March 2027; end of classes on 30 June 2027, with the summer break from 1 July to 31 August 2027.
What about international schools and other schools in the Czech Republic?
Only foreign schools on the Ministry's list can fulfil the duty of schooling in the Czech Republic. The list includes, among others, the Lycée français de Prague, the Deutsche Schule Prag, the International School of Prague, the Prague British International School, Riverside School, Park Lane International School, the Brno International School, The Ostrava International School and the American Academy in Prague and Brno. Admission and fees are handled directly by each school, and they are not free. See the best places to live.
How does the Czech school system work?
Children start at about six in the first grade of a basic school (základní škola). The basic school has nine years, split into a first stage and a second stage, and afterwards pupils go to a secondary school, a grammar school (gymnázium), a vocational school or an apprenticeship. Teaching is in Czech. Grades are given on a scale where 1 is best and 5 is failing, a detail that surprises newcomers. School days start early, often around eight, and children usually eat lunch in the school canteen.
Parents deal with the school through the class teacher and the head teacher, and many schools use an online system for grades and messages, in Czech. Ask the school whether information can be given in English, and whether you can have an interpreter at meetings through the adaptation coordinator.
What about nursery and children under three?
The nursery (mateřská škola) takes children from about two to six. Enrolment for September takes place from 15 March to 15 April, on dates set by each head teacher. Children aged three and over who live in the area have priority, and below three there is no right to a place. The last year before school is compulsory for children of EU citizens who stay more than 90 days, at least four hours a day. For younger children, a child group (dětská skupina) takes children from six months, and private nurseries exist; their conditions and prices are set by each provider. Vaccination rules apply to admission, except in the compulsory year, so bring the vaccination record.
What does it cost?
State schools are free. You pay the canteen, some supplies and trips, in amounts set by each school. In nurseries, a monthly contribution applies before the last compulsory year, set by the municipality. Child groups are free or charge according to the provider's criteria.
What about recognising foreign certificates?
If your child has completed grades abroad, or if you need your own diploma recognised, the Ministry of Education runs a recognition procedure, the nostrifikace, for foreign education; for regulated professions, the relevant authority decides. Ask the regional office early, since translations and legalisation take time.
What are the common mistakes?
- Missing the enrolment window.
- Counting on a place outside your catchment area.
- Waiting to ask for Czech lessons. The right applies in the first 24 months.
- Assuming an international school replaces the duty. Only listed schools do.
- Forgetting that nursery registration is separate and takes place in spring.
Your registration also matters: see moving to the Czech Republic for the sequence of formalities.