Charles University Prague: The Complete Guide for International Students

Charles University in Prague is the oldest university in Central Europe, founded in 1348, and today it is made up of 17 faculties teaching everything from medicine to mathematics to the humanities. For international students from Singapore and Southeast Asia, the biggest question is usually simple: what does it actually cost, and can you get in? The short answer — tuition for English-taught programmes typically runs from about €3,500 a year for humanities and science degrees up to €16,000–€18,000 a year for medicine, while studying in Czech is free of charge for every nationality. This guide breaks down the real fees, admission requirements, deadlines, and living costs for the 2026/27 academic year, so you know exactly what to plan for.

Why Consider Charles University Prague?

Charles University is consistently ranked among the top universities in Central and Eastern Europe, and it holds particular weight for medicine, law, and the natural sciences. It enrols around 50,000 students, including a large international community, so you will not be the only student outside the Czech Republic navigating faculty registration and student housing for the first time.

For a wider comparison of why Czech Republic is such good value for Asian families, see our comparison of Czech Republic, Poland, and Germany, which covers the country-wide picture before you narrow down to a specific university.

Charles University Tuition Fees for International Students (2026/27)

Fees at Charles University depend entirely on the language of instruction, not on your nationality. This surprises a lot of families, so it is worth explaining clearly:

• Studying in Czech: free of charge for students of any nationality, including Singaporean and Malaysian students, at all public Czech universities.

• English-taught bachelor's and master's programmes (Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences): typically €3,500–€6,500 per year, depending on the faculty and programme.

• Faculty of Mathematics and Physics (English-taught): fees vary by programme — check the faculty's admissions page directly, as this faculty publishes its own fee schedule separately from the university-wide list.

• General Medicine and Dentistry (First, Second and Third Faculties of Medicine, English-taught): roughly €16,000–€18,000 per year — by far the most expensive route through Charles University.

• Across the university as a whole, published English-taught fees range from roughly €40 per credit on some part-time or specialised tracks up to €30,620 a year for the most expensive full-time medical programmes — always confirm the exact figure on your target faculty's own fee page, as Charles University's 17 faculties each set and publish their own tuition.

For a full breakdown of how these figures compare with the rest of the country, see our post on tuition and living costs across the Czech Republic.

Application Fees by Faculty

On top of tuition, every application requires a non-refundable processing fee, paid before your entrance exam or file review. This also varies by faculty:

• Faculty of Mathematics and Physics: 1,500 CZK (bachelor's and master's programmes)

• Faculty of Humanities: 940 CZK

• Second Faculty of Medicine: 2,500 CZK

• First Faculty of Medicine (General Medicine and Dentistry): 7,000 CZK

• Third Faculty of Medicine: 750 CZK

Living Costs in Prague as a Charles University Student

Charles University's own estimate for cost of living puts a realistic monthly budget at €600–€750, covering accommodation, food, transport, and a reasonable amount of leisure. Here is how that breaks down in practice:

• Shared flat or dormitory room: 10,000–18,000 CZK per month (roughly €400–€720), split between flatmates.

• One-bedroom apartment outside the city centre: 13,000–22,000 CZK per month (roughly €520–€880).

• One-bedroom apartment in the city centre: 18,000–28,000 CZK per month (roughly €720–€1,120).

• University canteen meal: around €1.90; a casual restaurant lunch: around €8; cooking at home: roughly €2–€4 per meal.

• Monthly public transport pass (Lítačka, full Prague network, student discount): around 550 CZK (roughly €22).

Students who cook regularly, share housing, and use their student transport pass tend to land toward the lower end of that range. Students who prefer a central one-bedroom flat and eat out often should budget closer to the top.

Admission Requirements and How to Apply

Charles University has 17 independent faculties, and each one runs its own admissions process. That said, the core requirements are consistent across almost all of them:

• Completed secondary education equivalent to the Czech school-leaving standard, for bachelor's and long-cycle master's applicants.

• Proof of English proficiency for English-taught programmes, usually through a recognised test such as IELTS or TOEFL — the accepted tests and minimum scores are set by each faculty.

• An entrance examination for many programmes, especially Medicine, Law, and Psychology — some faculties instead assess applicants purely on submitted documents and a personal statement.

• Nostrification (official recognition) of your secondary school diploma, which non-EU applicants should start early given processing time.

For the 2026/27 intake, the university-wide application deadline was 30 April 2026, though individual faculties can set earlier or later dates for their own programmes. If you are reading this after that date, plan for the 2027/28 intake instead — expect a similarly timed deadline in the February–April window, but always confirm the exact date on your target faculty's own admissions page before you plan around it, since it has not yet been published for every faculty.

If you want a step-by-step walkthrough of the paperwork, visa timing, and document checklist, our guide to applying to a Czech university from Singapore walks through the whole process in order.

Popular English-Taught Faculties and Programmes

• First, Second and Third Faculties of Medicine — General Medicine and Dentistry taught fully in English, the most popular route for international students, with strong clinical placement networks across Prague teaching hospitals.

• Faculty of Mathematics and Physics — English-taught bachelor's and master's degrees in physics, computer science, and mathematics, popular with students aiming for tech careers.

• Faculty of Humanities — smaller cohort sizes, programmes like English Language and Linguistics, generally the most affordable English-taught route outside medicine.

• Faculty of Social Sciences — English-taught programmes in economics, political science, and international relations, based in a modern campus near the city centre.

Is Charles University Right for You?

Charles University makes sense if you want the prestige and research depth of a 700-year-old institution, especially for medicine, law, or the sciences, and you are comfortable with a more competitive, exam-based admissions process. If your priority is the lowest possible tuition and a simpler application, it is worth comparing it against other Czech universities and against Germany and Poland before you commit — the right fit depends as much on your budget and target career as on university name recognition.

Book a free 30-minute consultation with our advisors and get a personalised university shortlist based on your budget, target faculty, and application timeline.