Prague City University: English-Taught Degrees, Fees, and What to Expect

Prague City University (PCU) is different from most Czech universities you will come across in your research: every degree is taught only in English, awarded by Teesside University in the UK, and there is no written entrance exam for most programmes — a portfolio and interview replace it for creative courses. If you are comparing options, here is what matters: PCU quotes tuition in GBP or USD rather than CZK, aggregator estimates put a bachelor's year at roughly USD 10,800 (about EUR 9,500), scholarships can cover 50% to 80% of that cost, and PCU runs multiple intakes across the year rather than one fixed deadline like Charles University. This guide covers fees, admission, scholarships, and how PCU compares to Prague's public universities.

What Makes Prague City University Different

Founded in 2004 and based at Hybernská 1009/24 in central Prague, PCU is a private, specialist university offering a British-style education entirely in English. Its degrees are validated and awarded by Teesside University in the United Kingdom, so graduates receive a UK-accredited qualification without leaving Prague. PCU is organised into a small number of schools rather than the 17 sprawling faculties you will find at Charles University: Business, Art & Design, Media & IT, and Education, plus foundation-year programmes for students who need to bridge into a full degree.

Tuition Fees at Prague City University

Unlike Czech public universities, which publish a fixed CZK or EUR rate per faculty, PCU does not publish one blanket tuition figure — it varies by school and specific programme, and the university quotes fees in GBP or USD rather than CZK.

• Aggregator estimates place undergraduate tuition at around USD 10,800 a year (about EUR 9,500 at current exchange rates), though this is not an official PCU-published rate

• One programme track has been reported at CZK 230,000 a year (about EUR 9,500) plus a one-off UK student registration fee of GBP 800 (about EUR 940) — confirm which fee structure applies to your specific programme

• Because PCU does not publish a single university-wide rate, treat any figure you find online, including the ones above, as a starting estimate only

Given how much this varies, request a written fee quote for your exact programme directly from PCU's admissions office before you commit to a budget — this is one case where we cannot give you a single confirmed number the way we can for Charles University or Czech Technical University.

Admission Requirements

PCU's admissions process is noticeably simpler than the entrance-exam system at Czech public universities:

• A high school diploma or equivalent secondary qualification

• Proof of English proficiency through IELTS, TOEFL, or an equivalent test

• A portfolio for creative programmes such as Graphic Design, Fine Art, and Creative Media Production

• An interview, required for some programmes rather than a written entrance exam

• Applications for the 2026 intake are open at the time of writing, and PCU runs several intake points across the year rather than one fixed deadline — confirm the exact cutoff for your intended start date on PCU's own admissions page, since it was not published with specific dates at the time of research

If you would rather compare this against a public university's admissions process, our Charles University Prague guide walks through a faculty-by-faculty entrance exam system in detail.

Scholarships at Prague City University

PCU is more upfront about scholarships than most Czech universities, and they can meaningfully change your budget:

• Merit-based and need-based scholarships are available to both Bachelor's and Master's applicants

• Awards can cover 50% to 80% of total tuition cost, depending on the scholarship and your eligibility

• Scholarships can be awarded for a single year or for the full duration of your degree, so check which type you are being offered before you plan your full budget around it

Apply through PCU's own scholarship process — this is separate from the government-funded options covered in our guide to scholarships for international students in Czech Republic.

Cost of Living and Where PCU Fits into Prague

PCU does not run its own dormitories the way Charles University does, so most students arrange private shared housing or a residence hall through a third-party provider. Budget the same way you would for any Prague-based student: roughly EUR 400 to EUR 630 a month for a shared room outside the centre, EUR 200 to EUR 280 a month for groceries if you cook most meals, and about CZK 550 (EUR 23) a month for a Lítačka public transport card. For the full breakdown, see our guide to student life in Prague.

PCU vs Charles University: Which Should You Choose?

PCU suits students who want an all-English, British-accredited degree with a simpler admissions process, smaller class sizes, and a business-and-creative-industries focus, without an entrance exam for most programmes. Charles University suits students who want the strongest name recognition among Czech universities, a wider range of academic and research-heavy fields including medicine and law, and are comfortable navigating a faculty-by-faculty admissions process. Neither is objectively better — the right choice depends on whether you are optimising for prestige and breadth, or for a smaller, English-only, industry-focused experience. Our full Charles University Prague guide covers the public-university side of that comparison in detail.

Visa and Practical Next Steps

PCU's degrees are private and British-accredited, but the visa process for non-EU students is the same Czech Long-Term Residence Permit for Study that applies to every university in the country. Our Czech Republic student visa guide covers the full document checklist, proof-of-funds requirement, and application timeline. For a step-by-step walkthrough of the wider application process, from choosing a programme to registering with the Foreign Police on arrival, see how to apply to a Czech university from Singapore.

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