Diploma nostrification in Czechia is the official recognition of foreign education as equivalent to Czech education. Secondary school certificates and vocational diplomas are recognized by the regional authority (Krajský úřad) in your place of residence, while higher education diplomas are recognized by a Czech public university (veřejná vysoká škola) offering a similar accredited program.
The administrative fee at both levels is 3,000 Kč: for certificates (regional authority), it rose from 1,000 to 3,000 Kč as of March 1, 2025, while universities charge 3,000 Kč under § 90a of the Higher Education Act. The standard processing time is 30 days from submission of a complete document package, extending to 60 days in complex cases. Below is a breakdown of the 2026 procedure: where to apply, which documents you'll need, when an apostille or super-legalization is required, how to arrange a sworn translation, and when a nostrification exam may be ordered.
Nostrification is needed whenever the Czech side requires official confirmation of your education level. The main situations include:
In some cases nostrification isn't necessary: Czechia has equivalency agreements with Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Germany, and Slovenia — instead of nostrification, you apply for confirmation of equivalency (uznání rovnocennosti). If in doubt, check the requirement directly with the employer, university, or regional authority.
This is the key fork in the road that determines your entire path — the responsible authority depends on your education level.
Recognition of school certificates and diplomas from secondary schools (SŠ) and higher vocational schools (VOŠ) falls under the education department of the regional authority (odbor školství krajského úřadu) in your place of residence. In Prague, this is the Magistrát hlavního města Prahy. The application (žádost o uznání rovnocennosti / nostrifikaci) is submitted on the specific authority's form — in person, by mail, or via data box (see our guide on setting up a data box).
A bachelor's, master's, or specialist diploma is recognized not by a ministry but by a public university that has an accredited program similar to yours. For example, an economics diploma should logically be submitted to a faculty of economics. If no comparable program exists at public universities, the matter is decided by MŠMT (the Ministry of Education); military education is recognized by the Ministry of Defense, and education for security services by the Ministry of the Interior. If refused, you can file an appeal within 15 days of receiving the decision; it's submitted through the university but reviewed by MŠMT.
The exact list varies by authority, but the basic 2026 package looks like this:
| Document | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Diploma / certificate | Original or officially certified copy |
| Supplement (dodatek k diplomu, Diploma Supplement, transcript of grades) | Original or certified copy — listing subjects and hours |
| Legalization confirmation | Apostille or super-legalization (see below) |
| Sworn translation | Translation of all documents into Czech by a court-appointed translator |
| Power of attorney | If documents are submitted by a representative |
| Proof of residence | Address of stay in the Czech Republic (for the regional authority) |
| Payment receipt | Confirmation of the 3,000 Kč fee payment |
If your surname has changed (marriage, name change), attach a document confirming the change, along with its translation.
Foreign documents must be legalized for the Czech authority to accept their authenticity. The required form depends on the issuing country:
Requirements are getting stricter: for instance, since April 28, 2025, the Prague Magistrát requires an apostille or super-legalization for documents from all countries except Austria, with which a bilateral agreement is in effect. Legalization must be done before the sworn translation, since the apostille or stamps also need to be translated. Check the current status for your specific country with the Czech consulate.
All documents, including the apostille, must be translated into Czech by a court-appointed (sworn) translator listed in the Czech Ministry of Justice register. A regular translation agency won't do — the authority only accepts translations bound and stamped by the sworn translator. For details, see our guide on sworn translation of documents in Czechia. You can find a vetted specialist in our translators section.
| Parameter | Value (2026) |
|---|---|
| Administrative fee | 3,000 Kč (school certificates: raised from 1,000 Kč as of 01.03.2025; universities: § 90a of the Higher Education Act) |
| Standard timeline | 30 days from submission of the complete package |
| Complex cases | Extension of up to 30 more days (total up to 60) |
| Appeal deadline | 15 days from receipt of the decision |
Add to this the cost of apostille/super-legalization and sworn translation, which varies by country and document volume. The fee is paid to the authority where you submit the application (regional authority or university) by bank transfer to their account: revenue stamps (kolky) were abolished in 2025.
The authority compares the content and scope of your education with the Czech equivalent. Three outcomes are possible:
An important exception: for school certificates issued under the laws of an EU member state, differences in content and scope of education are not taken into account as long as learning outcomes are comparable — this is mandated by the Education Act. This rule doesn't apply to university diplomas, where programs are compared in the standard way. If you're facing an exam in Czech, brush up on your language skills in advance — see level benchmarks in our article on the Czech language exam for permanent residence (A2).
Ukrainian citizens under temporary protection (dočasná ochrana, extended until March 31, 2027 — see our guide on extending temporary protection) qualify for certain concessions. Missing documents (diploma, supplement) can be replaced with a sworn statement (čestné prohlášení) — handwritten and signed, containing details about the institution, program, dates of study, and subjects. The fee waiver (3,000 Kč) is no longer unconditional: as of September 1, 2024, it only applies if temporary protection was granted less than 12 months before submitting the application. Conditions change periodically — check the current MŠMT rules before applying ([email protected]).
Education documents from Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Germany, and Slovenia are recognized as equivalent under international agreements — full nostrification isn't required, and a confirmation of equivalency is issued instead. A separate nuance concerns older diplomas: under a number of former intergovernmental agreements, documents issued during a certain period may be recognized under special arrangements. Since this depends on the country and year of issue, check your specific case with MŠMT or the regional authority before paying the fee.
Nostrification confirms your education level, but for work in regulated professions this isn't enough — a separate qualification recognition procedure is also required. For medical professionals, this is called aprobace: see details in our article on physician aprobation in Czechia. For legal and immigration nuances of diploma recognition, our lawyers can help. If you're planning to work as self-employed, our guide on opening a živnost in Czechia may also come in handy.
Heading to Czechia for the first time? Check out our first-steps relocation checklist.
The administrative fee is 3,000 Kč for both school certificates and university diplomas. Payment is made by bank transfer to the account of the authority you're applying to: revenue stamps were abolished in 2025. Apostille/super-legalization and sworn translation are paid separately.
The standard timeline is 30 days from submission of a complete document package. In complex cases, the authority may extend the review by another 30 days (up to 60 total). Time spent on legalization and translation isn't counted within this period.
School certificates and secondary/vocational education go to the education department of the regional authority in your place of residence (in Prague — the Magistrát). University diplomas go to a public university with a similar program, or to MŠMT if no such program exists.
Yes, if the issuing country is party to the Hague Convention — an apostille is required. If not, super-legalization is arranged through the country's foreign ministry and the Czech embassy. Legalization must be completed before the sworn translation.
Those under temporary protection can replace missing documents with a sworn statement (čestné prohlášení). The fee waiver applies only if temporary protection was granted less than 12 months before submission (a rule in effect since September 1, 2024); check current conditions with MŠMT.
If the content and scope of your program partially differ from the Czech equivalent, the authority will assign an exam covering the missing subjects. For school certificates from EU countries, program differences aren't taken into account. If differences are substantial, recognition is refused — you can then file an appeal (within 15 days).
No, full nostrification isn't required: Czechia has equivalency agreements with Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Germany, and Slovenia, so a confirmation of equivalency is issued instead. Check the details for your specific document type with the regional authority.
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