Before you come to study here

Before you come to study here you must prepare yourself for a game called Bureaucracy. It's not really difficult, but you do have to remember ALL the rules. To make it as easy and smooth as possible we shall take you through the individual steps of the procedure. We are also including most of the forms you need to fill in to obtain all the necessary permits.

Essential dates

Step 1 - Application

If you wish to come to study at Charles University as an Erasmus student, your home university must officially nominate you. In the first instance, therefore, you must contact the ERASMUS co-ordinator at your home university. The following forms must be (!legibly!) filled in and confirmed by relevant co-ordinators of your university.

Application for accommodation in Charles University Halls of Residence

 Incoming Student Form

Send them either to the relevant  faculty coordinator or to the European Office.

We shall confirm the AF and LA and send them back to you together with a Letter of Admission and Accommodation Voucher.

If you decide not to use the University accommodation we need you to inform us as soon as you have fixed your private accommodation.

Step 2 - Visa and Residence Permit

EU or EFTA students are legally obliged to register with the police in the place of their residence on the territory of the EU within 30 days of their arrival in the country if their intended stay will be longer than 30 days (§ 93, Law no. 326/1999). To register, a student must first fill in two forms available at the faculty:

1.  State Border Crossing Report (Hraniční průvodka)

2.  Registration Card

When registering with the Immigration Police, students must present both completed forms, a travel document (passport) and 2 photographs.

In Prague students can register (and apply for a short-term residence permit) at this address: Cizinecké oddělení policie ČR v Praze 3 [CR Immigration Police Office in Prague 3] Olšanská 176/2, 130 00 Praha 3, (Tram No. 9, 26)

Students are entitled (but not obliged) to apply for a short-term residence permit, either at the Czech embassy in their home country or at an immigration police office in the CR (but the Immigration Police recommend that students apply on the territory of the CR). Students who obtain this short-term residence permit are issued with a special card (known as a European Card) which officially states a short-term Czech address and can therefore be used for many transactions in which official proof of Czech address is necessary (opening a bank account, purchase of a mobile phone on a contract, getting any temporary job etc.) A short-term residence permit is issued for different periods depending on the purpose of the short-term residence, but for a maximum of 5 days. The authorities must deal with applications at the latest 180 days from the date of application. Students need to present:

1. A travel document

2. A document confirming the purpose of the stay (acceptance letter in Czech and English versions)

3. 2 photographs

4. Certificate of health insurance (translated into Czech)

5.  Declaration by the student that he/she will not apply for welfare benefits

6. Completed application form for short-term residence on the territory of the CR (purple form)

An acceptance letter in Czech will be issued for every student (for the 2004/05 winter semester) and sent to the faculties before their arrival and registration at any faculty, as will all the necessary forms (State Border Crossing Report, Registration Card, Declaration on Social Benefits) Registration and short-term residence permits are free of charge.

!! Note please, according to the law if a student wants to undertake paid work of any kind, regular or casual, he or she must have a work permit !!

Students from non-EU or non-EFTA countries who wish to stay in the Czech Republic for more than 90 days have to apply for a visa. An application for the permit should be submitted to the Czech Embassy or Consulate in the student's country of origin in good time before arrival. Please be aware that the administration process can easily take 8 weeks. The price of the visa fee depends on country you come from. Even when you have the visa you are legally obliged to register with the Police Foreign Department within 3 days of your arrival.

Step 3 - Medical Care

To obtain treatment under the provisions of European regulations it is important to contact a medical institution (doctor, dentist, hospital), that has a contract with the public health insurance system (most of them have, but some institutions are purely private).

Your European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), form E111 or Provisional certificate has to be submitted to the attending physician. If you do not have either of these documents, the physician can insist on cash payment.

In order for the doctor to ensure his or her own reimbursement from the contracting Czech health insurance fund, he or she will need to see your EHIC card, Provisional certificate, or E111 form, and will copy the information onto another specific internal form, known as "Potvrzení o nároku" (Certificate of entitlement). The doctor will also need to check your ID document (passport, ID card, drivers license).

The doctor will normally ask you to confirm your expected length of stay in the territory of the Czech Republic and will advise you to choose one of Czech  contracting health insurance funds. You will confirm your choice and expected length of your stay by signature in above-mentioned "Potvrzení o nároku" (Certificate of entitlement).

If any medicines, laboratory tests, or any further examinations are prescribed, the doctor should give you an appropriate number of copies of "Potvrzení o nároku" (Certificate of entitlement). The copy should then be submitted to the pharmacy, laboratory or surgery.

Please bear in mind, that your European health card insurance (or with the E111 form and Provisional certificate) entitles you only to coverage of the costs of medical care in the Czech Republic and Czech doctors are instructed to try to ensure that you need not leave the country earlier than you planned as a result of medical problems. Other kinds of medically related care, e.g. non-urgent treatment, or medically assisted transport home following serious illness or injury, are not covered, and for these eventualities we recommend you take out extra medical or commercial travel insurance with an insurance provider in your home country.

In case of medical need a temporary stay in the CR, visitors with the E 111, Provisional certificate or the EHIC can go to the doctor/dentist/hospital directly with this document. If you are staying in the CR for a relatively long period (1 semester) you may – if you wish – make a direct agreement with a Czech health insurance company, and register with it. As the registration document you will obtain "Potvrzení o registraci" (Certificate of Registration) which can be submitted to any doctor/dentist/at the hospital before getting treatment.

Standard dental care is generally covered by the health insurance system. As in other EU countries, however, some forms of non-essential (cosmetic) treatment or higher quality materials require extra payments. If you need treatment by a specialist, the general practitioner will refer you to one. In urgent cases visitors can go to a hospital with the E111/EHIC directly. In other cases the practitioner issues a recommendation for admission to hospital. Transport to the hospital is covered by the insurance system and is provided free of charge. In case of urgent medical transport or in case of treatment by a doctor from the emergency service it is also necessary to present your EHIC/E111 or Provisional certificate. If the doctor decides to prescribe medicines, he or she will issue a prescription. He or she should also give you one copy of "Potvrzení o nároku" (Certificate of entitlement). Medicines are available at pharmacies. For some medicines the patient must make some financial contribution while some groups of drugs are free for the patient.

Health Funding in the Czech Republic

Standard medical treatment is obtainable free of charge. The health care costs are carried by the chosen Czech health insurance fund. There are compulsory prescription charges on some medications, materials and forms of dental treatment. These charges are not refundable.

If you (by mistake or for any other reason) pay cash for medical treatment that is covered by your home insurance company, you will have to apply for reimbursement at home since such costs are not refundable within the CR.

Students from outside non-EU countries are not covered by the EU’s E-111 form, and they therefore must have a valid international medical insurance plan, or they must expect to pay cash for all medical care.

If your medical problem isn't an emergency, Prague has several clinics that cater to English-speaking clients that can provide a network of services from basic examination to accompanying a patient to the hospital. Please note, however, that these are usually commercial operations who may charge a high fee.

In case of emergency or an accident use any hospital, health clinic or the Nemocnice na Homolce Hospital (foreign pavilion) - Praha 5, Roentgenova 2, phone 257 272 144; 257 272 146.

In the Czech republic, non-prescription drugs and medicines are sold only in pharmacies. They are not available at supermarkets, as in many West European countries. Pharmacies may be recognised by the prominent green cross-displayed over the shop-front. Many have staff who can speak English or German, and are used to offering advice to tourists (especially in the city centres).

Step 4 - Arrival and Registration

Please bear in mind that three of Charles University faculties are located outside Prague: the Faculty of Medicine and Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Kralové, and the Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen. On your arrival in the Czech Republic, first and foremost get to your accommodation and make yourself as comfortable as possible. Most of our faculties organise Orientation Weeks or meetings with incoming students at which they will get further important information about registration and administrative procedures relating to their stay (access to libraries, Internet, public transport, cafeterias and so on). For more information, carefully read your Arrival Information Sheet, or contact your host  faculty coordinator.

Accommodation

Accommodation is provided in Charles University Halls of Residence. Students are housed in double-occupancy rooms. Single rooms are not available. Unit system consists of double rooms sharing bathroom facilities. A small kitchenette is usually at the end of each hall. Students can also use a lavatory and hanging rooms in the building.

Bedding and bed linen are provided; towels and kitchen utensils are not.

The allocation of rooms is the responsibility of the management of the residences.

The adress of the student residence and the date of arrival from which the room is available is written on the Accommodation Voucher.

The price of accommodation is approximately Kč 2600 per month for the summer semester of academic year 2004/2005.

Students who wish to come earlier will have to find their own accommodation.

To check-in you need: your passport, the original of your Accommodation Voucher, and one photograph. Students who arrive after office hours will be housed for the night, and register the next workday.

The rent is paid in cash and directly at the accommodation office of your hall of resident. You make the first payment when you arrive, and subsequent payments always at least five days before the beginning of the month. Most residencies require payment in cash. The rent is always payable a month in advance, e.g. always in the beginning of the current month, at the Accommodation Office at the Residence. For details see your Accommodation Voucher

Private Accommodation

It is not difficult to find private accommodation in our university cities. For a three-room flat (two rooms and kitchen) situated in the centre of Prague you can pay about Kč 15.000. It can be twice as cheap in Pilsen and Hradec Králové. You can go to various letting agencies. For example the real estate agency  Happy House Rentals, offers 10% discount for all our students in Prague, tel.: +420 222312496. They offer accommodation all over Prague for any period of time you need. You may also find it useful to visit the website of  GTS International where you can find accommodation in Prague and other cities. The contact person is   , tel.: +420 257187132. Other sites are:  www.expats.cz  www.hostel.cz,  www.czechhostel.cz,  www.bydleni.cz/reality/index.php,  http://www.azbydleni.cz/index.php?lang=en.

If you decide not to use the University accommodation we need you to inform us as soon as you have fixed your private accommodation.

Note on language courses

Most faculties are able to offer a number of Czech language courses at various levels from Beginners to Intermediate. You are welcome to register for these. However, we must point out that, because these classes are not part of the standard curriculum, they are not financed by the Czech Ministry of Education. We therefore have to make a small charge to cover our costs (about 80-120 Euro per semester; 4-6 teaching hours per week). Regrettably, because under Czech law we are not allowed to subsidise these classes in any way from our state budget, we have to charge everybody who attends the classes, even if they are exempted from paying school fees for our standard curriculum. However, we believe the classes represent good value for money: a professional language school would charge twice the price for the same service. To register for the classes, please send an e-mail to your host faculty coordinator.

Information and Advisory Centre of Charles University (IAC of CU)

IAC of CU is responsible for collecting, processing and publishing information on studies and lifelong education; providing information on study abroad and international exchange programmes; expenditure and sale of the CU student card and the student card with ISIC licence.

In order to have access to the CU halls of residence and cafeterias (and to other university facilities such as libraries, reading rooms, computer labs and so on) you will need the CU student card which can be issued to you in one of the following centres:

1. Information and Advisory Centre of CU - Celetná 13, 116 39 Praha1

Monday + Wednesday: 10.00 – 12.00 and 13.00 – 16.00

Tuesday + Thursday: 13.00 – 17.30

Friday: 9.00 – 12.00

2. The Faculty of Mathematics and Physics of CU – Ke Karlovu 3, 121 16 Praha 2

Monday: 13.30 – 18.00

Tuesday: 9.00 – 12.00

Wednesday: 8.00 – 12.00 and 15.00 – 17.00

Thursday: 9.00 – 11.30 and 14.00 – 18.00

Friday: 9.00 – 11.30 and 14.00 – 16.30

3. The Faculty of Law of CU – nám. Curieových 7, 116 40 Praha 1 (the room 34)

Monday – Thursday: 9.00 – 12.00 and 13. 30 – 15.30

Friday: 9.00 – 12. 30 and 13.30 – 15.00

The issue centre at IAC of CU is the only university centre where you can buy an ISIC international student identity card. The price is Kč 250. ISIC cards can also be bought at branches of GTS International ( www.gtsint.cz).

The IAC of CU also offers advisory services to its students, e.g. careers, social and legal, psychological, for students with special needs. A computer room with internet access is available there.

Information Services:

Address: Celetná 13, 116 39 Praha 1, Czech Republic

Telephone: +420 224 491 850, Fax: +420 224 491 895

E-mail:   , Web:  http://www.cuni.cz/UK-122.html

Monday – Thursday: 9.00 – 18.00, Friday: 9.00 – 16.00

Advisory Services:

Address: Školská 13 a, 110 00 Praha , Czech Republic

Telephone: +420 222 232 452, Fax: +420 224 491 252

Psychological Counselling Centre for International Students

provides quality services to help get you through the challenges that you may face in emotional, interpersonal, and academic/career– choice situations.

Tuesday: 15.00 – 16.00

To make an appointment, please, contact the psychologist Doc. PhDr. Jiří Šípek, CSc. via e-mail:   , or phone: +420 224 491 597, +420 224 491 850

Address: Školská 13A, 110 00 Praha 1

International Student Clubs & Tutor Programmes

The 1st International Student Club was formally established at the Faculty of Social Sciences in 2001. Since then activities have grown and are now for all incoming students at Charles University. The main aim of the clubs is to organise all kinds of meetings, excursions and longer-term trips throughout the Czech Republic and to neighbouring states. Students of the International clubs also provide practical information about how to survive and enjoy yourself here.

If your host faculty does not provide you with help and contact with our students, you are warmly welcome to join the clubs at the  Faculty of Social Sciences and  Philosophical Faculty.

Some useful websites

Czech Airlines

 http://www.csa.cz/en/

Trains and Buses

 http://idos.datis.cdrail.cz

Prague Information Service

 http://www.pis.cz/a/index.html

Prague Public Transport

 http://www.dpp.cz/index.php?q=en

My Czech Republic – more than a destination guide

 http://www.myczechrepublic.com