Nostrification and Recognition of Previous Secondary Education

Nostrification and Recognition of Previous Secondary Education

1) EDUCATION RECOGNITION FOR APPLICATION

For the application, you only have to submit scans of your documents or electronic versions. Translation is necessary in case the documents are not in English or Czech. If you don't have a diploma yet, confirmation of study with expected graduation period will suffice. No formal nostrification is required for the scans.

2) EDUCATION RECOGNITION FOR ENROLMENT = NOSTRIFICATION

In order to enrol into our Bachelor programs, you need to submit a proof that you successfully finished at least your secondary education. Nostrification is the process of assessment of your documents and recogizing their validity for the enrollment.

Nostrification

WHEN: You need to submit the hardcopies of your documents by the September in-person registration at the latest.

WHAT: You should submit your diploma and transcript of records of your studies.
By diploma, we mean a school leaving certificate, high school diploma, or eventually also final exam results. The document should clearly state that you completed your secondary education, your credentials and the name of the school.
By transcript of records, we mean a document describing the content and scope of your completed education.

HOW: 1) In person during the in-person registration in September
2) Send it via post or courier service in advance in case you can't make it to Prague by the end of September.

Please use this address:
Marcela Vrbatová
International Office
Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University
Smetanovo nábř. 6
110 01 Praha 1
Czechia

THE PROCESS: Your documents will be assessed based on 3 criteria: validity of the document (“Is it a hard copy or notarized copy?”), language translation (“Is it in English or Czech?”) and authentication (based on country of origin – Apostille or Superlegalization).
This assessment is free of charge.

Please note: This assessment of your documents is only valid for the purposes of admission at the Faculty of Social Sciences, CU.

If  you need the documents recognized for other purposes or if there is any ambiguity, you may be asked to submit a general “nostrification”.

Should you have any queries regarding the process of recognition of your previous education, please contact Marcela Vrbatová (admissions@fsv.cuni.cz).

What type of document do you need to bring?

Choose your document below.

1) YOU STUDIED AT A CZECH SECONDARY SCHOOL

Provide your “maturitní vysvědčení” – an original document or a notarized copy. No further authentication is necessary.

* If you are a graduate of a Czech school and have an IB diploma as well as “maturitní vysvědčení”, submit both documents.

2) YOU STUDIED OUTSIDE OF CZECHIA

You will need to go through nostrification assessment (a process of recognizing the validity of your diploma). This is required by the Czech law.
A hard copy or notarized copy must be presented.
All submitted documents which are not originally issued in Czech, English, or Slovak languages must be officially translated by a sworn translator into Czech or English.

The documents must be authenticated depending on the country of origin: Forms of verification by the country (with the exception of article D).

 

A) EUROPEAN BACCALAUREATE

Provide your certificate authenticated based on the country of origin (see Forms of verification by the country).

B) INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE

Submit your IB diploma certificate and the final exam results. The documents should be authenticated based on the country where the document was issued (see Forms of verification by the country). The results can also be sent to us through IBIS - International Baccalaureate Information System.

C) CAMBRIDGE CERTIFICATE (A LEVELS)

Submit your General Certificate of Education with the results of your A levels, as well as your previous GCSE certificate. We can also check your results through the CIE Direct database, if you send us the Exam center number, your candidate number and when you took the exam.
he documents should be authenticated based on the country where the document was issued (see Forms of verification by the country).

D) AUTOMATICALLY EQUIVALENT DIPLOMA

This is a document issued in Slovakia, Poland (“swiadectwo dojrzalosci”), Hungary (“érettségi bizonyítvány”), or Slovenia, as these countries have an international agreement with Czechia.

You need to submit your diploma – an original document or notarized copy. No further authentication is necessary
 

E) OTHER DIPLOMA/SCHOOL LEAVING CERTIFICATE

Submit a copy of your Diploma/school leaving certificate and Transcript of records - an original or notarized copy. The documents should be authenticated based on the country where the document was issued (see Forms of verification by the country).

Nostrification FAQs

What if your school only issues electronic diplomas?

Some schools no longer issue hard copies of graduation documents. In that case, please send us the link and information necessary for us to download it directly from the school's portal. If that isn't possible, please ask your school to send us your diploma and transcript directly to admissions@fsv.cuni.cz. The documents must be send directly from the school to our office; we cannot accept documents sent to us by students themselves.

What if your diploma will not be ready by your September registration?

We are aware that some schools take time to physically issue the diploma. If that's your case, please bring a confirmation of graduation instead (a stamped hard copy).This will suffice for the enrolment. Once you do obtain your diploma later in the academic year, please bring it to our office for additional assessment. 

You have been accepted and have your documents ready. Should you send them to us via mail as soon as possible?

It is not necessary to mail us your documents during the summer. The nostrification will be performed during your registration meeting in September and we don't need your documents earlier. Please, only send us your documents in case you can't make it to Prague by October and will not be here for the September registrations. We will return the documents to you when you do arrive in Prague and come to our office. 

Can you translate your documents by yourself for the nostrification?

No. Your documents need to be translated by a certified translator into either Czech or English.