The Czech Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, with the support of international agreements, offers study and research sojourns in 40 countries. These international agreements also contain stipulations on student and teacher exchange sojourns. This provides the basis for a certain number of scholarship places offered. The length of the sojourn, the number of available places and the requirements the applicants have to comply with are generally stipulated in the international (bilateral) agreements. These agreements provide the framework within which the scholarship sojourns are offered in the Czech Republic. The Faculty of Education nominates its candidates for chosen study sojourns through the Charles University Rector’s Office at the end of every calendar year.

Scholarship sojourns are awarded in two different ways:

• according to a quota for concrete host countries which the Czech Ministry issues for individual universities;

• through competitive selection procedures in which students from all public universities can participate.

The list of available scholarship sojourns is accessible online at: www.dzs.cz/cz/akademicka-informacni-agentura/ (in Czech).

The Centre for International Cooperation in Education (DZS), established by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport of the Czech Republic, sends abroad those students and teachers who have been recommended by their universities, while also providing for the well-being of the guest students and teachers upon their arrival from abroad.

All relevant information is disseminated by the Academic Information Agency (AIA), an integral part of the Centre for International Cooperation in Education. This agency also provides administrative and organisational services.

Students or teachers from foreign universities or research institutes may also use the legal framework of these international agreements to apply for a BA or MA study or for short-term scholarship sojourns in the Czech Republic. They can submit their applications through their respective ministries of education, asking specifically for a scholarship sojourn in the Czech Republic, based on international agreements.

Yet another scholarship for study sojourns in the Czech Republic can be awarded to Czech expatriates.

In compliance with the Czech government resolution from 2005 on the support of Czech cultural heritage abroad, the Centre for International Cooperation in Education makes it possible for members of Czech expat communities to study at Czech universities. It even organises Czech language courses for them, tailored specifically to expand their knowledge and cultural awareness of their Czech roots. The standard format of these scholarship sojourns tends to be one or two semesters. The Czech expatriates receive scholarship and a financial contribution towards travel expenses.

Interested members of expat communities may apply through the Czech diplomatic corps in their country, with March 31 being the deadline for the fall-winter term and August 31 being the deadline for the spring term.