Scholarships in the Czech Republic without IELTS do exist. The best known, the Czech Government Scholarship for developing countries, does not ask for IELTS at all. Instead, every applicant sits a free online English test inside the application form. The catch is that it is open to nationals of only 13 countries, and the 2027/2028 round closed on 30 September 2026, so the deadline is 30 September 2027.
For everyone else, the route is a university scholarship plus an English proof the university accepts. Charles University’s Faculty of Mathematics and Physics, for example, takes Duolingo, TOEFL, Cambridge and several other tests, and excuses students who studied in English for two years in certain countries. Below are the awards I could confirm, who can apply, the English rules and the money you need for a Czech student visa.
Scholarships in the Czech Republic without IELTS: confirmed list
| Scholarship | Who can apply | What it pays | English proof | Status on 24 Oct 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Czech Government Scholarship (developing countries) | Nationals of 13 listed countries | Tuition paid; CZK 16,000 a month (master’s) or CZK 24,960 (PhD) | Free online English test in the application | 2027/2028 round closed 30 Sep 2026; deadline 30 Sep 2027 (based on this year’s date; confirm on the official page when the call opens) |
| Charles University MFF tuition fee scholarships | Applicants to English-taught Computer Science, Mathematics or Physics | Tuition waiver of €7,100 a year for non-EU students | Duolingo 105, TOEFL 85, Cambridge and others | 2026 round closed 30 Apr 2026; deadline 30 Apr 2027 |
| CTU scholarships for foreign students | Foreign master’s and PhD students at CTU Prague | Up to CZK 10,000 a month | Set by your CTU programme | Rolling, through your faculty |
| Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters with a Czech partner | Any nationality | €1,400 a month for up to 24 months, no tuition | Set by each consortium | Deadlines vary by programme |
Czech Government Scholarship for developing countries
This is the fully funded option most lists mention, usually without saying who can apply. The Czech Ministry of Education runs it as part of the country’s development cooperation, and the list of countries is short.
Eligible countries for 2027/2028
| Region | Countries | Programmes open to them |
|---|---|---|
| Europe and Caucasus | Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Ukraine, Belarus (democratic opposition) | English-taught or Czech-taught |
| Africa | Ethiopia, Gabon, Mauritania, Zambia | English-taught only |
| Asia and Middle East | Bangladesh, Cambodia, Palestine | English-taught only |
| Central America | Guatemala, Honduras | English-taught only |
Czech citizens, EU citizens and people with Czech permanent residence cannot apply, and nor can anyone already enrolled at a Czech university. The English-language study page sets an age window: you must be born after 1 September 1991 and before 31 August 2008.
Does the Czech Government Scholarship require the Czech language?
Only on one track. Applicants from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Ukraine and Belarus can choose two-year Czech-taught master’s programmes. The scholarship then adds a one-year Czech language and preparatory course at Charles University’s Institute for Language and Preparatory Studies before the degree starts. Everyone else, including all African, Asian and Central American applicants, studies in English on a two-year master’s or a three- to four-year PhD from the ministry’s list.
What the scholarship covers
- Tuition: paid by the Czech government for the standard length of full-time study.
- Stipend: CZK 16,000 a month for master’s students and CZK 24,960 for PhD students, paid by the host university after you arrive and enrol.
- Health care: provided by the Ministry of Health on the same terms as insured Czech residents.
- Housing and meals: you can use student dormitories and canteens, but you pay for them from the stipend.
- Travel: not reimbursed. You pay your own flight to Prague.
How you apply and the English test
You apply online at studyin.gov.cz. The ministry’s page does not send you through an embassy. For 2027/2028 the form opened in August 2026 and closed on 30 September 2026. You submit one application, attach a motivation letter (one A4 page for master’s, two for PhD) and an academic CV, then complete two tests inside the system: an English language test and a general study aptitude test. The application is only assessed once both tests are done. Czech-track applicants take only the aptitude test.
Deadline passed
The 2027/2028 Czech Government Scholarship round closed on 30 September 2026. The deadline is 30 September 2027, for 2028/2029 study. Recent calls have opened in August.
University scholarships in the Czech Republic for international students
Charles University, Faculty of Mathematics and Physics
The faculty (MFF) runs tuition fee scholarships for its English-taught degrees. For 2026/2027 the Computer Science award offered up to six bachelor’s and two master’s places, and the Prague Mathematics award up to two master’s places. Each waives €7,100 a year for non-EU students (€4,200 for EU students). You must hold no other scholarship, and the faculty withdraws the award if you earn fewer than 60 credits in your first year. The 2026 deadline was 30 April 2026, with results by 31 May, so the deadline is 30 April 2027. The faculty also lists a Prague Physics tuition fee scholarship.
Czech Technical University in Prague (CTU)
CTU’s rules let foreign master’s students receive up to CZK 10,000 a month towards living costs, usually for one or two semesters, with an extension for strong first-year results. Foreign PhD students in English-taught programmes can also receive up to CZK 10,000 a month on top of the basic doctoral scholarship, and the dean may cut or cancel their tuition. Applications run all year through your faculty’s international office, and a vice-rector decides.
Erasmus Mundus master’s with a Czech partner
Several Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters include Czech universities. These are open to any nationality and pay €1,400 a month for up to 24 months with no tuition. You apply to the consortium, and each one sets its own English rule, so some accept a degree taught in English. Our Erasmus Mundus scholarship guide explains how to find programmes and what the application needs.
English proof Czech universities accept instead of IELTS
Each Czech university, and often each faculty, sets its own English rule. Charles University’s MFF publishes one of the clearest lists for its English-taught bachelor’s programmes. Results must be no older than two years.
| Test | Minimum at Charles University MFF |
|---|---|
| Duolingo English Test | 105 |
| TOEFL iBT | 85 |
| Cambridge B2 First | 180 (grade A) |
| Cambridge C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency | Pass |
| Michigan English Test (MET) | 64 |
| TOEIC Listening and Reading | 750 |
| SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing | 550 |
| IB English | 6 |
| IELTS (for comparison) | 6.5 |
MFF also exempts you if you completed at least two years of earlier education taught only in English in Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, South Africa, the UK or the USA. A medium of instruction letter from a school in another country is not on its list. Other universities may accept one, so ask the admissions office for written confirmation before you skip a test.
Step by step: applying without IELTS
- Check your nationality first: if you hold one of the 13 listed passports, plan for the Czech Government Scholarship deadline of 30 September 2027.
- Shortlist English-taught programmes: note each faculty’s own deadline and English rule. Many scholarship deadlines fall in spring, months before the September start.
- Choose your English proof: if the programme accepts Duolingo, it is usually the quickest and cheapest test to book. Otherwise check whether your schooling qualifies for an exemption.
- Get your documents ready: passport, transcripts and certificates (officially verified copies where asked), CV, motivation letter and two recommendation letters. Our recommendation letter samples will help your referees.
- Apply for admission and the scholarship together: at MFF, the entry documents must reach the faculty by the scholarship deadline.
- Plan the visa early: Czech long-stay student visas are applied for at the embassy, and appointments can be scarce in some countries.
Money you need for a Czech student visa
The Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs ties the required funds to a subsistence amount of CZK 3,130. Its general rule for a long-term stay is at least 15 times that amount (CZK 46,950), plus two times CZK 3,130 for each full month of the stay. Students may instead submit a written undertaking from a state institution or legal person promising CZK 3,130 a month. A stipend such as the government scholarship counts towards the total, and you only show money for any gap it leaves.
FAQ on Czech Republic scholarships without IELTS
Can I get the Czech Government Scholarship without IELTS?
Yes. It does not ask for IELTS. You take a free online English test as part of the application, but only nationals of the 13 listed countries can apply.
Is Nigeria, India or Pakistan eligible for the Czech Government Scholarship?
No, not for 2027/2028. The African countries on the list are Ethiopia, Gabon, Mauritania and Zambia, and the Asian ones are Bangladesh, Cambodia and Palestine.
Do Czech universities accept Duolingo?
Some do. Charles University’s Faculty of Mathematics and Physics accepts a Duolingo score of 105. Check each faculty’s page, because the rule is set programme by programme.
When is the Czech Government Scholarship deadline?
The 2027/2028 round closed on 30 September 2026. The deadline is 30 September 2027; recent calls have opened in August.
Sources and updates
Eligible countries, tracks, the Czech language course and the 2027/2028 dates come from the Czech Ministry of Education’s government scholarships page. Stipend amounts, the age window, documents and the two online tests come from the scholarship detail pages on Study in Czechia. Charles University figures come from MFF’s Computer Science and Prague Mathematics tuition fee scholarship pages and its English-taught bachelor’s admission requirements. CTU amounts come from CTU’s rules for awarding scholarships to foreign students. Visa funds come from the Czech Ministry of Foreign Affairs page on financial means. Information checked on 24 October 2026. I will update this post when the 2028/2029 Czech Government Scholarship call is published.
I am Jude Chinecherem, a final-year MBBS student at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. I know what it feels like to want an education your family cannot afford. When my parents could not pay for my schooling, I had to learn how to find scholarships and work the system out on my own, with nobody to guide me. I came out the other side, and now I share everything I learned so the next student does not have to figure it out alone. This is the advice I wish someone had given me back then.
