Higher secondary education in the Czech Republic is conducted at secondary schools or conservatories. A broad range of fields on several levels covers the educational needs of practically the entire Czech population 15 to 19 years of age. An applicant is generally admitted to education at secondary school based on an acceptance procedure, once the applicant has fulfilled mandatory school attendance or successfully completed basic education and met the other conditions.
From the lower years of primary schools, applicants/pupils are accepted only to six-year (from 7th grade) and eight-year (5th grade) gymnasia and eight-year fields of conservatories (5th grade).
Přijímací řízení pro přijetí ke vzdělávání ve střední škole nebo konzervatoři
Secondary schools
Secondary schools primarily provide higher secondary education, which may be general or specialised (with a higher or lower share of the general component). The programs are for two to four years. Secondary schools prepare pupils for further study or to perform an occupation and work activities.
The successful completion of the relevant educational program at secondary school serves to achieve the following levels of education (each secondary school may provide various levels, or forms of education):
- secondary education with school leaving examination
- secondary education with vocational certificate
- secondary education (concluded with a report card)
For pupils who have already completed secondary education with a vocational certificate or school leaving examination and wish to acquire further or better qualifications, secondary schools organise the following three types of study:
- extension studies (concluded with a school leaving examination)
- abbreviated studies to acquire a secondary education with a school leaving examination
- abbreviated studies to acquire a secondary education with a vocational certificate
Only secondary education with a school leaving examination entitles graduates to access tertiary education (post-secondary vocational schools or universities). Multi-year gymnasia and eight-year fields of conservatories, to which applicants from the lower levels of primary schools are accepted, provide general lower secondary education (corresponding to the higher level of primary schools or part thereof).
Conservatories
Secondary education is also provided at conservatories. Conservatories provide artistic education:
- in six-year programs, for pupils with completed mandatory school attendance (corresponding both to the higher secondary and tertiary level of education)
- in eight-year programs for graduates from the 5th year of primary school (corresponding thus to lower secondary education, which is part of mandatory school attendance, and the higher secondary and tertiary level of education)
Education at conservatories is attended only by a small number of pupils accepted based on talent examinations. Education is generally concluded with a discharge examination, and the graduate acquires higher specialised education at a conservatory and the title “specialist with diploma” (DiS.). The pupil may also (or only) take a school leaving examination in a year lower than the last year, and thus acquire a secondary education with a school leaving examination and discharge examination from the conservatory.