Fulfilment of Compulsory Schooling Abroad, at a Foreign School in the Czech Republic, or at a European School

Main information

As the child's legal guardian (parent), you have the option to choose how your child will fulfil their compulsory school attendance:

• at a school abroad (if you are residing abroad together with the child),
• at a foreign school located in the Czech Republic (if the school has been granted authorisation to fulfil compulsory school attendance), or
• at a European School (if, as a parent, you belong to the group of persons whose children are eligible to attend a European School).

If the pupil:

1. fulfils compulsory school attendance abroad and does not attend a local (primary) school, they may choose whether to take examinations at their so-called (Czech) home school (“kmenová škola” – the school where the child is officially registered) in all subjects according to the curriculum of a Czech primary school;
2. fulfils compulsory school attendance abroad and attends a local (primary) school, they may choose whether to take examinations in selected subjects at their home school and thus obtain Czech primary education;
3. fulfils compulsory school attendance at a foreign school located in the Czech Republic that has been authorised by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MEYS), they must take examinations in selected subjects at their home school and thereby obtain Czech primary education;
4. fulfils compulsory school attendance at a European School, they are not required to take any examinations, as education provided at a European School is automatically recognised.

The records of pupils fulfilling compulsory school attendance in the above-mentioned ways are kept by:

• the home school, if the pupil is enrolled there (and the relevant examinations may also be taken at this school), or
• the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MEYS), if the pupil does not have a home school (and will therefore provide proof of fulfilling compulsory school attendance abroad to the MEYS).

This applies to you if

You are the legal guardian of a child who fulfils compulsory school attendance abroad or at a foreign school located in the Czech Republic.

When to use this service

At any time during the school year.

Vyřízení služby - elektronicky

What you need if you are using this service

If you are dealing with a home school, you must officially submit (via data message or e-mail with an electronic signature) an application for admission to education, together with a notification of education abroad or at a foreign school located in the Czech Republic. The notification must include:

• the anticipated period of fulfilment of compulsory school attendance abroad, at a foreign school in the Czech Republic, or at a European School,
• the address of the pupil's place of residence, and
• where applicable, the address of the relevant school.

For notification to the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MEYS), a form available on the MEYS website may be used.

To prove the course of education abroad, send a document issued by the foreign school (e.g. a report card from the school abroad), or, where applicable, a statutory declaration concerning the pupil's individual education.

Attachments documenting the course of education must be translated into Czech (except for Slovak).

Where and how to solve this service

The service is usually handled by the home primary school where the pupil fulfils compulsory school attendance. If you do not have a home school, the service is handled by the MEYS.  

1. Send the application for admission, including the notification (see above), to the home school: 
   • by data message, or
   • by e-mail with an electronic signature.
2. Send the registration form to the MEYS:
   • by data message (data mailbox ID: vidaawt), or
   • by e-mail with an electronic signature to: zacivzahranici@msmt.gov.cz.

Vyřízení služby - osobně

What you need if you are using this service

If you are dealing with a home school, you must officially submit (in person or by post) an application for admission to education, together with a notification of education abroad or at a foreign school located in the Czech Republic. The notification must include:

• the anticipated period of fulfilment of compulsory school attendance abroad, at a foreign school in the Czech Republic, or at a European School,
• the address of the pupil's place of residence, and
• where applicable, the address of the relevant school.

For notification to the MEYS, a form available on the MEYS website may be used and sent by post or delivered in person to the registry office.

To prove the course of education abroad, send a document issued by the foreign school (e.g. a report card from the school abroad), or, where applicable, a statutory declaration concerning the pupil's individual education.

Attachments documenting the course of education must be translated into Czech (except for Slovak).

Where and how to solve this service

The service is usually handled by the home primary school where the pupil fulfils compulsory school attendance. If you do not have a home school, the service is handled by the MEYS.  

1. Send the application for admission, including the notification (see above), to the home school: 
   • in person, or
   • by post.
2. Send the registration form to the MEYS by post or deliver it in person to:

Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, Department of Primary Education

Additional information

What is the benefit of this service

The benefit of this service is the opportunity to obtain primary education in accordance with Czech legislation while residing abroad.  

By taking the relevant examinations at the home school in the Czech Republic, education received abroad is considered equivalent to that obtained at a Czech primary school (unless the education is recognised automatically – see Recognition of Equivalence of Foreign Certificates for Graduates of European Schools for further details) and allows smooth access to secondary schools or conservatoires.

Appeal options

This is not a permit procedure but a notification. No decision is issued in the matter.

Sanctions

If, as a legal guardian, you neglect your child's compulsory school attendance (this obligation also applies to Czech citizens residing abroad), such conduct may constitute an administrative infraction punishable by a fine of up to CZK 5,000.

Frequently asked questions

By when must legal guardians notify the home school of the fulfilment of compulsory school attendance abroad?

If the legal guardian of a child who is residing abroad for an extended period decides to have the child's compulsory school attendance verified through the home school, the child must be registered for compulsory school attendance between 15 January and 15 February of the calendar year in which the child is due to start compulsory schooling.

If the legal guardian decides instead to register with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MEYS), the form must be submitted by the end of September of the calendar year in which the child is due to start compulsory schooling. 

Which primary school is considered my child’s home school?

You may choose a primary school established by a municipality or an association of municipalities located within the catchment area where the pupil has their permanent residence (hereinafter referred to as the “catchment-area school”), or any other school. Enrolment consists of submitting (or sending) an application for admission to education to the headteacher of the chosen school. The legal guardian then continues to provide proof of the child's fulfilment of compulsory school attendance to this (home) school.

In which cases must the fulfilment of compulsory school attendance be reported directly to the MEYS?

A legal guardian may decide to deregister the pupil from their home school or not to enrol them there at all. In that case, the fulfilment of compulsory school attendance must be reported directly to the MEYS. Likewise, if a parent of a pupil who fulfils compulsory school attendance abroad from the outset does not choose a home school for their child, they must provide proof of compulsory school attendance directly to the Ministry.