Nostrification for Academic Credentials

Jo Anne Baladad
Jo Anne Baladad
12. ledna 2023

Are you a foreigner and you are thinking about studying in Czechia? One of the most crucial steps in your application process, whether for a bachelor's, master's, or PhD, is the process of nostrification, ensuring that your previous degree or academic credential adheres to the standards of Czechia. If you have never heard of this term before, this article will tell you about it and why you need to have it done.

What is Nostrification?

"Nostrification" describes how foreign academic credentials are accepted and validated in Czechia. Foreign-educated persons seeking further education in Czechia must undergo this procedure. The nostrification procedure can be lengthy and complex. Examining the issuing school, the duration of the course of study, and the material covered in the curriculum are all part of this procedure.

 

Czechia follows the nostrification process; however, some exceptions exist. If you went to school in another country with an international agreement with Czechia (such as Slovakia, Hungary, Slovenia, or Poland), your previous academic credentials would be accepted and nostrified without further steps.

 

My Nostrification Experience

In my experience, I had to go through the nostrification process with my university after I got accepted to the program I applied for. There are some Czech universities which have accreditation to be able to recognize your previous degree. Luckily, this is possible for Masaryk University. All I did was ask about the process with the international relations coordinator of my faculty. If you are curious about which Czech universities have this shortened process within the university or faculty's admission procedure, you can check them out at this link. However, note that this process only allows you to study in the specific degree program and university you applied for and not anywhere else.

 

It's vital to remember that nostrification can take a long time. Therefore, prospective students with international credentials who wish to study in Czechia should start the nostrification procedure as soon as possible.

 

Once you decide to study in Czechia, I recommend reading the following article about the documents and the exact steps you will need for this process.