09 - Czech Republic - Organisation of the academic year

As the organisation of studies differs between vyšší odborné školy and vysoké školy.

Tertiary professional education

The school year at vyšší odborné školy is divided into a teaching period (winter and summer) and a holiday period. The winter term starts on September 1 and ends on January 31 of the following calendar year. The summer term starts on February 1 and ends on August 31. School instruction within a school year lasts 40 weeks, out of which lessons last for 32 weeks, 6 weeks are dedicated to self-study and obtaining assessment by the due date, and 2 weeks serve as a time reserve. The beginning and the end of lessons in the winter and summer terms, the beginning and the end of the period dedicated to self-study and assessment by the due date, the beginning and the end of school holidays, and possibly further divisions of the school year, are determined by the school head in accordance with the accredited educational programme. During the school holidays, it is possible to organise obligatory courses, job practice and also examinations, although this must not reduce the free time of pupils during the school holidays to less than 4 weeks. Theoretical instruction and practical training in the last period of the educational programme last at least 14 weeks.

Higher education

The academic year at vysoké školy lasts twelve months and its starting date is set by the rektor (in general the beginning of October). The academic year consists of winter and summer semesters. A semester normally consists of 15 weeks of teaching followed by an examination period, with a week's holiday after the winter semester and a two-month holiday (July, August) after the summer semester. There is usually another examination period in September.

Details of academic year organisation (the weekly and daily teaching schedule) are set out in internal regulations of individual vysoká škola.

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