🇨🇿 Learning Czech in Czechia

A non-profit founded by the City of Prague, which also staffs the Contact Point for Foreigners at Prague City Hall. The catalogue is substantial: standard courses for non-Slavic speakers and separate ones for Slavic speakers running to B1, a preparation course for the A2 permanent-residence exam, a conversation course, a Czech-for-work course, and A1 e-learning. Eligibility is non-EU citizens holding a residence permit valid for more than 90 days; applicants for international protection are not eligible. You pay a motivational deposit which is returned in full if you attend at least seventy per cent of sessions and sit the final exam, so in practice the course is free. Intakes are announced on the site and by newsletter, so check regularly and register by email.

Founded by the City of Prague and authorised to administer state language examinations, in the centre of Prague. Czech for Foreigners runs from absolute beginner to advanced, with dedicated B1, B2 and C1 exam-preparation tracks, in evening classes, full-morning intensives and semester-long programmes running roughly September to June. Open to any adult with no residence-status requirement. Semester tuition is materially cheaper than the private schools and scales with weekly hours, with a shorter three-month option too. Register through the course listings on the site or contact the Slavic department directly.

Founded in 1990 and a member of the International House World Organisation since 2000, teaching from its own premises in Prague 4 rather than online only. Adult groups are capped at twelve students and use a communicative method built around discussion of current topics rather than grammar drilling. Open to any adult foreigner with no residence or immigration status required. You take an online entrance test first and the system returns the levels that suit you. Prices are not fixed publicly — the school states that course prices fall the earlier you register, so enquire well before the term starts.

Charles University's dedicated institute, teaching A1 to C1 plus specialist courses such as Czech for doctors, from centres in Prague. Formats run from eight-week intensives at twenty-five hours a week through one- and two-semester programmes to evening courses twice weekly and summer schools. Open to any adult foreigner with no residence-status requirement, and it also runs the year-long foundation programmes that let you go on to study free at a Czech university in Czech. Prices are published per format and sit at the premium end. Entry is by placement test; note that deadlines for applicants who need a visa fall several months earlier than general deadlines.

A long-running summer Czech course run by the Faculty of Arts, held in central Prague over about four weeks each July and August, drawing an international cohort. Open to anyone from absolute beginners to very advanced learners, adults included, with no residence requirement. The school distinguishes fee-paying students from scholarship students, with scholarships typically allocated through inter-governmental agreements rather than direct application. Apply through the how-to-apply section on the site well before the summer, as places are limited.

Masaryk University's central Language Centre offers long-term intensive one-year programmes from September to June for complete beginners preparing for Czech university entrance exams, short-term courses from A0 to B2 and C1 typically running September to December, and tailored group or individual courses year-round. Classes meet twice weekly for ninety minutes across morning, evening and weekend slots. The page states directly that courses are open to the public as well as to students, which makes this the strongest non-Prague university option. Prices are not published online — call or email the centre for a quote and to register.

An established Prague NGO running a counselling and community centre for migrants in Prague 2, deliberately built as a social space for both foreign residents and Czechs interested in integration, so classes sit alongside legal and social advice and community events. It opens new courses at different levels on a rolling basis, often free of charge, which makes it the strongest low-cost alternative to the state centres in Prague. Because intakes are rolling rather than fixed to a term, contact the centre by email or phone to get on the list for the next opening rather than waiting for an announcement.