Czech school signup comes early this year: New deadlines to know

Parents across Czechia must now register children for first grade between Jan. 15 and Feb. 15, 2026, a shift from the traditional April timeline.

The Ministry of Education stated that the change aims to provide schools with more time to identify children who require special support and process deferral requests.

The updated enrollment period (zápis) affects all public elementary schools and introduces stricter rules for delaying school attendance. Czech families with children turning six this year are being encouraged to submit their applications promptly to meet the new deadlines.

Families with children who may require a deferral face additional hurdles: the new law generally requires recommendations from both a clinical psychologist and a pedagogical-psychological counseling center.

The Ministry of Education (MŠMT) said the update is designed to help schools and parents plan better and ensure children with special educational needs are identified early.

The new schedule also affects kindergarten enrollments, which will now run from March 15 to April 15. Regional authorities in cities including Prague have issued their own reminders for parents to meet the earlier deadlines.

The criteria for school deferrals (odklady) have also tightened significantly to reduce high rates of delayed entry. For children born before April 1, 2020, deferrals are now restricted to cases of serious chronic illness or disability and require a recommendation from a specialist or clinical psychologist rather than a general pediatrician.

Conditions like ADHD, speech impediments, or general “immaturity” are no longer automatic grounds for delay; instead, schools are providing increased support, such as mandatory teaching assistants for larger classes and a shift toward verbal grading.

Education experts say the tighter deferral criteria could reduce the number of children starting school later than usual. Under previous rules, hyperactivity or minor developmental delays were often enough to justify postponing enrollment. This year, more formal documentation will be needed.

Officials emphasize that the process remains flexible for families who can provide the required professional recommendations.

Open days (Dny otevřených dveří) have taken on new importance this year as the enrollment period moves to mid-January.

With less time between visiting schools and submitting applications, most schools have shifted open days earlier to help parents decide quickly.

Many public elementary schools are holding their final open days in the days leading up to Jan. 15. In larger cities such as Prague, Brno, and Ostrava, these visits are often the last chance for parents to tour classrooms, meet principals, and see first-grade teaching in practice before the official enrollment window opens.

Some schools have scheduled open days to overlap directly with enrollment. This allows parents to visit the school and submit their application during the same visit, reducing administrative steps. Several Prague districts, including Prague 3 and Prague 8, have planned open days in mid-to-late January ahead of early February enrollment deadlines.

Strategies also differ between state and private schools. Public schools typically use open days to reassure parents within their catchment area and present facilities, after-school care, and teaching approach.

Private schools, which often receive more applications than available places, treat open days as a form of informal assessment, focusing on a child’s readiness and suitability for bilingual or alternative programs.

Parents are advised to check school websites now, as many open days are already underway or scheduled for the coming weeks.