Foreign students now make up nearly a fifth of Prague’s schoolchildren

The number of foreign students in Czech schools continues to grow, with children from abroad accounting for 18 percent of all pupils in Prague, according to new data from the Czech Statistical Office (CZSO).

Nationwide, foreigners made up 7.7 percent of the roughly 1 million children attending Czech primary schools in the 2025/26 school year. Children from Ukraine accounted for about 5 percent of all primary-school pupils.

The number of foreign children in Czech schools rose sharply after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, when their numbers nearly doubled. They have continued to increase since then.

Foreign children have the same right to free education as Czech children under Czech law, including access to school meals and school clubs. Compulsory school attendance applies to Czech citizens, EU citizens residing in Czechia for more than 90 days, and foreigners with long-term residence permits.

Foreign students are also an increasing presence in secondary schools, where they accounted for nearly 5 percent of students last school year, the highest share recorded in the past decade.

Meanwhile, according to CZSO data, Czech schools are facing a demographic shift in the opposite direction. Just over 1 million children attended primary schools last year, but the number of children in kindergartens has begun to fall as the country's birth rate declines.

The number of kindergarten pupils fell below 350,000 in 2025/26, the first time since 2013. Over the past three years, the number has dropped by more than 21,000 children, or around 5.8 percent.

The number of children delaying the start of compulsory schooling is also declining. The share of six-year-olds receiving a postponement fell from 24.1 percent in 2021 to 17.7 percent in 2025.

That figure is expected to fall further following changes to the School Act, which will restrict postponements to cases where a health condition prevents a child from participating in classes. Parents will also need recommendations from both an educational counseling center and a doctor or clinical psychologist.

Almost 515,000 students attended Czech secondary schools last year, the highest number since the 2011/12 school year. The number has risen by 22.4 percent since 2018/19.

The increase reflects large cohorts moving through the education system, but statisticians expect secondary-school numbers to eventually decline as smaller generations reach the upper grades of primary school.

Prague has the country's highest share of grammar-school students, with 37.6 percent of secondary pupils enrolled in gymnázia. The capital also continues to face competition for places at sought-after secondary schools.

At the same time, the large number of students currently progressing through secondary schools is expected to put pressure on universities.

Czech university rectors have warned that without additional funding, public universities could admit a maximum of around 59,000 new students in 2027, potentially leaving 9,000 to 10,000 applicants without a place.