Tens of thousands take Czech high school entrance exam today

High school students across the Czech Republic are sitting their entrance exams today, with tens of thousands of students arriving at their schools this morning to take the tests. The exams are required for admission to four-year high school courses – most people taking the assessments are in ninth grade in Czechia (around 15 years old).

The exams consist of mathematics and Czech language tests, with 70 minutes allotted for math and 60 minutes for Czech. The second round of exams will take place on Monday, with additional testing for multi-year gymnasiums (for fifth and seventh graders) scheduled for next week.

The unified entrance exam, administered by the CERMAT educational organization, also offers alternative dates at the end of April for those who cannot take the tests today. Results from the first round of admissions will be announced on May 15, giving students and their families time to plan for the upcoming school year.

This year, the number of applicants for the unified entrance exam has significantly increased. CERMAT reported that more than 121,000 students will take the exams this year, a 5,000-person increase from last year. In total, there were 94,000 applicants for the four-year courses.

This year, applicants were allowed to submit three applications instead of the previous limit of two. Students were also able to specify their preferred school when submitting their applications. As a result, there has been a higher volume of applications for specific fields of study, as stated by CERMAT spokesperson Jana Patáková. The new electronic system aimed to streamline the secondary school admission process and alleviate the confusion that often occurred in the past.

According to the META website for foreigners in the Czech education system, the second round of applications for high schools takes place between May 20 and May 24 – pupils may apply to three schools. If a pupil still cannot find a school spot after the first two rounds, they may apply in a third round (with no limit on school applications).

Applicants who have completed their previous education outside of the Czech Republic may also be exempt from sitting the Czech language exam if they verify their Czech-language proficiency in an interview. People who don't speak Czech as their first language can ask for extra help in the admission process. They need to submit a written recommendation from a school counseling center (ŠPZ) asking for adjustments to the entrance exam.

Ukrainian applicants who have temporary protection get extra time (25 percent more) and a bilingual dictionary during the entrance exam. They can also choose to take the math exam in Ukrainian.