Recognition of Foreign Qualifications

The recognition of foreign higher education and qualifications, known as “nostrification,” refers to the recognition of a diploma and its content. In accordance with relevant international treaties, a “qualification” is defined as a diploma or other similar document attesting to education; it does not, therefore, involve the recognition of professional expertise or professional competence.

The application (on the appropriate form) is submitted to a public university that offers a similar study program, and that institution will either approve the application based on a comparison of the completed education with Czech study programs or, if it finds significant differences, reject the application.

JAMU recommends that applicants check whether JAMU offers a study program similar to their studies abroad before submitting an application.

If an applicant wishes to have multiple foreign higher education degrees (multiple diplomas) recognized, a separate application must be submitted for each degree (diploma), and a separate fee must be paid for each application. A single application may cover only one foreign higher education degree, and thus only one diploma.

In accordance with Section 90a of Act No. 111/1998 Coll., on Higher Education Institutions, JAMU requires payment of a fee of 3,000 CZK to initiate the administrative process of recognition (the fee covers the administrative tasks associated with processing the application for recognition of foreign higher education and qualifications upon submission of the application).

The fee must be paid at the time of submitting the application; specifically, the confirmation of payment of the nostrification fee is an integral part (attachment) of the application (see Application Attachments).

Payment details:

Account number: 27-0493900217/0100 at Komerční banka Brno-město
Account holder’s address: JAMU, Beethovenova 2, 662 15 Brno
Variable symbol: 9600
Constant symbol: 0379

Bank details for payments from abroad (bank transfer):

Account number: 27-0493900217/0100
IBAN: CZ7701000000270493900217
SWIFT: KOMBCZPPXXX
Variable symbol: 9600
Komerční banka a.s., Brno Regional Branch; Náměstí svobody 21, 631 31.

Applicants from abroad shall pay the fee either directly in Czech korunas or in a foreign currency such that the final amount, after deducting all foreign exchange fees, is 3 000 CZK.

If the fee is not paid at the time the application is submitted (i.e., if proof of payment is not included with the application), JAMU will send the applicant a request for payment. If the fee is still not paid by the deadline specified in the request, the proceedings for the recognition of foreign higher education and qualifications in the Czech Republic will be suspended—in accordance with Section 66(1)(c) of Act No. 500/2004 Coll., the Administrative Procedure Code, JAMU will no longer process this application.

Rejection of the application due to the existence of substantial differences between the compared study programs or for other reasons leading to the non-recognition of foreign higher education does not entitle the applicant to a refund of the fee. Likewise, the suspension of proceedings on the application due to deficiencies in the application that the applicant fails to remedy even after being requested to do so (e.g., the absence of documents essential for assessing the application) is not grounds for a refund of the fee.

The process of recognizing your education begins on the date the application is submitted. You can find the application form here. The form must be completed, printed, signed by hand, and submitted (in person or by mail) along with the required attachments listed below to the Janáček Academy of Music and Performing Arts, Department of Studies and Quality, JAMU Rectorate, Beethovenova 2, 602 00 Brno.

The applicant must attach the following to the completed, printed, and signed application form:

• An officially certified* copy of a diploma or equivalent document certifying completion of studies issued by a foreign university,
• An officially certified* copy of the transcript of records or diploma supplement; if the applicant is able to obtain additional information regarding the content of the university studies, this may also be attached (e.g., syllabi of completed courses),
• Certified translations** of both documents into Czech (provided by a court-certified translator),
• In the case of recognition of education in a doctoral program (Ph.D. and equivalents), a curriculum vitae, a list of publications, and the dissertation (or, if applicable, its abstract and a reference to it) must be submitted,
• Power of attorney (in cases where the applicant is represented by another person—in such cases, it is advisable to include this person’s email and phone contact information on the application for recognition),
• An officially certified copy of a marriage certificate or birth certificate, or another document proving a name change, if the applicant’s name changed between the issuance of the diploma and the submission of the application for recognition (if the name on the diploma differs from the name on the application),

The documents submitted by the applicant with the application for recognition are not returned due to legal archiving requirements.

* In justified cases, JAMU may request an apostille, i.e., in accordance with the relevant international treaties, it may require a higher level of verification of the signature and seal on a document and its authenticity (an apostille is issued by the competent authority of the state that issued the document): https://infogram.com/infographic-modern-1h984wxwgdld6p3.

** A certified translation is a translation prepared by a translator authorized to do so under the laws in force in the Czech Republic, i.e., an interpreter listed in the Register of Experts and Interpreters in the Czech Republic (meaning that the document bears a so-called interpreter’s certification).

The deadline for processing an application for recognition of foreign qualifications is 30 days. In justified cases, this deadline may be extended by an additional 30 days. The deadline begins on the date of receipt of the complete application, including ALL required attachments. If the proceedings are suspended, the period of suspension is not counted toward the deadline for processing the application.

If a foreign higher education degree is recognized, the rector of JAMU will issue a certificate and a decision on the recognition of the foreign higher education degree and qualification in the Czech Republic. With the recognition of the education, the degree awarded by the foreign university to its graduate is also recognized—the applicant/holder of a foreign diploma is therefore entitled to use only the degree awarded to them by the foreign university. A holder of a foreign title is no longer awarded a Czech academic title pursuant to Section 45(4) or Section 46(4) or (5) or Section 47(5) of Act No. 111/1998 Coll., on Higher Education Institutions and on Amendments and Supplements to Other Acts (the Higher Education Act).

If JAMU does not grant the application for recognition, particularly due to substantial differences between the compared study programs/ fields of study, JAMU will issue a decision of rejection, and the applicant may submit an application for recognition to another higher education institution that offers a study program with similar content—but only after the decision rejecting the application for recognition has become final (i.e., 15 days after the decision is delivered to the applicant).

Before a decision to reject an application for recognition of foreign qualifications is issued, the applicant will be invited to comment on the supporting documents that formed the basis for the rejection. The applicant may therefore, within 5 business days of receiving the request to comment on the grounds for the decision, visit the office and inspect the file (in this case, it is advisable to arrange a visit date in advance via email). If the applicant is not interested in inspecting the file, they must also notify the JAMU Department of Studies and Quality (oulehlova@jamu.cz) of this fact via email without undue delay.

The applicant has the right to file an appeal with the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports within 15 days of receiving the decision rejecting the application for recognition of foreign qualifications, through the Rector of JAMU—the applicant may either mail the appeal to the JAMU Rector’s Office or deliver it in person.

Applicants granted temporary protection under Act No. 65/2022, the Act on Certain Measures in Connection with the Armed Conflict in Ukraine Caused by the Invasion of Russian Federation Troops, are exempt from the fee of CZK 3 000 for services related to the administrative proceedings concerning applications for the recognition of foreign higher education and qualifications.

Attachments to the Application for Recognition of Ukrainian Higher Education

These applicants may substitute educational documents that cannot be provided with a sworn statement in accordance with Section 90(4) of Act No. 111/1998 Coll., on Higher Education Institutions and on Amendments and Supplements to Other Acts (the Higher Education Act), as amended.

Furthermore, these applicants shall attach to their application for recognition a confirmation of the granting of temporary protection (temporary protection visa), in the form of a simple photocopy of the document indicating temporary protection, which the applicant shall sign by hand and declare in an affidavit that it is a copy of his or her passport that he or she made himself or herself.

The Ukrainian education system is structured differently; therefore, when applying for recognition of a Ukrainian master’s degree program—which lasts 1 to 1.5 years and results in the award of a “specialist” diploma— documents regarding prior higher education must also be submitted; that is, the applicant must provide a bachelor’s diploma and its supplement, as well as documents related to the so-called “entry-level” bachelor’s program, i.e., the applicant must provide a Junior Specialist’s Diploma and its supplement. If the applicant is applying for recognition of a so-called “long” master’s program (lasting 5 years), no additional documents are required; the applicant need only submit the diploma and diploma supplement in the format specified in the section “ATTACHMENTS TO THE APPLICATION.” The applicant may either mail them to the JAMU Rector’s Office or deliver them in person.

Admissions to bachelor’s or master’s degree programs that are not directly linked to a bachelor’s degree program

Admission to a bachelor’s or non-sequential master’s degree program requires completion of secondary education with a high school diploma.

Applicants who have completed their secondary education abroad must apply to the education department of the relevant regional authority for recognition of their qualifications (i.e., their high school diploma) and, once the diploma has been recognized, which they must attach to their application for admission or submit no later than the first day of the admissions process (or attach a simple copy of the high school diploma and an officially certified copy of the decision on the recognition of qualifications).

If these documents are not included in the application or are not submitted as described above, the applicant will be admitted to take the entrance examination; however, until the documents are submitted to the relevant faculty by the specified deadlines, JAMU will proceed in accordance with the Higher Education Act (Section 48, Paragraph 2: applicants who have not completed secondary education with a school-leaving examination or higher vocational education at a conservatory may, in exceptional cases, be admitted to study in the field of the arts + § 45, para. 4: graduates in the field of the arts admitted under Section 48, paragraph 2, shall be awarded an academic degree only after completing secondary education with a school-leaving examination or higher vocational education at a conservatory; It follows from these provisions that if the aforementioned documents are not submitted, an applicant may be admitted to study in the event of exceptionally successful entrance examination results, but even if they successfully complete their studies with a diploma, they cannot be awarded the corresponding degree.

Admissions Process for Master’s Degree Programs That Follow a Bachelor’s Degree Program

One of the requirements for admission to a master’s degree program that follows a bachelor’s degree program is the successful completion of any type of degree program (bachelor’s or master’s).

Applicants who wish to participate in the admissions process for a master’s degree program and who completed their previous studies abroad must apply for recognition of their foreign qualification (i.e., diploma) from the relevant public university that offers a similar degree program. These applicants must attach to their application a simple copy of their diploma and diploma supplement, as well as an officially certified copy of the decision on the recognition of their foreign qualification (i.e., the decision on nostrification). These documents must be submitted no later than the first day of the entrance examination. If the documents are not submitted by these deadlines, the applicant will not be permitted to participate in or take the entrance exam.

If you have any questions regarding the recognition of documents, please contact Ing. Ivana Oulehlová: oulehlova@jamu.cz, tel.: 542 59 1110.

If you would like to meet in person, please contact us in advance to schedule an appointment.