Reviewed by the NaMED editorial team: 24 August 2026. The comparison is based on the published formats for the 2026/2027 cycle; the conditions for the next intake should be rechecked on the official websites.
How to choose a medical faculty in Czechia
Check five parameters: subjects and grading, whether there is an interview, your result on a mock test, Czech language requirements, and the document timeline. Then choose 3–5 faculties: one or two ambitious targets and several options where your current result is already close to the cutoff. Each format needs separate practice.
What to compare besides the name and city
A well-known name and a convenient city matter, but admission is decided by the specific format. For an international applicant, you need to check subjects, grading rules, the interview, Czech, documents, and deadlines at the same time.
One student may pass the written test confidently and freeze at the interview. Another may speak well on the spot but lose points in physics. That is why faculties should be compared against the mock-test results, not just against each other in isolation from the student.
Criterion 1. Entrance exam format
The first thing to compare is which subjects are included in the exam and how the questions are structured. If a student is strong in biology but significantly weaker in physics, that affects the strategy. If the faculty requires broader preparation, you need to set aside more time for the weaker blocks in advance.
- which subjects are tested in the exam;
- whether there is an oral part, an interview, or an additional conversation;
- what the test format looks like and how much time is given;
- which topics are most often risky for international applicants.
Criterion 2. Czech language and the academic environment
On a Czech-taught programme, the student reads materials, attends lectures, answers in seminars, and quickly works through task instructions. A mock test in Czech will show language readiness more accurately than everyday conversation.
If the medical terminology is already familiar, you can add faculties with an interview or tighter timing. If Czech is weak, you need to start earlier and not leave the language until after the subject programme is finished.
Criterion 3. Documents, nostrification, and deadlines
Faculties differ in application deadlines, fees, the process of recognizing education, and the requirements for proving Czech. Along with the list of faculties, keep a document calendar.
Write down the dates, translations, and confirmations for each application. Before submitting, open the official page again: requirements change, and last year’s checklist may already be wrong.
Criterion 4. City, adaptation, and everyday reality
Compare housing costs, the commute to campus, the size of the city, and the available support. Prague offers more options and a faster pace; Plzeň, Hradec Králové, Ostrava, Olomouc, and Brno offer a different cost structure and student environment.
The first months of study are difficult even without moving. If a student also has to find housing, deal with documents, and get used to a new city at the same time, that should be taken into account already when choosing the faculty.
Criterion 5. Main target and backup options
Keep the dream faculty on the list, but add several more applications with a suitable format. One bad day, a high level of competition, or a weak oral part should not erase a year of preparation.
A backup faculty also needs preparation: know its topics, timing, documents, and exam date. A random application without separate practice does little to increase the chance of admission.
How NaMED helps choose faculties
We match mock-test results to the faculty formats, check Czech level, deadlines, and documents, and then suggest a list of applications. It shows where a separate block is needed for an interview, somatologie, physics, or test speed.
After the choice, the student receives a preparation calendar for each application. This way, one subject foundation works for several faculties, while the differences are trained separately.
Format comparison: what changes between faculties
| 1. LF UK | A classic broad test in biology, chemistry, and physics. Suitable for students who are ready for strong competition and systematic preparation in all three subjects. |
|---|---|
| 2. LF UK | A written part plus an oral stage. Not only the subjects matter, but also communication, motivation, working with text, and medical thinking. |
| 3. LF UK | A written test and an interview with a popular-science text. A good option for students who can reason and speak Czech. |
| Plzeň | A more direct written format without an interview. It requires consistency, accuracy, and good timing across three subjects. |
| Hradec Králové | A separate somatologie block and a penalty for a wrong answer. You need a risk strategy and separate work with anatomico-physiological terminology. |
| Ostrava | A computer-based test with minimum limits for the overall score and individual subjects. It is important not to fail any block. |
| Olomouc | A compact timed test. Mistakes are costly because there are fewer questions and each item affects the result. |
| Brno | Three long subject tests and a strong practical infrastructure. You need endurance and pace control. |
How to choose 3–5 applications
Start with the main goal, then add faculties where the student is already close to the required result or where the format matches their strengths. Biology, chemistry, and physics are prepared together, while interviews, somatologie, penalties, and special timing are added to the specific application.
- One or two ambitious targets: faculties where the student still needs to improve to reach the cutoff.
- Two suitable options: faculties whose format matches the student's strengths.
- One backup: a faculty with a prepared exam and acceptable study conditions.
- Document calendar: deadlines, translations, language proof, and recognition of education for each application.
How to tell whether a faculty is right for you
Look at the diagnostic results. If test scores are stable but oral answers are weak, the interview will require separate preparation. If a student speaks confidently and can work with scientific text, 2. LF or 3. LF may make use of that strength. Weak physics needs to be started earlier regardless of the city.
After the exam, compare the cities: housing, transport, pace of life, and local support. A convenient city matters, but first you need to make sure the student is ready for the entrance format.
Faculty selection checklist
- Which subjects are included in the exam, and how many questions are there in each?
- Is there an interview, text work, an aptitude test, or a penalty for mistakes?
- What level of Czech needs to be proven, and by when?
- What documents does an international graduate need, and what are the deadlines for education recognition?
- How much time is realistically left until the exam, and which subject is currently the weakest?
- Does the student have backup options that they are actually preparing for?
Parents' role in choosing a faculty
Parents can check the budget, housing, safety, documents, and deadlines. The student then needs to honestly assess the study pace, the city, and the readiness to spend six years at the chosen faculty.
A useful question for a family conversation is: “Where do you have a better chance of getting in, and where are you ready to study every day?” It gives more than an argument about prestige.
Frequently asked questions
Which medical faculty in Czechia is the best?
There is no universal answer. One student may prefer the First Faculty for its traditional programme and Prague location, another the Second Faculty for its clinical focus and interview, while someone else may be better suited to Plzeň, Hradec Králové, Ostrava, Olomouc or Brno because of the exam format and study environment.
Should I apply only to Charles University?
Charles University is a strong target, but applying to several universities is often a more sensible strategy. Add faculties outside Charles University because their format fits your plan, not merely as random backups.
Can I choose a faculty after preparation has started?
Yes, but it is better to create an initial shortlist at the beginning. Preparation can then account for interviews, penalties, question counts, C1 requirements and documents from day one. Changing strategy in spring is much harder.
Read detailed faculty breakdowns
Official sources
When choosing a faculty, we check the official conditions for the specific year, because the exam format, dates, documents, and rules for bonusových bodů may change.