The purpose of this FAQ is, simply, to answer the questions that people ask most often. Searching for the right graduate program in economics is a difficult process, so we have tried to answer in a clear way the most commonly-asked questions about the program.

Information is all centrally located on the main Graduate Studies Office webpage. For general information about the program, click here. For detailed information about the program requirements (for example, classes that students must take, examinations, dissertation-writing, etc.) you should also look through the course of study section. For a list of most frequently asked questions, you should look below (in other words, you’re in the right place now!).

1. Who may apply?
2. What background do "typical" students have?
3. How does my degree affect the admission?
4. How do I apply?
5. What are the deadlines?
6. What should be the level of my English ability?
7. How many students enroll at the new academic year? What is my chance to be admitted to CERGE-EI?
8. Can you tell me something more about recommendation letters?
9. I am not able to manage some indentures in time. What should I do?
10. Can applicants from developed countries receive the financial support?
11. Can students ask for the travel grant to get to CERGE-EI?
12. What  if I will finish my  M.A. studies only after the application deadline?

About the CERGE-EI Study Program

12. What is the program, and what is it not?
13. How much does it cost?
14. What happens if I am accepted into the program?
15. Does CERGE enable a distance learning program?

What if I still want more information? What if this FAQ doesn’t answer my question? What do I do now?

The program is designed to offer a high level of academic education in the field of theoretical and applied economics. Although some CERGE-EI graduates move into management consultancy positions after graduation, the CERGE-EI PhD in Economics should not be confused with an MBA degree.

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Most applicants are required to hold a degree from a university or other institution of higher learning, although an exception is made in the case of a very small number of students who, due to individual circumstances, are allowed to attend CERGE-EI while finishing their undergraduate or Master's degree.

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There are no hard and fast rules here. Students have come from a number of academic backgrounds, most typically with a technical and/or mathematical focus.

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It depends on the actual length of your university studies. We require at least 5-year study, and completed university Master’s level program or similar university program for admission to the Ph.D. program. In fact, important is the general level of your university, and the actual length of your university studies. Anyway, don’t hesitate - apply even if you are not 100% certain!

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Because it is an objective measure, the best proof of English ability is an official report of a recent standardized English exam, such as the TOEFL, Cambridge Proficiency Certificate, the British Council IELTS, etc. We strongly urge you to submit  your results form any certified English exam.

All study at CERGE-EI occurs in English, so you will be expected to read, write, understand, and speak English almost as well as a native speaker from the beginning. Moreover, the language demands of a doctoral (Master's) program are higher than those that most native speakers of English face in their lifetimes. If you do not have at least an intermediate level of English ability when starting study, you either will not be accepted or will have the increased workload of improving your English while succeeding at the normal intensive study plan in Economics.

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Usually we receive about 250 application forms, about 70 students enroll at the Preparatory semester, and approximately 35 of them begin the Ph.D. program in September.

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You need at least two letters of recommendation (available application form) from persons familiar with your academic background. These persons have to fill and sign the recommendation forms, then put them into the envelopes and finally sign across the stuck envelopes. You can send these wrapped recommendations together with your application form, or the professors can send them separately.

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Yes, such applicants should apply for the financial support together with their application form. The request should be free-format explanation why he/she should receive the support. This request is not considered discriminatory.

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Students can request travel expenses coverage. The request for such grant should be attached to the application form and should clearly explain why such a grant is needed. 

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Students from the countries of Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union (CEE/fSU) are given tuition waivers. Additionally, students in the program receive monthly stipends which covers their accommodation expenses in Charles University dormitories and meals. During the first semester of study, this stipend is granted without any work requirement. After the first semester, students are assigned either research or administrative assistantships in order to earn their stipends. For those students not from the CEE/fSU region, tuition during the 2007-2008 academic year was  EUR 12,000. This tuition level is reviewed at the beginning of each calendar year.

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 Please see the financial and admission information.

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Letters of acceptance are usually sent by air mail during the middle of April.

The application process actually has two parts - the initial application (ie the paperwork as outlined above) and the summer Preparatory semester. Students who are accepted will be invited to attend a two-month competitive semester in July and August. Four classes will be offered - Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Mathematics, and English. Based on candidate’s performance in these four subjects, final admissions decisions will be made. This happens at the end of August, and the fall semester begins in early September.

Students who have completed a Master’s degree in Economics taught in English are sometimes accepted directly into the fall semester without taking part in the summer Preparatory semester. These students will be informed of this in their acceptance letters, sent out in mid-April.

Students accepted into the summer preparatory will be sent, along with their letter of acceptance, a "confirmation" ("potvrzeni" in Czech) form which will be used to obtain a Czech visa at student’s nearest Czech consulate. This visa should cover the entire time of the Preparatory semester plus an additional 15 days if possible. The reason for this is that many students will remain in Prague after the Preparatory semester and begin the fall semester without going home. So it is VERY important that students bring all required documents with them to the summer Preparatory semester.

Regulations on immigration change quite frequently, so it is advised that students check with this webpage often to see how changes affect them. One rule which was introduced in the summer of 1999 was the requirement of students to bring certain legal documents from their home countries with them to Prague. These include:

• An official extract from the criminal registry (usually through the Ministry of Interior)
• An official copy (original is best) of each student’s birth certificate
• An official copy of each student’s marriage certificate, if applicable

These documents will be officially translated into Czech by a state-authorized translator in Prague and submitted as part of the application for a residency permit. Without these documents it is impossible for a residency permit to be granted. It is also true that getting these documents can take a long time, so going home for one week is probably not enough time to get them

It is also important to check the expiration date on your passport. Renewing passports can be virtually impossible outside of the country where it was issued, so it is important to make sure that your passport will not expire in the next year or two years. If it will, it is highly recommended to get a new passport before leaving for Prague.

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Once you are admitted to the program, you can be sure that CERGE-EI manages an accommodation for you in some Prague dormitory. However, you are not allowed to take your family members with you. Only if both you and your wife (husband) are students of the Charles University, you can get an accommodation in a dormitory room for married couples. Obviously, you can arrange for private accommodation, but keep in mind this is more costly. 

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If there is a question pertaining to a question that we have not addressed, please send an e-mail to  us - and we will get back to you as soon as possible. (Please note that especially in the time of the admissions deadline, we are note able to respond immediately due to very large number of mail we get.)

Graduate Studies Department

Ms. Marie Kavanova

tel.: +420 224 005 108 or +420 224 005 161
fax: +420 224 005 147
email: grad.stud@cerge-ei.cz

Address:     CERGE-EI
                   P.O. Box 882
                   Politickych veznu 7
                   111 21 Praha 1
                   Czech Republic

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