Scholarships

This text facilitates quick navigation of the various types of scholarships but does not provide a full list of rules and policies regulating this field. The granting and payments of scholarships is governed primarily by the Scholarships and Bursaries Rules of Charles University (cuni.cz/UKEN-727.html), the Rules for Granting Scholarships at FSc, and the relevant measures issued by the Dean (natur.cuni.cz/en/faculty/organizational-structure/faculty-bodies/dean-and-advisory-board/dean-s-measures/dean-s-measure-no-14-2024 ).


Students may obtain the following scholarships:


Certain scholarships are granted to students automatically (without student applications), whereas others are granted further to an application (electronic or paper, depending on the type of scholarship). Bursaries are neither taxed nor included in stated income. 


Accommodation Bursary

Students need to apply for an accommodation bursary through the University website (https://is.cuni.cz/webapps/; login is the same as with the SIS). The University has set the following rules for applicants:

An accommodation bursary is paid in three different amounts depending on the student’s social status. The basic amount is approximately CZK 600 per month. The exact amount varies slightly from year to year depending on the current budget and the number of applicants. Applications for the accommodation bursary are submitted electronically at the beginning of the academic year and the bursary is paid retroactively on several dates (usually four times a year: in January, April, July, and October). If you forget to apply, you can do so during the year, but only for a future period (you cannot apply for a payment for a period that has already commenced or even elapsed).


Bursary for a student in a difficult social situation

The bursary for a student in a difficult social situation is granted by the Rector and paid through the Rectorate for 10 months in an academic year. The monthly amount of the bursary is equal to one-fourth of the basic rate of the minimum monthly wage rate and is rounded upwards to whole ten crowns. A student demonstrates their entitlement to a bursary with a written certificate issued at their request by a social security authority, which distributes child allowances, to the effect that the family income determined for the purposes of child allowances for the calendar year specified in the certificate does not exceed the minimum subsistence for a family and a factor of 1.5. The certificate for the purposes of the bursary is valid for 21 months after the end of the year for which the family income was determined. If a student is registered for multiple programmes, the bursary may be granted and paid to them not more than once in the relevant period.


Scholarship for outstanding academic achievement (“mark-based”)

The scholarship for outstanding academic achievement is paid retroactively for achievements in the previous unit of study. In the 2nd and 3rd years of bachelor’s programmes and in the 2nd year of post-bachelor’s programmes, the scholarship is granted to 10% of the best students in each programme and year (based on their order with respect to the average grades calculated on the basis of all exam results and marked course credits), provided they observe the standard duration of study, they have obtained at least 58 credits in the preceding unit of study, and their average grade is lower or equal to 1.5.


The students who meet the requirements for the overall rating “completed with distinction” (obtaining the red diploma) in a bachelor’s programme will receive the scholarship in the first year of their post-bachelor’s studies. Students who graduated with honors from a bachelor's program at another faculty or school must apply for this scholarship. There is no need to apply for mark-based scholarships in any other cases. If you are granted the scholarship, you will be notified via e-mail.

A student can see the proposed and awarded Excellence Scholarship in SIS under the Scholarships icon on the first working day of November in the current academic year.


Bursary in a case worthy of special consideration

The bursary in a case worthy of special consideration is granted to students in accordance with the Scholarships and Bursaries Rules of Charles University, typically for: 

The bursary in a case worthy of special consideration can be paid in one-off amounts or on a monthly basis.


Bursary to support study abroad

The bursary to support study abroad can be granted to students in accordance with the Scholarships and Bursaries Rules, further to a proposal from a Department or Institute specifying the particular order under which the bursary is provided. Students may also submit applications for scholarships; they must supplement the application with documents evidencing their studies abroad with comments from the thesis supervisor/mentor and Head of the Department, as well as from the Chair of the subject-area board for students in doctoral programmes. The assessment of applications takes into consideration academic results, publications, and whether the studies abroad are organised by CU/another university or are supported from different funding sources. The bursary to support study abroad is paid on a one-off basis, usually after commencing the studies abroad. The limit for the bursary to support study abroad is CZK 180,000 per academic year.


Bursary to support study in the Czech Republic

Foreign nationals may be granted a bursary to support studying in the Czech Republic. The requirements for such a bursary and its amount are set by the Rector or the Dean in accordance with a Rector’s Measure, upon which the Senate comments.


Bursary for a CU student in an acutely difficult situation

This bursary is intended for those students who encounter an acutely difficult situation in life when no other type of assistance can be used, or when other types of aid are insufficient to effectively help the student. The student submits an application for the bursary directly to FSc CU or to the Rectorate; the application must be supplemented with documents evidencing the crisis affecting the student. The Dean or the Rector determines the amount of the bursary so that it can effectively help the student.


Bursary for excellent research, development, innovation, artistic, or other creative achievements contributing to enhanced knowledge

The bursary for excellent research, development, innovation, artistic, or other creative achievements contributing to enhanced knowledge is granted in accordance with the Scholarships and Bursaries Rules. Candidates must demonstrate said achievements through publications, utility marks, inventions, patents, or other outcomes regarding the nature of intellectual property. The outcome is deposited with the Department or Institute who shall confirm the existence of such an outcome to the Department of Student Affairs in writing. This type of bursary is paid on a one-off basis. The total limit of the bursary per student is CZK 100,000 per academic year.


Scholarship for research, development, and innovation under special legislation

The scholarship for RDI (research, development, and innovation) under special legislation (Act No. 130/2002) is granted in accordance with the Scholarships and Bursaries Rules to students who are actively involved in research, development, and/or innovation. This bursary can be paid on a one-off basis or on a monthly basis. The total limit of the bursary that a student can be granted in an academic year is CZK 360,000. This does not include bursaries paid from support intended for specific university research. The total limit of the bursary paid from support for specific university research is CZK 300,000 per academic year; the University’s Scholarships and Bursaries Rules usually govern the rules for granting such bursaries.


Motivation bursary for 1st year bachelor’s programme students

The motivation bursary is granted by the Dean of the FSc to support students in the first year of bachelor’s programmes who have taken part in high school Olympiads in the specified categories (e.g., national/central round) and obtained at least 45 credits in the first year. The award of this incentive scholarship does not preclude the possibility of receiving other scholarships (e.g. merit scholarships) at the same time.


Motivation bursary for 1st year post-bachelor’s programme students

This motivation bursary is intended to support those students in the first year of a post-bachelor’s programme who obtained a red diploma for their bachelor’s studies at the Faculty of Science as well as other Faculties and schools. The graduates of other Faculties and schools need to apply for the scholarship; the graduates of bachelor’s programmes at the FSc are granted the bursary automatically if they satisfy the defined criteria. 


Motivation bursary for 1st year master´s programme students

The dean awards the motivation bursary to 1st year students of the follow-up master's degree who have obtained a red diploma for their bachelor's studies at the Faculty of Science and other faculties or other universities. The scholarship must be applied for by graduates of other faculties and schools; it is granted automatically to graduates of Bachelor's studies at the Faculty of Science if they meet the specified conditions.


Sports bursary

The sports bursary is granted to those students who are active top-level sportspeople, further to their application and subject to an assessment by the Head of the Department of Physical Education and the Dean.


Doctoral bursary

Under doctoral programmes, the doctoral bursary is granted to all students of full-time doctoral programmes during the standard term of study. When determining the amount of the doctoral bursary for the individual years of study, the Dean takes into consideration the amount allocated for doctoral bursaries and the number of full-time students enrolled on doctoral programmes. The Dean then determines the specific amount of the bursary in the Dean’s Measure following comments from the Faculty’s Academic Senate. 


Bursary payments

The bursary  is paid retroactively according to the Scholarship and Bursaries Rules of Charles University. In order for the scholarship to be paid, it is necessary to have a bank account number in SIS in the Personal Data module.

Before the scholarship is paid, a notification with the decision on the award of the scholarship is sent to the student's e-mail address, including a call for confirmation of the "Waiver of the Right of Appeal".


If the student confirms the waiver of the right of withdrawal, the scholarship will be paid on the payday of the month. 

If the student does not respond to the appeal, the student will not receive the scholarship in the pay period of that month, but only in the next calendar month when the decision becomes final. Therefore, please monitor your email inbox regularly.

Scholarship details: 

natur.cuni.cz/en/students/scholarship-and-bursary