Czech Republic attracts record number of Erasmus students

Prague, Czech Republic – The Czech Republic is becoming an increasingly popular destination for foreign exchange Erasmus students.

Nearly 11,000 Erasmus students in the Czech Republic

According to local media, exactly 10,839 foreign students came to study to the Czech Republic in the academic year 2017/2018, the highest level in history and a staggering 30% increase over the last four years.

In the 2014/2015 academic year, less than 8,400 students from abroad had attended programs in Czech universities and higher education establishments.

Data for last year will only be available in September.

In the long-term, the Czech Republic is ranked as the 11th most attractive destination out of the 34 participating countries in terms of incoming foreign exchange students under the Erasmus program.

Why choose the Czech Republic?

Quality of education, wide range of topics and programs taught in English, German or other foreign languages, low cost of living – and cheap beer – … the appeal of the Czech Republic, also widely recognized as one of the safest countries in Europe, is manifold.

Another important factor is the Czech Republic’s “attractive location at the heart of Europe and easy transport accessibility”, according to Lucie Durcová, head of the communications department at the Centre for International Cooperation in Education, one of the institutions supervising the Erasmus program here.

Students from Spain, France, Turkey, Germany and neighbouring Slovakia are particularly numerous in choosing the Czech Republic as their Erasmus destination – although the latter usually study in Czech-language programs.

Among the top 10 most popular universities chosen by foreign students, five of them are located in Prague, three in Brno, the country’s second largest city, and one each in Ostrava and Olomouc, in Moravia.

The top 3 was made up of Charles University in Prague, Masaryk University in Brno and the Czech Technical University, also in the capital city.

Organizers of the Erasmus program in the Czech Republic expect further increase in the upcoming year, both in Prague but also in other cities throughout the country, like Pardubice, where applications have recently skyrocketed.

Number of students going abroad with Erasmus also rising

Meanwhile, Czech students’ interest in studying abroad under the Erasmus program has also been steadily increasing over the past decade. Around 8,000 students are expected to go abroad in the 2019/2020 academic year, according to official data, a 10% increase in the number of applications.

The most popular Erasmus destinations for Czech exchange students are neighbouring Germany, followed by Spain and Great-Britain.

Ever since its introduction, more than 100,000 Czech students are estimated to have taken part to the Erasmus program.