Anglo-American University in Prague Diploma Recognition within the Admission Process
Recognition of prior education is a required process for full admission to accredited programs in the Czech Republic. AAU handles this process in-house, ensuring a smooth experience for students at no additional cost for the service. For any questions, please contact admissions@aauni.edu.
Exempt Diplomas
According to Czech law, the following diplomas are automatically recognized:
- Czech High School Diploma (“vysvědčení o maturitní zkoušce”)
- German High School Diploma (“Zeugnis der Allgemeinen Hochschulreife”)
- Hungarian High School Diploma (“érettségi bizonyítvány”)
- Polish High School Diploma (“świadectwo dojrzałości”)
- Slovak High School Diploma (“vysvedčenie o maturitnej skúške”)
- Slovenian High School Diploma (“Spričevalo o Splošni/Poklicni maturi”)
- European Baccalaureate Diploma
- International Baccalaureate Diploma
- Czech, German, Hungarian, or Polish University diploma,
- Slovak University Diploma (with the exception of diplomas issued by Czech branches of Slovak universities after March 28, 2015)
- Slovenian Master’s Diploma
Please note: recognition is based on diploma type, not citizenship. All other diplomas must pass through the recognition process.
Recognition Process Steps
- The recognition process is part of the admission process and is automatically required of all students before the start of the semester.
- Start early! Before the semester begins, students must collect and authenticate their documents as outlined in the Recognition Policy (available soon). Students should then send scanned copies to the Admissions Office for confirmation to ensure everything is in order before they arrive.
- Any documents in a language other than English, Czech, Spanish, or Slovak must be translated by an official court translator (AAU can assist with this step).
- Upon arrival in Prague, students must submit authenticated physical documents to the Admissions Office.
- The internal recognition process takes approximately two weeks if all documents are in order. If not, the student will be asked to submit additional documentation or complete a different process.
The Admissions Office will provide guidance and support as needed to students and their families. You can reach them at admissions@aauni.edu.
Required Documents
- Authenticated documents as described in the Recognition Policy (available soon): high school leaving certificate for BA applicants and BA diploma for MA applicants.
- Documents in languages other than English, Czech, Spanish, or Slovak must be translated by a Czech court-certified (official) translator, either in the Czech Republic or abroad. For assistance with translations, contact admissions@aauni.edu.
Expected Timeline
After a student is admitted to AAU and confirms their spot by submitting the first semester’s payment, the Admissions Office will request scanned copies of their authenticated high school documents/diplomas to verify their correctness. If everything is in order, the student may then be asked to send a notarized copy via courier to streamline the process or to bring the originals in person to AAU.
The diploma recognition process typically takes around two weeks, depending on the number of applicants. Once the diploma is recognized, a student will officially be admitted under Czech-accreditation. The process is mandatory for all the students admitted in 2025 onwards.
After being admitted to a Czech-accredited program, visa-seeking students should then change their purpose of stay from “OTHER” to “STUDY,” which can be done within the Czech Republic. Students who have not yet applied for a visa can directly apply for a “STUDY” visa using the documents AAU provides. The Admissions Office assists with the initial visa application, while the Registrar’s Office helps with visa extensions or status changes.
Please note that if not all the criteria for diploma recognition are met, students must complete the nostrification process through the city hall. Learn more here.
Advantages of a Czech-accredited Degree Program
- Dually-accredited diploma: A diploma that is both Czech and US-accredited will be recognized in the European Union, the United States, and beyond.
- For foreign citizens: If the student is a visa-seeker, it allows the student to apply for a study visa. (Citizens of EU and EFTA do not require a visa for the Czech Republic.)
- For Czech citizens: Czech students will hold official full-time student status in the Czech Republic, qualifying for social and health insurance coverage provided by the Czech government.
- Erasmus participation: Students in Czech-accredited programs may participate in the Erasmus study exchange program.
- Work opportunities during studies and after graduation:
- For visa-seeking students: Students in Czech-accredited programs with visa type ‘Study’ may apply for a 9-month job-searching visa after graduation and automatically have access to the Czech labor market.
- For Czech citizens and others: A degree from a Czech-accredited program facilitates easier transition into the local job market, as it will be automatically accepted in the Czech Republic.
- Accommodation scholarship: Available for students enrolled in a Czech-accredited program who meet the requirements. This scholarship is awarded automatically.