Address: Ovocný trh 560/5, 116 36 Prague 1, Czech Republic
Medicine, Law, Arts, Theology, Sciences, Mathematics and Physics, Pharmacy, Education
Charles University, in Czech Univerzita Karlova, is the oldest university in the Czech Republic. A papal bull of 26 January 1347 established it, and the royal charter, the Golden Bull, followed on 7 April 1348. Most Czech sources prefer 1348 as the year of foundation. Teaching opened in 1349. The Karolinum, the oldest building and the seat of the rector, stands in the Old Town of Prague.
The university was founded with four faculties: law, medicine, arts and theology. Today it has 17 faculties, based mainly in Prague, with others in Hradec Králové and Plzeň. The scale is considerable. The record gives 51,438 students, of whom 32,520 are undergraduates, 9,288 are postgraduates and 7,428 are doctoral students. The faculty numbers 4,057 and the administrative staff 4,026.
History left its mark on the institution. Jan Hus, the theologian and religious reformer, is linked to it. Tomáš Masaryk, philosopher and first president of Czechoslovakia, and Edvard Beneš, the second president, appear on the list of alumni. Albert Einstein taught at the German University in Prague, as did others, and Franz Kafka studied there. The writers Karel Čapek and Milan Kundera belong to the roll as well.
Science has a place of honour. Jaroslav Heyrovský, who received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1959, is linked to the university. Carl Ferdinand Cori and Gerty Cori, biochemists who studied in Prague, also appear on the list of alumni. The medical faculties, the natural sciences and the mathematics and physics faculty are among the best known parts of the house.
For a prospective student, the size of the university means a wide choice, and also a degree of bureaucracy that comes with a large public institution. The language of teaching depends on the programme, with many courses in Czech and a number of programmes in English. Check the official pages for the entry conditions. Fees differ by programme and language of study. Check the current tariff.
Domains taught:
Chemistry, Data Analytics, Life Sciences, Mathematics, Microbiology and Genetics, Physics, Software Engineering
Diplomas*:
Bachelor, Doctor, Master
Status:
Public
Partnerships:
17 faculties in Prague, Hradec Králové and Plzeň, with the Karolinum in the Old Town as the seat of the rector.
Research:
Medicine, natural sciences, mathematics and physics, humanities, social sciences and law.
Famous Alumnis:
Jan Hus, Tomáš Masaryk, Edvard Beneš, Albert Einstein, Franz Kafka, Karel Čapek, Milan Kundera, Jaroslav Heyrovský
International recognition**:
Number of staff***:
8083
Current students***:
51438
Foreign students***:
N/A%
Cumulative former students***:
N/A
Pros
Oldest university in Central Europe, 17 faculties, historic centre of Prague, a Nobel laureate in chemistry among its alumni.
Cons
Very large institution, bureaucracy, teaching mostly in Czech, competitive medical programmes.
Best For
Students looking for the most historic and largest university of the Czech Republic.
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Linkedin Alumni Page
Most Similar Schools Locally
Both schools build their programmes around chemistry, physics and mathematics, and Masaryk University is the one to compare first within the country, since it is slightly smaller, at about 35,115 students against roughly 51,438 here, and is also a public institution.
Most Similar Schools Abroad
In Germany, Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz teaches much the same core subjects, microbiology and genetics, chemistry and physics, and it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral, and is smaller, enrolling about 32,000 students against roughly 51,438 here.
University of Regensburg in Germany is the nearest foreign match on microbiology and genetics, chemistry and physics; it teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral, and is smaller, enrolling about 21,088 students against roughly 51,438 here.
In Spain, Complutense University of Madrid teaches much the same core subjects, microbiology and genetics, chemistry and physics, and it runs the same bachelor's, master's and doctoral programmes, and covers finance as well.
If this university is on your list for microbiology and genetics, chemistry and physics, University of Barcelona in Spain deserves a comparison, because it is also a public institution, and teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral.
Beyond national borders, University of Szeged stands out as a comparable school for microbiology and genetics, chemistry and physics; it is also a public institution, and teaches at the same levels, namely bachelor's, master's and doctoral.
*our own picks (our criteria: a mix between domains, diploma delivered, reputation and size), but obviously too many criteria for an apple-to-apple ranking.
FAQ
Where is Charles University?
In Prague, with the Karolinum in the Old Town as the seat of the rector.
When was it founded?
A papal bull of 1347 established it and the royal charter followed in 1348.
When did teaching start?
In 1349.
How many faculties does it have?
17, in Prague, Hradec Králové and Plzeň.
Which were the first four faculties?
Law, medicine, arts and theology.
How many students does it have?
51,438.
Which Nobel laureate is linked to it?
Jaroslav Heyrovský, Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1959.
Which presidents studied there?
Tomáš Masaryk and Edvard Beneš.
Did Albert Einstein teach in Prague?
Yes, at the German University.
What does it cost?
Fees differ by programme and language of study. Check the current tariff.
Biology, Chemistry, Innovation, Physics, Research and Development
*: without any judgment of the quality, readers are strongly encouraged to check the official status of the exact diploma envisioned as many universities have a mix of recognized diplomas, not recognized, “co-delivered,” “equivalent to”, “some pathways” (…), can change over time, and can be named differently from one country to another.
**: international reputation: is based on some criteria that do not mean much in some domains or specialties (number of researchers, of scientific publications, on budget ….). Our approximate 1-4 scale:
known locally
known locally and internationally
is listed in some of the world university’s classifications
is listed among the 20 firsts in some of world university’s classifications
***: estimated numbers, based on online sources and/or feedbacks. The numbers can vary greatly depending on school organisation (ex.: school is part of a group, it employs internal staff or external consultants or has public staff without employing them …). Refer to all the links provided to have accurate and updated numbers.
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