Guides

You can find the academic calendar here. Note that the dates may vary according to your faculty, so select Faculty of Arts (FF).

The Centre for International Cooperation (CZS) and the ESN MUNI Brno (Erasmus Student Network) run an extensive Orientation Week prior to every semester. You have an opportunity to participate in Orientation Week with its colorful programme which will help you organize your administrative and study duties and further experience a little bit of Czech culture and Czech language and meet and have fun with both the Czech and other international students at parties, workshops, etc.

You do not have to buy the complete OW package with all the activities, however, it is necessary that you participate at the compulsory meetings (Monday: Opening and Admission in Scala cinema, Tuesday: Emergency & Safety, Wednesday: Introduction at your faculty). 

Courses taught in English can be found on the websites of Masaryk University’s faculties. Masaryk University uses the ECTS system.

You will find the courses taught at the Faculty of Arts here. You can narrow down or specify your search by choosing a specific term or teaching language.

Students at the Department of English and American Studies can find a separate list of courses here. 

You can find more detailed information about different types of Czech courses on the website of the Center for International Cooperation (CZS) or the Department of Czech for Foreigners (types of courses + price also here).

The main difference is that the CZS offers a course named Survival Czech which will help you to get by in simple day-to-day situations, meanwhile the courses offered by the Department of Czech for foreigners offer various levels according to your needs and are meant especially for those who are planning to apply for study programs in Czech.

At Masaryk University the ECTS (European Credit Transfer System) is used. At Masaryk University 60 ECTS represents the workload required for one year’s full-time study, or 30 ECTS/semester. As far as international exchange students are concerned, we require 20 ECTS/semester. 

Grading scale depends on the type of the exam. For exams (zkouška) the grading scale goes from A to F (A, B, C, D, and E being passing grades and F meaning failed); for credit (zápočet) the possible outcomes are Z (započteno = passed) or N (nezapočteno = failed); for colloquium there is either P (prospěl/a = passed) or N (neprospěl/a = failed).

All international students at Masaryk University are obliged to achieve a minimum of at least 20 ECTS credits in each semester.

With respect to our partners (student´s home universities) the minimum number of ECTS credits set by home universities has higher preference. However our minimum number of credits still needs to be achieved.

Example: If your university requires 30 ECTS per semester you need to follow the home university credit requirements. On the other hand if your university requires 15 ECTS you have to follow our credit limit requirements and gain at least 20 ECTS per semester. In some cases a university requires no credit limit – this means you have to follow our credit limit requirements which are 20 ECTS.

If you arrive to Prague by plane, you will have to get from the airport to the city center. Luckily, Honest Guide has prepared some useful tips so that your trip goes as smoothly as possible. Check out especially one of these three videos: one - two - three.

BY BUS

There are several bus companies operating buses from Prague to Brno. The yellow RegioJet buses also leave directly from Prague’s Václav Havel airport (you will have to change buses at the main bus station Florenc in Prague, but one ticket is valid for the whole journey by both buses). There is a ticket office of Student Agency at Terminal 1 in Prague. You can buy your ticket in advance and pay by credit card – it is really easy. Flixbus, Eurolines and other companies operate buses from the bus station Florenc – you can get there by another bus operated by Student Agency or ask for directions at the airport. Student Agency and Flixbus will drop you off at the Grand Hotel bus station in Brno, while other companies usually stop at Zvonařka bus station.

You can check all the connections at idos.cz.

BY TRAIN

To get to Brno by train, you will first need to get to Prague’s main railway station (Praha - hlavní nádraží). If you are coming from the airport, please do not forget to count at least 2 hours extra time to get to the railway station – it does not take that long but since you do not know the way, you must count some extra time to find it and time to buy the ticket at the railway station to be on the safe side! You can use the Czech Railways (České dráhy) or Regiojet. You can also download their apps and you don´t have to print the ticket.

Trains arrive at Brno main train station (Brno - hlavní nádraží). 

You can check all the connections at idos.cz.

BY BUS

Student Agency and Flixbus operate direct buses from Vienna’s Schwechat airport and both stop at the Grand Hotel bus station in Brno. LEO Express leaves from the airport but stops at Zvonařka bus station. Other buses leave from bus stations in Vienna – ask for directions at the airport.

You can check all the connections at idos.cz.

BY TRAIN

You can also travel from Vienna airport or from the Vienna main station (Wien Hauptbahnhof) by train – at the airport, there is a railway station in front of the arrivals hall. You can check the schedules and buy your ticket online here. Type Wien in the “From” field and Brno hl. n. in the “To” field. You will have to change trains at Wien Hauptbahnhof and possibly in Břeclav as well.

Trains arrive at Brno main train station (Brno - hlavní nádraží). 

You can check all the connections at idos.cz.

BY BUS

From Bratislava bus station (Autobusová stanica) there are connections by various bus companies including Regiojet and Flixbus. To check all the connections, go to idos.cz or cp.sk.

BY TRAIN

You will have to take the train from Bratislava main station (Bratislava - hlavná stanica). There are many connections and the journey takes only 1h30.

Trains arrive at Brno main train station (Brno - hlavní nádraží). 

To check all the connections, go to idos.cz or cp.sk.

From some destinations, there are direct flights to Brno Airport

Taxi service from the airport – offered by the Foreigners.cz agency. It is highly recommended to order a taxi at least one day before (Online ordering here). A price list and order form can be found here.

Public transport – bus E76 (every 30 minutes) or N89 (at night). Both will take you to the “Hlavní nádraží” stop. You can continue basically anywhere in Brno from there. You can check bus timetables online here. Switch the page to English (bottom right side) and type Letiště Tuřany – terminál in the “From” field and Hlavní nádraží in the “To” field. The journey takes around 20 minutes, but don’t forget to buy a ticket at the airport.

Trains arrive at Brno main train station (Brno–Hlavní nádraží).

There are also 3 other smaller train stations - Brno–Královo pole, Brno–Židenice, Brno–Dolní nádraží.

The biggest bus companies like Regiojet and Flixbus stop at The Grand Hotel bus station – Autobusové nádraží u Hotelu Grand .It is located very close to the main railway station. You will only have to walk 5 minutes to get to the public transport stop “Hlavní nádraží” and then you can hop on a tram or a bus that will take you wherever you need to go.

All the other bus companies go to the main bus station (autobusové nádraží) Zvonařka. It is located a bit further from the city center (10 min walk to the main train station, 20 min walk to the main square (náměstí Svobody)), but you can take the bus nr. 61going from Dolní nádraží. It will take you to the main train station where you can change to other trams or buses.

The public transport system consists of trams, city buses and trolley buses. Buses operate 24 hours a day, trams until 11 pm.  The main railway station (“Hlavní nádraží”) is the central interchange point of all night trams and buses.

The interval between most (trolley)buses and trams range from 5 to 15 min from Monday to Friday, during weekends, the intervals are a bit longer. The average interval between most trams is approximately 8 minutes during rush hour on working days; otherwise every 10–15 minutes. In any case, if you miss your connection, there's no need to worry that you would have to wait a long time for your next bus/tram.

Also, during the night there are special night buses. Night buses leave every 30–60 minutes depending on the line and the all meet at Hlavní nádraží.

You can check the connections at idos.cz or you can just use google maps.

TICKETS

Tickets are sold at ticket vending machines, DPMB shops, kiosks and railway stations and via SMS (only with a Czech sim card) at the stop. You can also buy a ticket for a higher price on the bus, just ask the driver and be sure to have the exact amount of money. Or you can use one of these apps: Sejf, DPMBinfo or Poseidon.

STUDENT PASS

If you are a student younger than 26 years of age, you are entitled to a reduced-student rate pass for two zones which is most practical (cost: 275 CZK per month and 685 CZK quarterly, transport pass plus a plastic card cover 30 CZK). In order to obtain this pass, you need to take your ID document (passport), a photo and a special form you will receive from the Centre for International Cooperation to one of the DPMD stores, for example at the main station. 

TIPS FROM LOCALS

If you´d like to read some tips from locals or expats that have lived in Brno for years now, check out this blog where a Ukrainian student describes her experience with public transport in Brno.

Faculty of Arts (Filozofická fakulta, FF) has buildings in different parts of the city. However, most of the classes take place in one of the buildings in the main complex at Arna Nováka. There you will also find all the administration including our International Office (C building, 1st floor). Please note that the university's Center for International cooperation (CZS) is located at Komenského náměstí, not at FF complex.

If you have questions regarding these programs: Erasmus+ Europe, Erasmus+ ICM, Partner Universities, ISEP, CESP, TESOL, please contact directly the CZS, they fall under their administration.

Depending on where you live, there are more ways how to reach the FF by public transport. However, the easiest way is probably the tram nr.12 - if you get off at Grohova tram stop, you will find our faculty just around the corner. To see the location of all our buildings, click here. 

MU owns over 100 buildings and uses over 200 other buildings. The application gives you access to university buildings and their location on the map and other useful information.

To find out more, click the button below.

Tutors are students of Masaryk University who volunteer to help you with settling down in Brno. He or she can take you to the halls of residence after your arrival, help you to arrange accommodation formalities and also help you with other staff that you might need during your stay in Brno. Tutoring is not a guaranteed service, but a voluntary help offered by Czech students.

Masaryk University offers 3825 beds in 11 student accommodation facilities in different parts of Brno for different prices.

At all halls of residence, there is Internet connection, a laundry room, TV room and a study room. All rooms are equipped with a fridge.

You can find the overview of student dormitories here.

Masaryk University offers catering in 13 cantines, restaurants or snack bars that are located in different parts of the city. 

If you have an active ISIC, you can benefit from discounted student prices. You will pay with your ISIC, but first, you need to top up your Kredit boarding system. It is interconnected with the SUPO system (The Public System of Remittances and Claims of Persons). Boarders with a deposit account can use cashless transfers of finances (recharging) between SUPO and Kredit (manual as well as automatic) in the application WebKredit. In WebKredit you can also see the daily menu and prices.

If you don´t want to stay at student dorms, you can always consider other forms of accommodation such as renting a single room or sharing a flat with your friends. There are many ways how to find the best deal - we suggest you take a look at some of these facebook groups here, here (in Czech) or here (also in Czech). Or you can check out this web page where you can specify what you´re looking for and narrow down your search results.

If you can’t or don’t want to live at student dorms and you are looking for a private or shared flat, try looking at this guide prepared by Brno Daily where they summarize the main districts of Brno with their pros and cons.

There are many good restaurants and pubs in Brno. But what if you need a late-night bite, no matter if you’re coming home from a party or if you were studying in the non-stop study room at Komenského nám.? Brnodaily.cz has all the answers for you, check it out here.

Web gotobrno.cz has reviewed the best places to eat and drink in Brno. Check out all the best venues here.

The QS World University Rankings by Subject are compiled annually to help prospective students identify the leading universities in a particular subject. Research citations, along with the results of major global surveys of employers and academics are used to rank universities. 

In the 2019 Ranking, our university has improved its score in many areas and a total of 8 study programs have to the top 550 best subjects (up from 5 in 2018). Archeology has entered the list for the first time and it made it to the 150 - 200th position, which is the best of all the programs offered by Masaryk University.

Other programs listed in the 2019 QS Ranking:

• English Language & Literature (Faculty of Arts): 201–250
• Linguistics (Faculty of Arts): 201–250
• Agriculture & Forestry: 201–250
• Biological Sciences: 351–400
• Medicine: 401–450
• Archaeology (Faculty of Arts): 151–200
• Computer Science & Information System: 451–500
• Chemistry: 501 - 550

USE-IT stands for no-nonsense tourist info for young people. USE-IT maps and websites are made by young locals, are not commercial, free, and up-to-date. Some also have a visitors desk, mostly run by volunteers. Every USE-IT publishes a Map for Young Travellers that will guide you through the city in a no-nonsense way. Get a USE-IT map of Brno here or find out more here.

You can find the list of Czech public holidays here. 

Masaryk University is not responsible for this waste collection fee and is not able to provide further information. If you have any queries, please use the contact details below.

From 1 January 2013, the local fees for Brno municipal waste collection shall be paid by all foreign nationals (EU and non-EU) staying in Brno for more than 3 months (a detailed description is also available at the City of Brno web pages). The aforesaid are obliged to 1) pay the fee for the respective number of months and 2) report this fact to the fee administrator (read on).

This is only an informative list of details, the description in full is available at the web pages of the City of Brno.

Unless exempt due to citizenship or special circumstances (see if you are exempt), you must provide proof that you hold Czech medical insurance before the visa/residence permit is affixed to your travel document. The insurance must cover the entire period of your stay in the Czech Republic determined in accordance with the period your permit has been issued for. Companies that provide adequate medical insurance in the Czech Republic include Maxima, PVZP, UNIQA, Ergo, Slavia and many others.

The selection of a complex health insurance provider is the responsibility of the student. Masaryk University recommends PVZP or AXA, these have also a special deal with Masaryk University. If you want to know more about the health insurance programs provided by PVZP or AXA, please contact us at int@phil.muni.cz and we will give you more detailed information.

With your health insurance, you are entitled to visit any general practitioner or dentist. If you have eye problems or any other problem you should first visit a general practitioner, who will examine you and then, if necessary, arrange for you to see a specialist.

Unless it is urgent, we recommend making an appointment in advance on the phone. Don't forget to take the insurance card, number or any document proving your insurance.

Faculty of Medicine has also put together a list of GPs and other doctors that speak English. You can find the overview here. 

The Accommodation and Catering Services of Masaryk University (SKM MU) is a purpose-built facility of the university that provides the operation of canteens and accommodation facilities at Masaryk University (www.skm.muni.cz). 

We will send you all the necessary information concerning your application for dormitories by e-mail in advance.

Yes, it is in BRNO!

If you would like to start learning Czech on your own, you can try Duolingo or Memrise. With these apps, you can study Czech whenever you have just a few minutes of free time. 

Alternatively, you can also check out this list of study portals and materials put together by the South Moravian Regional Center for the Support of the Integration of Foreigners. They even offer Czech language courses that are free of charge for EU nationals. 

With higher temperatures, it’s tempting to get out to some quiet place, pop a few beers, or grill a špekáček or two with friends. Grilling season is officially on in Brno.

Since 2016, there are a few public grill spots one can use in the city. Three of them are located on the outskirts of the city on the beaches of Brno Dam and one more in Lužánky park. To find out more, click here.

Some useful tips for exchange student coming to Masaryk University – read up more here.

Masaryk University's IS is a website where you administer your studies at the university - you can register for courses, see your timetable and much more. 

When in doubt, consult this handy and well-arranged guide to our IS. There you will find all the useful tips and instructions on how to register and enroll in courses, where to find your exam results and much much more.

SUPO is a university system of settling payments for services generated by the ISKaM accommodation system, among other things.

It acts as a kind of your own university bank account (but it is not a real bank account) that you will use to pay for your accommodation (if you live at student dorms), meals (at university cantines) and for printing (in university libraries).

A majority of Masaryk University’s premises is covered by Wi-Fi network enabling internet connection from laptops, tablets, and mobile phones. MU uses Eduroam, a worldwide network, which enables internet connection at most of the academic institutions around the world based on the principle of unified login. If you already have access to Eduroam, you can use it at MU as well. If you don't, you will get access after you start your exchange at MU.

There is also a second, auxiliary, Wi-Fi network MUNI.

You can find the necessary settings and other kinds of advice here.

According to 435/2004 Sb. Zákon o zaměstnanosti (Employment Law) § 98, foreign students who are undertaking full-time study accredited programs are allowed to work and they have full access to the labor market (including during the summer).

Should you need a work permit, you should contact the local branch of the Employment Office (Úřad práce), find out more here. It is subject to an administrative fee of CZK 500. It is issued for:

• a definite period of time, the maximum of two years (a foreigner may apply for an employment permit repeatedly);
• six months in case of seasonal employment; the permit shall be issued for no longer than six months within a calendar year and may also be issued repeatedly provided that a period of at least six months elapses between the individual employments.

Detailed information about the work permit can be found on the website of the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs.

Most popular job portals in the Czech Republic are:

• Jobs.cz
• Expats.cz
• Employment Offices' database
• EURES – European Job Mobility Portal
• Facebook group: Multilingual Jobs in Brno

It is usual to send an e-mail to a potential employer; phone calls are not normally preferred. You should send a CV together with a cover letter. Be prepared for an interview.