FAQ

Doctoral studies are primarily intended for early-career researchers who are mainly interested in research activities and who seek to pursue careers in academia or research-oriented positions.

Although doctoral studies include the completion of several courses, they are not a traditional form of study. Instead, they focus primarily on independent research conducted in cooperation with a supervisor.

To successfully complete a PhD, it is especially important to have strong motivation and perseverance, a genuine interest in theoretical concepts and advanced research methods, self-discipline, and a desire to contribute to the advancement of scientific knowledge.

If you are more practice-oriented or interested mainly in teaching, doctoral studies may not be the best fit for you.

The Prague University of Economics and Business (VŠE) is one of the leading educational and research institutions not only in the Czech Republic but also in Europe. VŠE was the first university in the Czech Republic to obtain the prestigious AACSB accreditation.

The Faculty of Business Administration also holds internationally recognized EQUIS and AMBA accreditations, while the Faculty of Finance and Accounting has received professional accreditation from the international association ACCA.

VŠE is the only public university in the Czech Republic focused exclusively on economics and management. We offer doctoral study programmes in both Czech and English.

Our graduates enjoy successful and fast-growing careers in both Czech and international companies, as well as in academia. By pursuing your doctoral studies at VŠE, you can become part of this successful community.

Students in the full-time mode of study generally have more responsibilities than those in the combined mode. They are expected to be actively involved in the work and activities of the department, to participate in teaching, to supervise  theses, and, where applicable to work  on projects that have been granted. Regular consultations with the supervisor and fulfilment of all obligations defined in the Individual Study Plan are also required, as meeting these obligations is a condition for receiving the doctoral scholarship.

Students in the combined mode are not involved in departmental duties, but they are still expected to fulfil all requirements set out in their Individual Study Plan and to maintain regular consultations with their supervisor. Compared to full-time students, they have more time to complete some of the study requirements, are not required to participate in the internal grant competition, may replace the required foreign research internship with participation in an international research project, and a lower level of publishing activity is expected from them.

Yes. The combined mode of study is not a distance-learning programme, so it is not possible to complete it entirely remotely. Although many obligations can be completed online (such as the entrance examination, enrolment, or preparing the Individual Study Plan), students are expected to attend some activities in person, e.g., some of the seminars, consultations with the supervisor, examinations, colloquia and dissertation defences. The number of visits per semester depends on individual arrangements with your instructors and supervisor.

In the full-time mode of study, students are expected to be more actively involved in the activities of the department, which—together with the demands of doctoral studies—usually leaves very little room for additional employment. Therefore, it is generally recommended that full‑time students dedicate themselves to their doctoral studies as fully as possible.

In the combined mode of study, students are not expected to participate in the activities of the department, which gives them better flexibility in managing their time. However, it is still not recommended to work full-time alongside the doctoral studies as it often leaves limited time for the studies themselves and for dissertation research. Students who work while studying tend to have a significantly lower completion rate in doctoral programmes.

A basic overview of the study requirements can be found here.

Yes. During your doctoral studies you are required to complete a foreign research internship of at least one month, which can be divided into several shorter stays. This requirement applies to students of both full-time and combined mode of study. However, students in the combined mode of study may replace the foreign research internship with another form of international collaboration, such as participation in an international research-related project.

A list of available dissertation topics is published on the website. When choosing a topic,  keep in mind that you will be working on it for at least four years, so it is advisable to select something that you find at least interesting, if not genuinely enjoyable.

While the topic itself is important, the choice of a supervisor is equally essential. Even if the topic is interesting, a multi‑year collaboration can be challenging if, for any reason, you and your supervisor do not get along from the outset. It is therefore strongly recommended to contact the potential supervisor before submitting your application and discuss how you would approach the topic and what you plan to research. If the communication works well for both sides, congratulations, you may have found your future supervisor.

If you would like to learn more about a potential supervisor, you can check InSIS to see how many theses they have supervised and how many were successfully defended. In the publication database you can find where and what they publish.

Applications are open every year from 1 April until 31 May. The application form is available at https://insis.vse.cz/prihlaska/?lang=en. Some faculties may also offer additional application deadlines. More detailed information can be found on the website or on the websites of individual faculties.

As part of your PhD application, it is required to submit the following documents:

• The Appendix to the Application Form,
• a structured academic curriculum vitae with a list of publications,
• a document certifying the level of the applicant’s academic attainment,
• a research proposal, outlining your intended research focus and dissertation topic.

 

At majority of faculties, the entrance examination takes the form of an interview focused on the applicant’s research proposal. The goal is to assess if the applicants understand the research area they wish to focus on in their dissertation, if they are familiar with the key literature and publications related to the topic, if they are able to define a clear research objective and apply scientific methods appropriately. In most cases, the interview is conducted in English.

If the entrance examination includes a separate English language examination, it usually takes place before the major specialization subject’s examination and is conducted as an interview with a native speaker. The discussion typically focuses on the applicant’s field of interest, their research topic or their master’s thesis, or it takes the form of a discussion about a current issue in economics.

If you completed your previous studies at the Prague University of Economics and Business, you do not need to submit any additional documents.

If you studied at another university in the Czech Republic, you must either upload an electronic version of your diploma, or have your diploma officially converted into electronic form through CzechPOINT and then upload the file to your application.

If you completed your studies abroad, your diploma and diploma supplement must be assessed by the Legal Department of VŠE. Detailed information can be found on the website.

The latest possible deadline for submitting proof of completed education is the beginning of September. If you finish your master’s studies in June or later, in most cases you will take the entrance examination on an alternate date in September, and you are required to provide a confirmation of successful completion of your studies by that time. You must always inform the study coordinator for PhD studies about this. Otherwise, your application will be considered incomplete, and you therefore cannot be admitted to the study.

The Faculty of Business Administration does not offer alternative entrance examination dates. However, FBA announces a deadline for submitting proof of finishing previous education for applicants who complete their studies between June and September. The study coordinator for PhD studies must be informed about such cases as well.

Nostrification is a formal process used to recognise of foreign higher education, typically  for the purpose of officially using an academic title obtained abroad within the Czech Republic. It is not necessary to undergo this nostrification process in order to be admitted to PhD studies, as the simple assessment is sufficient. In case VŠE expresses doubts about the sufficient level, extent or content of the applicant’s previous foreign education and the assessment result is negative, the applicant will be invited to prove their education by the means of nostrification.

In most cases, you will receive the results within one week after the entrance examination. However, if you are yet to submit the proof of your previous education or if its assessment is still in progress, the decision may take longer and will be issued when all the requirements are completed.

PhD studies in programmes conducted in the Czech language are free of charge. Students enrolled in the programmes conducted in English pay a tuition fee in the amount of EUR 500 per academic year.

No, the tuition fee must be paid no matter what PhD programme or mode of study you choose. We also cannot take into consideration any personal reasons.

Yes. Students in the full-time mode of study receive a doctoral scholarship during the standard duration of their study (4 years) in the amount that is determined by scholarship regulation for the given academic year. Based on the amendment to the Higher Education Act, students who start a full-time mode of study in a PhD programme after 1 September 2025 are guaranteed an income of at least 1.2 times the minimum wage. Currently, this corresponds to approximately CZK 24,960 per month. However, if the student fails to meet their study obligations, the scholarship may be reduced or withdrawn entirely.

In addition to the doctoral scholarship, students may also receive extraordinary scholarships for excellent results, such as high-quality publication outputs, specific contributions to the department, or teaching beyond the standard obligations.

If you are admitted to the studies, we can provide you with the Confirmation of Study and a Proof of Accommodation, but in most cases applying for visa is up to you.

The only exception is for applicants who can be enrolled into Student Mode.

The project “Student Mode” is the concept of visa facilitation for students-foreigners from selected third countries who are admitted to study at higher education institutions in the Czech Republic.

By being enrolled in the Student Mode, students have an opportunity to get a Visa appointment date preferentially.

For more information see the website.

Health insurance, unlike social insurance, in the Czech Republic is mandatory. Whether you need to pay it yourself or the state pays is for you depends on where you come from.

More information about this topic can be found here.

 

No. In order to study here, you must go through the admission process. However, if you have already completed relevant courses at your previous university, they may be recognized after you enrol — however, each faculty sets its own rules for course recognition, so please consult the study coordinator for PhD studies for detailed information.