Special forms of study
Purpose of Special Forms of Study and General Conditions
Special forms of study is a kind of non-degree Lifelong Learning programme which enables the general public to improve and extend their education by completing individual courses offered by the Faculty. The participant of such a programme does not have a legal student status.
Special forms of study are governed by the Lifelong Learning Regulations of the Charles University.
Participants in Special forms of study can register for courses offered by the Faculty in a given semester, participate in them, fulfill credits and take examinations. The courses can be completed within the same academic year. Completion of courses in this programme does not lead to obtaining an academic degree.
Special forms of study are open to anybody who has completed at least some form of secondary education.
Before submitting the application for admission, it is necessary to become familiar with the regulations and rules of the Charles University and the rules listed on this web page, in particular with the fee calculation, the conditions of enrollment in courses and their verification.
Application for Admission into Special Forms of Study
Applications are accepted during the period for electronic enrolment in courses for the winter or summer semester (both priority and open mode). These periods are published in the Academic Calendar.
The application form is available on another page.
The application includes a list of the courses to be enrolled in. The fee is calculated from the credits and language of teaching of these courses. (see below). Enrollment in courses is subject to certain rules and limitations that need to be understood before the application is submitted.
The completed application together with a proof of payment must be delivered personally of by regular mail to the Dept. of Student Affairs.
Questions about the application can be emailed to Ms. Lucie Šimůnková.
Fees for Special Forms of Study
The fee is determined by the Dean's Directive No. 9/2023.
The amount of the fee to be paid for Special Forms of Study depends on the number of credits and language of education of the requested courses. Each credit of an English language course costs CZK 2000.
The applicant lists the requested courses in the application and enters the number of credits and language of education for each of them. The maximum number of credits that can be listed in the application is 30. The fee is calculated on the application and the applicant pays it by the means described in the Dean's Directive No. 9/2023 and in the application form.
Course Registration and Verification of Conditions
Rules for Course Registration
- The applicant is responsible for checking that the listed courses are scheduled so that it is possible to attend them.
- It is not allowed to list courses totalling more than 30 credits.
- It is not allowed to register for courses taught by other Faculties of the Charles University.
- Enrollment into foreign language courses organized by the Dept. of Language Education requires a preliminary approval of that department.
- Enrollment into courses organized by the Dept. of Physical Education requires a preliminary approval of that department.
- Additional limitations apply to students of regular study programmes at the Faculty (incl. interrupted studies, details see bellow).
For enrollment into courses, it is necessary to satisfy certain entry criteria (knowledge of the relevant background, language competences). There criteria are not verified when the application is received but are verified at the beginning of the teaching period. If the language competences of the applicant are in doubt, the Faculty may request an English language certificate at the C1 level to consider the application.
Participants in Special Forms of Study use the Student Information System for electronic registration in the courses and are responsible to register in a timely and appropriate way.
Verification of Course Registration Conditions
- If the participant registers for courses that were not listed in the application the registration will be cancelled.
- A teacher may request a cancellation of the registration of a participant in Special Forms of Study for the following
reasons:
- organizational/logistical reasons,
- insufficient capacity;
- failure to satisfy entry criteria for the course;
- insufficient language competences.
The registration may be cancelled for any of these reasons but only in the initial part of the semester (until the course registrations are confirmed). If the cancellation occurs the participant is informed and a relevant part of the fee is returned to the Czech bank account given in the application (foreign transfers are not possible).
Rules for fee refund
A part of the fee paid before submitting the application can be refunded under certain circumstances, as explained below. However, the refund is only possible if a Czech bank account is provided on the application.
- If the participant does not register for a course listed in the application the fee is not refunded.
- If the participants stops attending the course for any reason the fee is not refunded.
- If the participant chooses courses that overlap in the schedule the fee is not refunded. However, if the overlap occurs due to schedule changes that took place after the application had been submitted the relevant part of the fee will be refunded upon request.
- If the registration is cancelled by the Faculty according to point 2 of the previous paragraph the fee is refunded automatically.
Conditions for Parallel Enrollment in Regular Study and Special Forms of Study
Student who wants to enroll in Special Forms of Study while being enrolled in a regular study programme (even if the regular study is interrupted) must attach a recommendation from the guarantor of their regular study programme where they are enrolled in. Their listed courses are also reviewed by the Vice-Dean of Student Affairs. Enrollment will be only allowed if the Vice-Dean gives an approval.
It is not possible to register for the same course in regular study as well as in Special Forms of Study. If that happens the registration in Special Forms of Study will be immediately cancelled (at any time) and no refund will be given.
Courses completed in Special Forms of Study can be recognized into regular study only if they were graded better that „good“ at the exam.
Teaching Organization in Special Forms of Study
Special Forms of Study require personal presence, it is impossible to take the courses on-line or in any other remote way. The ordinary study rules and regulations are applied to participation and course completion as much as they are applicable to Special Forms of Study. In Special Forms of Study it is not allowed to take advantage of the status of Student with Special Needs.
