Read on for the second part: expenses after arrival
When assessing my possibility of attending a language course in Prague, I focused primarily on the cost of the course itself. For some reason, I thought this would be the most significant expense – everything else seemed unimportant to me. However, during visa processing and preparing other documents, some other expenses, which I did not know about or which I could not even think of, were coming up. If anyone had written down some approximate expenses for me in advance, it would have been much easier for me to mentally prepare for them- since I would have been ready for all the additional expenses.
Therefore, let this note serve as a kind of mental therapy for those who are just inquiring about the price. First of all, I want to warn you — no matter how much we end up with, you should know that it will all pay off — emotionally, intellectually, and financially!
I am going to divide this article into two parts. In the first one, I will tell you what expenses you are likely to face at home. In the second part, we will focus on the expenses that await you after your arrival in the Czech Republic. So, let’s get started.
Expenses before arrival
For the first amount, which you need to start counting with, I would still take the price of the course. At the moment, the full traditional course costs 5940 euros. The course lasts 35 weeks. Each week includes 35 teaching hours in the Czech language and major subjects, which are also taught in Czech. When I went to study for the course, I was already 31 years old, but I chose the full course – I was afraid that I would not learn the language properly. If I were making my choice now, having the knowledge of what the learning process looks like, I would choose a cheaper course. The fact is that preparatory courses are primarily intended for school graduates applying for undergraduate studies, so there is a big emphasis on SCIO or other entrance exams. Since I was applying for a master’s degree in the humanities, I actually only needed a good knowledge of Czech; no one could have helped me with the preparation for the entrance exams anyway – admission to a master’s degree program mainly requires self-study.
Do you want to study at the best Czech universities for free?
You only need to do two things for this – learn Czech and prepare well for the entrance exams. All this can be done on ILPS preparatory courses of Charles University – we prepare for admission in almost all fields. Click the banner
The next point is the purchase of a one-year comprehensive health insurance, which costs 492 euros if you order it via the Institute for Language and Preparatory Studies (ÚJOP UK). You can read about different types of insurance and their purpose in my article “Cheap Insurance for a Student Visa”. Insurance must be issued before your arrival, as it is included in the documents required to obtain a visa.
Another document that is required for a visa is an accommodation contract for a year. Those who decide to live in ÚJOP UK hostels do not have to worry about its issuance. It is enough to pay a 300 euro deposit, and the contract is yours.
It is important to remember one more large amount – to apply for a visa, you must provide a bank statement indicating that your account has an amount equivalent to 101 380 Czech crowns – this is about 4100 euros (as of 19.05.2022). This money does not have to be kept there – you can calmly use it during the school year, but remember that in a year before you apply for a new visa, this amount needs to be in the account again.
Read the article How fast will the ÚJOP preparation course pay off?
The visa fee itself is about 100 euros. Let’s add this amount as well.
The next thing is money for document translations. All documents submitted for a visa must either be in Czech or translated by the so-called Czech court translators. If you order translations in the Czech Republic, they will cost you from 15 euros per page (1800 characters, excluding spaces). If you are applying for an ÚJOP UK course, translation services can also be ordered from us.
If you are a minor, you will need notarized consent from your parents to travel abroad. If you are an adult, I highly recommend making a general power of attorney for friends or relatives so that they can represent your interests in banks, public institutions, community services, etc., while you are away. Of course, a power of attorney can be issued at your country’s consulate, but, for example, for Uzbekistan citizens, the nearest consulate is located in Berlin, which you need yet to get to.
Another large amount to bear in mind is a train or plane ticket (depending on where you are coming from). It is better to buy a ticket in advance, as it is usually cheaper. My ticket from Almaty cost about 200 dollars in 2017.
As a result, before your arrival in the Czech Republic, you will spend between 7000 and 8000 euros. This amount does not include 3600 euros, which must be in your bank account.
Read on for the second part: expenses after arrival