The study was conducted by the DZS Czech National Agency for International Education Research, as part of the Czech Republic Alumni programme. The survey focused on the experiences of foreign students in the Czech Republic, especially on their evaluation of their studies and career. Photo credit: Freepik
Czech Republic, 5 July (BD) – Of the students surveyed, the vast majority are currently employed or running their own businesses. Nearly three-fifths of former students with full degrees now work in the field in which they studied in the Czech Republic. Health care and social work, business, administration and law, and natural sciences, mathematics and statistics were among the most common fields of study among respondents.
After completing a full degree program, exactly half of the graduates surveyed chose the Czech Republic as their place to live. More than 20% did so for personal reasons, 45% for work reasons, and 17% decided to continue their studies in the Czech Republic. One-third of graduates surveyed in a full degree program returned to their home country after completing their studies.
There are currently 304,000 students at Czech universities, of which foreigners make up about 17% of the total. 69% of all foreign former students found jobs during their stay in the Czech Republic, especially Slovak students (88%). 68% of students from other countries said that finding a job is easy.
Most graduates (70%) said they had a positive or rather positive attitude toward the Czech Republic before they even began their studies. In addition, more than half (56%) say that their relationship with the Czech Republic has improved as a result of their studies. The main reasons for this improvement were the nation’s quality of life, the opportunities on offer, and satisfaction with the quality of higher education. Overall, as many as 98% of those who graduated in the Czech Republic were satisfied and would recommend it to others.
Students who chose the Czech Republic as their Erasmus destination were also satisfied. While only 49% of them had a positive or rather positive attitude toward the Czech Republic before they began their stay, their impressions changed after the experience of a few months in the country; 87% of these students reported improved relations after their stay in the country, and 96% of them would recommend studying in the Czech Republic.
Those completing short-term study stays usually returned to their home country. Only 5% stayed in the Czech Republic, for personal or professional reasons. However, most former students said they considered staying in the Czech Republic after completing their study stay.
Among the most significant advantages of studying in the Czech Republic for career purposes, respondents mentioned qualifications gained, international perspective, competitiveness in the labour market, and prestige.
