Tuition & Financial Support

Tuition

At CERGE-EI, students admitted and enrolled in the PhD in Economics program do not pay any tuition. Comparable PhD programs at Western universities typically charge tuition fee amounting to tens of thousands USD per academic year for international students. These programs offer tuition waiver to the best students only.

Financial Support for the PhD in Economics Program

PhD students receive financial support toward living costs based on the results of entrance examinations and their academic performance during their studies at CERGE-EI. There is no need to apply separately for financial support.

Stipends

Students receive stipends from the Charles University and other sources from the 1st to the 4th year of study, as outlined below. The stipend level generally rises over time, the exact amount depending on academic performance and other study requirements, such as fulfilling assistantship duties.
Fifth-year students are typically paid a salary in the form of a CERGE-EI Junior Researcher contract, the exact amount depending on the nature of their involvement in institutional research projects.
The total support package is reviewed annually and is set at a level that enables students to afford a dormitory space, to eat in the student cafeterias, and to cover reasonable incidental expenses in Prague.
The package is neither intended nor sufficient for a student to support a family while studying at CERGE-EI.
The stipend is paid monthly in Czech crowns.

1^styear – 3^rd year (fall) (before DPW)	Stipends typically range from 10,500 CZK/month (for students not fulfilling all academic requirements) to 17,000 CZK/month for outstanding students.
3^rdyear (spring) – 4^th year (after DPW)	Stipends typically range from 12,500 CZK/month (for students not fulfilling all academic requirements) to 21,600 CZK/month for outstanding students.

* In addition to the standard amount, students after passing DPW could receive an Advanced Student Fellowship, such as the Graduate Teaching Fellowship, starting from 2,400 USD for one course taught.

First-Year Excellence Fellowship

This fellowship seeks to support outstanding future researchers from across the globe, helping them to fully focus on the rigorous MA/PhD study during their first year at CERGE-EI.

After the application deadline, the Admissions Committee will choose up to three candidates for the fellowship. The amount awarded will be 4,000 CZK paid monthly on top of the regular stipend (19,000 CZK in total) for the duration of one academic year, with the Deputy Director for Graduate Studies evaluating the awardee after each semester, to ensure satisfactory academic performance and other conditions are being met.

CERGE-EI Second-Year RSJ Research Fellowship

The purpose of these fellowships kindly sponsored by the RSJ Foundation until and including 2021 was to facilitate the transition from coursework to dissertation research and increase the probability that students will successfully complete their studies at CERGE-EI in an expeditious manner.

Eligible students received a call for entries in the Spring. First, second and third prizes were determined, which carried a fellowship in the amount of CZK 55,000, CZK 45,000 and CZK 38,000 that were paid off monthly over the fellowship duration.

September support

In the first year of their study, our students receive an extra payment for the month of September to aid their transition and arrange for necessities for the start of the academic year in October.

Accommodation stipend

As full-time Charles University students, some of our MA and PhD students are eligible to apply for the Charles University accommodation stipend to cover part of their living expenses.

Other Financial Support Possibilities

Visegrad Scholarship Program

PhD Applicants from selected countries (Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Russia, Serbia and Ukraine) may apply for additional scholarships provided by the Visegrad Scholarship Program.

For more information please see http://visegradfund.org/scholarship s/.

Insurance

All students from NON-EU countries are required to have special insurance coverage for medical expenses while in the Czech Republic. CERGE-EI covers the Comprehensive Medical Insurance for full-time 1st-4th year students. Comprehensive Medical Insurance meets the Czech residence permit requirements.

Reimbursement

CERGE-EI also partly reimburses the cost of the Prague public transport pass for students older than 26 (the pass is substantially cheaper for younger students), and covers the residence permit fee for 1st-4th year full-time students if applicable.