Study at Masaryk University

Founded in 1919, Masaryk University is the second largest higher educational institution in the Czech Republic. University facilities include several new university and faculty libraries, a wide range of sports facilities (gymnasiums, sports fields, rowing center, indoor and outdoor tennis courts), a botanical garden, and several student clubs at individual faculties. Total enrollment: over 37,000 students. Thanks to a loan from the European Investment Bank, the university is now engaged in building a new campus and refurbishing existing buildings; when completed, all the university's faculties, research centers, and residences will be equipped with the most up-to-date facilities.

The historical capital of Moravia, Brno combines a rich cultural legacy with the vibrancy of a university city that is home to six higher educational institutions (of which Masaryk University is the largest) and over 75,000 students. Thanks to its strategic location at the heart of Central Europe, major regional centers such as Prague, Bratislava, Vienna, Budapest, and Krakow, are within easy reach by train and bus. In the immediate vicinity of Brno, the Moravian highlands to the north and west offer outstanding opportunities for hiking, bicycling and skiing. Southeast of Brno is the Czech Republic's main wine-producing region, with its many ancient cellars, now linked by a new network of ecology-friendly bicycle trails.

Program Highlights

• At the present time, most courses at Masaryk University are taught in Czech, though most faculties and departments offer consultations for students in English. However, as part of the current drive to internationalize the university, each year sees the introduction of a considerable number of new courses taught in foreign languages (mostly English, but also French and German).
• An intensive mini-crash course in survival Czech forms part of the orientation-week program for international students. During the semester, weekly Czech lessons for international students are taught by members of the Department of Czech for Foreigners. The latter is included in ISEP-Direct program benefits.