If your child attends a Czech school, sooner or later you'll meet the CERMAT entrance exams — the unified tests that decide admission to Czech secondary schools and multi-year gymnáziums. Here is how the system works, what the difference between a 4-year school and an 8-year gymnázium is, and how to prepare without turning family life upside down.
How the Czech admission system works
The unified entrance exam (jednotná přijímací zkouška) is prepared by the state organisation CERMAT and consists of two tests:
- Czech language and literature — 60 minutes, maximum 50 points,
- mathematics — 70 minutes, maximum 50 points.
Three groups of pupils take it:
- Grade 9 → four-year programmes: gymnáziums (selective academic schools), lyceums and vocational schools ending with the maturita exam,
- Grade 7 → six-year gymnáziums,
- Grade 5 → eight-year gymnáziums.
The exams usually take place in April, and every child gets two attempts — the better score in each subject counts. Applications are submitted for several schools in order of preference through the electronic DiPSy system; the application rules evolve from year to year, so always check the current conditions.
Four-year school or eight-year gymnázium?
The eight-year gymnázium is decided as early as grade 5. Competition is traditionally strong and the workload is demanding. Our honest approach: we prepare a child for a school the child actually wants — not one that only the adults dream about. For a motivated child, a multi-year gymnázium is a wonderful environment; for others, entering a good school after grade 9 is a perfectly happy path.
Four-year programmes are the most common route: the school is chosen in grade 9, when the child has a much clearer idea of what interests them. The exam is the same pair of tests, just at grade-9 level.
When to start preparing
There is no universal answer — it depends on your child's starting level and how selective the target school is. In practice, a calm year of systematic preparation works best; about half a year is the sensible minimum. The golden rule: an even schedule with a margin beats last-minute cramming. The child needs time not just to cover the topics, but to train the test format itself.
How preparation at Doučse works
- An individual plan and checklist: the tutor tracks what has been mastered, and you get short notes after every lesson — what was covered and what to practise next.
- CERMAT-style practice tests — our students receive them at no extra charge, designed to be as close to the real thing as possible.
- A3 overview sheets for Czech and maths: every rule and formula on a single page.
- Mentors: if a long-term preparation isn't progressing as it should, an experienced mentor joins the tutor to find a way forward.
- A free e-learning course on handling exam stress — we prepare children mentally, not just academically.
- Coordinators who know schools' CERMAT statistics and will help you set a realistic plan for a specific school.
And if a lesson doesn't work for your child, you don't pay for it.
If your child's Czech isn't native yet
For children from foreign families we combine exam preparation with Czech language work — problems are practised directly with the Czech terminology the test uses. Children previously educated abroad may be granted accommodations for the Czech language test, but the maths test applies to everyone — which is why maths usually decides.
For a detailed preparation plan, see CERMAT preparation for 4-year schools and 8-year gymnáziums on our sister site. And for the language side, read Czech lessons for kids.
Frequently asked questions
How long do the exams take?
Czech language 60 minutes, mathematics 70 minutes. Each test carries a maximum of 50 points.
How many attempts does a child get?
Two — the exam runs in two sittings, and the better score in each subject counts.
When do the exams take place?
Usually in April. CERMAT publishes the exact dates each year, so keep an eye on the current calendar.
Do you prepare children whose Czech is still weak?
Yes. We combine exam preparation with Czech lessons; explanations can be bilingual at the start.
Getting started
Write to info@doucse.cz or call +420 494 900 173 (Mon–Fri 9:00–19:00, Sat–Sun 14:00–18:00) — English is fine. Tell us your child's grade and which school they dream about, and a coordinator will come back within 24 hours with a preparation plan. More about our approach: entrance exam preparation.
