Promoting equal access to higher education in Czechia through a comprehensive student support system 

The Czech authorities – the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (MEYS) – requested technical support from the European Union’s Technical Support Instrument (TSI) to prepare adjustments to the system of financial and non-financial support aimed at helping students access and complete higher education in Czechia.

The project is expected to increase the proportion of students in need who receive direct financial support (public grants or loans) and/or non-financial incentives. The long-term effects are expected to include increased proportions of students successfully obtaining a qualification, contributing to social fairness and economic competitiveness.

Context

In Czechia, higher education participation and attainment are relatively low compared to the EU average. The growth in tertiary attainment among 25–34 year-olds has even slowed in recent years, which means that Czechia risks falling further behind some of its European neighbours. Key challenges for policies to improve educational outcomes is the large disparity in attainment between regions and recent increases in dropout rates. Participation in higher education may also be hampered by the ability of students and their families to afford studies, with a large share of Czech students working long hours during lecture periods.

Evidence from many higher education systems suggests that a well-targeted and effective system of student financial aid is important to support wider access to higher education, as well as improved completion rates. However, at present, Czechia operates a system of centralised needs-based grants and merit-based institutional scholarships, catering only to a small number of students. 

Support delivered

Funded by the European Union through the Technical Support Instrument and implemented by the OECD in cooperation with the European Commission, the support project will last 18 months (August 2025-January 2027).  

Based on an analysis of the situation in different regions of Czechia, good practice examples from other OECD and EU Member states, and Czech stakeholders consultation, , the project outputs will provide the MEYS with an action plan with recommendations for a new model of financial and non-financial support for students in Czechia, an analytical tool to model costs and benefits of different policy options and capacity-building activities. 

Expected results

Czech authorities will be enabled to reform the system of financial and non-financial support to help students access and complete higher education in Czechia, by increasing the proportion of students in need who receive direct financial support (public grants or loans) or non-financial incentives. 

The expected long-term effects are expected to be increased proportions of young people from socially disadvantaged backgrounds completing a tertiary qualification, increased proportions of first-cycle students successfully obtaining a qualification, and reduced proportions of students depending on income from work.