Doctoral Exams
The foreign language examination in doctoral studies evaluates students’ language competences at the B2/C1 level, with an emphasis on professional and academic language skills. While the exam itself is oral, students must submit written materials in advance.
The number of attestations, their schedule, and the requirements for language selection are specified in the individual study plan.
Exam Format for Doctoral Studies
Recognition of the Language Examination (based on a valid international certificate or a completed degree program)
As of January 2025, the language examination in Ph.D. studies can now be replaced in the following ways:
- A C1 or C2 international language certificate,
- A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in the language (philology of the language or study conducted in the modern language).
Other cases, such as native speakers, will be assessed individually.
If the assessment is positive, the language examination is waived entirely, and the student is not required to complete any part of the language exam.
Recognition Procedure:
Students must submit a Request for Course Recognition (Žádost) – via the FF UK mailroom – for one of the following courses:
- English AXJAZ0001,
- German AXJAZ0005,
- French AXJAZ0002,
- Spanish AXJAZ0007,
- Russian AXJAZ0006
The request must include a certified copy of the relevant valid certificate or diploma.
The valid certificate or diploma must not be older than 10 years.
List of Recognized Certificates
The following certificates are accepted for the recognition of the language examination:
English
- FCE (First Certificate in English) – at C1 level
- CAE (Certificate in Advanced English)
- CPE (Certificate of Proficiency in English)
- TOEFL PBT (Paper-Based Test) – 550 points or higher
- TOEFL iBT (Internet-Based Test) – 95 points or higher
- IELTS – Band score 7–8
- UNIcert III and IV
German
- Goethe Zertifikat C1
- ÖSD Zertifikat C1
- TELC Zertifikat C1
- DSH2 (Deutsche Sprachprüfung für den Hochschulzugang ausländischer Studienbewerber)
- DSD II (Deutsches Sprachdiplom der Kultusministerkonferenz)
- Test DaF (Deutsch als Fremdsprache), minimum TDN 4 in all parts
- UNIcert III a IV
French
- DELF C1 (Diplôme d’études en langue française)
- Maturita Certificate from a bilingual high school, indicating the achieved C1 level
- UNIcert III and IV
Spanish
- DELE C1, C2
- Maturita Certificate from a bilingual high school, indicating the achieved C1 level
- UNIcert III and IV
Russian
- ТРКИ-III (C1), ТРКИ-IV (C2)
If a student cannot have their exam recognized based on a certificate or prior study in a modern language, they must take the exam. This can be done in one of two ways::
- Following the standard format, or
- Alternatively, (if the student has published a professional article int the relevant modern language or in the case of a successfully defended Bachelor’s or Master’s thesis written in the relevant modern language)
Standard Exam
The student submits the following documents to the examiner no later than 7 days before the day of the exam:
- Structured professional CV (1-2 standard pages)
- Thesis proposal (2-3 standard pages)
- Summary of a scholarly text with full bibliographic information (2-3 standard pages)
- Explanation of 5-10 select technical terms (2-3 standard pages)
- The exam dates are listed in SIS.
Starting from the summer semester of 2025, the format of the exam will be simplified. Presentation of the professional text and selected terms will be omitted, but the length of the dissertation proposal will be increased to 3–4 standard pages.
Alternative Exam
- If you have published a professional modern-language text in a peer-reviewed journal, international conference proceedings, or a monograph of at least 10 standard pages (published within the last 10 years), where you are the sole author or one of the main authors, please contact the teacher who will give you further details.
- If you have successfully defended a Bachelor’s or Master’s thesis written in the relevant modern language (within 10 years of the defense).
The exam dates are listed in SIS.
The alternative form of the exam will only be available until the end of the winter exam period, after which it will be discontinued due to the simplification of the standard exam format.
Teachers responsible for doctoral examinations:
