The information applies to full-time doctoral students and in the standard period of study who commenced their studies before 1.10.2025 (does not apply to doctoral students enrolled in the 1st year from 1.10.2025). However, the situation is evolving and information will be updated in case of changes.
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What is changing for me with the amendment to the Higher Education Act?
From the academic year 2025/2026, you will be entitled to receive a minimum doctoral income of CZK 17,500 per month. It is expected that the doctoral income will consist of a minimum doctoral scholarship of CZK 12,500 (or CZK 15,500 for graduates of the state doctoral examination) and other income related to the study/processing of the dissertation. For example, the funds that doctoral students receive for their work on a research project (monthly salary, regularly paid scholarship) can be included. The amount of the minimum doctoral income will have to be guaranteed to doctoral students by the training workplace (department/institute). If you already have a higher income (e.g. due to a job on the project), nothing changes, you will continue to receive the money. Nothing changes in your study obligations. You still have to fulfill what you are prescribed in the individual study plan (ISP). -
How much money will I receive from now?
From 1.10.2025, you will be entitled to a guaranteed minimum doctoral income of CZK 17,500 per month. If you are already receiving more money by working on projects or teaching, you can continue to receive it. Money above the minimum income depends on the decision of the heads of departments, just as it has been until now whether they offered you work on projects or teaching. Of course, it can happen that the project ends or that the schedule of teaching (and workloads) changes. This is fully within the competence of the heads of departments and project solvers. -
Can it happen that I get less money than the "guaranteed income"?
If you fulfill the obligations prescribed in the ISP (or the obligations prescribed by the doctoral board during the last evaluation of the ISP), then no. If you do not meet the ISP and receive a B rating from the doctoral board, your doctoral scholarship may be reduced by up to 50%. -
Do my study obligations change in any way?
No, they don't. You are bound by the conditions under which you joined, or by the newer framework requirements of the doctoral council if the doctoral council has later modified them and they are more favourable to doctoral students. -
Can it happen that there is no money for me and I will have to terminate my studies?
It can't. If you are in full-time study and in the standard period of study, you are entitled to a minimum doctoral income and your institution must provide it. Your studies can only be terminated if you do not meet the ISP. -
Will I get more money if I pass the doctoral exam?
The doctoral exam does not automatically guarantee an increase in the minimum income level. However, after passing the doctoral exam, the scholarship for doctoral students increases by CZK 3,000 per month. It depends on the possibilities of the department/institute whether it will include other funds in the minimum doctoral income. Doctoral students should receive extra money for the doctoral exam. However, the faculty management respects the financial possibilities of the departments/institutes, the specific procedure is up to the head of the department. -
Will I have money from GAUK beyond the guaranteed income?
Finances from GAUK (regular monthly scholarship) can be included (immersed) by the department up to 50% in the amount of the guaranteed minimum doctoral income. It depends on the possibilities of the department/institute whether it will include other funds in the minimum doctoral income. This means that half of the scholarship from the GAUK project can be used to ensure a minimum doctoral income and the other half will be extra. We understand that you may find this unpleasant, but it is a solution resulting from negotiations regarding a very complicated situation that the amendment to the Higher Education Act brings. However, immersing a certain share in a doctor's income does not mean a reduction in your income. -
I'm in the STARS program. Will I receive more money or not?
It is possible that you will receive the same amount as you have been receiving so far. It depends on the possibilities of the workplace. However, immersing a certain share in a doctor's income does not mean a reduction in your income. -
Model example: I currently earn 20 thousand because I participate in teaching, but other doctoral students at the workplace do not, so they take only the minimum – it may happen that the workplace will not be able to continue to give me extra work for it, so "out of solidarity with the workplace" it will reduce my scholarship to 17.5 thousand?
If you participate in teaching that is not directly related to your dissertation, you are entitled to proper monetary evaluation of your work. This is not about the decision of the workplace. They have to pay you money for the work done. However, it is possible that there will be a redistribution of teaching shares at the beginning of the academic year. However, this is within the competence of individual workplaces. -
Is there a time frame when the workplace should be clear about how much it will pay me from 1 October?
This is again the responsibility of each workplace. -
Will revenues grow even more in the future?
The doctor's income depends on the minimum wage. From the academic year 2026/2027, all doctoral students will be guaranteed a minimum doctoral income equivalent to 1.2 times the minimum wage. The exact amount depends on the specific amount of the minimum wage in the given year (the state announces its amount every July). -
So who should I ask what my final scholarship will be?
You should primarily contact your supervisor, who should discuss this with the head of your workplace and with the doctoral board.
Final point
What is important to mention is the fact that the student can receive various financial incomes, depending on the possibilities of the workplace, whether in the form of scholarships, wages, DPP or DPČ. However, the faculty must guarantee that current and new students receive at least the minimum doctoral income. For this reason, it is necessary to set a formula for what can and cannot be included in the "faculty-guaranteed doctoral income". ANY SUBMERSION DOES NOT MEAN A REDUCTION IN INCOME, BUT ONLY A POSSIBILITY OF WHAT CAN BE COUNTED FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF THE Higher Education Act, from the point of view of the regulations and methodologies of Charles University and the Faculty of Science (max. 50% of GAUK, STARS bonus paid from the workplace, 2/3 of the salary for work related to dissertations, etc.). At the same time, however, a significant increase cannot be expected if the student's financial situation already corresponds to the guaranteed income.