Attention: starting in the 2025/26 academic year, all doctoral candidates (both newly enrolled and existing) need to apply for stipend payments through the information system (SIS). Applications must be submitted by September 15, 2025. Instructions can be found in the e-learning (so far Czech only).
Minimal income of a PhD candidate
According to the amendment to the Higher Education Act from 2025, the minimum net doctoral income is set at 1.2 times the minimum wage (currently 24,960 CZK/month after taxation) for doctoral candidates enrolled after September 1, 2025. Beyond the legal requirement, UCT Prague has committed to ensuring the same minimum income for doctoral candidates enrolled before September 1, 2025. This income consists of a combination of a scholarship and a salary, or only one of these components.
The minimum income guarantee applies only to doctoral candidates in their first full-time study in Czech doctoral study programs (DSP) in the standard period of study. Doctoral candidates in combined programs (not full-time) follow the rules of their programs and are not covered by the minimum income guarantee.
In accordance with the Scholarship Regulation, all candidates are required to apply for doctoral scholarships/stipends through SIS (instructions in e-learning) at the beginning of each academic year, typically on September 15. For doctoral candidates starting after September 1, 2025, the decision on admission to doctoral studies specifies how the minimum income will be secured and whether the candidate is eligible to apply for a scholarship in accordance with Regulations. The supervisor and the supervising workplace (usually the department) are responsible for ensuring the minimum income for the entire standard period of full-time study.
The fulfilment of doctoral studies is monitored on an ongoing basis, particularly in connection with Annual Evaluation and monitoring milestones (Dissertation Colloquia). Failure to fulfil study obligations may lead to a reduction in income, or termination.
Note: The standard period of study for a doctoral program is 4 years, according to accreditation. The maximum period is the standard period of study + 3 years.
Structure of minimum doctoral study income
Doctoral study income consists of a combination of a scholarship and a salary, or possibly only one of these components. The rules are set out in the Rector's Regulation on Securing doctoral study income.
Additional funding up to the legally guaranteed minimum amount is provided by the supervisor and the training workplace (usually the institute) for the entire standard duration of full-time study in the form of a salary or S-III scholarship. Doctoral candidates enrolled after September 1, 2025, who were admitted to their first full-time study program without entitlement to a doctoral scholarship, have their doctoral income fully guaranteed by their supervisor or training workplace.
Candidates are required to report any change in the composition of their doctoral income by submitting a new application for a doctoral scholarship in SIS (e.g., when changing from project funding with an S-III scholarship to a salary, or when a project ends and the agreed additional funding changes to an S-III scholarship from the workplace). The amount of the doctoral scholarship (institutional S-I or internal S-II) is not affected by this; it is a necessary step for recording the minimum guaranteed amount of doctoral income.
Doctoral study income is divided according to the type of involvement into:
1. Internal doctoral candidate (workplace: UCT Prague)
What this means: The topic and main creative activity take place at UCT. In this case, the guaranteed income of the doctoral candidate consists of Scholarship S I (CZK 10,000/month) + Scholarship S II (CZK 7,400/month), and the supervisor supplements the guaranteed income in the form of Scholarship S III or employment (V4, CZK 7,560/month, after taxation).
If the total in any month does not reach the guaranteed minimum, the institute, in cooperation with the supervisor, will increase the scholarship or adjust the employment contract. Any partial underpayment may be settled retroactively. The guaranteed income therefore includes the doctoral scholarship and salary from employment at the UCTH, and remuneration from projects related to the dissertation may also be included. The benefits of employment at the UCT (pension contributions, etc.) are governed by the rules for employees and are not part of the minimum income.
Benefits arising from employment at the UCT Prague are not included in doctoral income.
2. External doctoral candidate (contractual/partner workplace outside the UCT)
What this means: Research is conducted primarily at a partner institution (e.g., Academy of Sciences), and the supervisor is a UCT academic or specialist supervisor. In this case, the doctoral candidate is also entitled to receive Scholarship I (CZK 10,000/month), which is paid by UCT, and the amount is supplemented by the supervisor in the form of Scholarship III or a part-time position (V4, CZK 14,960/month) to reach the guaranteed minimum income. If the total does not reach the minimum, the supervisor and the training workplace at the University of Chemistry and Technology will provide funding (increase in scholarship, establishment of part-time employment at the UCT, etc.) to ensure that the threshold is met each month. The guaranteed income therefore includes the UCT scholarship, and the salary directly related to the dissertation but does not include external income unrelated to the field of study.
3. Doctoral candidate fully funded by supervisor
What this means: The entire minimum income is covered by the supervisor/training workplace in the form of a scholarship, salary, or combination thereof (CZK 24,960/month). The supervisor and the institute guarantee that the limit will be reached every month; if there is a fluctuation (e.g., between project periods), immediate compensation from another source must be ensured. Therefore, all eligible components (scholarships/salaries) related to the dissertation and paid by the school/institute are included in the guaranteed income.
Income above the guarantee
In addition to the guaranteed minimum income, other sources of funding may be granted that cannot be counted towards the guaranteed income. These include:
- Stipends from Internal Grand Agency (IGA) Projects and Emil Votoček Scholarship
- Voluntary teaching activities
- Special-purpose stipends
- Stipends for long-term stays abroad
- Accommodation and social stipends
Stipends from Internal Grant Agency Projects
Specific information, including deadlines, can be found on the relevant IGA website.
Category A: Student Scientific Project ("scientific project" or "VIGA").
A1: The field-specific student scientific project is a scientific project of basic or applied research, in which a group of candidates in the full-time form of doctoral study (DSP) and their supervisors are involved. An academic staff member at UCT Prague applies for this type of scientific project for a group of PhD candidates (i.e., PhD candidate do not apply for this type of project) and their supervisors (or specialist supervisors or consultants) for a specific study program/field. Within this type of project, doctoral candidates systematically work on their dissertation topics, which belong to the given project in terms of their field of study. Scholarships from A1 projects are one of the sources of doctoral scholarships and thus also of doctoral study income. A2: Research Student Scientific Project is a project of basic or applied research aimed at deepening the creative and publishing activities of PhD candidates within programs/fields accredited at UCT Prague. It is a scientific project that is managed and coordinated by PhD candidates themselves in the full-time form, who gain valuable practical experience in preparing project proposals, solving them, and presenting the achieved results. PhD candidates in the full-time form of DSP programs/fields accredited at UCT Prague, who meet the conditions specified in Article 8, Paragraph 4, of the Grant Regulations of the University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, can apply for this type of scientific project. PhDs from other training facilities than UCT Prague can apply for this project if at least 50 % of their points from the annual assessment are affiliated with UCT Prague. Members of the research team may also include DSP and master's students in programs accredited at UCT Prague. T The limits of financial resources that can be allocated to a student scientific project are determined for each year in accordance with the Declaration of the Internal Grant Competition of UCT Prague (see documents at the end of the page).
Note! Each faculty may have its own limits and regulations, which are published no later than the start date of application submissions. The PhD candidate must adhere to the faculty limits published in the application and on the IGA website, or on the faculty websites (FCHT, FTOP, FPBT, FCHI).
The amount of planned stipend for the Research Student Scientific Project A2 is not determined based on point values from the annual evaluation. Internal Regulation No. 20.33/17 Principles of the Student Grant Competition to Support Specific University Research Projects at UCT Prague applies.
Category B: Student Social Project ("social project" or "SIGA"): These projects focus on cultural, social, educational, presentation, and sports activities. Social projects are intended for students in bachelor's, master's, and doctoral study programs accredited at UCT Prague and its faculties. Internal employees of UCT Prague or external workers can contribute to the project through unpaid collaboration. The limits of financial resources that can be allocated to a student social project are determined for each year in accordance with the Declaration of the Internal Grant Competition of UCT Prague. →Internal Regulation No. 20.34/15 Principles of the Student Grant Competition to Support Cultural, Social, Presentation, Educational, and Sports Activities of Students at UCT Prague applies.
Category C: Pedagogical Project of Students and Academic Staff ("pedagogical project" or "PIGA").
C1: Innovative pedagogical projects are intended for PhD candidates in the full-time form of DSP. An innovative pedagogical project may include innovation of subjects in existing study programs, innovation of fields in existing study programs, creation and innovation of multimedia study materials, and other study supports for PhD candidates and academic staff at UCT Prague, students, and teachers of secondary and primary schools, as well as the creation and innovation of continuing education courses.
The limits of financial resources that can be allocated to a pedagogical project of students and academic staff are determined for each year in accordance with the Declaration of the Internal Grant Competition of UCT Prague.
Internal Regulation No. 20.35/17 Principles of the Grant Competition to Support Pedagogical Projects of Students and Academic Staff at UCT Prague applies.
Emil Votočka Doctoral Scholarship for exceptional results in scientific and research activities supported by publication activities, demonstrated by the PhD candidate in the annual evaluation of professional activities for the previous academic year (the total achieved points related to the year of study are decisive). The rector decides on the awarding of the Emil Votočka Doctoral stipend and the determination of the maximum number of these stipends based on the recommendation of the Grant Council of UCT Prague. The stipend is paid monthly in instalments derived from the allocated annual stipend amount (in previous years, 72,000 CZK/year, i.e., 6,000 CZK/month for the top thirty PhD candidates across the entire school).The announcement of the internal grant competition of UCT Prague for the current academic year can be found below on the page in the list of documents.
Voluntary teaching activities
Teaching activities undertaken by doctoral candidates are voluntary and are recorded in points (approximately 1 point ≈ 10 hours). In the basic range of up to 5 points per academic year, they are considered part of the study preparation and are not remunerated beyond the guaranteed income; above this limit, they may be remunerated with an extraordinary scholarship. Up to 5 points per academic year is considered part of the study program and is not remunerated beyond the guaranteed income; above this limit, it may be remunerated with a special scholarship or agreed in the form of a contract according to the rules of the faculty/institute. Details, scoring, and procedures are listed on a separate page.
Other doctoral stipends
(for more information, refer to the Stipend Regulations of UCT Prague):
Accommodation, Special-Purpose, and Social Stipend
These can be obtained under the conditions specified in Article 6, 5, and 9 of the Stipend Regulations. Applications for these Stipend can be submitted during the enrolment process.
· Application for Accommodation Stipend (from 2023, to be submitted within the SIS system).
· Application for Social Stipend (download the form from the website).
Hlávka Foundation – Hlávka Dormitory (external source of funding)
PhD candidates, young academic and research staff, and full-time PhD candidates of Prague universities who achieve excellent academic results, are financially needy, do not have housing in Prague, and are not entrepreneurs, can apply for subsidized accommodation at the Hlávka Dormitory (Jenštejnská 1966/1, Prague 2). The application for the stipend is submitted through the Hlávka Foundation and the rectorate of UCT by no later than April 30 of each year – more information on the foundation's website.
Health insurance coverage:
Information about health insurance for students is available here.
For PhD candidates who are EU nationals, the state also covers insurance premiums for individuals over 26 years of age who are enrolled for the first time in a doctoral study program offered by a higher education institution in the Czech Republic, within the standard duration of study, in the form of full-time attendance, provided they are not employees (with a net monthly salary exceeding 10,000 CZK) or self-employed individuals according to § 5 of the Public Health Insurance Act. OBĚŽNÍK č. A/O/962/1/2018 - Zdravotní pojištění doktorandů od 1. 1. 2018. Visit this page for more information.
· PhD candidates from the EU/EEA and Switzerland funded by scholarship only
If you do not have an employment contract in the Czech Republic and your studies are funded only by a scholarship, you need to register with a Czech health insurance company (we recommend VZP for public health insurance in the Czech Republic. You will be entitled to necessary healthcare within the public healthcare system.
For registration, please bring: confirmation of enrolment in a PhD programme, an identity card (ID card or passport), your national health insurance card from your home country.
· PhD candidates with an employment contract
Once you sign an employment contract with a workload higher than 0.2 FTE, you become an insured employee in the Czech Republic. UCT Prague, as your employer, pays your health and social insurance contributions. In this case, you are entitled to full healthcare within the Czech public healthcare system.
Information about health insurance for candidates who are employed is available at these links:
Note that for non-EU nationals, changing from full-time to part-time study has other administrative consequences as well. For part-time candidates it is more complicated to obtain a student residence permit from the Ministry of the Interior – the assessment is more thorough, depends on the individual situation, and additional documentation from the university should be submitted to the Ministry. Part-time candidates also lose free access to the labour market.
Candidates from non-EU countries who exceed the 4-year study period and switch to part-time study are advised to plan in advance with regard to their residence status and work permit. UCT International Department or Welcome Office (for employees) can be contacted for assistance.
Grants and Employment Conditions for Doctoral Candidates
Internal UCT Prague Grants (see above)
Other Grants
Doctoral candidates can apply for certain grants and get involved in their resolution. Don't forget to inquire about the possibilities with your supervisor or at the Project Centre.
- GA ČR: Announced annually by the Czech Science Foundation.
- TA ČR: Announced annually by the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic.
- NAKI: This is a program of the Ministry of Culture – Program of Applied Research and Development of National and Cultural Identity (NAKI II). Only research institutions can apply.
- and others
Full-time "Researcher" Employment
It is advisable to inquire about possible work involvement during the entrance interview for DSP. A PhD candidate can obtain a partial or full-time "Researcher" employment (salary tariffs) during their studies.
Information regarding salary matters along with forms can be found here. General regulations, rules of selection procedures, and the wording of collective agreements can be found here. Employee benefits can be enjoyed with a workload of at least 50%.
For entering absences, use Infsys. There you can also inquire about the presence of your colleagues (Attendance Records).
Human Resources Department Employees
As an employee from a foreign country, you will also be in contact with UCT Welcome Office. In addition to the initial administration related to your employment contract, Welcome Office provides assistance in matters regarding residence permits and related issues
Grant Employment
This type of employment is possible if the candidate's research group is working on some kind of grant during their studies (see GRANTS). It is advisable to ask before starting the doctorate whether the research group I am joining is the principal investigator of a grant and whether I can be involved in the work. If the PhD candidate is under 26 years old during their involvement in the grant, employment up to 0.15%, will cover a maximum of expenses associated with tax deduction. Grant employment can be provided along with the Researcher employment or, for example, as an Agreement on Work Performance.
Employee Benefits
If the workload (V4) is equal to or greater than 50% (i.e., 20 h/week), the employee is entitled to a meal allowance.
Additionally, a 3% contribution to pension insurance is made monthly from the employee's base for social security (for a minimum of 50% workload - 20 h/week). See the rules for providing a contribution from UCT Prague to employees' pension insurance with a state contribution.
Employees can also take advantage of accommodation in training and recreational facilities at UCT Prague at discounted prices, vouchers for mental and physical regeneration (with a minimum workload of 50%), a multisport card, or the ČSOB Motivational Program, among others. For more details, refer to the intranet.
And more, see the intranet.
Responsibilities
If you have employment outside UCT Prague, remember to fill out the tax return for the given year.
Secondary Economic Activity ("VéHáčko")
A PhD candidate can become a solver of a task called basic supplementary activity, which is performed for remuneration and follows the educational, scientific, research, development, and other creative activities of UCT Prague, serving the more efficient use of human resources and property of UCT Prague. These tasks are performed by employees beyond their job duties and are rewarded. Agreements on work performed outside employment are concluded with students of UCT Prague or other individuals who do not have an employment relationship with UCT Prague. The head of the department to which they are directly subordinate allows employees to work on basic supplementary tasks.
The responsible solver negotiates the work and services performed as basic supplementary activity with the customer based on a written or oral order. The responsible employees of the Department for the Record of Supplementary Activity, who need to electronically submit the order and specify the category of supplementary activity, will include the order in the school system. This way, the task is included in MIS - Main and Supplementary Activity, where settlement is also necessary later (performed by the solver – manual below or on the MIS- Main and Supplementary Activity website).
For calculating the price for work in basic supplementary activity, the responsible solver proposes the inclusion of the provided performance into the following categories:
- scientific-research work, service activities, analyses, etc., using the instrumental equipment of UCT Prague, polygraphy works,
- consulting and advisory activities. Only works that do not require any equipment other than a computer as a text or spreadsheet processor can be included in category II.
How to generally navigate payments displayed in SIS
Using guidelines (downloadable in the list at the bottom of the page)
→ Guideline No. 60.43/12 Accounting for stipend s in the financial information system and stipend payment deadlines
→ Guideline Types of actions in the financial information system for the given year
