Practical information
28. 7. 2026
Tomáš Balický
Permission to enter UCT Prague buildings on weekends and at night is granted by the head of department. More information is available on the intranet.
Central laboratories provide support to research and development and pedagogical activities of UCT Prague. Currently, the Central laboratories comprise nine workplaces equipped for analyses of various types of substances and materials. The information on individual laboratories, equipment, contacts and forms for submitting a request for analysis can be found here.
The presence of specific people in UCT Prague buildings can be checked through Infsys or OKbase. Both systems are accessible only from the internal network or after connecting via VPN.
Information on collecting pressure cylinders is available on the main page of the internal ordering system.
Login, e-mail address assignment, connection to wi-fi, remote access, school licences and programmes are to be dealt with in compliance with information from the Computer Centre of UCT Prague.
Dispensed technical ethanol and other chemicals can be ordered through IOS. They are dispensed every Wednesday from 9 to 10 a.m., upon presentation and signature of the order, in the courtyard of building B in rooms D15 and D16, which are located next to the transformer station (current information can be found on the intranet). You must bring your own suitably labelled canister – the ordered amount is dispensed on the spot.
The General Practitioner department provides medical services to registered patients (registration is possible for all students and employees of UCT Prague) and work-health services for employees (regular checkups). In emergencies, the doctor´s services can be used even without registration. Search for more information including the working hours, doctors and phone numbers here.
Some useful information regarding safety at work including all directives, decrees and regulations can be found on a separate web of the Intranet. The web also provides the option to enrol in training in electro (elektro), first aid (první pomoc), health protection and safety at work (BOZP) and fire safety (PO), and to download all basic documents. In case of a work accident, it is necessary to report it and fill in the form.
Home office work is intended only for employed doctoral candidates. You must fill in the relevant form and obtain the approval of the head of department. Details and the form can be found on the intranet.
Report a routine issue or maintenance request via the form on the intranet (available on the Czech version of the site only; English overview here). For an emergency requiring immediate attention, call the head of maintenance directly (department 976), or electricians M. Salajka or Mr. Kopecký from department 995.
All internal grant calls, information about them and the current guidelines can be found on the intranet here. For VIGA projects (i.e. research projects of the Internal Grant Agency) a comprehensive guide page is available. The management rules are described in detail here.
Orders of material from the internal stockroom are possible through IOS (internal ordering system), which is accessible via MIS – only from the internal network or via VPN.
It is possible to be accepted to study even if a foreign applicant has not been assigned a Czech birth number (personal identifier derived from the date of birth all Czech citizens have since birth). The student is then assigned a substitute identification number in Study Information System (SIS), which is (also) derived from the date of birth. However, it is common for a doctoral student who is a citizen of a third country to be assigned a Czech birth number later, as part of the procedure of issuing or extending a long-term residence permit in the Czech Republic and the issuance of a biometric ID card by the Ministry of the Interior of the Czech Republic (OAMP). Czech Birth number is usually indicated on the biometric card, or it is possible to request its issuance. Citizens of the EU/EEA and Switzerland who have free entry and residence in the Czech Republic have also the opportunity to apply for the assigment of a Czech birth number (information in Czech at Ministry of the interior). This Czech birth number is also used for identification of persons in other systems of the state administration of the Czech Republic and therefore it is highly recommended to have it to ease the living experience in the Czech Republic.
If a Czech birth number is assigned, it is necessary to contact the dean's office immediately to update this identifier in the SIS (Study Information System of UCT Prague).
This is especially important in case the doctoral student wants enter into an employment relationship with UCT Prague (Work contract, DPČ, DPP). At such a moment, it is advisable to check in advance both at the Dean's office (SIS) and at the Personnel department that they both use the same identifier.
In case the information in SIS is not complete (Czech birth number is not registered), there is a risk that independent duplicate user account records might be created, causing various problems. If this already happened, it is necessary to resolve it with the Computer center (helpdesk@vscht.cz) immediately upon detection of such situation and to inform the Personnel department and the Dean's office as well, so they can start using the same identifier.
The administrative procedure for trips abroad differs according to the type of trip, its length (short-term, i.e. summer school, conference, etc., and long-term, i.e. a traineeship) and the source of funding. All current information on application deadlines, scholarship offers, options and tips on how to proceed and where to get advice can be found at https://outgoing.vscht.cz/?jazyk=en . Under the “PhD Mobility” tab you will find links to detailed information on each specific type of mobility, step-by-step guides, application links, and documents to download. In the News and outgoing opportunities section, don’t miss the latest news, offers of external scholarships, summer schools and traineeships. Recently, doctoral candidates can apply for a motivational (earmarked) scholarship of CZK 12,000 per month for traineeships lasting at least 3 (consecutive) months. These applications are administered by the dean’s office.
The menus of student canteens of the Czech Technical University, the canteens of UCT and the restaurants on the campus and its surroundings can be found on the web. A student without a work contract with UCT has the right to use a student discount in the student canteens and the Pizzeria la fontanela. The discount can be used only once a day. You can monitor the balance of your account and the overview of the use of funds in all contracted eateries in the application Strávník.
In case your experiment runs for long-term or overnight, the device on which the experiment is run can be added to the list of devices running overnight. The device described by you can be checked regularly (in night hours, at weekends) by the receptionist, who will inform you by using the stated contact about any exceptions.
Reporting of overnight operation - Nahlášení nočního provozu
Information on OHS is available on the intranet. Overview of tranings for PhD candidates can be found in documents on this page. There you will also find information on fire protection, procedures for injuries and first aid, and rules for pregnant employees, nursing mothers and young employees. Information on how to act during an active-shooter attack is available on the intranet.
Employed doctoral candidates record their attendance (leave, home office, etc.) through OKbase (guides for OKbase can be found here), which is accessible only from the internal UCT Prague network or via VPN. In OKbase you will also find payslips and other important documents. Registration for training (OHS, electrical, etc.) is also possible through OKbase or directly on the intranet.
Unemployed doctoral candidates do not record attendance through OKbase. They can report and track their presence in the UCT Prague buildings through Infsys (available from the internal network or via VPN); they arrange their specific attendance with their supervisor. Mandatory training (OHS, fire protection, etc.) is not recorded in the system for unemployed doctoral candidates – its completion is handled manually by the OHS/fire-protection officer of the relevant department.
Information on requests and signing of tax documents in OKbase can be found here.
Information on entering travel orders for employed doctoral candidates in OKbase can be found here.
If a doctoral student is not in an employment relationship and therefore does not have access to the OKbase program, the student’s travel reimbursement is processed as before in paper form through the international office (in the case of a trip abroad other than Slovakia), i.e. first a paper “Proposal“ and after the trip the “Travel Reimbursement „is completed. In the case of a domestic trip or Slovakia, the travel reimbursement goes through Ms Urbanová.
An ORCiD is a persistent and unique identifier for an author/researcher. Registration (here) is free and the system generates a 16-character alphanumeric ID (ORCiD). OBD (UCT Prague) requires ORCiD: OBD is the central system for recording the publication activity of UCT Prague staff and students. The system is centralised for the whole of UCT, and when working outside the UCT buildings a VPN connection is required. A guide for submitting records to OBD is available on the intranet.
Pregnancy and laboratory work
If you work with substances or in conditions that pose a risk during pregnancy, arrange for your work to be adjusted as early as possible, even in the first weeks of pregnancy. Under the occupational health and safety rules for students, pregnant students are advised to inform the dean’s office of their faculty as soon as possible. Please also inform your supervisor. The Department of Occupational Safety and Risk Prevention can advise you on assessing the risks.
Work prohibited for pregnant and breastfeeding women is listed in Directive No. A/S/962/2/2018 “On work and workplaces prohibited to pregnant employees, breastfeeding employees, employee-mothers until the end of the 9th month after childbirth, and juvenile employees”, available here (in Czech only).
Information about your pregnancy is treated as confidential.
Suspension of studies
Pregnancy, childbirth and parenthood (including taking a child into substitute family care) can be grounds for suspending your studies, but the decision is up to you. If you apply for this reason, you do not need to attach a statement from your supervisor or the head of your department.
The period of suspension due to parenthood does not count towards the standard or maximum length of study (Study and Examination Rules, Art. 12, paras. 6 and 13).
- Form: Application for Interruption of Studies
- Details: Study obligations
Money and insurance during suspension
During suspension, no scholarship is paid and the guaranteed minimum doctoral income does not apply. Suspension also ends your student status for public health insurance purposes.
- The state pays your health insurance if you receive maternity benefit or parental allowance, or if you provide full-time care for a child under 7 years of age and have no income from employment.
- In all other cases, it is paid by your employer, or you pay it yourself as a person without taxable income.
Report every change to your health insurance company.
Maternity benefit (peněžitá pomoc v mateřství, PPM): Since 1 January 2025, the period of full-time doctoral study counts towards the 270 days of insurance required for entitlement to maternity benefit. The condition is that your studies were successfully completed or suspended due to pregnancy. This means that a doctoral student who was not employed before giving birth can also receive maternity benefit. For more information, see the Finances page.
“Hlídačkovné” (podpora studujícího rodiče – support for student parents): Doctoral students in their first doctoral programme can apply for this childcare allowance, even if they are over 26. International students can also apply if they are entitled to the Czech parental allowance (rodičovský příspěvek).
Doctoral students employed at UCT Prague
As an employee, you are also covered by the rules for employees (maternity and parental leave, benefits from employment). The HR Department has prepared an overview: Summary for employees (in Czech).
Doctoral students’ employment is often funded from research projects (typically on fixed-term, part-time contracts). It is therefore a good idea to discuss your maternity and parental leave in advance with the person whose grant funds your position.
International doctoral students
The rules for suspension of studies apply equally to all doctoral students. Health insurance and entitlement to benefits may differ depending on how you are insured. More information can be found on the Welcome Office website:
Childcare
The university children’s group DK Zkumavka (website in Czech only) accepts children from the age of 2 until they start compulsory school attendance. A parent must be studying or working at UCT Prague.
So that colleagues can easily find you in the UCT Prague phone directory, don’t forget to fill in your extension number, room number and e-mail. Open the phone directory and log in at the top right. You can then edit the displayed information and decide whether to publish your photo.
For the purchase of chemicals, office stationary, technical gasses, chemical glassware, laboratory tools, etc. it is appropriate to use the internal ordering system (Objednávky), where you will choose from the catalogue and order all the required items from the UCT warehouse
After submitting the order and its approval by the person responsible for inventory of the department you will be informed by e-mail that the order is ready; the internal warehouse dispatches ready orders every day from 10 to 12 a.m. The central warehouse is located the underground of building A in room AS (see the map) and you can get there either by the staircase from Buf.an or through the second courtyard. Manual for purchase of material from warehouse.
In SIS in the teacher role you can enter and correct grades, schedule exam dates, work with theses and reviews, or transfer assessments from the e-learning. Detailed guides for the individual functions are available on the e-learning.
Zkumavka is focused both on short-term and "all-day" babysitting. Its mission is to help the parents in combining professional or student life with family. Zkumavka does not replace daycare (Zkumavka does not guarantee a place for a child every day) but it is an alternative due to its flexibility for parents, who gradually return to the UCT Prague after their parental leave and prefer to have their children a few days a week close to themselves. Zkumavka is there for children from 2 years old until the start of compulsory education. There is a condition for registering a child to Zkumavka: the parent or the legal representative must be employed or studying at UCT Prague. More information here (the English website is under construction).
VPN provides secure access to the internal UCT Prague network from anywhere. Without VPN you cannot connect to most internal systems (OKbase, Infsys, OBD, IOS, etc.) from outside the university buildings. Instructions for setting up VPN can be found on the pages of the Computing Centre.
Any other questions?
Take a look on the website of Department of International Relations!