Branch programme/details

The study program puts emphasis on system-oriented programming in one of three focus domains. The System Programming domain focuses on designing and coding the basic layers of a computer system (middleware, operating system). In the Dependable Systems domain, the curriculum deals with systematic construction of systems with high reliability, such as embedded and real-time systems. The High Performance Computing branch introduces techniques for software development on high performance computing systems (highly parallel systems, distributed systems, clouds). All focus domains pay attention to both the programming tools and methods and the associated architectural knowledge.

**Conditions for Admission**

The goal of the admissions review process is to select from the pool of applicants those individuals who have shown the capability and diligence expected of Charles University students. To apply for our Computer Science, Mathematics or Physics Master's programmes given in English you must
• hold or be working towards a Bachelor’s or Master’s diploma and provide a certified copy thereof;
• have sufficient academic background in the relevant fields;
• have sufficient command of the English language; this can be demonstrated by providing your results in one of the standardized English tests that we recognize (see below for details).

**Bachelor’s or Master’s Diploma**

Each applicant for a Master’s programme must deliver an officially authorized copy of a Bachelor’s or Master’s diploma, or a confirmation of a faculty or university concerning a successful completion of Bachelor’s or Master’s studies. This requirement does not apply to students and graduates of Bachelor’s or Master’s studies at the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics of Charles University.
The applicants who graduated from a higher education institution abroad must deliver one of the following documents in order to prove their previous education:

- a document about a general recognition of foreign higher education in the Czech Republic obtained according to § 89 and 90 of The Higher Education Act of the Czech Republic (so called "nostrification"), or
- a foreign document about a foreign higher education if it is automatically recognized in the Czech Republic, according to its international agreements, without further official processing (diploma and diploma supplements from Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Slovenia), or
- a foreign document confirming completion of higher education which will be assessed by the faculty itself (no fee is being charged).

Detailed information on how the condition of obtaining a previous Bachelor’s or Master’s degree should be proven by the alumni of foreign higher education institutions, as well as additional information, may be found on faculty "webpages":https://www.mff.cuni.cz/en/students/general-rules/assessment-of-university-degrees-and-studies-for-applicants-to-master-s-and-doctoral-studies. The officially authorized documents must be physically sent to the Department of Student Affairs of the Faculty of Mathematics and Physics preferably by June 30, 2025, and by September 30, 2025, at the latest. If you do not deliver the document concerning your completed education, you will be neither accepted nor enrolled for Master’s studies.

In addition to this, depending on the programme for which you are applying, you also must

• **Computer Science** programmes: have sufficient academic background in the relevant fields (see below for details); this should be demonstrated by solving a take-home assignment correctly and on time, and by providing transcripts (academic records) of your previous education accompanied by syllabi of the completed courses (i.e., you must submit both the assignment and the transcript). For the take-home assignment, you may consult your notes, textbooks, Internet resources, friends etc. but the submitted solution must be your own work. To correctly solve the take-home assignment means to obtain at least 70 percent of the maximum score. The deadline for submitting the take-home assignment is May 31, 2025. Solving the take-home assignment is not obligatory for the applicants for the study programme Computer Science – Language Technologies and Computational Linguistics.

**You are also welcome to accompany your application by:**

• a statement of purpose in which you describe your reasons for applying to the proposed programme, your study, and possibly also research interests and future career plans;

• letters of recommendation from professors and employers who can comment on your recent professional accomplishments and your qualifications for pursuing a master’s degree in Computer science, Mathematics or Physics. You should arrange for letters of recommendation to be sent directly by your referees to the email address admission@mff.cuni.cz by May 31, 2025 at latest.

Please ask your referees to state “Recommendation letter for [your name], CS/Math/Physics programme” in the Subject of the email.

**Academic background**

In this paragraph we summarize the minimum knowledge required for applicants in the various study programmes and study branches offered at our faculty.

*Master’s Degree in Computer Science*

*Common requirements* for study programmes Computer Science - Theoretical Computer Science, Computer Science – Language Technologies and Computational Linguistics, Computer Science - Discrete Models and Algorithms, Computer Science – Visual Computing and Game Development, Computer Science - Software and Data Engineering, Computer Science - Software Systems, Computer Science - Artificial Intelligence: Background in calculus, linear algebra, discrete mathematics, probability, logic, computer programming, algorithms and data structures, computer organization, and the theory of automata and formal grammars.

Academic records demonstrating the necessary background must show the dates of enrolment and the subjects or courses taken, together with the units of credit or time allotted to each subject. These records must also include a complete description of the institution’s grading scale or other standard of evaluation. Unless academic records and diplomas are routinely issued in English by the institution concerned, the official records in their original language must be submitted with an authorized, complete, and exact English translation.

**English Language Proficiency**

An applicant must have an adequate command of English in order to enroll on an English-taught programme at Charles University. Proficiency in English may be demonstrated by one of the standard language tests listed below; any language test results must not be older than two years. Students who have completed at least two years of their previous education with English as the sole language of instruction in Australia, Canada, India, Ireland, Malta, New Zealand, Republic of South Africa, UK or USA are exempt from this requirement. Applicants who provide us with comparable qualifications demonstrating proficiency in English (i.e., CEFR level C1) also meet our requirements.

Students who have completed our Bachelor programme in English are also exempt from this requirement.

The table below lists the various tests of English that we recognize, and gives the minimum score that should be obtained.

**Test Minimum Score:**
TOEFL iBT 85
TOEFL Essentials 9 Pass
TOEIC Listening and Reading 750
The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) 6.5
Cambridge B2 First 180 (Grade A)
Cambridge C1 Advanced Pass
Cambridge C2 Proficiency Pass
The European Language Certificates (TELC) English C1 Pass
UNIcert English for Mathematicians Level C1 Pass
Duolingo 105
Michigan English Test (MET) 64
Examination for the Certificate of Proficiency in English (ECPE) Pass
General State Language Examination in English in the Czech Republic Pass

Admission to Master's studies is conditioned by completed secondary education confirmed by a school-leaving certificate. Admission to Post-Bachelor studies (Master's programme) is likewise conditioned by completed education in any type of study programme.

Verification method:	other form
Confirmation date (of entrance exam) from:		Until:
Alternative date (of entrance exam):

The graduate possesses robust programming skills in the given focus domain: System Programming for modern operating systems and system-related technologies (middleware, virtual machines), Dependable Systems for dealing with the systematic construction of systems with guaranteed reliability, and High Performance Computing for software development on modern parallel and distributed systems. The graduate has absorbed both the necessary theoretical foundations and the skills required for solving practical programming tasks. He can use modern programming languages and tools. He can adapt to the fast-moving technologies of today and use these technologies in team software projects. He can solve problems individually and systematically, and apply deep system knowledge in delivering outside-the-box solutions.