Charles University (CU) is one of the world’s leading universities. The institution ranks highly in prestigious lists such as the “QS World University Rankings” and the “Times Higher Education World University Rankings”.
It holds the #1 position in the Czech Republic for overall performance and in the field of medicine, standing out as one of the top universities in Central Europe.
In 2024, Charles University (CU) ranked 246th out of 1,503 universities worldwide and 170th out of 721 in the medical field, placing it ahead of all medical faculties in countries such as Portugal, Cyprus, Hungary, Slovakia, Greece, and many others.
CU was founded in 1348 during the reign of King of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV. Today, the university comprises 17 faculties, including 3 medical faculties in Prague. After the fall of communism in 1989, the medical faculties were renamed, for simplicity, as the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, based on their chronological order.
The Third Faculty of Medicine is the newest and most modern of the three, distinguished by its innovative curriculum!
Welcome to the Third Faculty of Medicine of CU! Or, as they say it in Czech, 3. lékařská fakulta (3.LF)!
The faculty is located just 10 min away from the city center of Prague, and is coupled with the University Hospital Královské Vinohrady. 3.LF accepts about 100 international students every year in the General Medicine program.
The Curriculum
- Problem Based Learning
The way medicine has been taught hasn’t changed much in the last half a century. The conventional curriculum starts with the teaching of Anatomy in first year, Biochemistry, Histology, and a few other subjects. The curriculum is subject based - meaning, students will learn about the entire body in anatomy (often approaching it region by region - starting at the head, neck, thorax, abdomen…), while learning in biochemistry about digestion, and histology about the skin. There is no intergration of the subejcts together, which often results in a poor understanding and coorelation of the topics - However, this is not the case at 3.LF!
The Third Faculty offers a Problem-Based Curriculum inspired by Maastricht University in Amsterdam and Cambridge University in the UK.
At 3.LF, the curriculum is not organized by subjects but by topics, with the subjects rotating around them. Practically, what does this mean? Instead of starting with Anatomy in the first year, you will begin with The Cellular Basis of Medicine—an integrated subject consisting of molecular biology, genetics, biochemistry, histology and embryology, and immunology. Here, you will learn about the human body from a microscopic perspective. You will study human cells, their structure, how they break down nutrients to produce energy, how they multiply, and how they come together to form tissues. In the second year, you will then learn how tissues combine to form organs and how different organs work together to create systems of organs.
In each module, you will learn everything there is to know about it! For example, when studying the digestive system, your first lecture will be about its anatomy and the organs involved. Histology will then cover the cells in each organ and their secretions. Physiology will show you how organs collaborate using hormones and signaling molecules to drive digestion, and Biochemistry will explain how enzymes and gastric acid break down an apple into fructose and glucose, ready for use by your cells.
This innovative approach to teaching medicine is far more effective. Students learn early to integrate topics and develop a holistic understanding of the human body, studying it as a whole rather than segmented by the different sciences that study it—as it has traditionally been organized.
The Third Faculty is a pioneer in medical education and research—but there’s much more that makes its curriculum unique:
The Campus
The Third Faculty is located in Prague 10, right next to the University Hospital Královské Vinohrady - which is where most clinical practices takes place. Apart from this, students will also have the opportunity to intern in Thomayer University Hospital, Bulovka University Hospital, NUDZ - The National Institute of Mental Health in Czech Republic, The Military University Hospital Prague and many others.
University Hospital Královské Vinohrady
Located right next to the faculty, this hospital is one of Prague’s largest teaching hospitals, offering hands-on experience across a wide range of specialties.
Bulovka University Hospital
Situated in Prague 8, Bulovka offers a dynamic clinical environment with a focus on infectious diseases, oncology, and surgical disciplines.
Thomayer University Hospital
A major clinical and research institution in southern Prague, known for its strong departments in internal medicine, surgery, and emergency care.
NUDZ – National Institute of Mental Health
NUDZ is one of Europe’s leading centers for psychiatric and neuroscience research. With cutting-edge neuroimaging facilities, and top-tier researchers - making the neuroscience module a star subject of the faculty!
How to Apply?
- Requirements & Examination procedure
The application process is simple. It consists of the following steps:
Step 1: Submit an Online Application form.
Step 2: Pass an entrance exam and interview (on a predefined date).
Step 3: Prepare and send all your documentation to the faculty and get ready to start the best years of your life in Prague.
Can I apply wihtout an entrance exam? Yes, there are special cases in which the Third Faculty accepts students without the need for an entrance exam:
Students who took the A-level examinations (after 2022/2023) in English language, Chemistry, Biology and minimum results of A, A, B
Results of International Baccalaureate (IB) (from the academic year 2023/2024) in Area 4 (Experimental Sciences) with Chemistry, Biology and English language, all in Higher Level: Total – minimum sum of points from the given 3 subjects: 19
SAT in Biology, Chemistry, English language (2023/2024): Overall minimum score: 85 percentile
Study average of school leaving exams subjects (applicants graduating from germany in 2024/2025 secondary education in Germany): better than 1,30
The applicant is a graduate of an accredited bachelor's degree program in the field of natural or health sciences at a foreign university.
The applicant must not have graduated from this study program before the 2019/2020 academic year.
Tuition Fee - How much does it cost?
The tuition fee is 420 000kč (czech crowns) per academic year, which is about 19 000$ or 16 800€.
Placing the faculty first as the most affordable option for studying medicine in Prague.
Support System
The application process is simple. It consists of the following steps:
Step 1: Submit an Online Application form.
Step 2: Pass an entrance exam and interview (on a predefined date).
Step 3: Prepare and send all your documentation to the faculty and get ready to start the best years of your life in Prague.
Can I apply wihtout an entrance exam? Yes, there are special cases in which the Third Faculty accepts students without the need for an entrance exam:
Students who took the A-level examinations (after 2022/2023) in English language, Chemistry, Biology and minimum results of A, A, B
Results of International Baccalaureate (IB) (from the academic year 2023/2024) in Area 4 (Experimental Sciences) with Chemistry, Biology and English language, all in Higher Level: Total – minimum sum of points from the given 3 subjects: 19
SAT in Biology, Chemistry, English language (2023/2024): Overall minimum score: 85 percentile
Study average of school leaving exams subjects (applicants graduating from germany in 2024/2025 secondary education in Germany): better than 1,30
The applicant is a graduate of an accredited bachelor's degree program in the field of natural or health sciences at a foreign university.
The applicant must not have graduated from this study program before the 2019/2020 academic year.