Government of the Czech Republic-Ministry for Education, Youth and Sports - Free Movers Programme

What the Free Movers Programme gives you

The ‘Free Movers’ programme allows you to organise a study period at almost any university abroad on your own initiative, independently of fixed exchange programmes such as Erasmus+. You choose the university, decide on the duration of your stay yourself and agree your own study plan, so you are not tied to a predefined list of partner universities. Charles University in Prague (Univerzita Karlova) runs the programme. If you study there, you can apply to the Mobility Fund (Fond Mobility) for a grant of approximately 370 EUR to cover your stay. In return, you’ll have to sort out the paperwork: you organise the entire trip yourself, including the application, documentation and funding, so this requires more effort than a pre-arranged programme.

Who can apply

• Enrolment: To receive the grant from the Mobility Fund, you must be a full-time student at the University of Karlsruhe (undergraduate, postgraduate or doctoral).
• Where you go: You choose the foreign university yourself, provided it is not already part of an existing exchange or cooperation programme run by Karls University.
• Length of stay: Your stay must be for at least 30 days. Shorter stays of up to 29 days are only funded for PhD students.
• Field of study: Open to all subjects.
• Nationality: All nationalities can apply.
• Coming to Prague instead: If you are an international student wishing to study at Charles University as a ‘free mover’, please apply directly to one of the university’s 17 faculties. The faculty will decide on your admission and the associated conditions, such as whether you are required to pay tuition fees.

How to apply

You arrange the placement directly with your chosen university and prepare the application yourself; you should start this at least 12 months in advance. Students at Charles University apply for the grant from the Mobility Fund via the IS Veda UK online system. In 2026, you can apply from 1 February to 13 March for the summer term and from 1 October to 30 October for the winter term.

How realistic are your chances?

This is a framework programme designed to help you organise your own stay, rather than a competitive scholarship. There are therefore no exclusion criteria, provided that you, as a student at Charles University, take the necessary steps yourself. The real hurdles are the time and money involved: you have to take care of every step yourself, and the grant is modest, so you will probably need additional financial resources. If you start early and draw up a clear plan, it is certainly feasible.