Overview
The apprenticeship certificate (výuční list) is awarded in the Czech Republic to students of vocational fields who pass the final exam (závěrečná zkouška) at a secondary school. The exam is organised by the school, but schools can use national exam assignments (jednotné zadání) prepared by CERMAT, the national centre for assessing educational results.
The methodology below is from the 2023/2024 school year. The exam structure and the national assignments are updated each year, so check the current CERMAT pages before you rely on a detail.
Exam pattern
In fields that lead to the výuční list the final exam has 3 separately graded exams. A student passes the final exam only by passing all of them.
| Exam | What it is | Time limits (2023/2024 methodology) |
|---|---|---|
| Written | Written exam, on paper or on a computer. Tasks come from a bank of tasks grouped by area (for example technology, materials, machines, calculations). Some fields also include a test. | At most 240 minutes |
| Practical | Practical exam from vocational training, on a task from the national assignment, at the school or at a partner workplace. | At most 3 days, and at most 7 hours a day. Arts and applied arts fields: 2 to 4 weeks. |
| Oral | The student draws one topic from 25 to 30 topics chosen by the school director. | Up to 15 minutes, after at least 15 minutes of preparation |
Extra details:
Each oral topic also carries one question from the world of work. It covers general work and civic experience, such as work contracts and personal finance, not specialist theory. It is answered in 2 to 4 minutes and can change the grade by at most one grade.
The practical exam can include a school part set by the school. Like the question from the world of work, it can move the grade by at most one grade.
Some fields use an independent professional work (samostatná odborná práce, SOP), a written complex task. The national assignment for category E fields does not include it.
The national assignments distinguish category H and category E fields. Category E fields are aimed at students with support measures and set lower theory demands, easier criteria and more stress on workplace safety.
Marking and results
Tasks use point-based criteria that are converted into a grade. A student receives the failing grade 5 if they do not reach these shares of the points.
| Exam | Category H fields | Category E fields |
|---|---|---|
| Written | 45% | 30% |
| Practical | 50% | 40% |
If the student fails the professional part of an oral topic, the grade is 5 even if the question from the world of work is answered correctly.
Important dates
According to the CERMAT calendar for vocational (výuční list) fields:
The main final exam is held in June, on dates set by the school director.
Resit and make-up exams are in September, December and June, on dates set by the school director or the exam board.
National assignments for the June sitting are made available in March, for the September sitting in August, and for the December sitting in October to November.
Topics for independent professional work are announced in September.
Preparation tips
Ask your school for its chosen topics for the oral exam and the list of questions from the world of work. The questions from the world of work are published in the methodology.
Practise the computer-based written exam at least once or twice before the exam if your school uses it.
Is the final exam the same in every school?
The structure of 3 exams is the same, but the school director chooses topics and sets the dates. Many schools use the national assignments from CERMAT.
Can I retake a part I failed?
Resit exams are held in September, December and June.