Living in Olomouc

Accommodation facilities of Palacký University Olomouc have two main campuses, two dormitories outside the main area, and one hostel for university guests. Two main campuses are The Envelopa Campus and The Neředín Campus. Both campuses have specific characteristics based on the needs of students. The Envelopa Campus is closer to the downtown of Olomouc, whereas the Neředín Campus is on the outskirts.

Once you arrive at the dormitories, you will be asked to sign a housing contract and pay a deposit for the accommodation. However, it does not have to be paid immediately. You can pay the deposit within the first week. Make sure you pay all the costs (deposit and monthly rent) on time, or you will be put on a list of debtors, which can result in eviction.

The information about university housing options can be found at Accommodation and Dining page. If you are interested in booking a room at the dormitories, we recommend you visit the Accommodation Booking. 

The Envelopa Campus:

• Generál Svoboda Dormitory
• J. L. Fischera Dormitory
• Bedřich Václavek Dormitory
• Šmeralova Dormitory
• 17. listopadu Dormitory

The Neředín Campus:

• Neředín I Dormitory
• Neředín II Dormitory
• Neředín III Dormitory
• Neředín IV Dormitory

Accommodation outside the main campuses:

• Evžen Rošický Dormitory
• Chválkovice Dormitory
• Vančura Hostel (for university guests and teachers)

This responsibility does not apply to students under 26 years of age staying at the UP dormitory (if you are staying in a flat, the fee is usually included in the rent, but check with your landlord to make sure).

If it is mandatory for you to pay the waste management municipal fee, please download the form and carefully read all the information. In 2023, the fee is 804 CZK per year.

How to do it:
1. step - Fill out the form 

• form (in Czech)
• form (in English)

2. step - send the form as an attachment and the text below as the corpus of the email to address: podatelna@olomouc.eu

• text for the e-mail (in Czech)

3. step - Wait for a response stating the amount and the payment method, and follow the instruction.

If you have any further questions, please contact the Municipality Office, Waste management office at 14 Palackého Street, NAMIRO building.

It is obligatory for all foreigners staying in Olomouc for more than 90 days to pay the waste management municipal fee. 

This responsibility does not apply to students under 26 years of age staying at the UP dormitory (if you are staying in a flat, the fee is usually included in the rent, but check with your landlord to make sure).

If it is mandatory for you to pay the waste management municipal fee, please download the form and carefully read all the information. In 2023, the fee is 804 CZK per year.

How to do it:
1. step - Fill out the form 

• form (in Czech)
• form (in English)

2. step - send the form as an attachment and the text below as the corpus of the email to address: podatelna@olomouc.eu

• text for the e-mail (in Czech)

3. step - Wait for a response stating the amount and the payment method, and follow the instruction.

If you have any further questions, please contact the Municipality Office, Waste management office at 14 Palackého Street, NAMIRO building.

• Group no. 1 (CZE)
• Group no. 2 (CZE)
• Group no. 3 (ENG)

• Vojtareality.cz
• Seznamreality.cz
• Remax-cze.cz
• Reality-olomouc.cz
• Ulovdomov.cz

• Nezvalova Archa
• Theresian hotel
• Clarion Congress Hotel
• Long Story Short Hostel
• Hotel Trinity

Canteens supervised under the administration of Palacký University Olomouc offer a wide range of hot meals featuring Czech and foreign cuisine. Canteens also provide baked pizzas and variations of vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free meals. Students, academic workers and guests are able to choose between soups, salads, desserts and current canteen offerings. Personnel of canteen is also able to wrap the meal for take away.

Apart from canteens, you can also enjoy Fresh UP bistros. The good news is that you can use your ISIC card to pay in the bistros, the same as at the canteens. A list of all canteens and more information on how to order a meal is provided on the website of UP canteens.

Olomouc is a city that thrives thanks to its complex structure of restaurants and cafés. As it composes of a great variety of restaurants and cafes, it would be surprising if one would not find nourishment regarding their preferences. You can reach for TripAdvisor to see some of the most popular places.        

We are presenting some of the restaurants, cafes and other options to satisfy the appetite of every type of customer. If you prefer to stay in and enjoy a calm evening or weekend, you can always order food and groceries online.

• Long Story Short Eatery and Bakery
• Entree Restaurant
• Potrefená Husa
• U Sv. Mořice
• U Červeného Volka

And many more basically at every corner...

• Coffee Library
• Long Story Short Café
• Pikola Café
• Miss Sophie's
• KiKafe

And many more basically at every corner...

Easy ordering is possible through mobile apps, allowing you to choose from a variety of restaurants. These apps are available in multiple languages for your convenience. Additionally, you can save money by looking out for discounts and deals, especially when referred by a friend.

Top Apps:

• Foodora (IOS, Android)
• Bolt Food (IOS, Android)
• Wolt (IOS, Android)
• Rohlik.cz
• Albertdomuzdarma.cz

If you are an EU resident, it is recommended that you have all the documents prepared in English or Czech (so that the process of opening a bank account does not meet any inconsistencies).

Be prepared to provide:

• Passport
• Mobile phone (Czech number)
• E-mail address
• Place of birth
• Permanent address (home country)
• Contact address in the Czech Republic (for credit card delivery)
• Proof of studies not older than 30 days

If you are a non-EU resident, it is recommended that you have all the documents prepared in English or Czech (so that the process of opening a bank account does not meet any inconsistencies).

Be prepared to provide:

• Passport
• Mobile phone (Czech number)
• E-mail address
• Place of birth
• Permanent address (home country)
• Contact address in the Czech Republic (for credit card delivery)
• Proof of studies not older than 30 days
• Long-term visa or Permanent/Long-term residence permit

If you are waiting for a residence document receival, you need a confirmation of fulfillment of the conditions for issuing a long-term residence permit (issued by the MOI) (not Visa) - this confirmation must not be older than 65 days. Some of the banks (Raiffeisenbank or EquaBank) will not need a residency permit and will accept visa as well.

• Česká spořitelna
• ČSOB
• Commercial Bank (KB)
• MONETA Money Bank
• Fio Bank
• Raiffeisenbank

The process of acquiring a Czech SIM card is simple. A customer should be able to provide some of the documents declaring his identity and further information to the mobile phone services provider. It is also possible to buy pre-paid SIM cards from newsagents and supermarkets that provide some amount of internet data and calling minutes. The costs of pre-paid SIM cards and monthly tariffs may not be the same. It also depends on the amount of internet data and calling minutes. Average tariff costs are between 400 to 1000 CZK per month.

These are three main providers in the Czech Republic:

• Vodafone
• O2 Czech Republic
• T-Mobile

Examples of smaller operating services:

• Sazka mobile
• Tesco mobile
• Mobil.cz
• Kaktus

As a foreigner, you can apply for a driving licence in the Czech Republic. Firstly, you need to attend a course at a driving school. The course and the final exam usually can be passed also in English, Russian or German. You can apply for a course at driving school if you

• are over 18 years of age
• fill in the official application form at a driving school
• bring the medical report on your fitness to drive a motor vehicle

After you finish the course and pass the exam, you can apply for a driving licence. The licence is issued at the municipal office of the municipality with extended powers according to your place of residence. A list of all 206 authorities can be found here.

Conditions for issuing a driving licence

1. identity card
2. document proving your usual residence (= place, where you live at least 185 days a year due to personal ties). This you can confirm by:

• confirmation of temporary stay
• certificate of study
• lease agreement for real estate
• extract from the real estate cadastre confirming ownership rights to the real estate
• confirmation of employment or extract from the trade register

3. proof of professional competence issued by the driving school (not older than 6 months)
4. medical report on your fitness to drive a motor vehicle
5. driving licence (if you just need to extend your driving licence for another type of vehicle)

Usually, within 20 days after the application is submitted, you will get an international driving licence, which is valid in the territory of the European Union and European Economic Area countries and other states according to international agreements.

If you apply for a driving licence of categories B, B1, AM, A1, A2, A or T, the licence will be valid for 10 years. If you apply for a driving licence of categories C1, C, D1, D, C1+E, C+E, D1+E or D+E, the licence will be valid for 5 years.

More information about the whole process you will find here.

EU Citizens

In the Czech Republic, you can use your valid national driving licence, only if you:

• are a citizen of the member country of the European Union (EU)
• possess a driving licence from the EU
• have a place of residence in the Czech Republic

You can apply at the relevant office of the municipality for a driving licence in the Czech Republic, which would replace your driving licence in the EU.

Non-EU Citizens
A holder of a valid driving licence issued by a foreign country may drive in the Czech Republic with

A. foreign driving licence, which

• is issued under the Convention on Road Traffic (Geneva 1949, Vienna 1968)
• is valid

If you have a driving licence corresponding to the above conditions issued by the non-EU country and you have permanent or temporary residence in the Czech Republic for a period longer than 1 year, you have to ask the relevant office to replace your driving licence with the Czech one. This step has to be done from your side within 3 months of the day when the mentioned type of residence was permitted to you. If your licence doesn’t correspond to the Conventions, you have to visit the Department of the Agenda of Drivers and Motor Vehicles of the municipal office of the municipality with extended powers. Office workers will discuss the issue with you and ask you to do a final exam in the driving school. It means that you don’t have to attend the whole course, just the exam. After you pass it, you can get a Czech driving licence.

B. international driving licence, which

• is issued under the Convention on Road Traffic (Geneva 1949, Vienna 1968)
• is valid

If there are doubts about the validity of the driving licence from the side of the office of the municipality with extended powers, the office will contact the representative of the country, where the licence was issued.

You can ask for a replacement if:

• your licence was damaged, stolen, destroyed, or lost – note that only Czech and international driving licences (issued by the member state of the European Union or the European Economic Area) can be replaced in the Czech Republic; in case of foreign driving licence, you have to contact the embassy of the state in which the driving licence was issued
• the validity of your current licence will expire within 3 months or has already expired
• you have changed the data recorded in the licence (i.e. change of surname)
• the foreign driving licence was issued by a foreign country and you have permanent or temporary residence in the Czech Republic for a period longer than 1 year – this is a mandatory step!
• your driving licence was issued by a member state of the European Union or the European Economic Area and you have a usual residence in the territory of the Czech Republic – see international driving licence – the replacement isn’t mandatory
• your driving licence, which was issued by a member state of the European Union or the European Economic Area, was damaged, stolen, destroyed or lost and you have your usual residence in the Czech Republic

Replacement of driving licence

The application for the replacement of your driving licence has to be submitted in person at the municipal office of the municipality with extended powers according to your place of residence. A list of all 206 authorities can be found here. In Olomouc, the replacement is done by the Department of the Agenda of drivers and Motor Vehicles at Vejdovského Street 2, 2^nd floor. The fees you can pay at the cash office at the same address. More information about opening hours can be found here.

For the replacement of the driving licence, you have to bring the following documents:

• identity card
• document proving your usual residence
• filled and signed driving issue application – should be provided in the municipal office of the municipality with extended powers or printed by the officer, when dealing with the issue
• the driving licence, the replacement of which is requested

If you apply for a driving licence of categories B, B1, AM, A1, A2, A or T, the licence will be valid for 10 years. If you apply for a driving licence of categories C1, C, D1, D, C1+E, C+E, D1+E or D+E, the licence will be valid for 5 years.

More information about the whole process of replacement of the driving licence in the Czech Republic can be found on the Portal of the Ministry.

When changing the data in the driving licence, the administrative fee is 200 CZK. Your new driving licence will be ready within 20 days. If the application is required to be processed within 5 working days, the administrative fee is 700 CZK. There is no charge for issuing a new driving licence if the licence expires. If your Czech or international driving licence was damaged, lost, stolen or destroyed, the fee for the new licence is 200 CZK. If you would like to replace your Czech or international driving licence, the fee is also 200 CZK. However, if you are obliged to replace your foreign driving licence, as mentioned above,there is no fee included.

In Olomouc, all fees can be paid at the cash office at Vejdovského Street 2.

The ISIC (International Student Identity Card) card is the most practical item for all students. It allows cardholders to get student discounts for transport, restaurants, cinemas, museums, exhibitions and concerts. In principle, students coming to Czechia should obtain an ISIC card at their home university or in their home country.

More details on how to obtain the ISIC at Palacký University can be found at the ID Cards section. It is also possible to apply for the ISIC card at the official ISIC website.

For more information, please see part ''Public transport''.

The Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs manages two employment search portals:

1. Labour Office – jobs for foreigners is a national register for job vacancies managed by the Labour office - Database search
2. The basic role of EURES network (EURopean Employment Services) is to facilitate the international mobility of workforce - Database search

Besides the Labour Office attempting to accumulate all job vacancies – as listed below – there is no central registry you can go to, to learn about job openings. Perhaps the most comprehensive is the English version of the jobs.cz server.

Other popular job search servers include expats.cz/jobs, jobspin.cz and acjobs.cz for more multilingual jobs, executivejob.cz for management career opportunities, itjobs.cz for IT professionals and global monster.cz. Job vacancies for (not only) French-speakers are also available through a project of the French Embassy czechemploi.fr.

Opportunities offered through social media are also worth mentioning. Job-seeking Facebook groups for foreigners in Czechia such as „Jobs for foreigners in the Czech Republic“ or „Remote jobs for foreigners in Czech Republic“ could be helpful as well.