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Lunches at several Czech universities will cost students roughly 20 crowns more starting April 1. The reason is a change in funding for public higher education institutions in 2026, as the existing support under indicator J, which had been used to subsidize student meals, has been removed from the budget. The change has sparked disagreement within academic circles and among student representatives, who warn of possible impacts on access to higher education.

At the University of West Bohemia in Pilsen, however, the price of student lunches will remain unchanged despite the funding shift. “We have decided not to increase lunch prices for our students. We are well aware that the cost of studying and everyday life is already high. We do not want to place an additional burden on students. The university will therefore cover the shortfall from its own resources this year, even though it unfortunately means that some planned expenditures will have to be postponed or spread over a longer period,” said the university’s rector, Miroslav Lávička. In the university’s 2026 budget, this amounts to just over 3 million crowns.

According to the rector, such a step cannot be taken for granted in the coming years. If the loss of this support continues, it will have to be factored into future budgets. “This could mean sustained pressure to limit certain investment plans or to find savings elsewhere within the university. Moreover, given the current international and economic situation, further increases in the cost of energy, food, and other inputs affecting catering operations cannot be ruled out,” added the university’s bursar, Martina Větrovská.