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The largest year-on-year increase in applications after the first round of admissions this year was recorded by the Faculty of Education, which received 4,800 applications. This is the highest number in the past 19 years. The faculty has seen growing interest across its teacher-training programs, including subjects that have long faced a shortage of qualified teachers, such as mathematics, computer science, and physics.“We waived the entrance examination for these specializations, which certainly encouraged more applicants. I believe that the doubling of application numbers will also be reflected in the number of students who actually enroll in these programs this autumn,” explained Pavel Mentlík, Dean of the Faculty of Education.

Interest is also increasing in the traditionally strong programs offered by the Faculty of Economics, the Ladislav Sutnar Faculty of Design and Art, and the Faculty of Arts. At the Faculty of Economics, applicants are particularly interested in Business Economics and Management, while at the Faculty of Arts, International Relations and Area Studies remain the most popular programs. “We are pleased that applicants are seeking studies that will help them understand today’s world in its broader social and cultural contexts. We also have a significant surplus of applicants for programs such as Social Work, Humanities and History,” said Tereza Šlehoferová, Dean of the Faculty of Arts.

The University’s technical faculties – the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and the Faculty of Electrical Engineering — have also reported higher application numbers than in the same period last year. Applicants have shown a strong interest in the new Environmental Engineering and Technologies program at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, which attracted 55 applicants in its first year. “Today’s young people want to study engineering in a broader context. Topics such as sustainability, materials management and the circular economy are rapidly becoming part of industrial practice, and companies are actively looking for graduates with this profile,” explained Vladimír Duchek, Dean of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering.

Interest in the Faculty of Law and the Faculty of Health Care Studies has remained consistently high. Each faculty has received approximately 2,000 applications. “Demographic trends are the main driver behind the increase. Around 5,450 children were born in the Pilsen Region in 2005, 5,800 in 2006, and 6,200 in 2007. This cohort is now applying to universities. However, marketing activities, outreach to secondary schools, and innovations in study programs have also certainly played an important role. Without these efforts, applicants might have chosen other universities,” said Jiří Kohout, Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs at the University of West Bohemia.

Record interest has also been reported by the Kinanthropology program in Karlovy Vary, which will welcome first-year students for the third time this September. A total of 101 applicants have applied for the upcoming academic year.

Despite strong demand for many study programs, several faculties are considering opening a second admissions round. Information about the programs offered will be gradually made available during the summer months through the university’s online application system.

Number of applications submitted as of 31 May: