Balkan, Eurasian and Central European Studies (BECES)

The program focuses on modern history, politics, and diplomacy, as well as social, cultural and economic problems of Central Europe, the Balkan Peninsula, and the post-Soviet area, including the Caucasus and Central Asia. It has two specializations: Balkan and Central European Studies or Russian and Eurasian Studies. You can study Greek, Russian, Polish, Czech, and other languages. You can become a regional expert on a specific territory and join international organizations and NGOs, diplomacy and state administration, media, the business sector, or pursue a career in academia.

early-bird: 28 February 2026

regular: 30 April 2026

Important note for visa-seeking students: Please read about the visa process before applying. You are responsible for organizing your legal stay in Czechia and the visa process can be quite lengthy. We therefore strongly recommend the early-bird deadline.

The program focuses on the unique and challenging political and social environment of the region. You might focus on either a single country or a whole region from a thematic angle, such as history, culture, political development, or environmental issues. To enhance your curriculum, you can choose between two regionally focused specializations: Balkan and Central European Studies and Russian and Eurasian Studies

Both specializations analyze and integrate the political, societal, economic, and cultural developments in the region and address broad thematic issues such as governance, security, nationalism, and ethnopolitical conflicts. They allow students to develop a blend of specialist area knowledge, analytical expertise, and language skills. 

The program is deliberately structured to take advantage of the multidisciplinary nature of our faculty, and you will be encouraged to make connections between different fields of study. As a student of BECES, you can study many languages connected to the region, from Greek through Russian or Polish to Czech.

The full curriculum of the program can be found here. For an overview, please click here.

Tuition fees:  3 500 EUR per year for EU and EEA students, 7 000 EUR per year for students from other countries

Click for more information about tuition fees and available scholarships.

Degree: Master’s

Form: single degree

Duration: 2 years

Language: English

Teaching: on campus

You will become a regional expert on a specific territory with a broad and deep knowledge of the field and a good command of one or two languages of the area. You will be capable of conceptual thinking, appreciating cultural diversity and open but critical understanding. You will be able to find positions related to the issues of the studied area in international organizations, NGOs, diplomacy, state administration, media, the business sector, or within academic and research institutions.

Admissions Team

Marcela Vrbatová

admissions@fsv.cuni.cz

Program Coordinator

Petra Baštová

study.ims@fsv.cuni.cz

Program Director

Tomáš Nigrin

tomas.nigrin@fsv.cuni.cz