The school year starts on 1 September and ends on 31 August. It is divided into two semesters, and the main summer break is in July and August. The mandatory number of years a child must attend school is nine years, and this applies not only to Czech citizens but also to foreign nationals who live in the Czech Republic for more than 90 days.

Instruction at most schools takes place in Czech, and even children who are not yet fluent in Czech can attend them. Another option is to choose a school that offers combined instruction in Czech and a foreign language or to enrol the child in one of the international private schools.