Czech Civics Exam — Civic Life and Institutions — Common Questions with Answers
5 min read
The Czech civics exam (zkouška z reálií) required for citizenship has 30 questions in 30 minutes, and you need 18 correct answers (60%) to pass. The questions are drawn from a public question bank divided into three areas — and by far the largest is civic life and institutions: roughly 16 of the 30 questions, more than half of the whole exam. The other two areas are geography (about 7 questions) and history and culture (about 7 questions).
This article is the first part of our three-part reálie series. If you're still finding out how the whole exam works (who has to take it, how questions are drawn, where it's held), start with the overview article What the Czech civics exam tests. Here we go deep into one area: what exactly "civic life and institutions" asks about and what those questions look like.
What the "civic life and institutions" area covers
The roughly 16 topics of this area can be grouped into a few clusters:
| Cluster | What to know |
|---|---|
| System of government | The Czech Republic is a parliamentary republic and a democratic state governed by the rule of law; separation of powers into legislative, executive and judicial |
| Constitutional bodies | the president (head of state, directly elected for 5 years), the government and prime minister, a two-chamber Parliament (Chamber of Deputies with 200 members, Senate with 81 senators), the Constitutional Court |
| Elections | the right to vote from age 18; types of elections (parliamentary, Senate, presidential, regional, municipal, European) |
| State symbols | the flag (white, red, blue wedge), the large and small state emblem, the anthem "Kde domov můj" |
| Everyday life | Czech as the official language, the Czech crown as the currency, emergency numbers (112, 150, 155, 158) |
| Schools and healthcare | 9 years of compulsory school attendance, public health insurance |
You don't need to know the details of the laws — the questions test basic orientation: who does what, how many of what there are, from what age, and which number to call.
Test yourself: 10 questions in the exam format
We keep the questions and answers in Czech — that's exactly how you'll see them at the exam (4 options, exactly 1 correct; ✓ marks the correct answer).
1. Jaké státní zřízení má Česká republika?
- A. konstituční monarchie
- B. parlamentní republika ✓
- C. prezidentská republika
- D. federace
The Czech Republic is a parliamentary republic — the government depends on the confidence of the Chamber of Deputies; the president is head of state but does not lead the government.
2. Na jak dlouho je volen prezident České republiky?
- A. na 4 roky
- B. na 5 let ✓
- C. na 6 let
- D. na 7 let
Since 2013 the president has been elected directly by citizens, for a 5-year term; the same person may be elected at most twice in a row.
3. Z kolika komor se skládá Parlament České republiky?
- A. z jedné
- B. ze dvou ✓
- C. ze tří
- D. ze čtyř
The Czech Parliament has two chambers: the Chamber of Deputies (200 members) and the Senate (81 senators).
4. Kolik senátorů má Senát Parlamentu ČR?
- A. 81 ✓
- B. 100
- C. 200
- D. 300
The Senate has 81 senators elected for 6 years; one third is elected every two years. The Chamber of Deputies has 200 members.
5. Kdo stojí v čele vlády České republiky?
- A. prezident republiky
- B. předseda Senátu
- C. předseda vlády ✓
- D. předseda Ústavního soudu
The government is headed by the prime minister (předseda vlády), appointed by the president. The government is the supreme body of executive power.
6. Od kolika let má občan České republiky právo volit?
- A. od 15 let
- B. od 16 let
- C. od 18 let ✓
- D. od 21 let
Czech citizens have the right to vote from the age of 18.
7. Na které telefonní číslo zavoláte Policii České republiky?
- A. 150
- B. 155
- C. 156
- D. 158 ✓
The Police of the Czech Republic use number 158. Firefighters have 150, the medical emergency service 155, and the single European emergency line is 112.
8. Kolik let trvá v České republice povinná školní docházka?
- A. 5 let
- B. 8 let
- C. 9 let ✓
- D. 12 let
Compulsory school attendance lasts 9 years — typically from age 6 to 15.
9. Ve kterém městě sídlí Ústavní soud České republiky?
- A. v Praze
- B. v Brně ✓
- C. v Ostravě
- D. v Plzni
The Constitutional Court sits in Brno — as do the Supreme Court and the Supreme Administrative Court. That's why Brno is called the "city of justice".
10. Jaké barvy má státní vlajka České republiky?
- A. bílou, červenou a modrou ✓
- B. bílou a červenou
- C. červenou, bílou a zelenou
- D. modrou, žlutou a červenou
The Czech flag has a white and a red horizontal stripe and a blue wedge at the hoist.
How to work with this area
- Start with the numbers and dates — 200 deputies, 81 senators, a 5-year presidential term, voting from 18, 9 years of school, the emergency numbers. These are exactly the facts people mix up most.
- Keep the roles apart: president = head of state, prime minister = head of government, Chamber of Deputies vs. Senate. The exam's wrong options target precisely these mix-ups.
- Practise in test format — our B1 practice pack includes reálie practice sets with the same interface as the real exam and an explanation for every answer.
- Continue with the next parts of the series: Czech geography and history and culture.
In short
The "civic life and institutions" area, with ~16 questions, makes up most of the reálie exam (30 questions / 30 minutes / pass mark 18). It tests basic orientation in the state system, constitutional bodies, elections, state symbols and practical life in the Czech Republic. The whole question bank is public — work through it systematically and nothing at the exam will surprise you. Answers to common organisational questions are also in our FAQ.
Note: Organisational conditions, fees and dates can change — always verify them on the official websites. This article is not legal advice. Last verified: 2026-07-28.
Official sources: cestina-pro-cizince.cz — citizenship · reálie question bank · reálie exam specification