Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

The best three months of my life. February 18, 2026

By (History, Middlebury College) - abroad from 09/08/2025 to 12/11/2025 with

AEP: Academic Experience in Prague

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned so much gaining a lot of life experience travelling and living in a different country that made it worthwhile.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

Overall good experience with my courses and professors. Structure made sense and grading was fair.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The nicest people so caring and supportive throughout our whole semester.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I was blessed to be in the heart of Old Town Prague and miss that place so much.

* Food:

The cheapest grocceries I've ever seen and very lean and healthier than back in the states. Not the biggest fan of Czech food and envy my three friends that were abroad in Florence.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I didn't interact with too many locals but I walked by and saw many forms of politcial gatherings and also embraced their beer culture and hockey games.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I had an allergic reaction in late October and the staff of AEP were so helpful in making sure I was assisted properly. Huge thanks to Katerina who had scheduled appoitments for me to be seen.

* Safety:

Felt so safe in Prague and never felt in danger for a second.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

AEP has an incredible supportive staff where you can take interesting courses in English in one of the best cities and in the heart of Europe.

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Worked 3 jobs over the summer to make the semester possible and also had help from parents but all the travelling added up for sure.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Around 500 a week including food, housing, and travelling
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Double/Triple check to make sure you don't make mistakes with booking trips and dates. Cook as much as you can if you have a kitchen.

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

While the program did encourage me to use Czech I wasn't very good at it and was incredibly different with no prior experience.

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Beginner
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? Honors Spanish in high school
How many hours per day did you use the language? 0
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? N/A

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
  • International Students
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • The two weeks of orientation before class
  • The staff
  • Being in Prague
* What could be improved?
  • Week off from classes during Thaksgiving so I could have spent more time with my parents who visited.
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? I wish I journaled and wrote every day about my experiences and memories I was making.

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.
The Avid Adventurer
The wardrobe you packed was better suited for a semester of camping than club hopping. Outdoorsy, you might forgo a crazy night out for an early all-day adventure. You'd rather take in the rich culture of an old town than the metropolis of a modern city, but for you getting off the grid is ideal.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Czech History in Context: Narratives and Memories
Course Department: History
Instructor: Dr. Adéla Muchová
Instruction Language: English
Comments: A very engaging course that was tought by a Czech woman who was very kind and also very knowledgable on her countries' nearly 1,300 year history. What I loved most about the course was the first 1 and a half of class was learning about a specific century in Czech history then the last half would be walking around locations and musuems in Prague hearing all about their rich history.
Credit Transfer Issues: