Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Fall Semester in Prague Past Review

By (Middlebury College) - abroad from 09/09/2019 to 12/16/2019 with

IEF - International Economics and Finance Program (CERGE-EI, Charles University)

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
It was worthwhile overall. I learned about the challenges of living in a new place and the value of speaking the language.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 1 month - 6 months

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

They offer very challenging as well as easy classes, just depending on what you take. The professors can be very engaging or boring, it's hit or miss.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

Excellent staff and programming. Easy to enroll in classes, great orientation, and interesting day trips and outings.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Our apartment was really nice and the landlord was great to work with.

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

My UPCES classes were mostly Americans and the IES classes were mostly international, so I had to make a big effort to meet Czechs but was pretty successful.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

* Safety:

Prague and the region felt extremely safe, I never worried.

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

I liked the balance of independence and guidance from the program. I tend to be independent, but found I learned about the region and history through UPCES-sponsored activities. At the same time, I'm sure I could've been just as satisfied in many abroad programs.

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)

Prague is very cheap, and the program covered public transportation as well as provided fruit, coffee, and snacks.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? $100, including the gym membership
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Europeans are generous with student discounts so always ask! You should be able to use public transport to get anywhere, and you don't need to tip over 10%. Everything is pretty cheap.

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

I enjoyed my Czech class, but the program didn't otherwise engage us with the Czech language.

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? None
How many hours per day did you use the language?
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? Unless you have a specific reason to use Czech besides on the program, I would just make the most out of the Czech class and using Czech words around the city as much as possible.

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

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

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • The staff was very helpful
  • The school building was beautiful
  • Prague is an amazing setting
* What could be improved?
  • Better sense of courses ahead of registration
  • Let us choose our roommates
  • Better guidance for IES courses
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Grades are evaluated very differently at Charles University and on a different scale (an "A" is more like an "A+" in the US system and a "B" is more like an "A")

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

In Love with Power
Course Department: Political Science
Instructor: Lazaveric
Instruction Language: English
Comments: The course was demanding, but I loved the content and European perspective that our professor brought.
Credit Transfer Issues: Haven't yet transferred credit.
Course Name/Rating:

Ethics and Economics
Course Department: Institute of Economic Studies
Instructor: Cahlik
Instruction Language: English
Comments: The material was interesting, but the professor was difficult to understand and was unclear about assignments and expectations. The daily topic was not always addressed and topics were presented in a confusing way. Would only recommend to someone with prior knowledge of the field.
Credit Transfer Issues: Haven't yet transferred credit.
Course Name/Rating:

Topics in Industrial Organization
Course Department: Institute of Economic Studies
Instructor: Schwarz
Instruction Language: English
Comments: The course material was super interesting, and I enjoyed the speakers. However, the homework and essays didn't align with the course which made the assignments difficult to complete.
Credit Transfer Issues: Haven't yet transferred credit.
Course Name/Rating:

European American Relations in the 21st Century
Course Department: Political Science
Instructor: Zieleniec
Instruction Language: English
Comments: The professor was incredibly knowledgeable and I enjoyed the assignments. However, the lectures were dry and repetitive.
Credit Transfer Issues: Haven't yet transferred credit.