Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

One of a kind experience! Past Review

By (Marketing., The College of New Jersey) - abroad from 09/08/2014 to 12/12/2014 with

UPCES - Study Abroad in Prague (CERGE-EI, Charles University)

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I gained a lot of valuable experiences from being abroad such as being able to conquer anything I set my mind to. It was worthwhile despite all the negatives. I always thought that going abroad I would make life-long friends and while I did make some life-long friends, I just felt that other friends who were studying abroad elsewhere shared their experiences with other students who were going abroad for similar reasons, the right reasons. Overall, it was totally worthwhile and I would do it again without thinking it twice!

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.

Great professors and the classes were interesting!

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

STEER FAR FAR FAR FAR AWAY from the Prague Classic Rental company. They are absolutely awful. Don't be fooled by their professional presentation or appearance. The contract was not followed and now I am dealing with troubles in getting my security deposit returned. The apartment was very nice but it was basically IKEA, soon after move-in many things began breaking, we lost hot water and water for a few days throughout the semester. The contract stated that we were supposed to get our deposit back 5 days after the release of the apartment. It took over a month! When the terms of the contract was brought up to a representative of the company she stated that there were "mistakes" with the contract from the very beginning. This is completely unacceptable because if there was a "mistake" with the contract the appropriate amendments should have been made. With that being said my roommates and I should not have to pay the consequences for THEIR mistakes and the contract should have been 100% adhered to. Furthermore, this is not the first time a problem with Prague Classic Rental has occurred and I guess UPCES doesn't really care and continues to do business with them and allow students to deal with them.

* Food:

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

You can become as integrated as you want. Study abroad is really what you make of it.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I personally didn't have any health issues come up during my stay in Prague. However, the UPCES program did give us plenty of information in the case of an issue.

* Safety:

SO SAFE! Felt more unsafe walking down NYC than ever once did in Prague.

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? No

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)

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? Roughly around $200, however anybody could live off less in a week in Prague. It really comes down to your personal spending habits and what you may be able to afford. I would say I spent a lot more than maybe most.
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Work hard the summer before! Buy in small quantities and go to the potraviny more often to avoid food going bad!

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? No

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 accessibility of staff members: Pavlina, Svetlana, & Jessica = OUTSTANDING staff members
  • Selection of classes
  • Excursions planned
* What could be improved?
  • Limiting # of students who come from one university
  • # of students going on trips could be minimized
  • Eliminating Prague Classic Rental
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? A lot of the students who were on this program weren't culturally sensitive and I felt that they were abroad for all the wrong reasons (partying, drinking, doing drugs). I also wish I knew that the worst mistake I would make was to sign a contract with Prague Classic Rental.

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.