Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

Exceptional, especially outside the classroom. Past Review

By (Middlebury College) - abroad from 02/06/2017 to 05/21/2017 with

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

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
It was incredibly worthwhile. Learning is mostly about different cultures.

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? None

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

From a classroom perspective it was average. I had one excellent professor/ class and the others were ok.

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

They were very nice people.

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

Housing was decent but it seems that the landlords the program set us up with charged us more than market rates.

* Food:

Food in Prague is very good.

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

They did a pretty good job with this. I felt more integrated than I expected.

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

I didn't have any experiences with healthcare.

* Safety:

I always felt safe.

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

Prague is the perfect city to study abroad in.

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 really cheap.

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 100
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Cook

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

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? Just do the work in class. Professors are really good.

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?
  • Easy to travel
  • Cheap
  • Central location
* What could be improved?
  • Professors
  • Administrative efficiency
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Classes are not the greatest.

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 Networker
An active student leader, it was important for you to network abroad as well. Once overseas, you sought out student clubs, volunteered with local organizations, or attended community events. You encouraged your friends join you, and often considered how you could reflect your international experiences in a resume.

Individual Course Reviews

Course Name/Rating:

Comprehending the Holocaust
Course Department: Humanities
Instructor: Michal Plzak
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Best class at UPCES by far.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Elementary Czech
Course Department: Languages
Instructor: Zuzana
Instruction Language:
Comments: Much better than I expected it to be. It was very situation based which was good because we were there a short time relatively speaking.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

European Integration
Course Department: Political Science
Instructor: Benes Vit
Instruction Language: English
Comments: I had such high hopes for this class because the subject matter is interesting but the class is basically just a 3 hour lecture with limited structure.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Environmental Economics
Course Department: Economics
Instructor:
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Solid class. It was informative but got a bit boring at times.
Credit Transfer Issues:
Course Name/Rating:

Prague as a living history
Course Department: history
Instructor: Vera
Instruction Language: English
Comments: Really good class. It was interesting to walk to many places in Prague I otherwise may not have seen.
Credit Transfer Issues: