Program Reviews

Having never travelled overseas before, let alone lived in a new and unfamiliar country, CET Prague opened up an entire world of future plans and experiences to me. I initially enrolled in this program because I could tailor my course schedule to my academic needs and interests as a Political Science major and History minor with an unfulfilled Arts credit, and I was excited to visit a new area of the world. Leaving the program, I had not only satisfied my academic and internship needs, but had acquired basic skills in a new language, a rich understanding of a new culture and history, and a city that I can always return to as a second home. CET Prague's best perks are the relatively small program size, the beautiful location of the academic building, the local faculty and roommates, and the priceless traveling seminar opportunities. On the other hand, you may find yourself stuck in a drab and overcrowded apartment forty minutes from class, which is either a plus (getting to live in a residential area outside of the noisy and tourist-saturated downtown, plus 3-4 potential new friends) or a minus (long commute, not very comfortable, plus 3-4 potential new enemies) depending on your point of view. Likewise, the academic building and national library's hours can be hard to plan around if you need a quiet and comfortable space away from home to study after classes (which can run late into the evening). Of course, studying abroad comes with certain anticipated discomforts if you are not used to travelling or living far from home, and you will quickly discover that your usual bad habits still follow you no matter where you are. As one such person, I do not think I had the "ideal" study abroad experience that some of my peers did - but with CET, I still had an incredible semester that I will never forget.

I took part in the 6-week Summer in Brazil program in 2023. I was staying in an apartment with 4 US students and one local Brazilian student in a well-located area. The program consisted of two 4-unit classes—Portuguese language and Contemporary Social Issues of Brazil—taught at the CET center by Brazilian professors. The courses were intensive but extremely rewarding. Everyone at CET was welcoming and helpful; there was a great sense of community. In addition to classes, there were extracurricular activities several times a week, including museums and city tours, that provided structure and plenty to do. The summer program is definitely intensive and group-oriented, but I found there was also plenty of time to explore the city on my own. Overall, I would highly recommend this program.

I enrolled in CET Taiwan during the spring semester of my sophomore year. Initially, I felt a bit overwhelmed since it was my first time traveling abroad on my own, however, I quickly adapted to life in Taipei. Even as a beginner speaker I was able to easily navigate public transportation, which CET covers. My only criticism is that classes are very fast paced, so retaining information from past lessons might be an issue. Additionally, housing is left up to chance. Although I was lucky enough to live in an Airbnb close to campus, some of my friends had over a 30 minute commute. Overall, I really enjoyed my time in Taiwan. I had the opportunity to explore, form friendships, and create lasting memories that I will treasure for years to come.

I enrolled in the summer 2023 term of CET Taiwan (located in Taipei) as a recent college graduate, and I will continue with the program through its fall term. I tried to manage my expectations for my study abroad experience before arriving, and I can honestly say that all expectations were exceeded. I selected CET precisely because of how much effort the staff appeared to invest in cultivating a rich extracurricular experience for participants. After studying Mandarin for several years, I knew that mere classroom learning would not lead to fluency, and I wanted a program that would offer me plentiful opportunities to use Mandarin 1) outside of the classroom and 2) with locals. CET Taiwan did precisely that! Every week a newsletter is sent out to program participants that contains a host of extracurricular opportunities for that week, from classical operas and experimental circuses to cooking and musical instrument classes. All of these extracurriculars are led or taught by local organizations/partners, providing participants with a more authentic experience of Taipei and Taiwan as a whole. Additionally, I was very surprised to discover that CET Taiwan reimburses students for outings with their language partners (more on those later), participation in weekly classes in their community (such as music lessons), and personal cultural excursions.

I also appreciated the academic challenge of CET. All CET Taiwan students take classes through the Chinese Language Department at National Taiwan University, colloquially referred to as the "Harvard of Taiwan." I had a very positive academic experience, and though I am not yet fluent in Mandarin (I have realized that attaining fluency will be a lifelong journey), I have progressed in every area of the language, and I can credit much of that growth to being under the tutelage of my specific instructor. CLD has first-rate Mandarin teachers; thus, CET students more often than not have a first-rate academic experience. As someone who exclusively studied simplified Chinese characters before enrolling in CET Taiwan, the transition to traditional characters in (and outside of) the classroom can be frustrating at times, but my instructor was personally very patient and supportive through that process. Additionally, my instructor allowed me to complete homework assignments and assessments in simplified characters, and I'm grateful that I can now (somewhat) comfortably navigate both writing systems as a result of that dual learning arrangement.

I can also credit much of my growth to my weekly meet-ups with my local language partners, a special feature of all CET programs. Language partners are local college students that engage in language exchange with CET participants through weekly meet-ups organized by both individuals. I know some people that were unable to cultivate close relationships with their language partners, but I was fortunate enough to have two partners, both of whom were eager to meet several times per month with me. I look forward to continuing to nurture those relationships next term.

I also greatly appreciated the constant support of CET Taiwan staff. It's a small group, yet they always make themselves available to help students with all of their needs. From day 1, they are willing to answer calls and messages 24 hours a day.

Finally, my housing situation this term does not warrant any complaints. All CET students are assigned to off-campus apartments with other CET participants, as well as one or two local roommates. It was safe, comfortable, and incredibly conveniently located. Some CET students are assigned to apartments much farther from the NTU campus, but there are benefits in that too, as those students were able to become familiar with and establish roots in another district/area of Taipei.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this program to any college students or recent graduates that want to challenge themselves personally and academically, improve their Mandarin fluency, and experience the beauty and wonder of Taiwan. 加油！

Overall, a great experience. I lucked out with housing, because it had modern amenities, great local location, and easy to commute. I know some others who had roommate issues/ housing headaches, and some others who lived nearer to campus— but overall I was very happy with my placement. The actual program focuses on cultural activities and local learning, which is something I wanted— I would only say that it's best for more beginner/ intermediate learners than more advanced (ICLP might have a more fitting curriculum, in that case). I would also say that most students who choose CET are other Americans, and if you really want to engage with local friends, make an effort! You do have the time, you just have to be willing to venture out yourself more. I think during the semester program it's easier to make NTU friends versus the summer (when everyone's away). If you're looking for a program with more flexibility/ freedom to explore the city rather than more structured learning, then CET makes sense.

I honestly had an amazing time while staying in Taiwan and I really felt like I learned a lot. The program can get overwhelming and a bunch of students had major burnout by the end, but I think we all appreciated how much we learned. We get reimbursed for certain activities we do during our stay, but some of us thought we would have preferred paying out of pocket and just having a lower program cost. Housing is a kind of 'luck of the draw' in terms of quality and location. Lots of pressure in the last week as you have to move out immediately after you take your finals.

My experience in Italy and Siena specifically was a remarkable one. I had the opportunity to explore different regions in Italy and learn more about the culture and art history of each location. The art was rich and beautiful, and as an art major, it is the most crucial aspect that helped to better my experience in Italy. In addition, the art history class I took while staying in Siena also enhanced my knowledge of Siena and its past particularly, as well as the region of Tuscany (Pienza, San Gimignano, and Monte Oliveto Maggiore).

Studying abroad in Prague, Czech Republic with CET Academic Programs was definitely one of the best decisions I have made in my entire life. I loved being immersed in the country's rich history and culture, and I was thankful for CET's support while I became more acclimated to life in the city.

Coming here as a political science major, I found that many of the classes helped me to fulfill requirements and expose me to new topics I had never approached back in the US. I found all of my classes very interesting and engaging, though they were definitely less rigorous than my classes at my home institution. All of my classes were made up of 5-12 CET students, taught in English (except for Czech—that was a good mix of the two languages), and held at the CET Academic Center in the city center (Prague 1). We used the city of Prague itself as our classroom too; we would often visit sites of cultural and historical significance during our class time. Our learning expanded beyond the city limits as well, as CET arranged for both day trips (Lidice and Terezín were particularly impactful) as well as longer excursions (the academic travel seminars to Poland, Austria, and Hungary were incredibly enriching). The professors at CET are excellent, and you can really tell that they enjoy working with the students.

The program coordinators who work in the Prague office are amazing as well—kind, considerate, and always willing to help ensure you make the most of your experience. I just wish the office had been better prepared to handle COVID-19 cases. When I tested positive mid-way through the semester, there seemed to be no game plan whatsoever. Where do my roommates go while I quarantine? Do I stay in my apartment even? Do I need to get a PCR test? Can I go out in public with a mask, or do I need to isolate completely? Everyone seemed to have different answers, and I was disappointed that there was no comprehensive plan.

CET's housing, overall, was lacking. We were promised apartments in the city center, but in actuality, we were placed further out in the Nusle neighborhood of Prague 4 and had a ~22-minute tram ride commute to the Academic Center. The apartment complex itself was adequate, but it certainly did not match the photos of the spacious apartments boasting lots of natural light that CET posted on their website. Perhaps those apartments were reserved for the FAMU students up in the Vinohrady neighborhood in Prague 2? The building, mostly reserved for just CET students, would be out of hot water at least once a month, the laundry machines broke on multiple occasions, and we had issues with the wifi almost every single day. Despite this, I did enjoy living in the same complex as all of my friends and classmates. We formed a community of our own, often asking each other for advice on where to buy certain items or if we could borrow things from each other. I also loved that CET assigned local Czech students to live with us in our apartments. They helped us adjust to life in the city by teaching us how to navigate public transportation, shop for groceries, and aid us with our Czech.

Prague is such a beautiful city, and CET made it very easy for us to get around. Transportation passes that allowed us unlimited access to the tram, bus, and metro systems were included with the cost of the program. Prague's public transportation was efficient, very clean, and safe. Definitely better than anything in the States! I also found myself loving all of the cafés, restaurants, and bars throughout the city. Compared the US, everything here was very affordable. Prague is certainly a more budget-friendly destination. It also is a great jumping-off point to explore other countries in Europe due to its central location.

As I mentioned earlier, all of our classes were very small because CET Prague is a smaller program overall. We had about 40 students in total, and while I liked the more intimate classroom setting with less people, I sometimes felt that the social dynamics of the program were clique-y and exclusionary.

Despite some of the bumps along the way, I really enjoyed my time abroad with CET. I made memories that will last me a lifetime, and I hope that I can return to Prague someday soon.

Overall the CET Brazil program was a wonderful opportunity. I think this program is unique because of the focus on social justice. The content and teaching of the courses offered by CET were incredible and I learned so much during my time. PUC also has a ton of great courses students can take, and I highly recommend enrolling if you can! I also recommend that students do some work on their own before they arrive, confronting their biases and studying power structures and privilege within their home and globally. CET provides co- and extra-curricular activities that go hand-in-hand with the course materials. It is important to know that things can happen slowly and then all of a sudden, so be understanding and prepared for that. I would recommend that students be self-sufficient but also recognize that they have to work within the rules and structures of the program. Also important to note is that there are some courses that are mandatory to take at CET and there is an emphasis on group activities, so if you are looking for a more independent program this may not be it, but there is room for doing things on your own, you'll just have to make some of those opportunities for yourself. I think that if you're considering studying abroad this is a great option to consider!

I was part of the Spring 2022 cohort, the first group after (but really during) covid. Although our group only had six people and we were not able to take direct enrollment classes, the program was still very fun and I learned so much from my experiences not only in the classroom, but outside the classroom as well. During the week we had excursions to different places, but the highlight for me was the traveling seminar to Salvador, Bahia. It allowed me to see different cultural similarities and differences between regions in Brazil, and put into perspective specific topics we learned in class about social inequality and racial democracy in Brazil. Since the program, I’ve been back to Brazil three or four times just to visit the friends I made and revisit my favorite places. I definitely recommend this program, you won’t regret it :)