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European Study Abroad Center

Why choose European Study Abroad Center?

The European Study Abroad Center (ESAC) offers top-notch programs over the summertime in Prague. They are the Eastern European experts for study abroad - whether your interests lie in historical sites, business networking opportunities, or weekend jaunts to neighboring countries, ESAC will help you get there.

All ESAC programs are accredited through the Prague University of Economics and available for up to 8 college credits. Find out more by checking out the European Study Abroad Center's website!

Website
www.goesac.com
Founded
2004

Reviews

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john
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

A great experience, good value and great support

This was a very good program. It was well-organized and the staff were helpful and friendly. It was a good balance of classes and cultural events and we had enough free time to travel on our own. I would recommend this program to anyone who wants to explore the Czech Republic at a fair price (and get 8 credits). I think it was very good value for money. I must admit I was a bit apprehensive before I left but everyone there was really friendly and supportive.

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Claire
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Prague Summer 2017

This past summer, I had the chance of a lifetime to experience not just Prague, but also Vienna, Paris and Berlin. I have never left the country up until this trip and I would have to say I'm so glad I went with ESAC for my first time. I really enjoyed meeting other students from all over the country and I enjoyed getting to know esac staff. They truly cared about my experience and making sure everyone had the necessary tools they needed to succeed and have a fun and safe time in Europe. Some advice I would give to future students would be to prepare yourself for no AC! As I have never been to Europe I had no idea that there would be hardly any! Make sure you bring a fan or purchase one in Prague because it does a really great job of cooling down your room :) I would also recommend doing the chocolate museum tour while you're out there, it is some of the best chocolate I have ever had! When it comes to classes, I took a class with an American teacher but I also took a class taught by five different Czech professors. It was very different not culturally and academically but I feel as though it was the perfect way to immerse my self in the Czech culture. I recommend it. Prague is a beautiful city and there is so much to explore, take advantage of every moment and see what it has to offer!

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Aman
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Excellent Opportunity!

I had the chance to intern with Ernst & Young in Prague through ESAC. I got to meet with professionals in Prague, had the opportunity to do some really interesting projects at EY, and learn more about working in Europe. The response to this internship from prospective employers has been excellent and people genuinely seem impressed when they ask me about this experience. You have the option of taking a class as well as doing the internship but I highly recommend doing the internship full time.

Pros:
1) Prague is the best city in the world to study abroad. I've studied abroad multiple times and Prague's nightlife, low cost of going out, excellent atmosphere, and beautiful buildings make Prague an excellent place.

2) ESAC was a great combination of locals who knew a lot about the country and people from the US who gave great support.

3) The ease of transportation in Prague make it very easy to get around all over the city.

4) Flights from Prague to other cities in Europe are cheap and quick so it's easy to make weekend trips happen.

5) The Cesky Krumlov optional trip was awesome- so definitely do that one.

What would you improve about this program?
Housing was further away from the city than I would have liked but I understand that this is how ESAC is able to keep its cost so low.



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Lama
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

ESAC Experience in Prague

I was fortunate enough to study through ESAC in Prague in the summer of 2016. I had an amazing time, with great and knowledgeable professors and a brilliant social atmosphere. Some of the pros that come along to studying with ESAC is that they are always there when you need them, and Dr. Zamastil is amazing at helping the students with academic concerns as well as housing. The professors structure their classes so that you get to interact with the city as much as possible, rather than sit in class all day. There are many field trips that are organized for the students, and we learned so much about business and entrepreneurship through the local businesses we visited. Also, everything from the food to the housing to transportation is taken care of, so I never had to stress about accommodations.

ESAC also organized many social gatherings throughout our time in Prague, so we always stayed connected to everyone in the program and also had plenty of opportunity to mingle. The Teaching Assistants (who are students from prague!) were soooo helpful in teaching us Czech, taking us out on excursions, giving us advice about the city, and just being there to hang out! Dominika, Tomas, and Jarda made our time in Prague all the more enjoyable, and I can honestly say they helped make my experience excellent.

There aren't many cons, but I will go ahead and list some things that can be improved about the program. The dorms were quite a distance away from downtown and the school, which made it a little unpleasant when you had to spend 15-30 min to get to somewhere interesting. But a plus was that we were very close to a large supermarket, which also made me happy. Another con was the breakfast that was offered in the morning. The food they served wasn't that fresh, so I opted for feeding myself in the morning. I felt that it was a waste of money that I would've rather deducted from the total program cost. The coffee was nice though, and they did have occasional fresh fruit every now and then, but then again, not worth the extra expense.

These cons aren't significant enough to give ESAC a bad rating though. I truly think they are an amazing company that always has the interests of the students at heart. I give them a 10/10.

What would you improve about this program?
Deduct the cost of the breakfast-- not worth it
Maybe find a dormitory that is closer to the downtown area?
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Cora
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

My time in Prague with ESAC

My time in Prague was remarkable. I never really thought I would be one to travel, but Metro and ESAC made it all really simple. Having a place to stay - comfortable dorms - in the Summer in Prague was a huge plus. We were really close to the main part of the city - the older parts - and traveling anywhere was made really easy. The ESAC staff were friendly, helpful, and fun. Besides giving us a few awesome courses to choose from, they were present in most of our activities and gave us some good ideas for socializing and travel spots. My time in Prague was amazing. I would do it over again in a heart beat!

What would you improve about this program?
Adding more food variety in the dorm kitchens.

Programs

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Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Stephanie Perez-Carrillo

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Why did you decide to study abroad with ESAC in Prague?

Prior to deciding to study abroad in Prague, it was my dream to do something abroad. I had applied for programs through school but did not qualify. A friend of mine went to Prague for a semester and told me it was the greatest experience she ever had. After speaking with Dr. Zamastil about the program and the flexibility she offered me, I knew it was the best option for me.

What made this study abroad experience unique and special?

There are several things that made the experience unique and special. First and foremost were the people, they were an incredible group of young adults and were very welcoming. They made the entire experience special for me. This program was unique because it was not too long, because I was and am still working full-time, it was just perfect. I was able to get a leave from work and the quality of the program was just wonderful. I think the proximity to the city and the life of the city was wonderful. Although the dorms were not favorable, it took me and some friends 10 minutes to get to Old Town.

How has this experience impacted your future?

I believe this experience has impacted every part of my life. It has affected how I communicate with people, how I empathize with them and just understand where they are coming from. I believe it had the greatest impact on me personally. I created some life-long friendships and it is something I will never forget! Professionally, I was able to see the opportunity we have as business professionals and as students. The world is open for opportunities to open small businesses and to expand international sales.

What is one piece of advice you would offer something considering studying abroad in Prague?

I would advise that they stay longer. Although 6 weeks was a great time-frame for me and work, I would have loved to have stayed much longer. I would also recommend that they get out of their comfort zone and really go outside of what the program offers. I recommend they create travel opportunities for themselves during that time.

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Dr. Kristine Zamastil, J.D.

Job Title
Managing Director
Dr. Zamastil is currently the Managing Director at the European Study Abroad Center, a small provider of short-term study abroad programs based in Prague, Czech Republic. For the past 15 years, she has been taking groups of students to Prague to study business and marketing in one of the most breath-taking cities in Europe. With a background in higher education and law, she strives to get as many young Americans overseas during their college experience as possible by offering an affordable four-six week option.
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What is your favorite travel memory?

It would be impossible to select just one! Traveling to Venice with my best friend when we were in law school, discovering Old Town Square in Prague, exploring Thailand and Cambodia with my husband, sitting on the beach in the Philippines, wine-tasting in France, sailing in Key West, hiking in Kazakhstan.

Each memory marks a special point in time and makes me realize there are so many more places I need to go.

How have you changed/grown since working for your current company?

I founded this company because I wanted to do study abroad the right way; no red tape, no strict requirements to apply and a fair price. Over the years we have had hundreds of students come through our program and as each session finishes, I am proud of the students accomplishments and look forward to watching their life stories unfold as they move into the business world.

Since working for ESAC, I have come to appreciate the value of travel from a cross-cultural perspective and how it truly broadens one's life.

What is the best story you've heard from a return student?

Again, so many! I have students who have moved abroad to volunteer for charities in Latin America, students who have started their own businesses, students who have accepted high level positions, students who have gone into teaching.

More than 15 years ago, one of our alumni went on to teach in Germany, China, Thailand and Abu Dhabi. During his free summers, he came to Prague to teach International Business for our program, the same course he was enrolled in all those years ago. He still teaches for us today!

What makes your company unique? When were you especially proud of your team?

Our team has been together for many years, we are like a family. Our professors, managers and advisers are all local to Europe and specifically Prague so we are experts on the city and region.

We are there to assist with every aspect of the students experience, from travel and budget, to giving tips for the hidden secrets around town.

No problem is ever too big or small for our staff to handle, they are happy to help and enjoy working with American students.

What do you believe to be the biggest factor in being a successful company?

Being there. Being on site, in Prague, being at the meetings, at orientation, on campus, in class, generally having a presence. Being active in every aspect of the company, from marketing, to enrollment to helping student with travel plans.

We never outsource our work, we do it ourselves so that we know what our students needs are. We do surveys and reviews and take active steps to make changes when needed if something is no working.

Being flexible allows us to move quickly when we need to. But mostly, our success boils down to just being there for our students.