East & Central European Studies: Charles University, Prague

Charles University's ECES program was everything I had hoped for in a study abroad experience. It was my first time outside of the United States and not only did this program open my eyes to the Czech Republic, it exposed me to almost all of Europe. The classes in this program were interesting and one of them turned out to be my favorite class in college. The professors expectations are clear and more than reasonable. The program staff for ECES were incredibly helpful and never left me hanging when it came to answering questions. What's more, they always kept me informed about major cultural events in Prague in case I wanted to go. I did live with plenty of American students, but there are chances to meet international students by participating in the Czech Language Buddy program, volunteering at the local high school, or even speaking to people in classes.

Two great things about Prague: cost and location. Living in Prague was cheap but good quality and I miss it every day. Prague's location is also unbeatable. I managed to see nine additional countries while in Europe and the longest day of travel was a 2.5 hour plane ride.

As a result of being exposed to so many cultural differences in Europe, I have solidified my goal of having an international component be part of my career. Being in Prague through this program gave me more confidence to push my own boundaries and take ownership of every experience I do in the future. I would highly recommend this program to anyone who is even slightly considering Prague or Europe.

The ECES program was incredible! The support staff was readily available, set up interesting programs, and made it easy to meet everyone early on in the semester. They planned fun trips for nearby cities and even to Poland. Also, connected us to local Czech students and service opportunities. Had the semester of a lifetime traveling every weekend for 3 months and exploring the beautiful city of Prague!

Prague is a beautiful city, so unique and different than anything we are used to in America. Its cheap, fun and a great city to live in. You will feel safe walking through the cobble stone streets and over the bridges as you stare at the stunning castles.
Living in the Kolej dorms was convenient to get to school, and a great way to make friends on the program.
The professors are knowledgeable, classes are not as challenging as home university, but you feel like you learned something.
Try and take classes within Charles University- not just at the Faculty of Arts, if you are interested. The staff at ECES is helpful and accommodating.

Put aside extra money to travel, because being in Central Europe that is something you will definitely want to take advantage of. Its awesome to be able to take short, interesting trips so often.

The ECES Study Abroad Program at Charles University was by far the most exciting, educational, and amazing experience of my life. Living and studying in Prague is comparable to a fairytale. The city is absolutely breathtaking. My courses and Professors were very interesting and incorporated many trips. ECES is extremely helpful in any and every aspect of your abroad experience. There were several trips that were coordinated to different cities and countries that I fully recommend taking advantage of. The central location of Prague also makes trips to other countries very convenient and affordable.

Prague was not the original city I wanted to study in, but I am so glad that I ended up picking this program. Prague is not seen as one of the biggest study abroad destinations, but it really should be. It does have pretty much everything you want in a study abroad destination, culture, history, and a good nightlife.

The university itself is great, and going on as many trips with the program as possible does help you learn about Prague, the Czech Republic, and surrounding countries, while getting to see all the amazing sites each place has to offer.

My semester abroad in Prague was incredible. The ECES program worked really well for me in terms of price and classes available. I had a difficult time narrowing down what country/city I wanted to study abroad in, but a friend's recommendation led me to Prague and ECES.

Prague is a wonderful city to study abroad in. It is beautiful, loaded with interesting history, and fun! There are so many things to do. I miss looking out of my window at the Prague Castle.

The Koleg Komenskeho dorms were in a great location. A 5-minute walk to the 22 tram line (which takes you right to the main school building and Old Town Square) in about 15-20 minutes. The dorms are a 10 minute walk to the Prague Castle too!

I loved 2/4 classes. The other two were okay. Overall though, the professors were great. Especially recommend the Art and Architecture class with Prof Zaruba!

ECES staff were always helpful with any questions!

I studied abroad twice and I have to admit this program made my experience 100 times better. I attended the trip to the Dresden Christmas markets offered by the program. It is one of my best memories. Not only do you get to live in a breathtakingly beautiful country but you have countless opportunities to travel and see even more. I have more memories than I can count that I will cherish for the rest of my life.

If you are looking for a truly European culture for your study abroad, then Prague is the place for you! The city is magical and fairytale like. The location is centrally located which make its easy to travel to other countries. The people, food and language were non-issues. Its is a melting pot of other cultures. English is widely written & spoken. Prague is beautiful beyond any other location in Europe.

Studying abroad in Prague was THE best decision I've made in college so far. I had the opportunity to travel to ten different countries during my semester abroad, and Prague was by far my favorite city that I saw in Europe. The city feels like a scene from a fairytale, and walking through the cobblestone streets and staring up at the incredible, centuries-old architecture never gets old. There is so much history and culture in Prague, as well as great night life. You will never run out of things to do. You can paddle-boat on the river, visit several cathedrals and museums, wander through the numerous beautiful parks, try out the hundreds of cafes and restaurants, walk across the Charles Bridge and see the John Lennon Wall, explore Old Town or Wenceslas Square, enjoy a beer at a local pub, and much more. Charles University is also a very prestigious university, and through ECES you can take classes in topics such as psychology, history, art, and more. The ECES staff is always there to support you and is willing to make your experience as amazing as possible! Also, with no classes on Fridays, you have plenty of time to travel, and since Prague is centrally located in Europe, it is easy to get to any city on the continent! Most importantly, you will make lasting friendships with those you meet through ECES, and you will learn from the international people you meet in Prague and throughout your travels. I would give anything to be back in Prague, and I hope you make the decision to study abroad there through ECES!

Classes were fair and very interesting! Also the faculty was incredible and made the experience. Prague is an incredible city and the semester was the best of my life! Would highly recommend this program to anyone looking to study abroad and I am jealous of them for having the opportunity to do so!

overall, classes were difficult enough, but not so much that it detracts from being able to travel around on the weekends. the classes are either twice a week for 1.5 hours, or once a week for 3 hours. there are two school buildings; the main building, which is right by the river and absolutely beautiful, and there's also a couple of floors in a random building near wenceslas square which is not quite as nice. the most difficulty I encountered was making sure all of my credits would transfer back after I had to switch some classes around.