CIS Abroad - Semester in Prague - Prague University of Economics

CISabroad allowed me to spend an entire semester in a European city for a very affordable cost. It was actually cheaper for me to spend a semester in Prague than it was to spend a semester at my home university. Prior to finding the semester in Prague program, I was under the impression that I would be unable to study abroad due to the high costs of travel in Europe. Thankfully after some research, I found this CIS program, and was able to have this amazing experience. It is hard to even express how much studying abroad has changed both my life and my perspective on the world. It really can't be summed up in just "amazing" or "life-changing." There is something so humbling and yet wildly intriguing about being thrown into a different culture and experiencing language barriers and culture shock for the first time. There were definitely days where I just wanted to hear English, or be able to go to a grocery store and understand what I was buying. However, pushing through these feelings made my experience that much more immersive and beneficial to my self-growth. I know that because of my experience abroad, I will be more equipped to handle stress and unfamiliar situations in the future. Studying abroad has provided me with a unique skill set that I would be unable to acquire through any other experience. I am incredibly thankful to have been able to study abroad with CISabroad, and I would to it ten times over if it were possible to do so.

When Europeans think of America, they think of Hollywood and New York. When Americans think of Europe, they think of Rome or Paris. Do you see the problem here? Many cities get overlooked, including one of Europe's finest: Prague.

My time in Prague was a complete dream, being more than I could have ever imagined. Moving alone across the world to a brand new city can make or break a trip, but Prague provided the warm welcome I needed to transition. It has everything from the fun and adventure to the safety and academics, making it a favorite among students and parents.

Prague's colorful Baroque buildings make a beautiful city filled with rich history. Our CIS group never tired of aimlessly walking around the city, and getting lost in its charming streets always seemed to be more of an adventure than a problem. There was always something to do, day or night, but often times we found that spending the day walking around was more fun than anything else. Prague is in the heart of Europe, which is advantageous for many reasons, easy and cheap traveling being the biggest benefit. I was able to travel to seven other countries due to the central location of the Czech Republic. I loved every experience I got, but at the end of the trip I was always excited to come back home to Prague, the city that held my heart.

Finally, the education we received was phenomenal. The school is ranked one of the top business schools in Europe, and it was an excellent experience. The professors were very helpful and accommodating, and the classes were insightful and useful. I enjoyed going to school and learning at their beautiful facility.

Overall, the experience was more than I could have ever dreamed. I expected a fun trip, but what I got was a lifetime of unforgettable friendships, experiences, and memories. I have already since been back to Prague and can hardly stay away again. I am always itching to go back, as Prague will always have my heart. If you get the chance, I hope you highly consider Prague. The city is waiting for you, and I promise it won't disappoint.

Not many students think of Prague when they're looking to study abroad but Prague is one of the best options out there for students who don't have as much money to spend in their study abroad experience. Prague is not only cheap living but also a fun and beautiful city. The architecture is mainly from the gothic time period and it's one of the few cities that have been able to preserve it for as long as they have. For students who are looking more for a lively social scene there is more clubs and bars than you can visit in the time you're there. I would also point out to future participants that Prague is centrally located which makes it easier and cheaper to get to most places in Europe. It is also very safe compared to other cities such as Paris or Barcelona that students typically go to study. Overall, my favorite memory from Prague was sitting at Letna Beer Gardens with my new best friends overlooking the city and realizing how sad we were to have to leave soon after that. Although that moment was sad it reminded me of everything I had learned and every person I had met and how lucky I was to be given that opportunity.

This impacted my life post program because I simply had seen how a very different culture lived their daily lives. Because of this I have become more empathetic and more understanding of other's hardships. But the way it affected me most was creating this part of me that wanted to experience the rest of the world, knowing that even after going to ten countries I had only scratched the surface.

Prague is the most incedibly unique city in the world. From history to scenery Prague has everything to offer. The untouched by war golden city is endless with wonderful food, activities, and sight-seeing. For future participants, go into this with an open mind and don’t be nervous!!! Prague is a small program with about 30 students. I loved this because those 30 people became so incredibley special to me, they were my family for the four months I was abroad. The small group allowed us to all bond and connect quickly. Truly the people are what makes amazing memories not just the places. My life post-program is much different. My mindset, my global knowledge, even my overall view on life has changed. One of my favorite memories was my last night abroad. My 30 give or take abroad friends all went to the park behind our dorm and bought pizzas and had our last dinner all together, we went around and talked about how we’ve changed and grown since we got to Prague. My goodbye to all of my abroad friends was bitersweet but was one memory that will always stick with me. My most useful tip would be spend your money on experiences not items. Use pictures and experiences as souvenirs rather than pricey small items that will collect dust once you get home. Wouldn’t you rather go parasailing in Switzerland rather than have a T-shirt from the cities you’ve been to?!

I had a fantastic semester abroad. The education was very thorough and the environment was great in all aspects. If I had studied abroad earlier in my college career, I would definitely have done it again. The transportation in the city was very efficient and overall nothing was very expensive. Great location for visiting other coutries as well. Dorms were small but everything worked out okay. Would reccomend to anyone.

From the very beginning I realized CISabroad was going to be the best program provider to study abroad with. Everyone got back to me with answers for my (many) questions very quickly which is super important when you have so many deadlines to meet when it comes to paperwork, passports, etc. This helpfulness continues throughout the entire semester with our amazing site director Leah. She had so many fun events planned for our group, was always there to help and flat out is just super cool. Only taking four classes is nice, it’s a lot less of a workload than I and I’m sure many others are used to. This allows you to really immerse yourself into the Czech culture and explore the amazing city that Prague is. For the housing you will live with three others in a two-bedroom dorm. They are somewhat small but nicer than expected, and overall super fun because you are living with all exchange students. There is ALWAYS something to do no matter what day of the week it is. One of the main reasons I chose Prague was because of how centrally located in Europe it is, making it fairly easy to travel to a number of different places. After now having been to 16 countries and 30 cities I can honestly say Prague is still my all-time favorite. I feel like choosing to study abroad in Prague was easily the best decision of my life. I made friends and memories that will last a lifetime and I’m confident you will too!

First of all, I really loved the price tag of this program. It's one of the most price-conscious programs I could find anywhere from any provider that still included housing, excursions, and on-site support. Prague is a beautiful city, with a really cool history and tons of stuff to see. It's also really cheap. Most everyone speaks English, which is helpful as well. I also loved our on-site coordinator. Leah was so helpful, she never skirted around anyone's questions, which is really important when you're in a new environment like this and really need something. She went above and beyond all the time. There was nothing to complain about with academics, the teachers are all very professional and knowledgeable. The Buddy System events and benefits on this program were phenomenal. There are so many things in place at VSE to make sure you interact with local students and have fun social stuff to do with your friends. I highly recommend this program.

If you are considering studying abroad in Prague, Czech Republic, I highly recommend you place it at the top of your list. Many people oust it because they think they want the popular hot spots like Rome or Paris, but I strongly disagree. While these places are fine cities, they aren't as livable as Prague is (plus, Prague is waaaaay cheaper). Many people don't even know where Prague is, and this is why I debated sticking with it. I also had the mindset of wanting to go to a tourist hot spot city, and thought Prague was random and ultimately wouldn't be that fun. I was wrong. Choosing Prague was the best choice I could have made for several reasons.

Like I mentioned earlier, Prague is cheap. Very cheap. Of course no one chooses to go somewhere strictly on how expensive or inexpensive their grocery bill will be, but given the costs of studying abroad, it really is a nice bonus. Another way it's cheap is by its traveling costs. The Czech Republic is very centrally located and landlocked, making it inexpensive and very affordable to travel to surrounding and close countries. Though bus rides tend to get lengthy and uncomfortable, you can travel to almost any European country by bus for dirt cheap (this is the way to go. You will soon realize that 14 hours on a bus is nothing).

Another reason Prague is great is because of it's sheer size. Prague has a population of 1.2 million. This means that there is always lots to do. And since everything is so cheap, you can afford to do more for less. Given the size, you would imagine you would feel unsafe. I had one encounter that I was uneasy about, but other than that I never felt unsafe, even when I was alone in the city. Leah, our coordinator for the CISabroad program, was another reason I never felt unsafe. She was such a great guide and made sure that we always had access to her if we needed anything, and she showed us around and made us feel at home. Safety is an important factor when choosing where to live, and it also helps put your parents at ease. Prague is overall a very safe city.

Finally, Prague is a beautiful city. It's landscape is something I never grew tired of, and still miss to this day. The city is so beautiful, and my friends and I would often walk around just to explore and find beautiful new places. We could spend an entire Saturday walking around the city with no plans in mind. We were still tourists after months of living there, and it always seemed just as beautiful as the first day we arrived.

For all of these reasons and so many more, I hope that you choose Prague and fall in love with it like I did. Studying abroad was the best experience of my life, and if I could do it again I would in a heartbeat. I fell in love with the city and Europe itself so much that I am choosing to go back next year, and hope to someday work there. Wherever you choose to go, you will surely love it, but Prague is a definite recommendation.