ISA Study Abroad in Prague, Czech Republic

I am sure this only happens to a small amount of student travelers but everyone should know what happens if you get injured while on a study away program with ISA.

I was unfortunately only in the Czech Republic for 4 days when I broke my leg. It was broken to the point that I needed emergency surgery. I was brought to a Czech Hospital where no one spoke English and I was not provided an interpreter. On the day I was released from the hospital (Friday) I was put into an UBER with an ISA Staff memeber and he dropped me at my apartment and was left alone for most of the weekend. The staff member did check in on 1 time through email on Saturday and, after a phone call was made by my mom to the administration, a staff member checked up on me on Sunday for approx 30 min and then every day after that for approx the same amount of time until my mother arrived in country to take me home. (ISA Prague staff was friendly and did bring me books and fruit) I did not have a working Czech phone number so in the event of an emergency I would have just sat there until someone could get to me.
Next, You are required to purchase insurance before you go but your insurance will NOT pay for the initial hospital bill (cost $1500). AXA was the company we were required to purchase from and THEY decided that my injuries ( a plate and 8 screws and I was told not to walk on it for 3 months) were not severe enough to bring me back to the states. (Note: my commute from to the university was a 5 min walk to the tram, a 30 min tram ride and another 5 min walk to the university) It took my mother writhing a letter to my University President to get me home. My home school is my savior. MSU used their own insurance to fly my mom over to assist me to get home. Due to my injuries the cost to fly me home would have been somewhere around $10K.

Also, You should be warned that there is a STRICK no refund policy. If you are injured you WILL NOT get a full refund for your trip. I was there for 2 weeks (4 days in Prague, 4 days in the hospital and 1 week against my will) and we are liable for approx 40% of program costs.

Finally, ISA continues to tell me that I chose to leave the program. I was not in a cast and the commute was not only difficult but dangerous. Their answer to my situation was to offer me a condensed class schedule but that did nothing for how I was going to get back and forth to the university. They still do not seem to understand that.

The true character of a person/company is measured in bad times not good and in my opinion this company failed and they are backed by an insurance company that cares more about money than caring for the student it covers.

Disclaimer: **** this review site requires that you put in a score for all areas I rated academics a ten because it would not be fair to rate something low that I did not take part in and there is no N/A button.**

My semester in Prague was easily the best 4 months of my life. Words can't even explain the experiences I had while traveling the world. Yes I spent all my money and ate more food than I ever thought possible, but if I had the opportunity to go back right now, I would without hesitation. From skydiving in the Swiss Alps, to laying on the beach in the Amalfi coast, to hiking through the mountains in Slovenia I made so many memories and friendships that are sure to last me a lifetime. Prague was the perfect place to study abroad. With its cheap prices, beautiful architecture, amazing food, endless beer gardens, and hidden gems found throughout the city, it became a home to me. I will without a doubt be back someday, and I am so thankful that I had this opportunity of a lifetime.

My year abroad in Prague was honestly the best thing that could have happened to me. ISA created a program that let me explore both my new city and the country and continent around it, while supporting me both academically and throughout the process of moving to a new country. I loved Prague more than anything, soaking up all of the culture and history I could in the short nine months I was there. The classes I took through ISA were fun and challenging. My apartment was beautiful and right by a metro stop, so I was always able to hop on and go anywhere I wanted. The neighborhood I stayed in was far enough away from the main tourist center that only locals really hung out there, but so close that I could be in Wenceslas Square in five minutes by metro. The staff were fun and supportive, especially when I needed to get my student visa renewed, and we could always go to them for advice on what to do in the city or where to travel to. Bottom line, Prague is the best place in the world and I couldn't be happier that I decided to go through ISA.

My name is Bram Blackwell and I am a junior accounting major and I just finished up my semester abroad at The University of Economics in Prague, Czech Republic. This semester abroad I have traveled to 15 different countries, made some great new friends, and learned more skills and life lessons in 4 months than I ever imagined. Studying in Prague is rewarding and extremely challenging. Going to the local market and trying to buy groceries for my apartment proved to be one of my hardest tasks. Only about 1/5th of Czech people speak English and although I am taking language courses it can take 5-10 years to learn the Czech language. Every day is a new adventure in Prague. The people in Prague are full of surprises and still learning how to live without communist government. Many of the local students I have met still remember what it was like during the era when soviets forces controlled Czech lands. Learning about their lives and their parents helped me better understand the people of the Czech Republic. Even today most Czech people don’t smile in public and struggle to adapt to a democratic system. A typical week for me in Prague is usually very busy. The week starts with classes and a tram ride to the nearest Grocery store to buy some food for the week. Usually after my classes end on Tuesday and Wednesday I will go out and explore different areas of Prague. Prague seems like a fairytale land filled with medieval buildings all untouched by WWI and WWII. Most evenings my friends and I will get together to do something. Whether that is having a potluck, going to an AC Sparta soccer game, or taking paddle boats out on the Vltava river there never seems to be a lack of things to do during the week. For me the weekends meant travel time. On Thursday night I would pack for my next weekend trip. After traveling across Europe on trains, planes, and busses I have decided train travel is my favorite. My friends and I would all load up into a coach car close the door and be whisked away like we were off to Hogwarts for the weekend. Traveling for me was one of the biggest reasons I wanted to study abroad: I wanted to see as much of Europe as I could in my 4 months. I loved everywhere I traveled and all the experiences from climbing mountains to visiting some of the most famous cities in the world. Traveling on the weekends was exhausting, long travel days, sleeping in hostels, and walking up at least 10miles a day was the normal schedule during a weekend of travel. My goals: leave each city with no regrets, spend money of experiences not comfort, and most importantly see and try everything that city has to offer. As Sunday rolled around it was time to gather my things from the hostel and head back home to Prague. Everyone referred to Prague as “home” or “our city” so every weekend when I traveled as was just as excited to return home as I was to leave because I knew I had another week of brand new experiences ahead of me. The experiences I have had abroad are once in a lifetime opportunities and I truly feel studying abroad has been the best decision I have mad in my life. Even though it is sad to leave Europe, studying abroad has rekindled my passion for Indiana State, my academics, career path, and my involvement on campus and in the Networks program. Upon my return I hope to use the skills I have gained studying abroad to be the best Sycamore possible.

Trying to decide where to study abroad was one of the toughest decisions I've faced. There are so many amazing locations to explore and experiences to have. With that said, I can't imagine choosing a better program or location than Prague, Czech Republic. There is something about this city, these people, and this way of life that is magical. Living in Prague is truly like living in a fairy tale.

ISA makes this dream a reality. The on-site staff are the nicest and most welcoming people I could imagine. They truly do bring you into their life and culture. The excursions they take you on give you a glimpse into life in the Czech Republic and also give you the opportunity to explore nearby cities such as Berlin and Vienna. They are always ready to help in any way possible!

Going to school at the University of Economics in Prague was an amazing experience. The classes were sometimes challenging, but what do you expect when you are attending a first-class business school? It was a unique experience to be surrounded by both local and international students in a great facility.

Living in Prague was an easy transition from life in the United States. The language barrier was a fun challenge and wasn't as difficult as I first imagined it would be. The food was great and I miss eating meals like "smazeny syr" (fried cheese) and "Svicova na smetane" (meat with sweet creamy sauce). The housing options in Prague were great as well. My apartment was well furnished, modern, and in a great location! Transportation in the city is easy to navigate and you can get anywhere in no time.

Another great thing about Prague is that you are located in the heart of Europe. This means you can get to many other great cities in no time. I traveled to 15 countries during my four months in Prague. Every time I returned from my travels, it was always great to be back "home". That was what surprised me most, Prague became my home.

Overall, ISA in Prague is a great experience and it changed my life. I would do anything to go back!

Living in Prague is very affordable. The tram and bus system is easy to navigate. The language is hard to get use to at first but you will be surprised about how much you can pick up. Czech people are also very friendly and kind once YOU reach out and show interest in wanting to get to know them.

This is an outstanding program- the staff are incredibly helpful, the city and history is amazing, and in general, there is not one thing I would change about my experience. The Czech language although difficult, is easy to navigate once you pick up on certain phrases (the most important being do you speak english- which mostly everyone does). There is a really fun night life, and also several very good museums and galleries scattered throughout the city. Safe, clean and in general- amazing.