Location
  • Czech Republic
    • Prague
Term
Academic Year, Fall, Spring, Summer
Need-based funding, Merit-based funding, General grants/scholarships
Health & Safety

Program Details

Program Type
Provider
Degree Level
Bachelors
Housing
Apartment
Language
English
Mar 04, 2024
Feb 17, 2024
11 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

USAC has partnered up with Charles University to give students a unique study abroad experience in Prague, Czech Republic. Primary studies at Charles University include Politics, Art and Culture, with all courses taught in English.

Prague is well known as one of the most beautiful cities in all of Europe, and in turn the world. It's central location makes traveling to other parts of Europe quite easy, especially to the neighboring countries of Germany, Austria, Slovakia, or Poland.

Video and Photos

Diversity & Inclusion

LGBTQIA+ Support

There are LGBTQIA+ friends, colleagues, and allies throughout the world. However, cultural understanding of gender identity and sexuality does vary from country to country. USAC has compiled a lot of resources to help you through that learning process.

Accessibility Support

USAC is dedicated to working closely with students with disabilities to ensure the best study abroad experience possible. You may request reasonable accommodations after your initial application is complete. We routinely receive requests for scheduling, material, and environmental accommodations for the classroom setting, which may include assistive technology, scribes and readers, printed material, and interpretation.

Impact

Sustainability

Environmentally-conscious students choose USAC because many of our programs are held in some of the most sustainable countries in the world. There are options to take coursework in sustainability and the environment, as well as field trips and studies where students can leave a lasting impact on their host country.

Program Highlights

  • Explore the narrow, curved streets, marvelous courtyards, and green patios that make up 30% of downtown—a lovely city for walking
  • Live in a beautiful medieval city, home to the oldest university in Central and Eastern Europe
  • Join an amazing tour to three European capital cities and cultures (Budapest, Bratislava and Vienna)
  • Enjoy easy, inexpensive, and safe travel to nearby European countries

Scholarships

USAC logo

USAC Scholarships and Financial Aid

USAC awards over $2 million in scholarships and discounts each year to assist students with their study abroad expenses.

Value
$500 - $5,000

Program Reviews

4.84 Rating
based on 32 reviews
  • 5 rating 87.5%
  • 4 rating 9.38%
  • 3 rating 3.13%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Academics 4.15
  • Support 5
  • Fun 4.8
  • Housing 4.65
  • Safety 4.85
Showing 1 - 8 of 32 reviews
Default avatar
Ines
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

My experience in Prague as an Italian student with new American friends

Spending three and a half months in Prague felt like taking a small jump into the future,
towards the slightly more independent life that I imagine after university. I had my own space
for everything, studying, making friends, wandering through the city, stopping at cafes to
work, and visiting museums.
I tried to make the most of this opportunity to break away from my usual routine, which was
always filled with work and university commitments, and to enjoy some time for myself. I
realized that adapting to living in another country, with people speaking another language
(Czech) and, at the same time, with American friends, and thus from another culture, was
more natural than expected and, in fact, stimulating every day. It was a double cultural leap
that made me realize how much there is still to learn, even just by stopping speaking my
native language.
I took these months to grow and have experiences that I had always put on hold, diving
headfirst into everything I love, absorbing every suggestion and experience. It was my
American roommates who made me think right away about how little I had traveled in
Europe so far, while they had flown for at least 12 hours just to be here. Given these
premises, their goal was to see as many countries as possible and plan every weekend at
their disposal. My initial plan was completely different; I thought of enjoying Prague and
taking advantage of lighter courses to focus on some freelance work I had in progress or
start my thesis. Needless to say, I succumbed to their enthusiasm, and, in hindsight, I admit
that there was nothing better I could have done.
The first destination, after initially adapting to Prague, was Munich, a memorable experience,
especially as a first opportunity to bond with my friends out of the study programme's usual
contexts. Then, after a quick check of the cheapest flights, we went to London, where,
thanks to a frantic race among a thousand museums, I finally saw my favorite works of art in
person. Following that was Berlin, where despite the cold, we experienced an extremely
vibrant city, culturally rich; and finally, Amsterdam, which was my second trip entirely "solo"
but truly wonderful.
However, Prague was always waiting for us between weekends, a place where I immediately
felt at home, both because of the beautiful relationship established with my roommates and
the useful orientation provided by USAC in the first two weeks of the program. During that
time, in the mornings, we attended the intensive Czech language course, and after lunch,
usually trying local food, we were guided to various parts of the city. This allowed us to learn
the basics for every easy conversation and gave us the opportunity to get to know each
other better between the conviviality of meals.

In the following weeks, the actual courses began. The ones I chose were: "Alternative
Culture, Literature, Music, and Lifestyles," "Art Photography," "Marketing Principles," and
"Sustainable Development: Key Dimensions and Challenges." Each of these courses was
not held at Charles University but in dedicated classes at USAC, where only the program
participants attended. One great advantage of these courses was the small number of
students, allowing the professor to focus more on us and tailor the program to our interests.
As for the commitment, in addition to the mandatory attendance classes, there were almost
always assignments to complete, often in the form of essays. This was not a problem for my
classmates accustomed to the English language, but for me, It turned out to be a good
writing exercise. Occasionally, we also had to prepare presentations for the class, which also
helped me improve my language skills, especially because I realized that I had never said
certain things except in Italian.
All this made me understand even more how, being communicators, it is important to
practice English; otherwise, as beautiful as our projects may be, they remain limited to an
Italian audience, limiting their potential. It should also be considered that being good
communicators in Italian does not automatically mean being good in another language; it's
always like starting from scratch again.
Regarding the accommodation, I must say that it was more in that aspect that I learned the
most by communicating daily with my friends and roommates. The apartment was located in
a very strategic area of Prague, right next to one of the most important metro stations,
extensively connected to the center by buses and trams and surrounded by supermarkets
and cafes. In less than 20 minutes on foot, we reached the main square, while the journey to
the university was about 25 minutes between walking and taking the metro. Another pro of
Prague is its very efficient and user-friendly transportation system. Besides this, I would like
to say that the city is truly beautiful and very safe. Despite the initial impression that people
may seem cold, they are always ready to help when needed. An example is when I realized I
had lost my iPad on the shuttle from the airport to the center, and miraculously found it the
next day thanks to the driver's willingness. Even though none of them spoke a word of
English, when I went to the bus depot to retrieve it, they were extremely kind and helpful to
me. In experiences like this, but not only, the USAC staff also proved to be valuable and
always available to support us in anything.
As a final balance of this experience, I must say that yes, I went beyond my initial plans by
traveling much more than expected, but I still had the opportunity to start my thesis and
make room for my freelance work, without neglecting the courses neither at my home
university IUSVE or the ones in Prague with USAC. Furthermore, I bring home tons of
precious memories from the new cities I visited with wonderful people, whom unfortunately I
will no longer see in my daily life once back in Italy. Thanks to them, I found myself taking
more flights in one month than I had taken in my entire life, and now I feel completely
comfortable traveling and living in a big city as an European Capital. While it was a
significant step from the countryside of Treviso to Prague, London, or other large cities I
visited, I appreciated all the new perspectives I discovered by meeting new people; it was
like taking a dip into the present after spending so much time studying in my small world. I
learned to make myself known and live every experience as an opportunity to enrich myself
culturally a bit more, whether it's a conversation at the bar or a major event like the "Free
Palestine" protest in London. I will forever be connected to the wonderful people I had the
pleasure of meeting and the memories captured in the photos I took during these months.
Special thanks to the collaboration between USAC and IUSVE for the scholarship that made
this experience possible.

Ines,
September – December 2023.

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
The great amount of art and amazing museums in the city. Def worth it!
Pros
  • wonderful city
  • transportation works really well
  • overall prices are low
4 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Mackenzie
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Go to Prague!

USAC Prague was a life-changing experience; from excellent professors and advisors to engaging and immersive field trips, I had the time of my life. I expected to enjoy my time abroad, but I had no idea how much I would love Prague; it truly is a beautiful and wonderful city to live in;(the pictures don't do it justice). Our housing accommodations were excellent and right beside great public transportation, making exploring the city easy. The program itself was also amazing. I had great professors and advisors who made me feel welcome and were genuinely excited to show us their beautiful city and culture. Choosing USAC Prague was the best decision I could've made; you won't regret going. It truly is a life-changing experience.

Pros
  • Amazing food
  • Beautiful Architecture
  • Unique culture
50 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Jessica
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Better Than I Could Dream

I chose to study abroad in the Czech Republic because I wanted to experience the surrounding countries and what it might be like to live in a location where I didn't have any pre-knowledge about the location.
It was amazing.
Not only were the people there awesome, they were very professional and knew what they were doing. It was just the right mix of guidance and free-range to allow me to explore just what Prague and the surrounding areas had to offer.
USAC was very straightforward in everything I had to do and nothing was very difficult. The courses I took were fun, informative, and included a lot of activities around the city (not just being stuck in a classroom!) I already miss it a lot and I highly encourage anyone looking for a study abroad opportunity to try this out. Truly memories of a life-time.

Pros
  • Tons of museums
  • Wonderful staff
  • Historical and walkable
Cons
  • Weather is something to be prepared for
53 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Ellie
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Prague

You will want to build a strong but well-proportioned itinerary when traveling to Prague that gives you enough time to pursue the activities that are most meaningful to you. Doing this additional step of research allows you not to become overburdened by the historical sights that Prague has nor bored after visiting those sights. My main recommendation is to follow Prague-based social media groups to see the varied social events that occur on the weekends or what have you. Look up transportation passes in advance, because buying through the machines in the metro stations is vastly overpriced. Then, check on acquiring Czech currency beforehand, or check how your credit card handles international purchases.

Pros
  • Lots to see historical-wise.
  • Easy to get around.
  • Good weather.
Cons
  • Interesting housing situation.
  • Different social/cultural dynamics.
  • Unique food that may not be suited to certain dietary restrictions/lifestyles.
64 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Melanie
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

best decision-- USAC all the way, prague all the way.

Studying in Prague with USAC was absolutely one of the best decisions of my life. The courses were excellent, super interesting and also fun, we went on so many field trips, and the program itself is too so affordable. Would 100% recommend, Prague is a beautiful city, your support staff are amazing and kind people, and the overall experience is one you'll cherish your whole life. The program gives you so many activities and opportunties to really experience czech culture without spending any additional money, it's a really great program.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
I would say don't have expectations that you have to travel the whole of Europe to really experience something. Just living in Prague, and being involved in the community you have at your fingertips there through USAC is a wildly rich experience-- don't let it pass you up while you're spending ridiculous many in Paris. Prague is theee best.
116 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Jenna
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Choose USAC, I'm Serious

I just returned home from studying in Prague and I would go back in a heartbeat. The central location, program advisors, academics and so much more created the best experience possible. I lived in the apartment PB9 and it had and old feel to it but it was very live-able and great location. USAC gives the option to have a single room for just a little extra money and it was great. The advisors set up so many activities and we all really felt like a family. I only had class on Mondays and Tuesdays which allowed me to travel for the 5 days at a time to other countries. You will not be able to find this quality of a program at this low of a price. The program was separate from the local universities so I did not really get to feel like a local in an academic sense but the housing location helped with that. 10/10 USAC is unbeatable

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Appreciate every moment you have abroad!!! Take advantage of every opportunity and cherish your time. It goes by faster than you think!
106 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Sarah
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

USAC is AWESOME!!

USAC was one of the best experiences of my life! The staff was welcoming and supportive, the location of Prague was incredible, and the opportunities for excursions were endless. We hiked, we toured the city, we went to Vienna and Budapest. I also got to volunteer for an international school, even further enriching my experience. And in class, we took walks through the city to visit the places we learned about in class. I will never forget this experience and I am so grateful to USAC that I was able to study in Prague and have the best semester ever!!

One thing that I will continue to remember about my semester abroad was when we moved my literature class a few hours early and to the Charles Bridge. We watched the sunrise while reading Czech poems. Then we walked to monuments of Czech poets and discussed their lives.

What would you improve about this program?
More interaction with Charles University students.
114 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Hailey
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

The People

While in Prague, I met some of my favorite people. The program staff, fellow students and teachers definitely made my experience so great. The program administration became my Prague parents because they actually cared how were were doing. The younger staff whot joined us on our activites made them more fun and added to the experince. The teachers made the classes interesting and put field trips into the curriculum, I hadn't been on a filed trip since second grade!
Last but not least certainly, my fellow students. It's hard to believe that we all signed up for this semester in this place. I couldn't imagine anyone else to experience Prague with. We were very lucky in that regard.
All of these people have changed my life and will forever be apart of it.

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
I was really saddened going in that I would not get to travel out of the country during the weekends, but this specific program plans such fun things to do within and outside of the city. I wouldn't have gone in with negative thoughts regarding that.
104 people found this review helpful.

Questions & Answers