European Studies Study Abroad Programs in Prague, Czech Republic

I chose AIFS because of their unique program that allowed me to take Business classes at a university in a large city. Because I go to a small liberal arts college, I was having difficulty finding courses I was actually interested in that were in cities that I knew I wanted to live in for 3 months. After searching for weeks, I stumbled across the Central European Studies in Prague at the Prague University of Economics and Business (VŠE). I found classes that fulfilled my marketing, finance, and international relations credit without needing to beg my advisors to accept them (this is basically unheard of in my business department). I had someone answering my questions before applying, before departure, and when I got there. My program had two people that lived in Prague and they provided everything from recommendations of coffee and food (including a coffee crawl throughout Prague), buying tickets for the ballet and theater, and simply having a couch for us to crash on between classes if we needed a familiar face. I lived in a dorm in central Prague that was connected to Charles University, another partnered university. My specific dorm had 4 single rooms with a shared bathroom and kitchenette. Living in a dorm, I had access to free washers and one dryer (basically unheard of in Europe), but everyone air-dried their clothes (which I still now do in the US). Because this dorm is meant for students, they also provided clean bedding every 2 weeks. I had access to excursions with AIFS as well as Charles University where I went on day trips to Pilsen and toured the Pilsner Urquell beer factory and toured a communist camp with a seasoned tour guide. This was one of the first times I was connected with students all across the country. My university abroad attracts Czech students and students on Eramus (European students studying at different universities in Europe). While I loved most of my classes, it took me a while to get used to the style of teaching (lectures, independent study) and I didn't take part in the clubs and other things as much as I could've (but I think that is because I was really satisfied with what I was doing independently and with AIFS). Not only did I make friends from the US that I would have never met, I now have friends that are from all over the world. Because of this program, I was able to travel to places I never thought of, such as driving ATVs in Morocco to learn how to taste wine at a 30-year old family-run winery. I learned how to travel and gained confidence and excitement to continue feeding my travel bug. I’d recommend AIFS Abroad for students looking for a program that provides help and assistance without sacrificing one’s own independence and adventures.

I think that this program is well-organized, and more generally, I greatly enjoyed my time in Prague. I liked the ability to take classes at Charles and at CIEE and I found the staff to be supportive and quick to resolve any issues.