CET Prague Study Abroad

CET Prague: At-A-Glance

Highly customizable curriculum
Electives for
every interest
Internship option
Traveling Seminars
Direct-enroll electives at Charles University
Out-of-class learning and assignments
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Fall

SPRING

Fall

SPring

CET Prague study abroad students are looking for a meaningful experience with plenty of experiential learning outside the classroom. Choose between four core courses—Business & Economics, Central European Studies, Global Security Studies, or Jewish Studies—to guide your semester. Study the basics of Czech language. The rest of your curriculum is up to you.

Academics in Prague

Semester
Snapshot

Curriculum & Syllabi

You choose a core course, a Czech language course, and three CET electives to meet the recommended 15 total credits. If you choose to complete an internship or choose a direct-enroll elective, you may choose two CET electives instead. 

Core Course

Choose one of these 3-credit core courses: 

Business & Economics
 
Central European Studies
 
GLOBAL SECURITY Studies
 
Jewish Studies

You take 16 hours of intensive Czech during orientation, and 3 hours of class a week after that. You also attend three Czech Language Tables organized by Czech roommates in order to practice your new skills in a real-life setting.

Most students are Czech language beginners and will be placed into PR/LANG 100, but if you’ve taken Czech before, we have courses for you, too.

You choose three 3-credit CET electives to meet the recommended 15 total credits. 

AREA studies
business
Psychology
 
Note: Core courses are also available as electives for students not enrolled in the respective track. For example, a Business & Economics track student can choose to take the Central European Studies or Jewish Studies core course as one of their electives. 

You can swap one CET elective for a direct-enroll elective at Charles University and learn alongside Czech and other international undergraduate students. Choose courses from the Faculty of Humanities or Institute of Economic Studies at the Faculty of Social Sciences. Course offerings differ each term and range from 1 to 3 credits each. Courses are taught in English.

Explore direct-enroll courses at Charles University:
 
Notes for browsing the course catalog at Charles University:
  • •  Terms: Winter is the FALL semester; Summer is the SPRING semester
  • •  Students are not permitted to enroll in courses that begin with the codes YMO and YBAU.
  • •  Some CET courses are listed in the catalog under the code YBAC. This is where Charles University students can sign up to take CET-owned courses. 
  • •  Be sure to note the academic year (listed at the top of the browser)

 

CET converts final grades from Charles University to US letter grade equivalents. 

Choose one of these 3-credit core courses: 

Business & Economics
 
Central European Studies
 
GLOBAL SECURITY Studies
 
Jewish Studies

You take 16 hours of intensive Czech during orientation, and 3 hours of class a week after that. You also attend three Czech Language Tables organized by Czech roommates in order to practice your new skills in a real-life setting.

Most students are Czech language beginners, but if you’ve taken Czech before, we have a course for you, too.

You choose three 3-credit CET electives to meet the recommended 15 total credits. 

AREA studies, international relations, & Political Science
 
ArtS & ART HISTORY
 
business, finance, economics, & marketing
 
Jewish Studies & Language
Psychology
 
Note: Core courses are also available as electives for students not enrolled in the respective track. For example, a Business & Economics track student can choose to take the Central European Studies or Jewish Studies core course as one of their electives. 

If you choose to intern while in Prague, you may choose to reduce your course load to two electives instead of three with the permission of your home institution. 

You can swap one CET elective for a direct-enroll elective at Charles University and learn alongside Czech and other international undergraduate students. Choose courses from the Faculty of Humanities or Institute of Economic Studies at the Faculty of Social Sciences. Course offerings differ each term and range from 1 to 3 credits each. Courses are taught in English.

Explore direct-enroll courses at Charles University:
 
Notes for browsing the course catalog at Charles University:
  • •  Terms: Winter is the FALL semester; Summer is the SPRING semester
  • •  Students are not permitted to enroll in courses that begin with the codes YMO and YBAU.
  • •  Some CET courses are listed in the catalog under the code YBAC. This is where Charles University students can sign up to take CET-owned courses. 
  • •  Be sure to note the academic year (listed at the top of the browser)

 

CET converts final grades from Charles University to US letter grade equivalents. 

students listening at muesum

Prague as your classroom

Experiential learning in the city. Not only are your classes engaging, they’re also experiential. Take Czech Art and Architecture for weekly excursions to architectural sights around Prague. Enroll in Resistance and Dissent and attend film festivals, concerts, and gallery openings. Visit companies like Pilsner Urquell and Siemens for European Economies in Transition. And no matter what electives you choose, everyone attends two Traveling Seminars to explore classroom concepts beyond Prague.

Intern in Prague. Pursue an internship to test the waters of an international career. We take your interests and background and match them with the needs of an organization in our vast network. You might help Manifesto expand their award-winning food and culture markets. Assist Czech Helsinki Committee work to defend human rights. Or even gain business experience with Zentiva, a pharmaceutical giant focused on affordable medical products. 

Learn more about

Traveling Seminar: Learning on the Road

Your semester offers two Traveling Seminars—one week in Poland, the Czech Republic, and Austria, and another 4-day weekend trip to Budapest, Hungary. Your core course influences your exact itinerary, but you and your classmates might:

•  Visit Krakow, Poland. Meet with Polish entrepreneurs, visit the Communist era’s ideal neighborhood in the Nowa Huta Workers’ Quarter, and see Schindler’s Factory.
•  Reflect at Auschwitz-Birkenau. Go on a guided visit, engage in a discussion with local students, and attend a film screening.
• Spend time in Vienna. Meet with Jewish community leaders, explore Naschmarkt.
•  Experience Brno. Visit the Museum of Roma Culture and nearby Mikulov, a town known for its wine.
Connect in Budapest. Explore the city with a local guide, meet with local professors and students and explore the artist community at Szentendre. 

Housing and Meals

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Living Like a Local

Local Roommates. Czech students live in your apartment building to help you acclimate to life in a new country. They also organize regular activities—or “Czechtivities” as they are lovingly called on site—so you can explore Czech culture or the city itself. You might go for a countryside hike, head to the opera, or explore a museum. Learn more about living with a local roommate. 

Eating in Prague. For meals, take advantage of the exceptional and affordable food scene in Prague. Try out Czech favorites like chlebíčky (open face sandwich with unique ingredients) and smažený sýr (fried cheese with potatoes and tartar sauce). Grab a treat at one of the city’s farmers markets. Ready for a home-cooked meal? Grab ingredients at the grocery store and have a night in with your roommates. Learn more about accommodating your dietary needs in Prague.

students having dinner with their Czech roommates

Life in Prague

A cobblestone street on a cloudy day in Prague.

Enjoy living in the “world’s most beautiful city” as named by TimeOut magazine in 2021. Roam the streets and find your favorite view. Become a regular at your favorite neighborhood spots. See a world-class play at one of the city’s many beautiful theaters. Soak up the perks of living in one of the world’s greenest cities by reading in the park. On your Fridays off, get lost in the winding streets of the Jewish Quarter, museum hop from the National Gallery to the DOX Center for Contemporary Art, then unwind at a cozy café. Prague has a little something for everybody.

Experience the Czech Republic with CET

Around Prague. Take in a concert by the Czech Symphony in the Senate Gardens. Go paddle boating on the river. Spend an afternoon volunteering with a local organization. Attend a local neighborhood festival. Each term offers different opportunities to get to know the city and your cohort.

Away from the city. Prague’s central location means easy access to the rest of Europe—but with so many CET-arranged excursions, you may not need to leave. All students visit UNESCO World Heritage site Český Krumlov during orientation. See Kutná Hora, famous for its church decorated with bones. Understand the Czechoslovak history of gulags at Jáchymov

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Student Resources

"Perhaps nowhere in my time abroad has this contrast of joy and discomfort been so clear as on the CET Prague Traveling Seminar. This seminar is for eight days, traveling throughout Poland, the Czech Republic, and Austria. This is consistently said to be the highlight of the whole program."

— Phoebe Porter,
Elon University | Spring student

READ PHOEBE'S BLOG
"The program requires you to take a beginning Czech language class, which seemed daunting at first, but helped me feel more connected to the city and show respect to its people. Some of my other favorite classes were Central European Film and Franz Kafka and Central European Literature. Both classes added to my cultural understanding and proved to be great conversation starters when we met with other lecturers at traveling seminars."

—Erica Yeagley,
Vanderbilt University | Spring student
"I think through my combination of courses, their fieldwork, and other co-curricular activities, I have really gained a unique understanding of Central Europe and the Czech Republic—I'm amazed at how much I learned without even realizing it."

— Julianne Kelleher,
American University | Fall student
"Instead of a typical workplace, my office is in the local WeWork building, so there is a lot more space to do work other than Manifesto’s designated office. Working in the communal space of this building has allowed me to observe more of the Czech work culture."

— Rachel Faykus,
Elon University | Fall student

READ RACHEL'S BLOG
"I got to learn firsthand about Europe's history! What is special about being abroad is learning about history outside of the classroom through the unique traveling seminars and field experiences. It is also extremely valuable to hear about life under communism directly from the experience of professors. I was able to experience different cultures and meet students from across the United States and Europe."

— Sofia Trotta,
Smith College | Fall student
"The activities and excursions have tremendously enriched my understanding of this country and region. They have showed me what Czech culture is outside of Prague which I really appreciate and it's been amazing to see so much of the region."

— Skylar Leeson,
Elon University | Fall student
"Leaving the program, I had not only satisfied my academic and internship needs but also acquired basic skills in a new language, a rich understanding of a new culture and history, and a city I can always return to as a second home. CET Prague's best perks are the relatively small program size, the beautiful location of the academic building, the local faculty and roommates, and the priceless traveling seminar opportunities."

— Jonah Clark,
Clark University | Spring student
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On-site Staff

Jiri Bukovinsky

Jiří Bukovinský
Director of Prague Programs

Kevin Johnson, PhD
Academic Director of Prague Programs

Simona Sobolevská
Program Coordinator

Barbora Machalínková
Program Coordinator

Program Fees

Fall/Spring

$20,490

What's Included

All of your classes and program-related learning are included with your tuition.

We arrange your housing in a fully-furnished apartment in a residential neighborhood of Prague. Walk or use your CET-provided public transportation pass to get to class. Your program fees go toward rent, utilities, furnishing, and other management costs.

We take you around Central Europe on a Traveling Seminar. Just bring a camera and your intellectual curiosity.

If you choose to conduct an internship, we help you land the job, make sure you’re prepared, and then stay in close touch with your host organization… all semester long. 
 
We also cover your transportation fees to and from your placement site—you pay for up-front costs and on-site staff reimburse you twice during the term.

You’re provided with an unlimited public transportation pass. Use the bus, metro, and tram to your heart’s content.

From pre-departure to orientation, from on site to re-entry, CET provides you with the support you need every step of the way.

You’re provided with a comprehensive insurance plan through GeoBlue that even includes medical evacuation coverage.

The activities and excursions that we arrange are included in your program fee.

We guide you step-by-step through the visa process. You do the legwork, but we’ll make sure you have the documentation and information you need, when you need it.

Your textbooks and course supplies are covered and waiting for you on site.

You’ll receive an official transcript jointly issued by CET and Charles University. If your home institution requires a School of Record transcript, CET is able to provide one through the University of Minnesota.

More on finances

students smiling together in front of city view
Program Fee Breakdown. Of the total program fee, $17,490 goes to tuition and fees, and $3,000 goes to housing and other student life fees.

Local Cost of Living. Relative to the US and other countries in Europe, the cost of living in Prague is considerably more affordable. On average, food, toiletries, and housing goods are cheaper than in the US.

Estimated out-of-pocket expenses: 

How to Apply

  • •  Pre-requisites: None. 
  • •  Must be 18 or older at the time of program participation.
  • •  Open to students from any US college or university
  • GPA: 3.0 or higher is recommended, students with lower GPAs will be asked for a faculty recommendation to supplement their application

Complete the application through your online CET account. This is a brief form that asks for basic information and has a few short answer questions about why you want to study abroad.

Upload a scan of your passport to your online CET account. This should be a single scan that includes the signed signature page and the photo/personal details page. Don’t have a passport yet? Let us know and we can help advise you.

This is an online form that your study abroad office completes to let us know you meet the requirements to study abroad. To send the electronic form request,  simply enter the name and email address of your study abroad advisor in the designated fields of your online account.

Your online CET account has specific instructions for submitting an official transcript.

Application
Deadlines

Fall Semester:

April 1

Spring Semester:

October 1

Have a question? Get in touch!

Celine Okome

Student Services Coordinator
202.315.0216
[email protected]

Price Subject to Change:

CET reserves the right to increase quoted charges at any time without prior notification, based on increased instruction costs, exchange rate fluctuation or other cost increases beyond CET’s control.

Course Availability

Our goal is to offer every course every term, but sometimes factors like faculty availability and program enrollment keep us from reaching that goal. If you’re concerned about needing to enroll in one particular course, please contact us
 

Internship Possibilities

We’ll use our extensive network to find you an internship that matches your skills and interests with the needs of a company. Your projects are determined by your host organization.

CET Jordan: Academic Consultation Board

Over the years, we’ve built a strong network of locally-based faculty that we’re proud to call our peers. These faculty make up our Academic Consultation Board—a select group of local voices and thought leaders that help advise and shape components of the CET Jordan program. 

Board members support the program in many ways, including but not limited to:

Academic Consultation Board Members

Learn more about studying abroad with CET

Learn more about studying abroad with CET

where will
you intern?

Get an extensive list of possible internship placements in Prague.