Recently I returned from my semester abroad at Charles University in Prague. As a Politics and International Relations student, I was in the Faculty of Social Sciences or Fakulta Sociálních Věd as it is in Czech. The faculty was based in Jinonice, a small neighbourhood just outside the centre of Prague.
Travel:
Prague’s central European location made it a breeze to get to. There were multiple flights a day from many different UK airports and it’s only a short, two-hour flight. Its close proximity to the UK and quick travel times made it the perfect location as I never felt too far from home and many of my friends and family were able to visit due to regular flights which were often cheap.
Prague as a city:
Prague is one of the most beautiful cities I have visited and I’m extremely lucky to have had the privilege to call it home for six months. There’s so much to love about the city, from its fascinating history, amazing architecture and easy transport links. The transport in the city was extremely useful and made it effortless to explore the city. With a student card, that you get when you start at the university, you can buy a 3-month Prague travel pass for roughly £12. That pass allowed me to use any tram, metro, bus or train within Prague as many times as I wished, within the three months. The metro in the city is clear and easy to navigate due to there only being three lines, although they are in the process of building a fourth. Despite its simplicity, the metro covers all the main locations and if not, the tram network is even more extensive with loads of lines, covering almost every inch of the city.
The transport within the city made exploring the city effortless, so I made the most of this and tried exploring as much of the city as possible. Often visiting new neighbourhoods to see what they had to offer. The centre of Prague is also very walkable, especially the old town, and you can walk from the famous old town square to the stunning Prague Castle, crossing over the Charles Bridge, ticking off three of the main attractions.
There were so many standout locations within the city, with Letna Park, Stromovka Park and Karlin being some of my favourite spots in the city. The city is filled with beauty, and I’m sure there’s plenty more that I was never able to properly explore. The Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square never failed to impress, especially the national museum at the top of Wenceslas Square. I loved every minute that I spent in the city centre as it felt as though I was constantly discovering new places.
Accommodation:
The only downside I could think of during my time studying abroad was the accommodation situation. Although, this was my fault as I was quite naive and just assumed it would all be fine. Charles University has many student accommodations, and they will put all the Erasmus students in the same block, making it a really sociable space and great for meeting people from all over. This accommodation is far cheaper than in the UK and considerably cheaper than other, private, accommodation in Prague.
The downside to the accommodation is that none of the university-owned accommodation is central, I was a 20-minute drive outside the city centre when I first arrived and was staying in halls. I didn’t feel as though I was in Prague, the architecture and vibe of the area was completely different to that of the more central neighbourhood and there was little to do. The other downside was that in the university halls, you likely share a room with someone else. This is where I showed some naivety as I assumed that this would be fine. After a month or so I realised having a roommate wasn’t for me and I wanted to move somewhere more central. That process was relatively painless and I found a flat to sublet, that was far closer to the city centre. So I would suggest doing some research on the accommodation situation before moving, something that I didn’t do. The university halls were great for a lot of people, but they just weren’t for me which is why I suggest some prior research.
Social life:
My social life at Charles University was great. I’ve made some friends for life, and since leaving in February, I’ve already been back to visit my friends there who are doing the whole year abroad. It was so easy to meet other exchange students and I met most of my friend group on the very first night. Prague has a great mix of really nice cafes and restaurants, as well as beautiful parks to do in the day. At night, there are hundreds and hundreds of bars, pubs and clubs, most of which are extremely cheap in comparison to the UK especially if you venture away from the city centre. I had so many great days out and many memorable nights in Prague, it’s the perfect city for socialising.
Studies:
Charles University had a great selection of modules to choose from and I studied some really interesting modules that I probably wouldn’t have the chance to do in the UK. Due to the semester just being pass/fail, there was less stress on the academics, which made it really enjoyable and helped me as I could write my dissertation. The lectures were really engaging and the Faculty of Social Sciences building was really modern and clean making it a great work environment. It was a great experience to share the classes with people from all over the world as the majority of the classes were filled with other Erasmus students. The faculty had a great support network and overall it was incredibly enjoyable studying at Charles University.
Making the most of my time abroad:
I think a big part of Erasmus is getting out and exploring a new place. Whilst in Czechia I was able to visit a load of new locations nearby. I visited Munich for Oktoberfest, Vienna and Bratislava for a weekend, and other cities in Czechia. Transport was really easy as you could get cheap coach tickets or even train tickets weren’t too expensive. If I was there for longer, I would’ve loved to visit Berlin, Budapest and Krakow as none of them were too far away.
Tips:
- Research accommodation before picking one. (beware of scams on unofficial websites like Facebook marketplace)
- Explore the city as much as possible. Prague has so much to offer so try and see as much of it as possible.
- Get the travel pass.
- Most importantly, throw yourself at everything the opportunity has to offer. Studying abroad was the best decision I’ve ever made and I loved it so much. You just have to step out of your comfort zone and try to do as much as possible and you will meet some great people along the way.