Student Life

Immerse Yourself in the City of a Hundred Spires!

 

The magical city of Prague, with more than one hundred spires filling the sky, has been the political, cultural, and economic center of the Czech state for more than 1100 years. Almost four million visitors come to Prague each year, making it one of the major tourist destinations in Europe. Students from all over the world are attracted to this cosmopolitan city with over 1.2 million residents. Prague is regularly rated as one of the best student cities in Europe, as it has a relatively low cost of living with all the amenities and conveniences a foreign student could need. It is also conveniently located directly in the center of Europe with easy access to cities across the continent by air, train, or bus.

Prague contains a unique collection of historical monuments dominated by the Prague Castle, the largest castle in the world. Students can walk through the meandering cobbled-stone streets and enjoy the stunning architecture. Although Prague feels like a medieval village, it contains an eclectic mix of lively restaurants, cafes, museums, art galleries, and music clubs.

The historical center is situated on both banks of the Vltava river and consists of six areas. They include: Staré Město (Old Town), Josefov (the preserved part of the former Jewish Town – today a part of the Old Town), Nové Město (New Town), Malá Strana (Lesser Town), Hradčany, and Vyšehrad. The center contains most of Prague’s historical monuments, museums, and galleries.

While the historic center is vibrant and popular, Prague’s efficient public transportation system makes it easy to explore trendy districts such as ŽižkovVinohrady, and Smíchov. Students will find in these districts a more local vibe with cheaper restaurants and fewer tourists.

Language

The official language of the Czech Republic is Czech. However, Prague is a cosmopolitan city and it is common to hear English, German, Russian, and other languages spoken, especially in the city center.

Student ID

Student IDs are issued at the Card Services Centres of the Charles University after the official program date. There is a group reservation scheduled during the orientation week.

Please note that the Czech Studies program is life-long learning program, and therefore its enrollees do not posses an official student status (as it is intended solely for the degree and exchange students). This means that it is not possible to obtain an ISIC license along with your Charles University student ID.

Student ID provides you with access to University premises (including the dormitories), as well as University wifi-network. More information on how to get access is available here.

Transportation

Students move around Prague on foot or by public transportation. Prague has an excellent and safe public transportation system which includes a metro, trams, and city buses. It is considered to be one of the most efficient transportation systems in Europe. As students enrolled in a long-life learning program, Czech Studies students are unfortunately not eligible for a student discount. Information on transportation pass in Prague fares is to be found here: https://www.dpp.cz/en/fares/fare-pricelist.

Shopping

Since the early 1990s, Prague has seen a boom in shopping centers and modern department stores. For designer shops and brands, students will find themselves strolling along the tree-lined Pařížská Street. For more traditional items, students can visit one of the outdoor markets with Czech food and souvenirs.

Food

Czech cuisine is often hearty and substantial, with dishes typically consisting of a meat, sauce, and a side dish (potatoes or dumplings). Although you can find traditional Czech food on every street, Prague boasts a diverse and vast number of restaurants and ethnic cuisine. With hundreds of different restaurants and cafés to choose from, students will find that Prague satisfies all of their hunger needs. Prague offers many types of international cuisine such as Italian, Thai, Vietnamese, and Mexican. Vegetarians will also find that many establishments offer meat-free dishes and some restaurants and supermarkets that are strictly vegetarian.

Reliable grocery delivery companies:

https://www.kosik.cz/

https://www.rohlik.cz/en/

 

Restaurant delivery services:

https://food.bolt.eu/en-us/

https://wolt.com/en

https://www.damejidlo.cz/en

Did You Know?

  • The Czech Republic has more castles than Disney World.
  • The following movies were filmed in Prague: Mission Impossible, Blade II, Tristan & Isolde, Euro Trip, The Bourne Identity, AVP: Alien Vs. Predator, Amadeus, A Knight’s Tale, and many more!
  • Prague is home to the real Good King Wenceslas (from the Christmas carol).
  • The word, robot, was first coined by Czech author, Karel Čapek.
  • Contact lenses were invented by Czech chemists, Otto Wichterle and Drahoslav Lím.
  • According to Forbes Magazine, the Prague Zoo is rated “7th Best Zoo in the World.”
  • These famous people were born in the Czech Republic: Madeleine Albright (former U.S. Secretary of State), Sigmund Freud (psychoanalyst), Jaromir Jagr (NHL hockey player), and Franz Kafka (writer).
  • Mozart’s, Don Giovanni, was performed for the first time in Prague’s Estates Theater.

You can find more information on  Information for visiting students page.

Czech Studies programme is offered by The Institute of Czech Studies at the Faculty of Arts, Charles University in Prague. A student of a degree programme, Vlatka Daněk, originally from Croatian Daruvar, had written a Guide on how to get most of your studies at the The Institute of Czech Studies (only available in Czech):  

Malý průvodce, jak přežít ÚBS a vytěžit z něj (a Prahy) co nejvíce 

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