FAQ

                                               FAQ

1. Can I arrive or depart early or late?

Yes, but you are responsible for your own logistics. Students who arrive early or depart
late will have to find their own accommodation during these times. Students who need to
depart early for a legitimate reason can make arrangements with their professors after
they arrive.

2. Should I buy an ISIC card? What about insurance?

Yes, you should buy and ISIC card. They are about $22 and have lots of benefits and discounts. Check out their website for details http://www.isic.org They are also sometimes required to buy special rate student airfares.

3. Which airport should I fly into and do you have any suggestions on where to buy my ticket?

Most students fly into the airport at the program site. However, it is possible to fly to a different city in Europe and then take the bus or train to the program site. It mostly depends if you have outside travel plans before or after the program. If you do not have outside travel plans you will probably want to fly directly to and from the program site.

The three best ways to get a cheap ticket are: special student airfares, special deals by airlines, and by using frequent flyer miles. Special student airfares are around 50% of full fare. They are offered by companies such as www.sta.com and are the most stable way to get a cheap ticket, but not always the absolute cheapest. There are only so many tickets in this special category allowed for each plane, but the tickets are good for one year and the return date can be changed rather cheaply. We always encourage students to search the web for special deals. Finally, frequent flyer miles can sometimes give you the best deal.

4. How should I bring my spending money for food, personal expenses, and extra traveling?

You can use your normal bank account if your ATM card has the MasterCard, Visa, or Cirrus emblem on it. There are plenty of ATM machines and even most small cities have at least one ATM. You should check with your bank to make sure that international withdraws have been authorized for your account.(sometimes they are blocked as a security precaution) You should also ask what the maximum withdraw is in one day and what the ATM withdraw fees are for each withdraw. It works the best if you withdraw enough money for a week or two of spending.

You can use VISA, Master Card, or American Express at nicer restaurants and hotels and many ATM machines. Many supermarkets and large stores accept debit cards. You may want a credit card for backup, but it shouldn't be your primary source of cash.

You can bring money in cash. This is the most insecure way to bring your money. Cash in small amounts can be nice for traveling to other countries where you might want to only change a small amount of currency. CEECE highly discourages you from bringing a lot of your spending money in cash!

*Warning* Students should never carry large amounts of cash or all sources of cash on them. (i.e. if you have an ATM card, credit card, and travelers checks. Taking only your ATM card with you is much safer, since you have a credit card at home as back up)

5. Can you give me a ballpark figure for a daily budget, including three meals?

$15-20 conservative spender
$20-25 normal
over $25 for some one who spends money like water.

These estimates are based on past students suggestions.

6. Are there group flights from USA to Prague with any student discount fares?

We do not offer group flights. www.sta.com offers student airfares and it is also located on many college campuses. Most students also use Expedia or other airfare search engine to find the cheapest fares. Others use frequent flyer miles.

7. What is the best (cheapest) way to travel around Europe?

On buses, trains, and low cost airlines. The different eurorail train passes can save you money in if you fully use them. If you don't use all the days or you buy one for every country but only visit two, then it can be more expensive!

Here are some helpful websites:

1. Student Agency
2. Eurolines
3. EasyJet
4. Wizzair
5. Ryanair
6. Smart Wings

8. Do the planned excursions cost extra or are they included in the program fee?

Most programs include local and international excursions as part of the program fee. They are an important part of your study abroad experience and enable you to better appreciate the European culture, its different regions, and the countries as a whole. As part of the program students are expected to attend all the excursions. There are no refunds when a student does not attend an excursion.

9. Are the three weekend trips listed attended by all study abroad students at the 3 Prague colleges?

Yes, this is correct. During each semester all our students attending Prague programs participate in 3 international trips during semester.

10. Are there group trips to any local sport events or activities?

Yes, depending on the students interest during the semester we arrange up to 2-3 events per month. To see some examples of 1 day trips in the Czech Republic and group events in Prague please follow this link: Prague Events & Excursions

11. When should my friends visit me?

We highly recommend that your friends not visit you when school is in session. It is best if you plan visits for before or after the program or during a break. When a friend visits, students will tend to spend all of their time with their friend and neglect their course work. Not attending classes impedes your academic success and may cause students to do extremely poorly or fail their courses. Also, if your friends visit you they are expected to find their own accommodation.

12. I have some friends who may be interested in the CEECE program. Do you have a group discount?

Two or more students who know each other and decide to attend a program in the same location in the same semester may receive a group discount.   Students in a group may be from different colleges and universities. All the students from the same college or university are Not automatically considered a group. Students should identify themselves as a group when they apply for the program, in order to receive the discount.

13. What other things should I bring, that may not seem obvious?

*For electrical items, transformers from 110 to 220 are available in the U.S. However, Hair Dryers and curling irons normally can not be converted safety and may catch fire. Most computers come with dual voltage transformers, but need a plug adapter. Be careful, If you use a plug adapter without a transformer, and your electronic device is not duel voltage, it will fry it. We are not responsible for any electronic equipment that is damaged due to the difference in voltage.

- A bath towel.

- Slippers, sandals, flip-flops, etc to wear in your accommodation. Your shoes will get dirty walking in the city. It is traditional to take off your shoes when you enter a house or apartment so that the apartment stays clean.

- Your favorite over-the-counter medicines and vitamins. Most medicines in Europe are prescribed by doctors. Therefore, pain relievers, antacids, and cold medicines are not sold in every store.

- You should have one formal or semi-formal outfit for attending the symphony, opera, or other concerts.

- You should bring enough clothes, but not too many. Students who bring too much stuff have problems traveling with it before or after the program and also have no room for souvenirs and gifts. Also, overweight luggage can be expensive!

- You should have a small backpack for grocery shopping, carrying your books, and weekend trips.

14. Do I need a Student VISA?

Students do not need a Visa for short programs under 90 days, as long as they are American citizens. Citizens from other countries may need a visa depending on their citizenship. For programs over 90 days, students will need a visa unless they are EU citizens.

15. The VISA website indicates that if students are attending an accredited university there is no cost for the student visa – is this the case for all universities?
Yes, this is the case for all universities that we offer since all of them are fully accredited.

16. What agency do the students acquire their health insurance with?

Once the student is accepted to the program we send the detailed information regarding the health insurances with the links and suggestions as only certain companies provide insurance that can be used toward getting a student visa.

17. How much pre-paid credit is put on the cell phone initially and do you know if incoming calls are free?

Once students arrive they receive cell phones with pre-paid credit of 200CZK which is approximately $10. Once students run out of credits, they are responsible for recharging the phone. Yes, incoming calls are free.

18. Are textbooks provided or do you need to purchase them when you arrive?

For all Prague programs the use of many required textbooks and materials is included. The exception can be the special language textbooks for language courses such as Czech or French language courses.

19. How many $1,000 scholarships to you grant?

In order to qualify for merit scholarship your son must:
• have applied to the program
• have a GPA of 3.70 or higher
• paid your deposit
• sent in your essay by the deadline
As soon as we have everything from him, he will know the results right away.

20. When should I send you my travel itinerary?

You should email us your arrival and departure information as soon as you have made the reservation.