Student Summary – Prague, Czech Republic

Nick Nolkemper, industrial engineering

Feb. 7, 2020 – March 15, 2020

Why did you choose this location?

I chose to study in Prague for a multitude of reasons. I had always wanted to study abroad at some point in my academic career, and I attended an education abroad information session at the college of engineering. The presenter brought up the program that Czech Technical University offered, and I knew that was where I wanted to study.

Did you live on campus, off campus or with a host family? What advice can you give for choosing where to live?

I lived on campus in a dorm. I highly recommend it because not only was it close to the host university, but I had the opportunity to live with other international students from around the world. It was an awesome experience that I will never forget.

What courses/subjects did you study?

At Czech Technical University, I studied Statistics II, Environmental Engineering, Nanotechnology, and Soil Contamination and Remediation.

Please list some of the special activities, events and/or travel experiences that you had.

The host university had an awesome program called ISC (International Student Club) and they offered a variety of events ranging from socials to weekend trips. I went on a trip to Karlštejn Castle the first week I was there with ISC and it was a blast. In addition, I traveled to multiple cities on the weekends, including: Salzburg and Hallstatt in Austria, Budapest in Hungary, Bratislava in Slovakia, and Pilsen, Kutna Hora, Brno, and Karlovy Vary in the Czech Republic. I had many other experiences planned, but unfortunately, COVID-19 cut my education abroad short.

What advice can you give to someone considering your study abroad location and/or a study abroad experience?

I would highly recommend study abroad and my location, as it was an amazing experience with so many awesome memories. A piece of advice that I have is to meet with your education abroad advisor as well as your academic advisor to make sure that what you want to do is feasible. In addition, I would recommend staying on top of your paperwork (Visa, Passport, Housing, etc.), because time passes much quicker than you would think. Once you are over there, reach out and meet as many people as possible!