Program Description

The University of Iowa partners with CEA to offer students the opportunity to intern in Prague while also taking academic coursework at Anglo-American University in Prague, Czech Republic, in a variety of academic areas related to their field of study.

Academic Program

Gain valuable hands-on skills in an international internship in one of Central Europe's economic and cultural capitals. Internship placements are designed to be in a business or organization that is aligned with the student’s professional and academic goals. Internships in Prague are ideal for the students who would like to immerse themselves in local Czech culture while developing practical on-the-job skills in fields such as marketing, management, journalism, communication, international relations, and other related disciplines. Students interested in this opportunity should speak with the Study Abroad advisor for this program to learn more about possible placements.

Students will enroll in an internship seminar course that includes an academic seminar and an internship placement.

During the fall or spring semester, the internship seminar meets for 21 seminar hours, and students can expect to spend a minimum of 120 placement hours at their internship placement. Together, the internship seminar and internship placement are worth 3 credits. Elective courses meet for 42 contact hours/3 credits. You may earn 12-15 credits (up to 210 contact hours).

CEA’s summer internship program includes an academic seminar and an internship placement. The internship seminar meets for 22 contact hours and you'll spend 120 hours at your internship placement. Together, your seminar and internship placement are worth 3 credits. Your internship placement hours may vary depending on industry standards for your career field and will be determined after you arrive. In addition to your internship placement and academic seminar, you'll enroll in an additional 3-credit elective course, bringing your total potential earned credits to 6. Electives meet for 42 hours and run for 6 weeks starting in June to align with the academic study program offered at Anglo American University. Courses meet at various times Monday-Friday; active learning components required by your courses may be scheduled for Fridays. Course options may be limited, as your primary responsibility is to fulfill your internship obligations, which include honoring your employer’s preferred schedule.

Internship placement is on a first-come, first-served basis. Internship positions are selective; students who demonstrate both professionalism and commitment throughout the process are most successful in securing placements.

The placement process involves three Skype or phone interviews: a screening interview with your site specialist, a job placement interview with your study center placement coordinator, and a final interview with your host site supervisor. The host site retains the final decision regarding placements, so it’s important that your interviews reflect your maturity, adaptability, curiosity, and commitment to both your career interests and the host organization. Upon successfully completing your study center placement coordinator interview, CEA guarantees you a placement based on the personal, professional, and cross-cultural goals reflected in your interview. All placements will be secured two weeks prior to arrival.

For more information, please see CEA's website for Prague programs at the following link: CEA Prague.

Program Dates

Spring Semester: Late January - Late May

Fall Semester: Late August - Mid-December

Summer Session: Late May - Early August

For more information

 

Steps to Studying Abroad

1. Before initiating an application with CEA, students must complete a Discover Study Abroad session at the University of Iowa. 
2. After completing the Discover Abroad session, students must call the Study Abroad office at 319-335-0353 to be assigned to the appropriate study abroad advisor.
3. Once assigned, students must meet with their study abroad advisor to receive  program application instructions.

  

 

Study Abroad
1111 University Capitol Centre
Iowa City, IA 52242

Phone: 319-335-0353
Email: study-abroad@uiowa.edu

Prague (Locally known as Praha)

Prague’s hidden courtyards, winding streets, traditional pubs, and eye-catching architecture are uniquely juxtaposed with the city’s very modern business and academic opportunities. Walk to class past UNESCO World Heritage sites. Attend class in a 17th century palace. Immerse oneself into student life in one of central Europe’s most beautiful cities. With a growing economy, vibrant arts and music scenes, an influential intellectual community, and architectural styles ranging from Gothic to Baroque to Art Nouveau, Prague is an ideal setting in which to explore Czech culture. Study abroad in the city that greats like Mozart, Kundera, Rilke, and Einstein called home.

The Czech Republic

Capital: Prague

Language spoken: Czech

Currency: Czech koruna (CZK)

Prague:

Population: 1.3 million

Distance to Berlin: 174 miles

Distance to Paris: 550 miles

Prague is situated in the middle of the Czech Republic, and in just a few hours you could be in Germany, Austria, Slovakia, or Poland. Prague is rich in history and features old and new styles not seen anywhere else. With its narrow curved streets, marvelous courtyards, and green parks that make up 30% of downtown, Prague is a city for those who love to walk. Prague is an open textbook of modern and traditional literature, art, and culture surrounded by the remarkable architecture of its walls, castles, and frescoes.

US Department of State Country Information

The US Department of State provides safety and security information for every country of the world to help you assess for yourself the risks of travel. Each country information page contains a Travel Advisory, Alerts, and other important details specific to that country that could affect you.

Pay close attention to the entry and exit requirements, local laws and customs, health conditions, and other details to help decide whether traveling to any given country is right for you. Non-US citizen travelers may also wish to seek guidance from the embassy of their country of citizenship. The UI International Travel Policy for Students addresses restrictions on student travel to high-risk locations and engagement in high-risk activities abroad.

Living Arrangements

When in Prague, students will live in CEA housing, in an apartment shared with other CEA students. Assignments are based on availability and confirmation date.

Travel Arrangements

Students make their own travel arrangements with advice from Study Abroad and CEA.

Local Transportation

Prague has an excellent public transportation system with buses, light-rail train and an underground rail system(subway). Additionally, one of the best ways to explore Prague is on foot. The city center is compact; students can walk from one side to the other in under 20 minutes.

Flights

Students will work with their program provider to make travel arrangements to their program site. The cost of travel is not included in the course fee. UI Study Abroad will not arrange a group flight to your study abroad destination.

Do not purchase plane tickets until you have received instructions on how to do so from your program provider.

Eligibility Criteria

Students must meet each of the following eligibility criteria to be considered for this program: students must be in good academic and disciplinary standing, and have a minimum UI GPA of 2.75 to apply. Students must have completed one year of study on campus at the University of Iowa in order to study abroad.

Cost

There is a $50 UI non-refundable application fee. Students will pay the CEA program fee, Study Abroad administrative fees, and will be enrolled in Iowa Regents international health insurance. A Confirmation Deposit as well as a security deposit is due to CEA that students need to pay CEA directly for themselves and does not go on the U-Bill.

Program Cost

2024 Prague CEA Summer Internship: 6 credit hours

These documents outline the total estimated costs associated with participating in this program and can be used for financial aid purposes. It includes fees charged on students’ U-Bill (Course Fee, Study Abroad Fee, and Iowa Regents CISI Insurance), as well as out-of-pocket expenses. Actual out-of-pocket expenses will vary from individual to individual. Quoted estimates are conservatively high, yet realistic.

The cost sheet includes the Study Abroad Administrative Fee and Mandatory Iowa Regents CISI Travel Insurance. Please see the respective websites for further details. If the fee is inclusive of UI tuition, it is calculated by Current Tuition. Please contact your study abroad advisor with questions regarding this cost sheet – call 319-335-0353 to schedule an appointment.

Upfront, out-of-pocket expenses

Some costs are incurred prior to departure and will be due before financial aid/scholarships disperse. Here are the expected upfront costs for CEA Internships:

• Iowa Application Fee: $50
• Airfare Estimate: $1,500
• Passport: $135

Optional additional fees paid to CEA

These fees are all optional and are not included in the course fee for the program. The cost should be paid directly to CEA — failure to pay will result in CEA withholding transcripts.

• Single Room Upgrades
• Optional Tours

The program fee includes tuition and fees, housing, and on-site support services as well as pre-departure services. Expected additional costs include but are not limited to: meals, local transportation, airfare, personal expenses, visa fees(if applicable), and textbooks.

Financial Aid and Scholarships

Most financial aid (scholarships, grants, and loans) is applicable to study abroad programs. Please check the Study Abroad website for information on financial aid and how it may be applied to studying abroad. You are also encouraged to speak with someone at the Office of Student Financial Aid to explore financial aid options.

Students wishing to use Federal Financial Aid need to be enrolled in 6 credit hours.

Scholarship opportunities exist for study abroad participants. Please explore Study Abroad's website for UI Study Abroad Scholarship Opportunities.

In addition, CEA has many scholarships that UI students can apply for. These scholarship opportunities are found on the CEA website.

Federal Pell Grant recipients are eligible to apply for the Gilman Scholarship.

How to Apply

1. Meet with the Study Abroad Advisor for the Internships. To make an appointment, please call 319-335-0353 and schedule an appointment on the advisor's calendar with the receptionist.
2. Complete the UI online application for this program at the following link: UI Study Abroad Program Application
3. Complete the CEA online application at the following link: CEA Online Application

Application Deadlines

Summer Semester: Feb 15th

Fall Semester: March 15

Spring Semester: September 15

Acceptance Packet

After the application cycle has finished, students will receive an email, an acceptance letter, and more information about accepting their place in the CEA Prague study abroad program as well as information on applying for visas and purchasing plane tickets. Continue to check this website for more information on post-application procedures.

More information will be provided at a later date.

Acceptance and Confirmation Materials

Coming soon.

Health & Safety Planning

In addition to submitting their Confirmation of Participation form, students should review the following:

Study Abroad Resources

Passports and Visas

Iowa Regents CISI Health Insurance Information

Students are also encouraged to complete the Health Preparation Guide for International Travel form with their medical practitioner. This document is intended to help you plan for your medical needs abroad. Please DO NOT turn this form in to UI Study Abroad.

Visa

U.S. passport holders should follow the Visa batch process instructions provided by CEA. Make sure to submit all required documents by the submission deadline. Otherwise you will have to apply for your student visa independently.

U.S. Citizens will need a student visa if they are going abroad for a semester, or academic year. Typically, they will not need a visa for the summer sessions.

Non-US Citizens- should refer to the Czech Visa website for more information on Czech visa requirements.

UI Study Abroad will hold advising appointments and/or information sessions to provide details on the visa application process. UI Study Abroad staff can provide some assistance on the Czech visa application process, but ultimately the individual traveler (the student) is the person who is responsible for providing correct information on the visa application and securing the visa and all other required documentation prior to travel.

Prior to starting the visa application process check in with CEA for more information; they have a preferred timeline that students need to follow.

Orientation

In order to prepare for your time abroad, you are required by the University of Iowa to complete two orientations. These may be in addition to orientations provided by your on-site provider. See below for more information.

Online Education Abroad Pre-Departure Orientation

You are required to complete the International Programs ICON course "Education Abroad Pre-Departure Orientation" prior to departure. This orientation is mandatory for all students going abroad under the auspices of the University of Iowa. It covers many practical matters about living overseas, such as health and safety, communication, money, goals, and much more. You will be enrolled in this course by International Programs and an email will be sent to you once enrolled. If you have any questions, you can email safety-abroad@uiowa.edu

Program-Specific Orientation

This orientation will be facilitated by your study abroad advisor and will cover content specific to your program and host country. It could be conducted in a group setting or one-on-one depending on your type of planned activity abroad. Your study abroad advisor will send you more information about this mandatory in-person session.

Predeparture Resources

CEA will provide you with a variety of pre-departure resources to prepare you for your study abroad experience. These will include a packing list, cultural information, housing instructions, etc. Ensure that you thoroughly review any information provided to you by CEA and refer back to it if you have any questions.

These materials may be periodically updated to reflect new program information prior to departure. Be sure to check your CEA Account often.

Do you have any photos to share with us? If you do, please contact us at:

1111 University Capitol Centre
The University of Iowa
Iowa City, Iowa 52242-1802
USA

Phone: (319) 335-0353
Fax: (319) 335-0343
E-mail: study-abroad@uiowa.edu