Visit our NYU in Prague photo gallery to see images of the program and city.

Orientation

The first week of the NYU in Prague program includes intensive Czech classes, cultural programs, sightseeing and other events to welcome students and familiarize them with life in Prague. There is also a lecture series organized to provide students with an understanding of Czech history and the current political environment before classes commence.

In the past, orientation activities have included a guided tour of the Prague Castle combined with a guest talk given by President Havel's Chief of Protocol, Miroslav Sklenar; guided tours of the Old Town and the Jewish Quarter; excursions to galleries and museums; tickets to cultural events such as concerts, operas or ballets at the renowned performance spaces of the State Opera House, The Estates Theater or the Rudolfinum.

Orientation workshops include activities such as buying student metro passes, finding ATMs and American Express locations, locating grocery stores, post offices, English-language bookstores and other practicalities.

Housing and Meals

While all NYU in Prague students are required to live in NYU housing, you'll have a choice of three housing options. If you prefer residence hall living, you may live in the NYU in Prague residence, a recently renovated early-20th-century building. It features a student lounge with a television, two study lounges with panoramic views of Prague, and suites with modern kitchens and bathrooms. The residence is located on Machova Street in the residential neighborhood of Vinohrady (named for the fact that it was covered in vineyards dating back to the 14th century), a neighborhood well known for its bohemian cafés, acclaimed restaurants, and beautiful art nouveau buildings. If you'd prefer a more independent lifestyle, NYU-affiliated apartments are also available in a recently renovated early-20th-century building in the Nusle neighborhood. These loft apartments are fully furnished and feature modern kitchens and baths, laundry facilities, and spacious rooms with exposed-beam ceilings. NYU has recently acquired apartments in the up and coming Holesovice neighborhood, where industrial meets trendy. These extremely spacious apartments are located in a meticulously refurbished ham factory and feature large kitchens, lofted ceilings, study lounges and sun rooms on the top level. All suites, comprised of double and triple rooms, are fully furnished and have wireless internet. Travel time from both the residence and apartments to the NYU Center is about 20 minutes using public transportation or 30 minutes on foot. Regardless of where you choose to live, you'll have the option of preparing your own meals, purchasing low-cost lunches and dinners at the Charles University dining facility, or dining out.

Trips and Activities

Because Prague is so rich in history, every moment you spend outside of the classroom will reveal some new tidbit of information. During the weekends, NYU in Prague organizes seminars in conjunction with Charles University, during which you and your classmates will exchange ideas on topics of international concern. If studio art interests you, marionette-carving and glassblowing workshops are offered under the tutelage of internationally renowned Czech artists. There are also tours-included in your tuition-of art galleries, museums, exhibition halls, and historical houses, all led by NYU in Prague professors. You'll choose nightly from a rich schedule of events, including the ballet, opera, philharmonic, or theatre for just a few dollars at Prague's most prestigious performance spaces, such as the National Theatre, the State Opera, and the Estates Theatre, where Mozart staged the premiere of Don Giovanni in 1787.

Every semester, NYU in Prague organizes several day trips to nearby cities and towns to introduce you to Czech culture. Some of these excursions are required components of your course work and are included in the cost of your tuition. Other, optional day trips have additional fees, but are quite affordable. You'll travel to nearby villages to study medieval architecture and learn about the musical heritage of Bohemia and Moravia. You'll travel to such medieval cities as Cesky Krumlov and to Karlstejn Castle, built under the rule of Bohemian King and Holy Roman Emperor Charles IV to safeguard the Empire's crown jewels. Bohemia is full of wonderful hiking trails and near the "holy cave monastery." In Kutná Hora, you'll visit the truly spooky and fascinating Sedlec Ossuary, where the walls and art are almost entirely covered in human bones.

The NYU in Prague student-run clubs also plan events and trips that you might find of interest. Past excursions have included trips to Dresden and Prague, Germany; Budapest, Hungary; and Vienna, Austria. Destinations in Western Europe like Paris, Madrid, and Florence are accessible via budget airlines.