Magical Prague: The top-rated European City for Students

In a September 2024 study, Campus Advisor ranked Prague the number-one European city for students–and it’s easy to see why.

Start with academics. Prague offers numerous well-regarded universities–many offering degree programs taught entirely in English. Because higher education is socialized in Czechia, tuition fees are quite affordable and can even be free (especially for those willing to learn and study in Czech). Additionally, undergraduate degrees tend to run just three years (making these degrees even more affordable).

Nicknamed “The City of 100 Spires”, Prague is a UNESCO World Heritage site, with stunning architecture and a vibrant history dating back over a thousand years. The city has a decidedly Medieval vibe and is littered with iconic sites, including Prague Castle, the Astronomical Clock, Old Town, Mala Strana, and Charles Bridge.

Culture isn’t just limited to churches and museums–the city hosts numerous festivals, concerts, and exhibitions throughout the year, providing students with rich experiences. Street fairs and markets (including some of the best holiday markets in Europe) are common. 

Prague has a well-earned reputation as one of Europe’s nightlife capitals, with bars, clubs, and cultural venues providing ample opportunities for socializing day and night. And Prague is a student city. At any given time, more than 125,000 university students can be found roaming its streets!

Prague is also a traveler’s delight. North Americans tend to think of Czechia as being in Eastern Europe, but in actuality, Prague is at the geographical heart of Europe (in fact, Prague is considerably west of Vienna, Austria). Immediate neighbors include Germany, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, and Austria–but high-speed trains and discount air carriers present a much wider array of travel possibilities. - While constantly changing, here are some upcoming roundtrip fares for weekend flights.

Not that students will be in a hurry to leave. Prague is an immensely welcoming and cosmopolitan city. Because of its booming international community, English is widely spoken throughout the city. Locals are generally friendly towards foreigners, helping students feel at home. And, Prague is one of the safest cities in Europe–frequently ranking among the top 50 safest cities worldwide.

I haven’t even touched upon the fact that Prague is widely considered the beer capital of the world… But let’s get back to academics by discussing a quartet of noteworthy programs

1. Charles University

Founded by Holy Roman Emperor, Charles IV in 1348, Charles University is Czechia’s flagship national university and one of the oldest universities in the world. While unknown to many North Americans, Charles is held in high esteem among the global academic community, earning it a spot among the top 250 universities worldwide. Illuminaries like Albert Einstein, Václav Havel, and Franz Kafka have walked Charles’s hallowed halls.

Fully 20% of Charles’s 50,000-plus students are international–and the university has fostered this by offering an ever-increasing number of programs taught entirely in English. English-language bachelor's programs include degrees in Economics and Finance, Political Science, Computer Science, Communications, History, Theology, Physical Therapy, Sciences, the Arts, and Education. 

Charles also offers high school graduates direct admission to a six-year master's degree in Medicine and a five-year master's in Dentistry.

While admitted students have the option to learn the notoriously difficult Czech language then study for free, tuition for English-language programs is quite reasonable by North American standards. A three-year Bachelor of Economics and Finance degree runs just € 7,000 (about $7,400) per year–which means tuition for the entire degree program costs less than a single year at many North American universities.

Charles also benefits from a high degree of participation in Erasmus–the European exchange network–and inter-faculty agreements with an impressive array of other schools. Students can take up to 2 semesters abroad–typically for the same tuition as they would pay at Charles. These options span the globe and include numerous North American destinations for those prone to homesickness.

Throw in cheap dorms (about $200/month) and public transportation (an annual pass runs just $60), and Charles becomes one of the biggest bargains in higher education.

2. Anglo-American University

Sitting astride the posh Mala Strana neighborhood is Anglo-American University–another compelling choice. “AAU”. as it’s known, is a private school that furnishes graduates with a degree that’s accredited in both the US and Europe.

While perhaps not of the same academic stature as neighboring Charles, this dual-accreditation system provides some insurance for students who might be worried about the portability of their credits and diploma. AAU offers 28 different bachelor specializations across 5 primary disciplines:

• International Relations

• Business Administration 

• Humanities, Society, and Culture

• Journalism and Media Studies

• Visual Art Studies

Even though it’s a private school, AAU’s tuition fees are only slightly higher than its neighbor Charles. For the academic year 2024-2025, bachelor's degree programs run $11,500/year. 

Oh, and one more thing–AAU is the only university in Prague on the Common App.

3. Czech Technical University of Prague

300-year-old Czech Technical University in Prague (or CTU) is one of Czechia's largest universities and one of Central Europe's oldest and most highly-regarded institutes of technology.  

Occupying a prime sliver of the trendy Dejvice neighborhood, known for its embassies and expat population, CTU offers students an extended campus surrounded by comfortable cafes and, unsurprisingly, the contemporary National Technical Library,

CTU has 8 different faculties, all offering bachelor’s degree programs in English. These include:

• Computer Science (with multiple specializations available)

• Civil Engineering

• Mechanical Engineering

• Electrical Engineering and Computer Science

• Nuclear Sciences and Physical Engineering

• Architecture

• Biomedical Technology

• Economics and Management

• …and one you’re less likely to find at home: Professional Pilot

Programs run for 3 or 4 years (depending on the course of study), and tuition fees for 2024-2025 average $5,000/annum–making it the most affordable option on this list.

4. Prague University of Economics and Business

Prague University of Economics and Business (or VSE, as it’s better known) is a well-regarded economics and business-oriented public university in Prague’s bustling Žižkov neighborhood. It is the largest business and economics-focused university in Czechia with 14,000 students across all programs. 

VSE has a reputation for being well-suited to those whose interests are more pre-professional vs. theoretical. For instance, courses tend to be less math-intensive and theoretical than those at Charles University, but heavier on real-world application. Like many European business schools, the school is AACSB certified.

Three-year Bachelor’s degree programs taught in English include:

• International Business

• Business Administration

• International and Diplomatic Studies

• Economics

• Economic Data Science

VSE tuition for the 2024-2025 academic year is just € 5,000 (about $5,300)--again, a compelling alternative to all but the cheapest of in-state North American schools.

These are, of course, just a small sampling of the English-language degree programs available in Prague (much less elsewhere in the Czech Republic), but it should give a good picture of the cost-efficient options available in this amazing city.

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