Many are also attracted by the fact that students of Czech universities have many wonderful opportunities and prospects. The most important thing is that foreign students do not pay for tuition - in the Czech Republic the education system is state-run. And who does not dream of getting a quality European education for free, recognized all over the world, and then getting a promising high-paying job? In addition, students in the Czech Republic have a unique opportunity to do internships in the USA and England.
Students of Czech universities receive tuition-free education, but they must find their own money for accommodation, food, clothing, etc., as scholarships are rare. However, the Czech government allows foreign students to work part-time, and finding a job is not hard. There are numerous student agencies that deal with student employment.
Most look for a job that can be confidently considered a successful start for both a career and financial well-being. This is only welcomed. But a university graduate with a clean employment record and no work experience causes, at the very least, bewilderment. Czech students solve this issue by deciding to work all summer abroad. First, they get the opportunity to earn a certain amount of money sufficient to cover all expenses related to studying at university and living for a year or more. Second, it allows students to concentrate on their studies and professional practice throughout the academic year. What is more, they get the opportunity to see the world. In addition, Czech students can go on internships in the USA and England in the summer.
The Czech Republic is a country that will become a member of the European Union in 2004 and has long been integrated into the European community. Czechs have visa-free relations with all European countries. To travel to the USA, a Czech citizen must obtain a visa, but under a simplified procedure with a minimal chance of refusal. Therefore, there are no more or less serious obstacles in the way of a Czech student to the USA or England.
Moreover, Czech and international agencies offer summer work programs for students. To be able to participate in a program, you must pass a simple competitive selection (an interview on English proficiency with a regional representative of the agency) and fill out application forms. The main condition is having a one-year student visa for the Czech Republic. And, naturally, you must be enrolled in full-time study.
Most students who come to the USA for the summer work in the service sector - restaurants, cafes, bars, shops, hotels, etc. It is possible to find employment in other areas, for example, in water parks, swimming pools, entertainment centers. There are a great many options; everyone can find a job to their liking.
There are also certain firms that offer students from CIS countries an exclusive opportunity to go to England on a work-study program, interrupting their studies in the Czech Republic. This means that a student who has a Czech one-year student visa can, under certain conditions, be issued a student visa for England and at the same time be able to officially work there for up to one year.
An important aspect of these programs is the opportunity to study English at a more serious level. On the Czech labor market, proficiency in English is one of the fundamental advantages of a candidate for any position. Many Czech firms work and keep documentation only in English. In Prague, almost all international corporations and concerns have their offices. A good knowledge of English will largely determine your future field of activity and salary level in the Czech Republic.
In addition to improving your English skills, there are many other advantages to these trips: you can expand your circle of acquaintances, you will have friends all over the world, which quite often helps in finding a job, and finally, you will see the world, get acquainted with the culture of another people, its customs and traditions. Currently, hundreds of young people from Ukraine, Belarus, and Russia are studying in the Czech Republic, for whom free European education and internships in America and England are not fantasies but reality.
Tatyana Pominchuk,
Golfstream Association.