If you speak Czech, why study in English in Prague?

Many young Czechs who are about to graduate from high school are interested in coming to Prague to study at university. Of all cities in the Czech Republic, Prague is the one with the most international universities, as well as the most programs taught entirely in English. But why should you go in for higher education in English, if you could simply study in Czech? Perhaps you are not interested in potentially moving abroad, or working for an international company in your home country. Completing any degree in a foreign language is always a challenge, even if English was one of your best subjects in high school. But imagine how much you could achieve by going the extra mile and choosing to study for your bachelor’s degree in English. After all, the drive to constantly challenge yourself leads to success in all aspects of your career and life. 

According to the 2019 EF EPI, the world’s largest ranking of countries and regions by English skills, the Czech Republic was ranked 19th out of 33 European countries, seriously outranked by its neighbors Austria (6th), Germany (8th) and Poland (9th). Slovakia is the only neighboring country ranked lower, taking 21st place. Although most school systems in the world teach English, student assessment tools vary widely from country to country. As a result, European students do not all have the same level of English proficiency, which can sometimes compromise their future success. 

What are the benefits of studying in English in the Czech Republic? 

Time saver 

Studying in English is faster and more effective than having to combine university studies with extra English courses or private tutorial sessions. If you study English separately, you only have time to touch on a limited number of topics, but working towards a university degree in English will immediately give you a specialized and technical vocabulary that is tailored to your future professional field. It will be challenging, but imagine how much time you can save. 

The accent game 

You will immerse yourself in an ocean of accents and learn to understand everyone – or almost everyone! The University of New York in Prague is an excellent place to meet speakers with diverse accents, as we have faculty from over 25 countries and students from over 60 countries. You will not only learn to recognize accents and to get used to the different ways in which people speak English, but you will be encouraged to improve your pronunciation and make yourself understood. When you communicate in a language different from your native tongue, you’re training the muscles in your mouth, as well as your brain. So if your goal is to reduce your accent, the best advice is to speak often. 

Making friends with foreigners 

Attending an international university in Prague will bring unlimited opportunities to practice English outside the classroom. Half of the students at UNYP come from outside the Czech Republic; for many of them, English is their first language. Of course, this doesn’t mean that you have to choose your college friends based on their English proficiency! Still, you will have many chances to make friends with international classmates, and your free time spent hanging out with them will automatically turn into conversational language practice. You will also have the chance to use slang, which will be invaluable if you ever want to live abroad or make new English-speaking friends outside university. 

Speak English like a pro

When your English is fluent, your chances of landing internships in international companies, in Prague or abroad, are much higher. At UNYP, students receive many assignments that allow them to practice their communication skills. They also participate in Student Research conferences and CFA International competitions, and attend lectures and presentations by representatives of various global businesses, such as Amazon, Unilever, SAP, Raiffeisen Bank, McKinsey, Socialbakers and many others.

It all comes down to the opportunity to regularly practice business English. In recent years, it has become popular for non-native English speakers to study business English as a unique tool, not only to interact with English-speaking countries, or with international companies in which English as a shared language, but to communicate messages and reach agreements in general. Business English includes professional email writing, small talk, elevator pitches, negotiation techniques, and effective presentation delivery. 

Essential academic vocabulary

Students need academic English to do the work at university. Academic English has stringent standards for consistency, formality, precision, clarity, conciseness and objectivity. Students who are not native speakers of English can seek help at the UNYP Writing Lab, which offers individualized assistance with all aspects of the writing process. You will also have the opportunity to become familiar with academic English by using the extensive non-fiction collection in the UNYP library. Without studying for a degree in English, you probably wouldn’t spend extra effort on reading non-fiction literature in English, and would go for translated versions. In the future, this could make it harder for you to pursue an international academic career, apply for a Ph.D. program outside the Czech Republic, or present your work at international conferences.