PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Here you will find practical information that will be useful when studying medicine in Prague.
Should you stay at the Doormitory or should you rent an apartment? Alone or with someone else? Some of you may be moving away from home for the first time and it might be good to move in with someone who is also studying medicine or who is from the same country. We would like to help you find someone if you do not find yourself.
The university offers housing for all the students at the doormitory in Hostivar. This is cheap, low standard and a bit outside the city centre. We at Study in Prague do not recommend staying in the doormitory other than as a short-term solution. Prague is a cheap city to live in so we recommend that you find an apartment right away.
There are many places to look for a place to stay. Below we have added a few pages where you can look for an apartment. Remember to look where in the city the apartment is located. Prague 2 and Prague 10 are where most of the students live, but it is also possible to find something outside that is not too far away.
FIND A PLACE TO LIVE
Facebook Group: New student in Prague
BANK, INSURANCE AND TELEPHONE
BANK
Having a Czech bank account is not an absolute necessity. But it makes it easier when you have to pay rent and you do might save some on transaction fees every time you withdraw money. Prague is a city it is important to have cash on hand. UniCredit Bank is the most common bank to use, this is free for all students and we have received good feedback from past and present students using UniCredit Bank.
INSURANCE
It is important for everyone who comes from Europe to bring a health insurance card. If you are then admitted to hospital, everything will be covered by this card. Get a student insurance with your home country that has contents and travel insurance. For Norwegians, we recommend ANSA's insurance provided by Tryg insurance.
TELEPHONE
Most European mobile subscriptions usually have the same price for mobile data in all countries in Europe. Therefore, it is common for students not to sign up for a Czech mobile subscription and continue to use their own.The Czech subscriptions are still cheaper than most European ones, so if you want to save some money, it can be smart to get a Czech telephone subscription.
THE FIRST MONTH
DOBRONICE
In Prague, students encounter a soft start to their student life where the school focuses on the students getting to know each other well before the school year starts. In the beginning of September, all students are invited to a camp called "Dobronice". This is a weekend full of fun activities and parties that we recommend every new student to attend. Here you will meet your future fellow students, older students who you can ask about everything and many of the teachers in an informal and pleasant setting. The Czech students are also involved. Great fun!
See photos from Dobronice 2020 here
CZECH LANGUAGE COURSE
After Dobronice, all students will go through a couple of weeks of language courses in Czech. This is a good time to move into the apartment, go to IKEA, get to know the city and get to know the people you met at Dobronice. The language course lasts a few hours every day where you will receive basic Czech lessons followed by a small test at the end of the course. This is a soft and pleasant start to the studies.
FRESHER WEEK
Last but not least, the Fresher Week! It is a week at the end of September / beginning of October. The Fresher week consists of lots of events arranged by TRIMED (the university's student association). In previous years, there has been a party on a boat that runs along the canal in Prague all evening, concerts with free food and drinks, a beach volleyball tournament and much more.
When the sponsor week is over, the actual study starts approx. one month after you first traveled to Prague, during this time you should have had plenty of time to settle in your apartment, gotten to know a whole lot of people and learn some study tips from the older students. Use this time well and you will be ready to finally dive into the books in October!
@ trimed.lf3
EVENTS
Events are arranged all year round either by TRIMED or by the faculty itself. Some of them are:
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Annual Christmas ball with the whole school
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Pubquiz
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Concerts
SPORTS ACTIVITIES
The school also has a number of sports activities that students can sign up for:
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Hockey team "HC TRIMED"
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Football team
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Basketball team
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Volleyball team
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Squash tournaments
WHEN IS IT TIME FOR HOLIDAY?
SUMMER VACATION
The summer holidays begin in the middle/end of June. After about 3 months of summer vacation, the school year starts at the beginning of October for all the 6 years, with the exception of the 1st year due to Dobronice, the Czech language course and Fresher Week.
CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY
The Christmas holidays can vary from year to year, depending on the exam, but are usually from December 20 to January 2. The exam period comes in January.
WINTER BREAK
After the exam period, there is a long winter break in February waiting. If you do not pass all your exams in January there is time set aside for retaking the exams during the winter break. If you finish early you can expect 3 weeks of holiday in February. Maybe go on a winter holiday around Central Europe or go on a ski holiday in the Alps? It is not a long drive away.