Information for term Film Studies
Application deadline, and cost information.
Overview
Click to OpenWhat better place to study film production or screenwriting than Prague? A city renowned for its rich filmmaking tradition, Prague is often selected by major international film producers, making it one of Europe’s top 10 filming cities. Prague is home to many breathtaking historical sites that have become world-famous filming locations. Can you spot Prague in Spider-Man, Mission Impossible, or James Bond movies? Its urban center, rich cultural offerings, and constantly developing social scene are just a few elements that make Prague one of Europe’s most intriguing capitals.
Designed for students with experience in film production or screenwriting, the Film Studies Program provides plenty of opportunities for students to develop and polish their skills under the mentorship of professionals in the field. Choose from a wide variety of core courses and electives at the Prague Film and Television School of the Academy of Performing Arts (FAMU), one of the preeminent film schools in Central Europe. Students will gain hands-on experience shooting short films and writing screenplays.
All classes are taught in English and include a two-week intensive Czech language course to facilitate cultural immersion. Outside the classroom, courses are complemented with co-curricular activities and excursions organized by CIEE beyond the city to enhance classroom learning and provide intercultural understanding.
Follow our Travels:
Unique Experiences
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Work
with American and international film students at the preeminent Prague Film and Television School of the Academy of the Performing Arts (FAMU)
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Learn
to shoot, direct, or write with mentoring from European film professionals
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GET INSPIRATION
from visits to Prague Barrandov film studios and guest lectures by European directors, producers, cinematographers, and screenwriters
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INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY STUDENTS STUDYING IN PRAGUE
30,000 -
KILOMETERS OF TRAM LINES IN PRAGUE
143 -
RESIDENTS
1.3 M
Location & Culture
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Your Destination
Cobblestone streets, ancient bridges, and a hilltop castle help lend the City of a Hundred Spires its reputation as one of the world’s most beautiful. Prague is unique in Europe, having shed its Communist past and brimming with carefully preserved monuments from every period and style in its millennial history. There’s plenty of quirky, too, like the Zizkov Tower adorned with climbing babies and the distinctly nontraditional Dancing House. Easy to explore on foot, the city boasts a rich cultural life that includes concerts, festivals, operas, and more – many of which you can access on a student budget.
CIEE Prague is located in the central neighborhood of Vyšehrad in a beautiful park-like setting atop one of Prague’s highest hills about 15 minutes from the Old Town area.
CIEE wants all our students to feel welcomed, supported, and empowered to succeed while studying abroad. Local CIEE staff have provided details about conditions and cultural attitudes that students with specific identities might encounter in Prague.
The Culture
FEATURED EXCURSION
Day Trip to Pilsen - The day begins with a train ride to Pilsen, the fourth-largest city in the Czech Republic. In the morning, we explore the city with a professional guide and visit all the important sites, such as the Thank You America Memorial (which was erected in honor of the U.S. forces that liberated Pilsen in May 1945) or the Great Synagogue (the fifth-largest synagogue in the world). After lunch, we visit the famous Pilsner Urquell Brewery, which was established in 1842 and comprises three brew houses from three different centuries. The day finishes with a tasting of the unfiltered Pilsner Urquell beer in one of the cellars – a special type of beer you cannot get anywhere else.
OTHER EXCURSIONS & ACTIVITIES
- Take part in CIEE-organized excursions to learn more about the Czech Republic and Central Europe.
- Cheer on a local sports team at a hockey game
- Sample local Moravian wines at a sommelier-led wine tasting
- Bike along the paths along the Vltava River and see another side of Prague
- Watch an opera in one of the amazing baroque opera houses
- Take part in a Czech cuisine cooking class and participate in many other Prague-based activities organized by local staff to spark your interest in local art, film, music, culture or sports.
Projects
- Learn from industry experts.
- Practice your language skills with weekly Prague-based activities organized by local staff, including bouldering sessions, glass making workshop and pedal boating on the Vltava River.
Program Blogs
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Daily Life
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Housing
All housing is within a 45-minute commute to CIEE.
Homestays: Live with a Czech family, with or without another CIEE student, and immerse yourself in the city’s culture. Each student has an individual room.
Apartments: Students can live in apartments shared with other CIEE students. If local health and safety regulations permit, most students live in double or triple rooms. Each apartment will have shared common spaces, including kitchen and bathroom.
Residence Halls: Students usually live with a mix of CIEE students and local and international students in dormitory-like buildings. If local health and safety regulations permit, most students live in double or triple rooms. Students usually share kitchens and common areas.
Housing is tight in Prague. If we can’t accommodate your first housing choice, we’ll let you know before you arrive. -
Meals
Homestay: Breakfast and dinner, on the family’s schedule, are included.
Residence Halls and Apartments: Meals are not included.
Academics
Click to OpenAcademics
The Film Studies program is designed for students with some experience in film production, screenwriting, or film studies to hone their production and writing skills. Students choose either the production track or the screenwriting track. In the production track, students create a 16-mm film, including pre-production, production, and post-production. In the screenwriting track, students begin a feature-length screenplay, completing its full treatment and writing about half of a first draft. (Note: CIEE reserves the right to combine tracks in the case of low enrollment.)
The Film and TV School of the Academy of Performing Arts (FAMU) is the preeminent film school in Central Europe and the 5th oldest film school in the world. Many influential filmmakers and screenwriters are FAMU alumni, including Stanislav Barabas and Oscar-winners Miloš Forman and Agnieszka Holland. FAMU is located in the city center on the banks of the Vltava River.
GPA
Production Track: 2.5
Screenwriting Track: 3.0
Language Prerequisites
There are no specific language requirements for this program.
Additional Requirements
Production track: Overall GPA of 2.5 in an art-related major, preferably film. Demonstrate formal or informal experience with directing and use of digital/video camera. Portfolio sample of recent work via Vimeo/YouTube link (maximum 15 minutes in length). Sample should demonstrate a complete narrative and ability to develop a story. One or two storyboards/treatments for a short film to be shot in Prague.
Screenwriting track: Overall GPA of 3.0 in art-related major. At least two courses in screenwriting or creative writing plus an original screenplay and proposals for two additional screenplays.
Final acceptance to the program is determined following a review by FAMU faculty; please note that while CIEE’s conditional acceptances are made on a rolling basis, FAMU’s decisions are typically made after the application deadline.
Individual courses may have additional prerequisites; for CIEE courses, these are listed in the syllabi below. Students are responsible for having their own course approval conversations with their advisors.
Program Requirements
Students are required to take:
- Intensive Beginning Czech Language course for 3 U.S. credits.
The two-week intensive (3-5 hours per day) course provides students with basic skills needed to communicate daily. The course focuses on grammar, conversation, listening, and reading comprehension. The class continues on a weekly basis until the start of the pre-production period. - Two required CIEE courses taught by FAMU faculty following a specific track (Production or Screenwriting).
- Six credits of FAMU Electives (to be selected during your on-site orientation).
Program Credit
Total credit: 17 U.S. semester/25.5 quarter credits
Course Credit
- CIEE courses: 4 U.S. semester/6 quarter credits; 60 contact hours
- FAMU courses: typically 1.5-3 U.S. semester/2.25-4.5 quarter credits; 24-45 contact hours
Individual courses may have additional prerequisites; for CIEE courses, these are listed in the syllabi below. Students are responsible for having their own course approval conversations with their advisors.
Academic Culture
This intensive program requires both evening and weekend sessions, film screenings, and production work. Because of the intensive production and post-production period, travel outside of Prague in the last seven weeks of the program is not allowed for students in the Production track.
Class Format
The Film Studies program includes both practical hands-on and traditional university courses. The production track has eight weeks of instruction, two weeks of guided pre-production, two weeks of production, and two weeks of post-production. The screenwriting track follows a more traditional schedule and culminates in the creation of approximately half of a feature-length screenplay. Classes are small and include both theoretical and practical exercises. With the exception of the Intensive Beginning Czech Language course, all classes are taught by FAMU faculty. Required CIEE Czech language and production and screenwriting courses include CIEE students only. FAMU elective courses include CIEE and international students. Students are guided by FAMU faculty member and Film Studies Academic Advisor Mary Angiolillo, who is also the liaison between CIEE and FAMU. An American, Mary is a longtime resident of the Czech Republic.
Grading
Assessment is varied and includes midterm and final exams, faculty assessment of final production or screenwriting projects, and participation in seminars, workshops, and other program activities. Courses are graded A–F.
Individual courses may have additional prerequisites; for CIEE courses, these are listed in the syllabi below. Students are responsible for having their own course approval conversations with their advisors.
Language of Instruction
Czech and English
Individual courses may have additional prerequisites; for CIEE courses, these are listed in the syllabi below. Students are responsible for having their own course approval conversations with their advisors.
Courses
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Course Notes
Production Track
All students enroll in Topics in Production and Filmmaking Practicum and Mentorship courses.
Screenwriting Track
All students enroll in Feature Screenwriting and Script Analysis courses.
Spring 2023 CIEE Courses
Click to OpenLanguages and Cultural Studies
Visual and Performing Arts
Fall 2023 CIEE Courses
Click to OpenLanguages and Cultural Studies
Visual and Performing Arts
Host Institution Courses
Click to OpenFAMU Elective Courses
Not all courses listed are offered every semester. The following is a representative sample of course offerings though FAMU and is subject to change.
- Acting Theories
- Central European Cinemas within the Context of the World Cinema
- Cinema Dance
- Circulating within the Modern Cinematic Image
- Essential Elements of Film Sound 1Film Style and Form 1
- Filming the Unfilmable
- History, Development and Characteristics of Genres
- Script Analysis 1
- Short Film Practical Analysis: Directing 1
- The Realm of Montage
- Visual Theory
Note: This course listing is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a contract between CIEE and any applicant, student, institution, or other party. The courses, as described, may be subject to change as a result of ongoing curricular revisions, assignment of lecturers and teaching staff, and program development. Courses may be canceled due to insufficient enrollment.
"(GI)" denotes courses that originated at CIEE's Global Institutes and that are offered at multiple CIEE sites.
Scholarships
Click to OpenScholarships & Grants
CIEE offers scholarships and grants annually to help students like you make your study abroad dream a reality.
Students who apply to this program are eligible for the following scholarships and grants:
- Ping Scholarships for Academic Excellence
- Global Access Initiative (GAIN) Grants
- CIEE Gilman Go Global Grant
To be considered, submit the CIEE Scholarships & Grants application within your CIEE program application. Learn more at the Scholarships & Grants section of our website.
See more scholarship infoDates & Fees
Click to OpenDates & Fees
You get more for every dollar when you study abroad with CIEE, because our high-quality programs include everything from excursions to insurance. There are no hidden charges, and no disappointing surprises when you arrive.
Program |
Application Due |
Start Date |
End Date |
Fees & Housing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring 2023 17 weeks | Deadline Passed | Jan 17, 2023 | May 13, 2023 |
$19,950
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Program FeesCIEE offers the most student support of any provider in its program fee, including an airport greeting, full-time leadership and support, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, pre-departure advising, and CIEE iNext travel insurance with benefits. Participation Confirmation = $300 * Educational Costs = $16,558 ** Housing = $2,925 *** Insurance = $167 Total Fees = $19,950Estimated CostsStudents are responsible and manage costs related to travel, meals, books, and personal expenses. Below are estimates for consideration. Meals not included in program fee = $1,910 International Airfare = $1,000 † Local Transportation = $45 †† Books & Supplies = $45 Visa Fees = $114 Personal expenses = $1,635 Other = $0 Total Estimated Costs = $4,749Financial AidCIEE offers the most grants and scholarships of any study abroad organization, including $8 million/year in travel grants, merit-based scholarships, institutional and MSI grants, and Gilman Go Global Grants. This breakdown has been prepared from the program budget for the purpose of calculating eligibility for financial aid. During the course of program operations, actual figures may vary. It should not, therefore, be used as a basis for calculation of refunds. CIEE reserves the right to adjust fees at any time. Students required by their US home institution to study abroad via CIEE's School of Record will be charged a $500 administrative fee in addition to the Program Fees listed. * non-refundable ** direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students *** Meals vary by housing choice: Includes two meals per day for homestay students. No meals are included for students in apartments or residence halls. Additionally, students who opt for and are placed in single-occupancy rooms will be billed a supplemental fee of approximately $1000, 4-6 weeks after the program starts † round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure †† cost of taxi to airport on departure; local transportation pass included in program. |
| Fall 2023 16 weeks | Apr 1, 2023 | Aug 29, 2023 | Dec 16, 2023 |
$19,950
Click to Close
Program FeesCIEE offers the most student support of any provider in its program fee, including an airport greeting, full-time leadership and support, orientation, cultural activities, local excursions, pre-departure advising, and CIEE iNext travel insurance with benefits. Participation Confirmation = $300 * Educational Costs = $16,528 ** Housing = $2,925 *** Insurance = $197 Total Fees = $19,950Estimated CostsStudents are responsible and manage costs related to travel, meals, books, and personal expenses. Below are estimates for consideration. Meals not included in program fee = $1,910 † International Airfare = $1,000 †† Local Transportation = $45 Books & Supplies = $45 Visa Fees = $114 Personal expenses = $1,635 Other = $35 ††† Total Estimated Costs = $4,784Financial AidCIEE offers the most grants and scholarships of any study abroad organization, including $8 million/year in travel grants, merit-based scholarships, institutional and MSI grants, and Gilman Go Global Grants. This breakdown has been prepared from the program budget for the purpose of calculating eligibility for financial aid. During the course of program operations, actual figures may vary. It should not, therefore, be used as a basis for calculation of refunds. CIEE reserves the right to adjust fees at any time. Students required by their US home institution to study abroad via CIEE's School of Record will be charged a $500 administrative fee in addition to the Program Fees listed. * non-refundable ** direct cost of education charged uniformly to all students *** Meals vary by housing choice: Includes two meals per day for homestay students. No meals are included for students in apartments or residence halls. Additionally, students who opt for and are placed in single-occupancy rooms will be billed a supplemental fee of approximately $1000, 4-6 weeks after the program starts † for students residing in shared apartments; homestay students should budget $1,000 per semester for meals not included in fees †† round-trip based on U.S. East Coast departure ††† Covid test fees for entry to the US, if required |
| Spring 2024 17 weeks | Sep 15, 2023 | Jan 16, 2024 | May 11, 2024 |
To help you budget, keep in mind that students are responsible for the cost of international airfare, local transportation, books and supplies, visas, and personal expenses. In addition, your college or university may charge additional fees for study abroad, or may require you to receive a transcript via CIEE's School of Record, which carries an additional fee of $500.
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What's Included
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Our Staff
Click to OpenOur Staff
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Will Barnard
Director
Will Barnard heads CIEE Prague. Originally from the U.S., Will has lived and worked in higher education in the Czech Republic for over twenty years.
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Michaela Neužilová
Program Coordinator
Michaela has been a Program Coordinator with CIEE since 2016. She earned her degree at the University of Sheffield (UK) and studied abroad in St. Petersburg, Russia and Rennes, France.
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Peter Mistrík
Program Coordinator
Peter is a Program Coordinator at CIEE Prague. He studied at the Charles University in Prague and graduated with a Master’s degree in Western European Studies.
Get Started
Here's what you need to do to take the next steps:-
1
START AN APPLICATION
Apply Now
You're one step closer to an amazing study abroad experience! -
2
CONNECT WITH YOUR CAMPUS STUDY ABROAD OFFICE
Share your plans and confirm you're on track to meet all required steps to go abroad. -
3
Contact Us
Send us an email if you still have questions or need information about applying to this program.
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