Location
  • Greece
    • Athens
Term
Academic Year, Fall, Spring, Summer, Winter
Subject Areas
Anthropology Archaeology Architecture Art History Arts Business Classical Studies Communications Creative Writing Cultural Studies Economics European Studies Gender Studies Global Studies History Humanities International Relations Liberal Arts Literature Media Relations Medieval Studies Museum Studies Peace Studies Philosophy Political Science Public Policy Religious Studies Russian and Eastern European Studies Service Learning Social Sciences Sociology Sustainable Development Theater Theology Women's Studies +25

Program Details

Program Type
Provider
Degree Level
Bachelors
Housing
Apartment Host Family
Language
English

Pricing

Price Details
Tuition: $16,800
Room: $3,900
Board: $1,150

Need-based scholarships available! For more info, please visit our website.

*Full-year students receive a 25% reduction on tuition for the second semester and are permitted to stay in CYA housing, at no extra charge, during the interval between semesters.

*Students from public universities in the United States and Canada will receive an automatic scholarship of $3,000 per semester.
What's Included
Accommodation Activities Classes Some Meals Travel Insurance Wifi
What's Included (Extra)

Entrance fees to sites and museums visited, supplemental hospitalization insurance, International Student ID Card (ISIC), official transcript sent to the home institution.

What's Not Included
Some Activities Airfare Airport Transfers Some Meals SIM cards Visa
Jun 25, 2021
Jul 30, 2021

About Program

CYA has offered study abroad programs in a wide range of academic disciplines for nearly 60 years. With supplemental activities varying from archaeological digs to study-travel and volunteer/internship opportunities, students are able to actively engage with their course material. Students live in apartments in downtown Athens and will be inspired to immerse themselves in the environment and expand their worldview. Athens, a European capital, is rich in history but also a contemporary hub for art, international business and relations, and debate on economic, political, and migration issues.

The CYA curriculum consists of academically rigorous courses taught by expert faculty. Course offerings encompass a range of academic disciplines and are taught in English. Optional language courses are available (Modern & Ancient Greek, Latin). Each semester, classroom lectures are complemented by onsite courses and field study to major historic and contemporary sites around Greece.

Video and Photos

Program Highlights

  • Onsite classes and study-travel incorporated into program.
  • Exciting courses in a range of disciplines.
  • Hands-on volunteer and internship opportunities.
  • Personalized attention from faculty and support staff.
  • Opportunity to learn Modern Greek.

Program Reviews

9.64 Rating
based on 67 reviews
  • 9-10 rating 95.52%
  • 7-8 rating 4.48%
  • 5-6 rating 0%
  • 3-4 rating 0%
  • 1-2 rating 0%
  • Academics 8.3
  • Support 9.3
  • Fun 9.6
  • Housing 8.9
  • Safety 9.4
Showing 41 - 48 of 67 reviews
Rachel
8/10
Yes, I recommend this program

A True Greek Experience!

Studying with CYA had a lot of great perks. The most awesome thing about the programs is the program trips which are completely planned by CYA and which take you all around Greece. I was able to travel around Europe while also gaining a very deep knowledge of Greece. The course material is also very centered around Greece which helped to further my knowledge about the country. While the apartments that are provided are not in the best condition, they are clean and also help you be more independent. Greece is in a fairly central location so it's really easy to travel from as well. Also, Greeks are really friendly so it was very easy to learn about the culture and about life in Athens. Overall, I had a great time at CYA and would definitely recommend the program to anyone who is interested in it!

What would you improve about this program?
The apartments could be better and the academics could be more analytical rather than information-based
3 people found this review helpful.
Response from CYA (College Year in Athens)

Thank you so much for your review Rachel! We love that you were able to explore Greece, and greater Europe, during your time with us! Please be sure to keep in touch with all of us here at CYA!

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Deandra
10/10
Yes, I recommend this program

Most Memorable Experience of my Life

The opportunity to study abroad in Greece has been a life-changing one. I was able to tour through the country of my dreams, view ancient ruins up close and personal, and make friends who I’ll have for the rest of my life. As someone who is notoriously skeptical about leaving my home and my family, I’ve come to release that I still am because writing this at the end of my
semester abroad, I can’t even imagine leaving CYA and my new family. I feel that the program itself is designed to bring all the CYA students together through one common goal, nurturing a love for the new country that we can now call home. Whether it’s traveling to an island on the weekend or sitting at Kekkos after class, there isn’t one thing about this program that I’m
not going to miss dearly.

4 people found this review helpful.
Response from CYA (College Year in Athens)

Thank you so much for your review Deandra! We absolutely love hearing just how special the experience was for you, and how you were able to feel so comfortable during your time in Greece!

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Kim
10/10
Yes, I recommend this program

Say "Ναί" (yes) to College Year in Athens!

My time with CYA in Athens was one of the highlights of my college experience. The community CYA creates is fun, supporting and really encourages long lasting friendships. My roommates became my best friends in the program, and I still keep in touch with them to this day! I loved living in Athens in a Greek apartment. Even though we were part of a study abroad program, I felt like I was really living in the city! The neighborhood we lived in was convenient and safe, and easily accessible.

Class wise, I felt like my mind was opened! I hadn't realized how ignorant I had been of the world until I studied abroad and took international relations courses at CYA. I am so glad that I was able to participate in this program not only to gain more knowledge, but to increase my understanding of the world around me; It's so easy to live in a bubble.

I also loved on CYA took us on many included excursions to see other parts of Greece! There are so many amazing places to see. I'm glad CYA took the time and effort to show us some of those places, and offered us opportunities to see more!

Studying abroad with CYA sparked a greater interest in international travel and study abroad for myself. I ended up doing an extra semester in another country to really explore that sense of wonder CYA helped inspire.

Future participants: Greeks are easily some of the nicest, most welcoming people. Go to Greece - you will eat some of the best food, meet some of the most amazing people, and make some of the best memories of your life.

What would you improve about this program?
Offer more classes to other majors so that more people have the opportunity to come to study in Athens (like science classes...etc.)!
5 people found this review helpful.
Response from CYA (College Year in Athens)

Thank you so much for your review Kim! We are thrilled to hear that your experience with CYA had such a large impact on your whole college experience, and we hope that you will stay in touch!

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Kristen
10/10
Yes, I recommend this program

Pondering the Parthenon: My Semester in Greece

College Year in Athens enabled me to make a dream come true while still working towards my bachelor’s degree. It is great to sit in a classroom and learn a new subject, but the whole experience is elevated when you’re living in a place that birthed the content you’re learning about! I took Modern Greek and got to practice it as soon as I left the classroom by walking the streets of Athens, buying groceries and taking public transportation. Greek Philosophy became so much more to me as my class walked in the Park where Plato himself taught his students. I had the privilege of learning about Greek Mythology and then climbed up Mount Olympus, where the Greek gods themselves resided as declared in the myths. As a believer in Christ, I was greatly touched by visiting Areopagus Hill where the Apostle Paul preached to many people about Christ. I even spent an afternoon studying on that hill, reading Nicomachean Ethics with the Parthenon as my backdrop.

Additionally, we took field trips to a variety of places in Greece including Sparta, the Peloponnese, the island of Crete, and Andros Island where we learned more deeply about the culture and history. Not only were the field trips very educational, they were so fun and in some of the most beautiful parts of the world that it felt like vacation! The beaches, mountains, flowers, and art were all breath-taking, as was the food! I quickly fell in love with Tzatziki and feta and still crave it to this day. I also had the opportunity to stand in the original Olympic stadium and run a portion of the very first marathon course! Needless to say, my mind was broadened, my cultural competency was expanded and my desire to travel and learn increased. I’m so thankful for the semester I spent learning in Greece as it has greatly changed me. I fondly reflect on my experience almost daily and cannot wait to return.

What would you improve about this program?
In complete honesty, it was an amazing program! Perhaps the only change I could foresee is to make the academics slightly more challenging.
4 people found this review helpful.
Read my full story
Response from CYA (College Year in Athens)

Thank you for your review Kristen! It sounds like you truly immersed yourself in Greek culture and that added immense value to your time with CYA! We hope that you will stay in touch with us!

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Sarah
10/10
Yes, I recommend this program

A Faith in Me Even I Didn't Have

I fell in love! With Greece that is! I learned so much not only about my field but also about myself! I am kind of lost in the pack back at my home university and always underestimated. At CYA my professors wouldn't just expect things but would stop and help you when you need it, one even guided me through fixing a paper I had trouble writing. I grew close with one of the professors who just wrote me a letter of recommendation for the Masters program at the British School of Athens, and hopefully work alongside him next year in excavations. He believed in me sometimes more then I did and helped me to understand not to underestimate myself.
But that isn't all, I was lucky enough to have a host family rather then live in the apartments and found a second family! I learned Modern Greek with their help and talk to my host mom at least twice a week still. She keeps asking when I am coming home.(LOL) I found another home in Greece at CYA and I miss it all the time!

What would you improve about this program?
It's already amazing!
5 people found this review helpful.
Response from CYA (College Year in Athens)

Thank you for your review Sarah! It makes us so happy to hear that your professor and home-stay family had such great impacts on you, and that they enhanced your time abroad!

Tiaira
9/10
Yes, I recommend this program

Black Girl Magic Takes Over Greece!

Living in Athens, Greece through the CYA Spring semester program was an absolute dream. I am a first-generation college student and the first time I went abroad was through school. I was very nervous traveling abroad being a black woman. I went abroad the same month that Trump was elected so I was very nervous about how people would see me as not only American, but also because of the color of my skin. I spoke to my counselors of my study abroad about my concerns and they were very open and honest with me. They were very candid about the way Greeks view foreigners and made me feel very comfortable. They also constantly checked in with me to see how I was adjusting to the culture and acclimating to life in Athens. To sum it all up: I had an AMAZING time in Greece! My program took us to explore Thessaloniki, the Peloponnese and Delphi to further expand on the academics we learned in Greece and never did I feel out of place or like an “other.” A lot of people speak of their time traveling abroad and academics during these reviews, but I’m here to say if you’re a person of color that may be nervous about study abroad like I was, PLEASE DO IT! Especially through CYA! Faculty and staff will make sure you’re comfortable and create a safe space for you to speak with them honestly about your experiences as a minority abroad. Safe travels and yamas!

4 people found this review helpful.
Response from CYA (College Year in Athens)

Thank you so much for your review Tiaira! It makes us so happy to hear that your experience in Greece was so comfortable and positive! We really hope that you will keep in touch with everyone here at CYA!

Ariana
10/10
Yes, I recommend this program

A modern city’s ancient history

The academic richness of this program blew me away. Not only did we have daily art history and archeology classes in and on the ancient sites of Athens, we took two weeks to tour Greece with leading archeologists to see and understand close up the ancient life of Greece. But the modern city was just as illuminating. I took marble carving classes and learned Greek Sign Language, made friends with other Athenians, and came to feel Pangrati (our neighborhood of Athens) was my Home. I’ve returned nearly every year to this country and city, and love visiting the CYA offices. As my academic interests have evolved, I’ve formed new relationships with faculty and continued pursuing research in Greece. And five years later, my best friend is someone I was matched as roommates with for the semester. CYA was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made! Go for it!

5 people found this review helpful.
Response from CYA (College Year in Athens)

Thank you for your review Ariana! We love that your time in Greece had such a large and lasting impact on you! Please keep in touch with us as you continue exploring Greece!

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Kim
9/10
Yes, I recommend this program

Lifetime of memories in just 4 weeks

I had a great time with CYA! The classes were the perfect mix of educational trips and fun adventures exploring the city or island. Our professor was super chill and gave us great tips on where to go and what to eat. The smaller class size made it easy to become super close to the people I was with. Even though the class was only a month long, it felt like I got a lifetime of memories from it. Overall I was super happy with my experience and if I could do it all over again I would in a heartbeat!

What would you improve about this program?
The only thing I would recommend improving would be the housing. The apartments were nice but some of the hotels on the islands lacked hot water and were a tight squeeze.
4 people found this review helpful.
Read my full story
Response from CYA (College Year in Athens)

Thank you for your review Kim! We love that you were able to get so much out of your courses! We hope that you will keep in touch with us!

Questions & Answers

Hello Nicole, thank you so much for your question! Unfortunately, we are not able to accommodate students with emotional support animals. Our housing is in residential apartments, and the landlords do not allow animals. In addition, animals would not be able to travel with us during our mandatory field trips because they are not allowed on chartered buses and many hotels will not accommodate them.