CEA CAPA Education Abroad

Program Reviews

Samantha
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

I recommend CEA CAPA to anyone looking to study abroad!!

I absolutely LOVED my experience in Madrid, Spain, with CEA CAPA. The staff was always so attentive to students' needs, and planned immersive experiences for students to learn more about the Spanish culture! Every week, the staff also sends out emails to inform students of local restaurants to try and events going on in the city! I always felt safe and heard throughout my time in Spain. I would recommend CEA CAPA to anyone looking to gain an immersive and enlightening experience in wherever country they may choose!

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
My advice to future travelers would be to say YES to every experience or opportunity you are given. Your time abroad will go by super fast, so make sure you are making the most out of every moment you have!
Khristina
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Grenoble with CEA CAPA

If you're looking for a city where you can practice your French with the locals, Grenoble is the one. The people in general are so nice when they see you are trying and when they hear your accent. The school itself, Université Grenoble Alpes, has a specific program tailored to French language learners with amazing professors. CEA CAPA gets you connected immediately and helps you with any questions that you may have, such as grades, study tips, and more.

The excursions are some my favorite memories.The staff in Grenoble was amazing to interact with and we had so much fun as a whole group. One memory was when they took us to Genève and we explored the city by walking everywhere, laughing together, and just kinda messing with each other. The CEA CAPA staff in Grenoble really makes a home away from home, always open to talk whether it is about the political climate, a rant about a professor, or even just something stupid. They are always ready to recommend great restaurants, bars, and even some tips on travelling. I think the best part about them is how much they do care.

I ended up in the hospital during finals week and we called the E-phone. They were up all night, even though they couldn't come in, and walked me back to the apartment the next morning, checking in on me. If you have problems during a trip, they are just a phone call away, ready to fix whatever is going on. One example of that is we got double booked at a place in Strasbourg and they were able to find a hostel for us and reserve us a room until we could go and pay for the night. The CEA CAPA team in Grenoble really values their partnership, relying on each other, and creating a community where it truly does feel like a small family away from home.

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?
Frog was the most unfamiliar thing I ate and Chartreuse was the drink I never expected to try, but the chartreuse teas are fantastic. I got invited by my friend's host family to this restaurant and to be honest, we both didn't know the word for frog. Well, they ordered for us and when we got the little frogs, we still had no idea until after eating the first and holding up the first skeleton. Honestly, amazing though-- tastes just like chicken but better.
Pros
  • mountains and buses to ski resorts for good price
  • Easy public transportation, walkable/bike friendly city
  • events throughout the city
Cons
  • It is really, really hot in the summer. Because the city sits in between three mountains, there isn't enough air flow, but the winter months are beautiful
  • Certain areas you don't go to at night, but that's every city
  • They call Grenoble the Chicago of France, but I felt pretty safe.
Sophia
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

The Summer of a Lifetime

Wow. I have been home for over a month now and I still cannot believe that I had this experience. My number one praise of this program is the on-site staff at the CEA CAPA Florence Center. They were attentive to our every need, and went out of their way to ensure we had the best experience possible. My roommates were randomly paired and they were absolutely wonderful. We all brought different experiences to the apartment and learned from each other! I learned I am capable of way more than I ever imagined through my academics and travels. Thank you CEA CAPA!

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
I visited Switzerland with my boyfriend (who was also on the program), and we got to experience Mount Pilatus! I would highly recommend it!
Pros
  • Staff support
  • Experiences
Cons
  • Homesickness
Emma
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Number 1 night life in europe

If you’re looking for a city with a LIVELY night life scene Barcelona is definitely your place. Always something to do each night of the week and location is so good. There’s a major airport 25 min away from city center so it’s super easy to travel basically anywhere. The city is also super navigable and walkable and the metro is really easy to figure out and super inexpensive. CEA CAPA as a program is so awesome as well. They understand that students are here to get the most out of their experience as possible and really cater to that. There are so many regular classes to choose from that count towards so many majors and not just electives which is so good because a lot of people are afraid studying abroad will push them behind. You can literally take math classes if you need to. CEA also doesn’t have school on Fridays because they know that a lot of students are there to travel Europe so its really flexible and nice the way the schedule is set up.

What was your funniest moment?
Funniest moment i had was definitely during one of the events with local students. They have various events each month where CEA students get to meet and do fun activities with local Spanish university students. I met so many wonderful and fun people through this and we would always go out after the activity ended for drinks and tapas. But one really funny memory I have is when we were playing a jeopardy game about Spanish and American culture that i had made but apparently a lot of the Spanish culture questions i came up with were wrong so it was so funny realizing this and we were all laughing so hard.
Pros
  • very easy to navigate around the city
  • Major airport nearby
  • amazing nightlife
Cons
  • Barcelona pickpocketing
  • A lot of stairs inside buildings
  • air dry clothes
Sammi
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Super in Every Way!

The location was beautiful and the host program was so supportive! I wanted to experience a small town and come out of my hermit crab shell. I was able to accomplish this as well as a new sense of self and peace of mind. My host program held events such as food tasting, wine tasting, cooking classes, and excursions to neighboring towns/countries. Many of the locals knew English and they were very patient. My housing was my first apartment experience and it was wonderful. It was the perfect home away from home.

Mallory
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Florence Study Abroad- CEA CAPA

My abroad experience through CEA CAPA Florence was nothing short of amazing. Going into it, I was eager and anxious and did not really know what to expect. As soon as I arrived, the staff instantly made Florence feel like a home away from home. I was able to experience culture, food, social scenes, and many countries. The professors and on campus staff were always willing and eager to help which made saying goodbyes so much harder. Being back from my experience for over a month, I still think about it daily!

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
Morocco! Going to the Sahara Desert was truly a life changing experience.
Pros
  • Unique
  • Thrillful
  • Adventerous
Cons
  • Hot
Mirabella
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

CEA CAPA Barcelona

Studying abroad with CEA CAPA was one of the best experiences of my life. From the beginning, the program staff was incredibly supportive, making the transition to a new country smooth and welcoming. The orientation, excursions, and cultural activities helped me feel not only prepared but also truly immersed in the local culture.

The academics were engaging and well structured, providing the perfect balance between classroom learning and real-world exploration. I loved how the courses connected to the city and culture around me, making everything I learned feel meaningful and relevant.

Beyond academics, the personal growth I experienced was invaluable. Living abroad taught me independence, adaptability, and gave me friendships and memories I will carry forever. The program team went above and beyond to ensure we had a safe, enriching, and unforgettable experience.

I can confidently say that choosing CEA CAPA was one of the best decisions I’ve made during college. I highly recommend this program to anyone considering studying abroad. You will not only gain academic knowledge, but also grow personally in ways you never expected.

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
One of the most surprising and unforgettable things I did during my time abroad was traveling to Morocco. The journey itself was an adventure, the ten hour drive to get there was long, but it ended up being one of my favorite parts of the experience. Along the way, I got to see landscapes that were so different from anything I had ever experienced before, and it gave me time to bond with the friends I was traveling with.
Once we arrived, Morocco exceeded every expectation I had. From the vibrant markets to the incredible food and cultural experiences, it was unlike anywhere I’d ever been. What surprised me most was how much I enjoyed the journey itself, what could have felt exhausting turned into a meaningful and memorable adventure that I’ll never forget.
Pros
  • Traveling
  • Friends
  • Education
Cons
  • Can be pricey
Emma
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Seville Exercise Science Study Abroad

My experience abroad went extremely smoothly. CEA CAPA staff did a great job preparing me by clarifying what to expect and being a support system while I was abroad. I particularly enjoyed the excursions we did as a class, through these I was able to learn about the local culture. The course I was enrolled in also was very sufficient in mixing Spanish culture within our learning. Our weekly schedule also allowed for weekend travel, which was great to take advantage of and see the surrounding areas of Seville.

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
If I traveled to Spain again, I would like to have familiarized myself with the language beforehand. I struggled with my communication due to my Spanish being very rusty, this made it difficult to form relationships with locals.
Pros
  • Overnight trip to Granada with access to The Alhambra.
  • Seville being a very walkable city, allowing me to get my steps in!
  • Forming meaningful friendships with my classmates and roommates.
Cons
  • Very hot climate in the summer!
  • No air conditioning in homestay housing.
Cassidy
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Semester in Barcelona, Spain

To be honest, I was extremely nervous to study abroad. I was hesitant about where to go. I really wanted to go to Spain, but most of my friends were going to Italy or were not studying abroad at all. However, I knew it was something I wanted to do, and it ended up being the best four months of my life. I had the most amazing random roommates who made my experience so good, and I met so many new friends. Barcelona itself was the perfect home base; it had a big international airport, easy public transportation, great food, beautiful architecture, amazing shopping, and both city and beach life. There was always something new to do or explore. There were some issues with our housing and some classes, but overall it was an amazing experience!

What was the most nerve-racking moment and how did you overcome it?
I think for me, the most nerve-racking moment was walking off the plane once we landed in Barcelona. I didn't know anyone and was in a new, unfamiliar country in a different time zone. I didn’t know where in the city I lived, who my roommates were, or literally anything. I was extremely nervous. However, CEA CAPA made it so much less nerve-racking. They picked me and some other CEA CAPA students up from the airport, which helped so much with navigating an unfamiliar airport as well as finding a new apartment in the city. Once I got dropped off, my roommates were already there, and we were all nervous, which I think also helped. That night we ordered food, watched a comfort movie, and just talked and got to know each other a little more. Honestly, from that day on we did everything together from finding a local coffee shop we went to every morning to having dinner and movie nights! It was definitely a little scary, but it ended up being such an amazing time!
Pros
  • CEA CAPA stuff were so helpful.
  • So many fun things to do and explore.
  • The shopping was amazing!!
Cons
  • Housing was a little bit of a mess
  • Some classes were extremely difficult
  • Language barrier especially difficult in taxis
Bridget
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Warm and Welcoming

CEA CAPA hosted the best study abroad experience in Dublin Ireland. Their staff were friendly and super supportive, the professors were knowledgable, and the city itself was safe and beautiful. The different parts of Ireland that we were able to explore as a part of the program were also amazing. We were able to travel to Belfast and Galway and explore the cliffs of moher. Along with the, exploring the city of Dublin itself was amazing, there is so much history and culture within the city. The people were friendly and the community was amazing.

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
One of the more surprising things were the different historical pieces that exist within the rest of the city. There was a grocery store that had a glass floor to display an exhibition from thousands of years ago that was being preserved.
Pros
  • Safe exploration
  • super supportive staff
  • informative lessons
Cons
  • rainy and cold weather