CEA CAPA Education Abroad Reviews

As a STEM student, it took me a long time to find a program that offered courses in my field. CEA CAPA has an entire section on its website dedicated to pre-med/exercise science students. I was easily able to find several courses that would count for academic credit and in several different locations.
Seville was super hot in the summer but was a beautiful city. Highly recommend if you want to visit Spain but don't want the touristy experience. I also felt very safe as a woman in all of Spain, mostly Seville. As someone whose Spanish is rusty, people were very understanding. I tried to speak Spanish as much as I could, and they were very appreciative just of the effort!

My favorite part of the program was the Ganzo! Exchange program. I loved getting a home cooked meal and seeing how Italian families live. I made great connections with the family that hosted me and I still contact them past the program ending. Everyone was so welcoming and I never felt like an outsider.
Another special thing about this program were the outside activities that were facilitated by the program. My favorite one was the pasta making class. I went alone but I was able to connect with so many new faces which really speaks to the CEA CAPA program being so integrating and fun!

I loved studying abroad with CEA CAPA. Our program went on many trips with all CEA students in my host city and the staff in Aix are all amazing. They work very hard to provide amazing events, activities, and trips I was able to participate in for free. They also were helpful with learning transportation in Aix, any housing questions we had or just good recommendations for what to see and do in the area! I was able to take free cooking and baking classes, learned about the local traditions, and learned ways to get involved in the community.

After experiencing education abroad in Seville, Spain, it has left the largest positive impact on me. From learning about Spanish culture, experiencing Spanish culture, and making new bonds I find that this was one of the best decisions I have made. During my courses I had found that my professors were supportive both inside and outside of the classroom, which elevated my learning experience. Now, speaking of the city I found that it was the most safest I have felt in a foreign country, even when exploring alone.

My time at CEA CAPA Rome was meaningful in so many ways. The staff members did an incredible job at hosting events and getting us acquainted with the local culture including food, sight-seeing, public transport and more. It was nice to have locals to help support me through my journey abroad and I made so many friends along the way. I remember one day after class in my first few weeks, I decided on a whim to go check out the Colloseum. I hopped on a metro for a few euros, and as soon as I exited the station, my jaw dropped. Being immersed in such a historic place with such wonderful people was amazing, but I had a lot of fun doing solo adventures too!

I had the most amazing time abroad!! It was truly a once in a lifetime experience. A few challenges that I had was school. I am studying engineering and the classes I took in order to be able to graduate in time were difficult. My professors never took it easy on American students and I really had to work had in order to pass my classes. As well as the school that I attended was an hour commute so a lot of my days were spent on the metro/train commuting. That was the only negative experience I had abroad. I had the greatest time exploring Madrid, different cultures, and traveling around Europe. I might be biased but I do believe Madrid is the most perfect city in the world and I can't wait to return. CEA CAPA set us up in the best way! I had an amazing apartment that was right near the center of the city. I could just about always walk somewhere. CEA CAPA also provided free trips to 3 different cities near Madrid, dinners, and shows. They gave us opportunities to learn about Spanish culture for free because they know a lot of people have concerns about money when going abroad.

My study abroad experience in Budapest through CEA CAPA was phenomenal; I had a great time exploring the city and felt supported by the program staff the entire time. There is always something to do in this city, for any type of hobby. It is also quite easy to travel to other parts of Europe and Northern Africa. You will meet tons of down-to-earth people and learn about the division of Eastern and Western Europe in a good way. I highly recommend this program to anyone wanting to explore less-traversed parts of Europe and meet amazing and unique people from all over the world.

I have never been able to travel before going abroad. Barcelona was more than just a home for me for four months. I was able to meet amazing people and travel to so many different places. This program also allowed me to take interesting classes for my major, Psychology, such as Cross-Cultural Psychology. I was able to visit psychotherapy centers, social work centers, and learn about how health is approached from a global perspective. I was also able to visit more than 9 different countries including Italy, Morroco, and France. I was able to connect with locals and the culture. The program was very organized and had many fun trips planned as well as events to get to know staff and others who are studying abroad.

My time in London with CEA CAPA was one of the greatest experiences in my life. All of the staff I encountered during my time there were incredibly welcoming and helpful. I was easily able to tell that the staff genuinely wanted to help with any situation you had, weather it was academic or not. I really enjoyed all of the activities that the program offered at no additional cost to us, allowing us to experience more of the city in a fun and supported way. The housing would have been better if it had a working elevator when I lived on the sixth level of my flat, other than that the housing was relatively nice. The area I lived in was very nice, and it was relatively far from the center, but it was nice commuting and seeing more of the city on the daily.

During the summer of 2026, I had the opportunity to study abroad in Florence, Italy through CEA CAPA. For three weeks in June, Florence became my classroom and my home as I studied Art and Architecture while experiencing Italian culture firsthand. The program allowed me to earn academic credit while learning in a completely different environment than a traditional college classroom. Instead of only reading about art, architecture, history, and culture, I was able to experience them in the places where they were created. My Art and Architecture course met in the afternoons, and much of our learning extended beyond the classroom. Florence is filled with centuries of history, so simply walking through the city became part of the educational experience. I was surrounded by historic churches, museums, piazzas, sculptures, and buildings that connected directly to what we were studying. Being able to see these places in person gave me a greater appreciation for the history and culture of Florence and helped me understand how a destination's past continues to influence its identity today. Outside of class, one of the most valuable parts of the program was learning how to live independently in another country. I had to navigate a new city, adjust to cultural differences, communicate with people from different backgrounds, and become comfortable being outside of my normal routine. Even simple experiences, such as grocery shopping, using public transportation, ordering food, or finding my way around Florence, helped me become more independent and confident. Living abroad encouraged me to be more observant of the culture around me and more willing to try things that were unfamiliar. The program also gave me the opportunity to travel throughout Italy. During my time abroad, I visited places including Rome, Cinque Terre, and the Dolomites. Each destination was completely different and allowed me to experience more of Italy's history, landscapes, food, architecture, and tourism. Traveling between cities also gave me experience planning transportation, navigating unfamiliar places, and adapting when plans changed. Some of my favorite memories came from exploring these destinations with other students and experiencing places I had previously only seen in pictures. More than anything, my summer in Florence changed the way I view travel and international experiences. I learned that studying abroad is about much more than visiting a new place. It is an opportunity to become part of another culture, even for a short period of time, and to learn through experiences that cannot be recreated in a classroom. I returned to Texas A&M with greater independence, confidence, and curiosity about the world around me. My experience in Florence also inspired me to become a CEA CAPA Study Abroad Campus Ambassador. I now have the opportunity to share my experience with other students, answer questions about studying abroad, and help students feel more confident about pursuing an international experience of their own. Florence was one of the most meaningful parts of my college experience, and I hope I can encourage others to take advantage of similar opportunities.