CYA (College Year in Athens)

Program Reviews

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Katelyn
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

I loved my time at CYA!

I loved my time in Greece at CYA! The course that I took (REL 351) traveled to other parts of Greece at some point in the course. My class went to Thessaloniki, Meteora, Delphi, and other stops along the way. All of these places were beautiful and filled with history. Additionally, there was time to travel on your own, so I was able to explore some of the Greek islands. The staff were amazing and super helpful, and my professor was so knowledgeable and kind. I could go to anyone part of CYA for recommendations for places to go or eat. I loved my time in Greece as there is so much to do and experience!

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Make the most of your time in Greece! I loved exploring Athens and all the other cities that we visited. My friends and I would go on walks to explore the city and the beautiful scenery. There is so much to do and you have to make the most of your time. I did not want to leave! (Also I recommend loukoumades as a desert!)
Pros
  • Location (the apartments were in an ideal location and near everything that I wanted to do)
  • Staff (staff member were so nice and willing to help or give recommendations whenever you asked)
Cons
  • n/a
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Grace
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

The Best Time of My Life

Studying abroad in Athens, Greece was an unforgettable experience that blended academic exploration with rich cultural immersion. Surrounded by ancient ruins and modern city life, I had the chance to walk through history every day—whether visiting the Acropolis or walking to shops with my friends. The courses deepened my understanding of Greek history, philosophy, and society, while day-to-day life gave me a real appreciation for the pace, warmth, and communal nature of Greek culture. Athens gave me not only a new perspective on the world but also lasting friendships and personal growth. My time in Athens was the best time of my life.

What was the most unfamiliar thing you ate?
I tried snails! They were surprisingly good! :)
Pros
  • Friendships
  • Culture
  • Food
Cons
  • Getting around
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Julia
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Embracing Greek Language and Culture: My Study Abroad Experience in Athens!

I studied abroad in Athens through CYA for the Fall 2025 semester, and it was an incredibly rewarding and life-changing experience! As someone with Greek heritage, I was excited to not only connect with my roots but also to fully immerse myself in the Greek language and culture. I had the opportunity to use the Greek language every day, which helped me improve my fluency and deepen my understanding of the culture. I stepped out of my comfort zone and engaged with locals through the use of the Greek language, improving my skills every day! I learned more about Greek traditions, customs, and daily life in general, all of which I brought back home with me! The friendships I made and the lessons I learned will stay with me forever, and this experience has greatly enriched my connection to both my heritage and the world around me!

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
My advice to future travelers is to really work to learn the Greek language. The locals are incredibly welcoming and supportive of students trying to learn the language, and it's incredibly rewarding to work with the language and see how you can better immerse yourself into Greek culture through the use of the beautiful Greek language!
Pros
  • The amazing food: gyros, horiatiki, souvlaki, feta, you name it! Greece has the best food in the world!
  • The people: the friendships I made will last a lifetime!
  • The location: Pangrati is the best neighborhood ever and has countless of places/things to explore every day!
Response from CYA (College Year in Athens)

Hi Julia, thanks for sharing your experience with CYA! We love hearing that you were able to connect with your roots, explore Greece, and grow both academically and personally. We hope you can visit again soon!

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Karis
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Amazing Experience

My semester at CYA was a blur of new experiences and new people. From the very beginning of the program I was put outside my comfort zone in the best way possible. I was exposed to subjects I had little to no background experience in, allowing me to grow academically in a supportive setting. Visiting archeological sites around the country allowed me to gain a better understanding of the classics field and how it influences our world today.

CYA has been the highlight of my college experience, allowing me to form friendships with students across the United States with similar interests of traveling.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
I would advise future CYA students to take advantage of every opportunity CYA offers you. It is not often that one will be able to experience such cultural immersion.
Pros
  • Archeological site visits
  • Amazing food
  • Beach proximity
Response from CYA (College Year in Athens)

Hi Karis, thanks for sharing your experience with CYA and the amazing photos! We love hearing students were pushed out of their comfort zone and found their time in Greece to be impactful academically and personally. We hope you can visit again soon!

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Cayla
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

The Best Four Months of My Life: College Year in Athens

My semester with College Year in Athens (CYA) was nothing short of life-changing. The four months in Athens were truly the best of my life, filled with personal growth, challenges, and unforgettable experiences.

CYA pushed me out of my comfort zone from day one. Living in Athens, I had to adapt to a new culture, navigate unfamiliar streets, and embrace independence. The immersive classes—often held at iconic sites like the Acropolis—made learning dynamic and inspiring, connecting history and culture to our everyday experiences.

This journey not only deepened my academic understanding but also taught me resilience, adaptability, and the value of stepping into the unknown. CYA challenged me to grow as a person, and for that, I’ll always be grateful.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
If I could give one piece of advice to future study abroad students, it would be this: take the time to truly get to know Athens. There’s often an expectation that studying abroad means checking off as many European countries as possible, but in doing so, many miss the beauty of the country they’re actually living in.

Athens is vibrant, layered with history, and filled with incredible food, culture, and people. From exploring local neighborhoods like Plaka and Exarchia to watching sunsets from Lycabettus Hill, there’s so much to experience right where you are.

While traveling can be exciting, some of my favorite memories were made by simply being present in Athens, connecting with the city on a deeper level. Embracing the everyday life of Greece allowed me to see it as more than just a destination—it became home.
Pros
  • Food
  • People
  • Academics
Cons
  • Apartments
  • Travel time
Response from CYA (College Year in Athens)

Hi Cayla, thanks for sharing your experience with CYA! We love knowing you had a transformative experience through our immersive courses and had the chance to experience Greece. We hope you can visit again soon!

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Sydney
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Highlight of My Year

College Year in Athens was the highlight of my year. I learned so much, gained new found confidence in myself and my ability to live on my own, ate lots of good food, figured out how to navigate a subway system, and even hiked my way up Mount Olympus.

More career-oriented, I progressed my academics by taking both Ancient Greek and Latin while also satisfying my own personal interests by going to a new Historical or Archeological site every weekend.

Truly, my semester at CYA is one I will cherish forever.

Response from CYA (College Year in Athens)

Hi Sydney, thanks for sharing your experience with CYA! We are so happy to hear you had the chance to gain confidence through the program, try amazing food, and found growth both academically and professionally. Hopefully you can visit us again soon!

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Madison
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

An amazing opportunity

I had such a wonderful time in Athens! The staff was great, and I loved my classes. I even got to volunteer at a donkey sanctuary, which was an amazing opportunity for me to learn more about Greek culture and learn more about the locals. No matter what you enjoy about traveling or learning, this program has everything. You can take advantage of classes that are maybe not offered at your home univeristy, try new foods that are delicious, or spend time admiring the beauty of the city. There is so much to do, and I would recommend that anyone participate in CYA if they can!

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
I would make sure to immerse myself even more in the culture and make friends with more locals.
Pros
  • Nightlife
  • Academics
  • Adventure
Cons
  • Laundry
  • Water
Response from CYA (College Year in Athens)

Hi Madison, thanks for sharing your experience with CYA! We love knowing you were able to immerse yourself in the Greek culture and food and stepped out of your comfort zone. We hope you can visit again soon!

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Sophia
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

The Best Four Months Ever!

I spent my fall semester with College Year in Athens and it was an amazing four months. The program offers numerous weekly and semester-long immersion opportunities, many club and volunteer options, exciting coursework relevant to Greece and Europe, as well as a special and tight-knit community. The program's field studies allowed me to experience to much of Greece while learning about the country's history, and the program's unique opportunities helped me to truly become immersed in Athens. Not to mention, I left with the most amazing friends, both from Greece and the United States.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Say yes to everything! There's so many fun and once-in-a-lifetime moments, go for them! You will leave with the most amazing stories, memories, adventures, and friends.
Pros
  • Strong Cultural Immersion
  • Amazing Community
  • So many Unique Opportunities and Activities
Response from CYA (College Year in Athens)

Hi Sophia, thanks for sharing your experience at CYA and some photos! We love hearing students found opportunities to immerse themselves in the Greek culture and make new connections while abroad. We hope you can visit us again soon!

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Cole
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Best experience of my life!

College Year in Athens (CYA) offers students a wide variety of immersive experiences that are appealing to all majors. From having Athens as your classroom, to being in a prime location to travel throughout Europe and the Middle East, this is one of the best study abroad programs out there. I particularly enjoyed how the program specifically encourages you to travel both throughout Europe and Greece itself. I particularly enjoyed my last two Mandatory Field Study Trips, because I was able to explore both Northern Greece and the Peloponnese with CYA facility who tailor their trip itineraries to give students a a wide variety of immersive experiences that are both educational and fun at the same time. Furthermore, all of the faculty are wonderful people who will serve as your guides to Greece throughout your time with CYA. All of the people that I interacted with, both in Athens and Greece as a whole, spoke excellent English. This allowed me to seamlessly integrate into Greek society during my time with CYA. I highly recommend this program to everyone, and had one of the best education expires of my life!

What was your funniest moment?
The class convinced one of my professors to let us film ourselves reacting an ancient sporting event from the Panathenaic Games for our final exam, instead of having a written one!
Pros
  • You get to see all of Greece
  • Athens is a very economically affordable city, and CYA gives you an apartment to live in Athens.
  • Everyone that I met was very nice.
Cons
  • Dining Hall limited to only two options, and only serves lunch
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Gabriella
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

The best time of my life!

Studying abroad as part of the CYA Summer program was the most incredible experience I could have asked for. I have never been to Europe before and this course provided me with such enriching information about history and gave me the unmatched opportunity to explore museums and monuments. I felt very guided and aware of how things worked abroad as far as navigating cities, policies, and systems. If I had traveled on my own without the structure of this course, I would not have seen as much as I did because I never would have been able to find out how much was right near where we were living without the expertise of my professor and the CYA staff. The Pangrati neighborhood was easy to navigate and felt like home after just a few days. Language barriers were never an issue and I got to make so many friends within my class.

Response from CYA (College Year in Athens)

Hi Gabriella, thanks for sharing your experience with CYA! We love hear that you had a positive and enriching experience during our summer program. It is great that you were able to see so much and make Greece your home away from home. We hope you can visit us again soon!