Program Reviews

CYA was an awesome program! I feel like Greece is such an underrated study abroad location, but it was even more amazing than I could have asked for. I definitely recommend CYA for students looking to study abroad. Everything from the food, culture, language, islands, and more are all so awe-inspiring. CYA does a great job of taking students on field trips so that they get to experience a lot of Greece in one semester. During my time in with CYA I got to visit Northern Greece, the Peloponese, and 8 islands!

CYA is the perfect blend of academics and adventure! The neighborhood is walkable, has everything you need and they set you up in apartments and fully take care of the logistics and maintenance. The staff is so supportive, the school trips are a blast as well as unique and enriching, and the food in the area is to die for. You always have Fridays off so plenty of time to explore other countries and the Greek islands and the hospitality of the staff and locals is unbelievable. Its very affordable to eat out and go on adventures and the program sets up so many guided opportunities to immerse yourself in local culture.

I am so glad I got the opportunity to study abroad with CYA this past summer. My course was Tasting Culture: Mediterranean and Nordic Cuisine. We learned all about food, the culture that surrounds it, the discourses associated with different foods, and about ethnographic versus Instagrammable pictures. By living in Athens, you are surrounded by such a rich history in the Greek architecture of the Acropolis and the best Mediterranean food you could imagine. We also took a four-day trip to Ikaria, but I could have stayed there for an entire month. It was beautiful and so enriching to see a less-traveled island and how that culture compares to the mainland. I would not trade my study abroad experience for the world and I constantly find myself going back and looking at old pictures for some instant serotonin.

I had a great experience studying abroad with CYA. The program had a perfect balance between academic rigor and out-of-classroom experience, allowing me to continue my studies while immersing myself in Greek culture and exploring new places. One thing I really appreciated about the program was its support for students. As a first-time traveler, I was very nervous about going abroad. But because CYA's program is designed specifically for study abroad students, they offered a lot of support and guidance for students, and were there to help with any questions, concerns, or problems that arose throughout the semester. My time abroad was my most valuable experience of my college career, and I would strongly encourage other students to look into studying abroad with CYA.

I had the best time abroad. I met amazing people, had great food, took cool classes, and explored a part of the world I had never been to. I have nothing but good things to say about my experience at CYA. I recommend that everyone study abroad with them for a semester or longer if they can do so. I also had the opportunity to intern in Greece, which was terrific. I have made many connections, and now I am applying for volunteer programs and research programs that I would not have thought of doing before studying abroad with CYA.

I had an incredible experience studying abroad through CYA. I am so glad that I chose this program. Coming from a big university, I really appreciated the small classes and community of CYA, as I felt very comfortable meeting my peers and getting to know my instructors in an entirely new place. The facilitation and instruction itself was also very helpful in my settling into Athens. The course offerings were ones I would not have been able to take at my home institution, which I am grateful for.

CYA was life changing experience. I loved every aspect of the program, city, and time I spent in CYA. The professors and staff were always kind and helpful. I even was invited to eat dinner at my professors house. They made me feel at home and comfortable. I made life long friends in which we shared incredible memories of traveling around Greece and trying now things! The food, city, and Greek people were amazing. I cannot wait to go back to Greece and visit CYA. I recommend this program to everyone. I wish I would of done a year instead of a semester.

CYA is such an amazing program!
Academics: All my classes were super interesting. The professors were all so supportive of the students both academically and personally. Many classes take frequent field trips which is a great way to explore Athens.
Fun/culture: Pangrati is a wonderful neighborhood/great location for CYA. Lots of shops, restaurants, bars, etc in the area. The rest of Athens is easily accessible by metro or taxi, which are both very affordable. Athens is a lively city with great nightlife.
Safety: I always felt very safe in Pangrati, much more so than I do in the states.

My time in Athens through CYA was an experience of a lifetime. I delved deeper into my passions, explored islands, and made memories I will never forget! The admins were very understanding when my flight was delayed and even accommodated for my late arrival. One of the best aspects of CYA is the cultural connection students experience from living in apartments in Pangrati! While living an apartment building that also hosts local residents, I was able to become friends with surrounding neighbors, learn about local spots, and feel more connected to the local scene.

To those who want a rigorous academic experience as an undergraduate, this program is not very fitting. On the other hand, if you want to build a personal connection with Athens, this program is good because it's not exclusive. Courses cover a broad range, from classical languages to economy and human rights. There are more chances to meet people and build networks if you have that intention. It's also fitting for people who want to fulfill their general education/ distribution requirements, especially in the humanities, in a less stressful environment.

I personally encountered a great opportunity. One of my professors was an editor for an academic website. She offered to post the essay I wrote for her class on that website. I think this can never happen back in the US. Another special experience for me is taking Topography of Athens, a course exclusively held on-site. We climbed up to the Acropolis more than 5 times. The big archaeological sites were our classrooms, and as familiar as our own homes.

As a Classics major, I also enjoyed being around people who are in the same major. I've never met so many people in classics before. We received a distinguished scholar to give a talk on Sparta during the semester. We had two workshops outside regular coursework, one on the historian Thucydides, and the other on Latin Paleography. We had a PhD candidate from the American School of Classical Studies at Athens come and give a talk on Roman Greece, a topic not so popular but very intriguing for those who are interested in cultural exchanges and identities within an empire, plus a crash course on modern Greek national rhetoric.