Program Reviews

Everything about my time at CYA was a complete dream. Going abroad was a nerve-racking experience, but CYA made it feel exciting and fulfilling from the get-go. The courses were fascinating and each one I took benefited directly from being in Athens, incorporating the museums and sites of the city into the course material. More than that, though, CYA helped me to have an unforgettable cultural experience in Greece. I was able to meet and speak to Athenian residents and learn about Greek culture from the inside. I felt truly immersed in Greek life, especially since the accommodations are right in the city. Even though I was there during the Pandemic, I wouldn't trade my experience for the world, and it was a time full of amazing people, sights, and stories. I can truly say that I got to experience Greece and that I am just as in love with it as I hoped.

Spending my Fall semester in Athens with College Year in Athens was the best decision for me. Even though I studied abroad during a pandemic, I was still able to travel all around mainland Greece and some islands. Living in Athens was an unbeatable experience. The housing was fantastic; my three roommates and I shared a spacious and clean apartment that was located in a young and fun neighborhood. We were within walking distance of the College Year in Athens academic buildings, good restaurants, bars, stores, and pharmacies. My classes were not only interesting but also gave me the opportunity to visit famous museums that housed art and archaeological finds from around the Mediterranean. Field study trips combined learning and traveling throughout Greece and we were able to explore Delphi, Crete, and the Peloponnese. Additionally, the faculty, staff, and fellow students were always excited to help, teach, and learn from one another. Overall, the program was a great mix of fun and education that let me explore a country I have always wanted to live in.

I came to CYA as a freshman. I had never even been to college, and I was sad to leave my family, and I was nervous to see what my time in Greece would hold. I was praying that the four months I would spend in Greece would fly by. Now I wish they had never ended. CYA and Greece are places that I will forever call home. The people I met, the experiences I had, the food that I ate, and the love that I shared will forever leave an imprint on my heart. Thank you, CYA staff and administration, for giving me the chance to live life in a new and exciting way.

As a Junior, choosing to go abroad through CYA during a pandemic was the best choice I could have made. Instead of sitting in zoom classes on campus, I was able to safely explore Greece and reignite my passion for my major through this program. The classes got me directly on-site to learn about all of the famous ancient locations located throughout Greece firsthand. Not only did I get to walk through Delphi, Olympia, and Athens itself learning about the discoveries made at these historically important places, but I also had the opportunity to independently travel throughout the semester to islands like Mykonos and Paros purely to enjoy the culture and scenery. The program allowed me the freedom to explore Greece and Europe on my own, but they also offered information and support whenever I needed. Absolutely go abroad through CYA if you get the chance because I would not trade the experiences I had here for the world!

CYA was super fun! It provided a great program that allowed me to immerse myself in being both a student and an individual living abroad in a foreign country. Classes are interesting and engaging with many professors that enjoyed teaching. Professors were also a great source of advice on things to eat and places to explore. CYA Administration stayed communicative and on top of updating students about their safety and health. I would definitely recommend CYA for those who are open to explore, try new things, take risks and engage with a culture that wants to engage with you!

I had an amazing experience with CYA. I was given immense opportunities to travel (on a budget!) and learned a great deal about Greek culture. You are immersed into the day to day activities of the Greeks since you're living in a neighborhood with the locals. CYA administration was very helpful in getting you in contact with any person/activity you would like to get involved with. The workload is not overwhelming which leaves much time to explore Greece as well as the surrounding countries. I would highly recommend this program to anyone desiring to have a free-spirited study abroad experience.

This was such a fantastic experience! I had an amazing time and learned so much! Throughout the semester you get a great balance of class time and time to explore on your own. Especially within the field study programs, I would highly suggest going on as many optional ones as you can. I have always wanted to travel and CYA makes it so easy to experience the culture and at the same time you get a full course load of classes that are helpful and interesting. For example my classes brought us to soccer games, markets, theater, the National Archaeological Museum, and the Acropolis. Though you may feel tentative about going or signing up I'm here to tell you that this is an experience you will never regret.

College year in Athens has been such a great experience not only are we able to meet with out class at parks and around the city, the program also takes us on field study trips to various different islands and new cities that I would have never gone otherwise. We only had classes from Mon-thurs so it gives student a good amount of time to explore on the weekends. The food was amazing and so where the apartments and the space we had. Living in the city center has been a great experience, its a must!

Studying abroad in Greece has been an amazing opportunity! I have been able to experience a whole new culture and academic experience while meeting people from all over the world. The classes have been truly unique and the professors are very invested in their students. CYA provides in class learning and outside experiences to connect what is being taught. Some of my classes go to soccer games, theatre performances, and markets! The CYA trips are busy, but very educational and fun. I will never forget this experience!

While I've always wanted to travel to Greece, CYA created such a unique experience for me that I don't think I would've otherwise had. The faculty and staff were all so caring and understanding, attempting to get to know us as individuals first, and they made every attempt to ensure we had the fullest experience possible. I was able to complete a full semester's load of courses both within and majors and outside of them, and I never felt like I was missing out on anything. From archaeology classes at the Parthenon to anthropology classes on walks through the various neighborhoods of Athens, CYA's emphasis on on-site learning really added an essential component to my stay in Greece. Nowhere was this more evident than our field study trip throughout Greece. Within a week, we traveled to dozens of notable sites and towns including Sparta, Olympia, Delphi, and Thessaloniki. Each place had something new to offer, with our helpful instructors giving us deeper insights to every site, whether they were historical or cultural. Even outside of school, CYA encouraged us to explore the country, giving us recommendations on places to eat around the neighborhood, sites to travel to on our days off, and common Greek phrases we could use with the locals. Pangrati, the neighborhood we lived in, began to feel like home, and the people I met both within the program and outside of it began to feel like family. Despite the pandemic, I had a full experience of Greece, and I can't wait to go back for more!