CEA CAPA Education Abroad in Sydney, Australia

Name: CEA CAPA Education Abroad in Sydney, Australia
Brand: CEA CAPA Education Abroad
SKU: 273627
Rating: 4.87 (89 reviews)

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4.87 Rating

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Location

Australia
- Sydney

Term

Fall, Spring, Summer

Subject Areas

Business Economics Entrepreneurship Environmental Studies Finance Global Studies International Business Marketing Sociology Sports Sustainable Development +1

Need-based funding, Merit-based funding, General grants/scholarships, Payment plans, Work study, LGBTQIA+ funding, BIPOC funding

Health & Safety

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Program Details

Program Type

Provider

Degree Level

Associates Bachelors

Housing

Apartment Dormitory Host Family

Pricing

Price Details

Included: Personalized Pre-departure Advising; Tuition & Registration; Travel Medical Insurance; On-site Orientation; Housing; Volunteer Opportunities; On-site Staff Support; Excursions and Cultural Engagement; Host Institution Services & Amenities and more. Scholarships available.

What's Not Included

Accommodation Activities Classes Transportation Wifi

Last Updated: May 21, 2024

Last Reviewed: Feb 14, 2025

Wish List

7 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

CEA CAPA’s programs in Sydney will give students a chance to study or intern in one of Australia’s largest cities. Sydney provides a perfect blend of laid-back and high energy, giving every student the opportunity to make the city their own. When you study or intern abroad in Sydney, you can enjoy some of Australia’s most iconic destinations like a local.
With arts, culture, an incredible food scene, and dazzling natural beauty, no two days will be alike for a study abroad student in Sydney. Consistently ranked one of the world’s most livable cities, study abroad students in Sydney get to experience a world class education that’s a short metro ride from your residence and study center.
Giving you the best possible study abroad experience is our top priority.

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Video and Photos

CEA CAPA students group photo with green grass and clear skies in Sydney, Australia

CEA CAPA Student kneels down next to kangaroo

aerial view of Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia

CEA CAPA student on boat in Sydney Harbor in Sydney, Australia

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Diversity & Inclusion 💙

BIPOC Support

CEA CAPA provides, in conjunction with Diversity Abroad, Destination Guides which provide resources and tips for Black/African-American students, Latinx students, Asian American students, and all other students of color.

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LGBTQIA+ Support

Through our personalized advising, CEA CAPA takes steps to understand the needs of a diversity of student identities like the LGBTQIA+ community. In addition to diversity and identity training, CEA CAPA leadership engage in continuous department level project work to identify and revise policies and practices using the appropriate Justice, Equity, Diversity or Inclusion lens as a frame to reduce bias and barriers that impact students, faculty, and staff. CEA CAPA is intentional in elevating diverse student voices and providing a platform for a broad array of identities to share their experiences abroad. The CEA CAPA World Blog promotes stories and personal experiences from the perspectives of diverse student bloggers and vloggers.

Neurodivergent Support

CEA CAPA is willing and able to assist students with learning disabilities and physical disabilities. Students are requested to disclose disabilities through the application health forms as part of their application and in discussion with their application advisor or program manager. The earlier CEA CAPA is made aware of learning or physical disabilities the better we can work with the student, institution, and overseas team to tailor an Individualized Education Program if necessary to support the student.

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Impact 🌎

Sustainability

CEA CAPA makes a conscious effort to create study abroad experiences that leave a positive impact on host communities. Each location implements a variety of strategies to support the local community and promote sustainability. Examples include:

Use of recycling bins in Study Center locations and in CEA CAPA housing

Signage in CEA CAPA housing urging students to limit water and electricity usage

Students are often given reusable bags and water bottles upon arrival to limit single plastic use

Students are provided with instructions for acquiring transportation passes to promote use of public transportation rather than taxis

Program Highlights

Hands-on learning experiences that transform the world abroad into a classroom.
Personalized Pre-Departure Advising, including visa and immigration support.
Comprehensive on-site support, including 24/7 emergency phone.

Program Reviews

4.87 Rating

based on 89 reviews

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Rating Spread Study

5 rating 89.89%
4 rating 8.99%
3 rating 0%
2 rating 0%
1 rating 1.12%

Academics 4.05
Support 4.85
Fun 4.85
Housing 4.7
Safety 4.85

Good for Students, Adventure travelers, Photographers

Showing 1 - 8 of 89 reviews

I had an incredible experience studying and interning abroad with CEA CAPA Education Abroad in Sydney, Australia! Sydney is a beautiful city with so much to explore and offers a wide variety of things to enjoy, easily accessible via public transportation. I am so grateful for the staff at CEA CAPA in Sydney and their help adjusting and acclimating to Australia. My internship also helped me grow in my understanding of nonprofit operations, adaptability, and professional skills. I am so grateful I chose Sydney and to study abroad with CEA CAPA!

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?

Snorkeling the Great Barrier Reef was one of my favorite adventures I did!

Pros

public transportation
incredibly supportive team at CEA CAPA
incredible adventures & lots to explore

Cons

harder to travel outside of NSW

I’m an undergrad student from California. Sydney is a really good place to go abroad because it’s easily accessible via public transportation, has really cool attractions/ beautifully blends city life with nature life, and has some great universities. It was my first time living by myself and I was given a lot of space to grow and improve. Groceries are accessible, many people in Sydney wake up early (amazing sunrises and things to do), and the people are funny and authentic.

A wonderful experience.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?

Just come in with no expectations. I started by having a list of places to go to, and I do agree that it helped when deciding plans. But, I’ve also come to believe the best way to make impactful memories is to just do things impulsively. Go randomly walk 11km. Go to a new beach every week. Go hang out in Darling Harbor and walk around with nothing to do but peruse. And somehow, you’ll find yourself with new friends in the craziest of places with the best stories.
Good luck!

Pros

easily accessible
friendly people
amazing lifestyle

Cons

expensive housing

Studying at University of Sydney was a challenging but incredible experience. It challenged me academically and had different academic structure as I am used to, but being in Australia was totally worth. it. Sydney is a perfect fit for those who love adventure and a laid back environment. Every weekend you can do completely different things and activities, there is always something new to do. Also, it has a great work/life balance. Everyone is up early to workout and surf to later go to work, so it is a very healthy.

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?

I would probably prefer living near the beach.

I was abroad in Sydney for 5 months starting July, leaving the warm summer back home for the winter in Australia. The first week was all about exploring the city and its views which I absolutely fell in love with (light rail and trains will be your best friends). That really made it easy to get located within the city and find stores for our weekly grocery run within walking distance, Coles and Kmart will be the most affordable stores. The student accommodation was through Scape, it was really nice as they had many fun events on different locations around the city however it had many issues regarding the fire alarm going off several times a week. I truly believe I would not have loved my time abroad if it wasn't for the friends I made in and out of school, I do definitely recommend to join a school club that interests you. Take your time enjoying the small things of the city and what it has to offer.

What was your funniest moment?

I think my funniest moment was driving on the left side of the road considering that I have been used to driving on the right side. It was really strange and could not get used to it, I should also mention that Sydney is flooded with cars so it is really hard to find parking and the people drive really fast. So whenever someone would cut me off, I would turn on my high beams for just a second instead of honking like the people in Australia tend to do. However to my disgrace, the car that I was driving not only had the driver on the right but it also had the car lights on the right, so when I turned my high beams on I actually turned on the windshield fluid and wipers. Although I learned from it that time, it happened more times than I can count.

Pros

Transportation is really efficient and mostly on time
Walkable, very diverse city, has clean public restrooms
Beautiful flora and fauna, feeding wallabies

Cons

A little more expensive than planned
Distances are greater, the beach is 2 hours away from the city
Somewhat unsafe at night

Studying abroad in Sydney with CEA CAPA was truly life-changing! The program provided incredible academic support, engaging health and wellness courses, and amazing excursions that made learning come to life. From exploring Bondi Beach and the Great Barrier Reef to experiencing Sydney’s vibrant culture, every moment was unforgettable.

CEA CAPA made the transition seamless with well-organized housing, scholarships, and helpful staff who were always there to support students. Their excursions, like the Blue Mountains trip and Sydney Harbor fireworks, created memories I’ll cherish forever. If you're considering studying abroad, CEA CAPA Sydney is the perfect choice for academic enrichment, adventure, and cultural immersion. Highly recommend!

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?

I snorkled in the Great Barrier Reef!

Pros

Meeting new people
Being independent
Trying new food

My time studying in Sydney, Australia was a once in a lifetime experience, and I owe that to the initiatives and dedication of the CEA CAPA program. I went into this experience knowing one other person from my university, but this program gave me the opportunity to get to know people from all over the world, while creating a safe and comforting place for all students. All students were located the same housing, so this gave everyone the opportunity to get to know one another. This created a tight bond with everyone in the program, and allowed us to expand our experience.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?

My advice for future traveler is to fully immerse yourself in the experience and the culture of the place you are in. This is a once in a lifetime experience to fully live like a local, so it is important to get out of your comfort zone and take advantage of all of the opportunities in the place you are traveling to. Every destination is different, so it is important to try new things while you can.

Pros

Meeting locals
experiences new opportunities specific to the region you are in
learning about a new culture

Cons

financial barriers
homesickness

I really enjoyed my experience with the CEA CAPA program in Sydney! Sydney is an amazing city with much to offer- whether you love the beach, spending time outside or exploring fun cafes and restaurants, Sydney has something for everyone. The student housing was conveniently located near the USYD and UTS campuses and the surrounding area was filled with yummy cafes and nice areas to walk around. I found the program housing to be a great place to meet new people and is where I met most of my closest friends. Additionally, our CEA CAPA advisor was a great resource for support and was always available to help address any issues.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?

Say yes to any adventure or opportunity that arises! Whether it's going on a road trip with new friends or exploring new hikes or beaches, some of my best memories came from those spontaneous moments.

Studying abroad in Sydney was an experience that genuinely changed my life. I had the opportunity to explore a completely unfamiliar place, step outside of my comfort zone, and meet new people! I learned so much about myself and found a love of travel and adventure. While I was initially nervous to go across the world from everything I knew, the CEA CAPA staff was super supportive and made going abroad feel easy. Also, the CEA CAPA staff provided so many amazing suggestions of things to do and see, and we even had unlimited access to public transportation and passes to multiple major destinations in Sydney.

Questions & Answers

Alumni Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with verified alumni.

Why did you choose this program?

CAPA was one of the only programs offered at my school that included an international internship along with a study abroad experience, so it was easy to narrow my choices down given my options!

CAPA also had incredible excursions outlined for participants and a wonderful support staff that answered all of my questions, and I have always wanted to visit Australia, so for me, it was an obvious pick!

What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

CAPA assisted me through the entire application process. Whenever I had questions, I was able to reach out to someone at their local Boston office, and my issues were always resolved in a quick manner.

Once I had been accepted into the program, they also supplied me and other students with the instructions to apply for a Student Visa in Australia, which took a lot of stress out of that process as well. Additionally, they even found our internships for us by asking what fields we were interested in, and acted as a third party to set us up in the internship!

The only thing I had to do on my own was to handle the plane ticket!

View Entire Interview

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

Travel!

A common misconception about studying abroad in Australia is that there are not a lot of opportunities to travel as you would have to study abroad somewhere in Europe. This is definitely not the case! I was able to travel within Australia with ease, and even got a chance to visit the Great Barrier Reef! Additionally, a lot of my friends traveled to Bali, Singapore, Fiji, and New Zealand, and saw some of the most beautiful sights

Australia is a wonderful country with lots of grandeur, and despite the price, you may see to travel to where you want to go, do it anyway! You will not have the same opportunity again!

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

Our classes were held once a week for three hours. My schedule was really nice since I went to my internship for eight hours a day, Mondays and Tuesdays, and then took my other three classes on Wednesdays and Thursdays. This left me with a three day weekend to go to beaches, shops, and travel!

It was rare for someone in the program to have class or the internship all five days of the work-week.

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

I was terrified of not making friends and being left all alone for three and a half months. The best way to combat this is to throw yourself into activities with people as often as you can. By doing so, I made four great friends that I still talk regularly with even though our program ended months ago. This program made that very easy because we were all housed in the same hotel, and therefore, were only a few rooms away from each other.

You should say "yes" to any opportunity that interests you, whether you're feeling a little tired or unsure of it (as long as its something you want to do!). I traveled to as many places as I could afford, and spent every weekend with those four girls and had the time of my life!

Any tips for students to save money and budget their bank accounts?

Learn to cook! I can not stress this enough. Right off the bat I began cooking myself meals and limited my trips to Starbucks for frappuccinos. By doing this, I was spending way less money on eating out and could put it towards souvenirs, gifts for my family, and of course traveling.

By the end of the program, I did start to splurge a bit (because I totally deserved it) and I still came home with more money than I anticipated having leftover.

Kailee Stobbe

2019 Alum

Kristen Cotter

2019 Alum

Kate Orsi

Bridget Dix

2014 Alum

Jacquelyn Keville

2014 Alum

Ciara Johnson

2014 Alum

Rachael Taft

Kayla Sutter

2013 Alum

Sean Ma

2013 Alum

Staff Interviews

These are in-depth Q&A sessions with program leaders.

Nora Larkin

Program

CEA CAPA Education Abroad in Sydney, Australia

Nora Larkin is the Institutional Relations Manager at CAPA in Boston. Nora is a graduate of the University of New Hampshire, where she studied International Affairs, European Cultural Studies and German. To complement her majors, she studied abroad in Salzburg, Austria and Heidelberg, Germany, which inspired her to pursue a career in international education. Her passion for travel and cultural exchange have inspired many trips throughout Europe and northern Africa, including to CAPA Global Cities locations Dublin, Florence and London.

Nora Larkin - Institutional Relations Manager at CAPA Boston

Did you study or intern abroad? If so, where and what inspired you to go?

Nora: I studied abroad for a semester in Salzburg, Austria and again for a semester in Heidelberg, Germany. I was fascinated by the cultural similarities that are embedded in the differences – the idea that there are other countries with basic, similar structures of government, education, businesses, etc. that operate in entirely different languages and cultural assumptions. Living and studying in a foreign environment was a personal and academic challenge that I felt compelled to experience for myself.

Any tips for first time travelers?

Nora: Remember to say “please” and “thank you.”

What aspect of working at CAPA inspires you the most?

Nora: We recently invited some of our alumni to our Boston headquarters to speak about their experiences on CAPA programs abroad. It is so rare that I have the opportunity to hear directly from our alumni, and I was blown away by the students’ stories of how their semester abroad taught them to be more mindful, tolerant, independent, and engaged. This is really what it’s all about, and it’s a pleasure to work for an organization that understands this and is constantly working to improve upon and provide more meaningful opportunities for our students.

How do you see the field of international education changing over the next 10 years?

Nora: What a tough question! Reflecting on my own experience abroad as a student ten years ago, I’m amazed how the field has grown in terms of the types of opportunities available. Internships abroad seem to be the norm, as students are seek out more experiential learning opportunities for cultural engagement and professional growth.

With some universities now requiring study abroad or opening up their own campuses abroad, I imagine study abroad in the next ten years will become even more integrated into college missions, curricula, and student life. Such efforts may increase the accessibility of study abroad for students with financial need and from under-represented groups, including first-generation college students and STEM majors. I am also interested in how the field will respond to the national discussion on the cost of higher education, as well as the opportunities for integrating study abroad with online learning models such as MOOCs.

If you had to choose one, which destination would you recommend to prospective students? Why?

Nora: This is an impossible question to answer, even though I have only visited three of CAPA’s Global Cities locations, but I’m going with my roots on this one. As a (half) Italian American, I have a rather cliched, but nonetheless authentic, lifelong desire to learn Italian and walk in the shoes of my ancestors for an extended period of time. Go to Florence!

What is one piece of advice you would offer someone considering going abroad?

Nora: Someone once told me that while abroad it is best to, “be less sensitive on the inside, and more sensitive on the outside.” It’s definitely a piece of advice that has stayed with me, and helped me learn to take things less personally while also being more mindful of my surroundings.

Debbie Shively

Sydney Resident Director

Location

Location:

Sydney

Currency:

Australia Dollar

Weather:

Jan-Mar

79 F / 63 F

Apr-Jun

72 F / 48 F

Jul-Sep

66 F / 46 F

Oct-Dec

77 F / 55 F

Airports:

Sydney Airport

( SYD )

Sydney is considered the oldest and largest cosmopolitan city in Australia. This city has become iconic and has many monuments that any traveler would recognize like the Syndey Opera House. This city is wildly regarded as one of the most livable cities.

About CEA CAPA Education Abroad

With 22 destinations across 13 countries, CEA CAPA Education Abroad offers an ideal balance of academics, internships, and adventure to more than 4,000 students each year. Click on “Visit Site” to explore our study and internship opportunities and find out just out how far international education can take you. Why study abroad or complete an...

Program Details

Pricing

Program Highlights

Alumni Interviews

Angella Barton

Why did you choose this program?

What did your program provider (or university) assist you with, and what did you have to organize on your own?

What is one piece of advice you'd give to someone going on your program?

What does an average day/week look like as a participant of this program?

Going into your experience abroad, what was your biggest fear, and how did you overcome it? How did your views on the issue change?

Any tips for students to save money and budget their bank accounts?

Staff Interviews

Nora Larkin

Did you study or intern abroad? If so, where and what inspired you to go?

Any tips for first time travelers?

What aspect of working at CAPA inspires you the most?

How do you see the field of international education changing over the next 10 years?

If you had to choose one, which destination would you recommend to prospective students? Why?

What is one piece of advice you would offer someone considering going abroad?