CEA CAPA Education Abroad in Sydney, Australia

I had a great experience with CEA CAPA in Sydney Australia for many reasons! The area was perfect, it has everything you could want from the city, to a bunch of beaches, mountainous regions, and quaint suburb towns. I was able to do several things that I would have never done without the program, such as scuba diving in the great barrier reef, climbing the harbour bridge, and getting to hug a koala! CEA CAPA provides many opportunities for group excursions that are fun and informational. I also gained a lot from the classes I took, with many class field trips and immersive experiences rather than just lecture class sessions. Sydney is a beautiful city and I couldn't be happier I got the opportunity to live there through CEA CAPA.

This summer I had the opportunity to study abroad for 7 weeks in Sydney, Australia. Going into the program knowing no one was definitely nerve wracking, but the unwavering support of CEA CAPA staff, organized events such as the welcome lunch, dinner cruise, tour of the Opera House, and farewell lunch, and housing arrangement truly made the adjustment to being in a new country so much easier. The people in the program have now become some of my closest friends which made the experience so enjoyable. CEA CAPA ensured the safety of all students while encouraging us to participate in as many activities as possible, providing suggestions on the best restaurants, beaches, and hikes to go on.

Honestly probably the greatest decision that I've ever made and this due to CEA CAPA. Being my first time out of the country, I was nervous and quite honestly had no clue what to expect. But with the resources and support from CEA CAPA, it became real easy to call Sydney my second home for my time being there. The overall process to getting to go was smooth and direct, since you are given a list of tasks on what you have to do and how to do it. Then once you arrive , the staff down to the professors make sure that they are there for you and the other students. Even bringing us closer together whether that be through the various excursions, events or even just in class itself.

I had a wonderful time in this program! The staff were lovely, and it was nice to have the opportunity to ask them for advice from academics to social plans to knowledge of the area. The center was a great resource to have both to spend time and to get to know the staff. CEA CAPA was generous and you can tell they really value exploration and learning about the area - they encourage you to travel, see the city, and even have projects getting to learn about different areas as part of your classes! The application process was smooth because I was assigned an advisor to me that I could contact and meet with to ask any questions.

Studying abroad through CEA CAPA in Sydney ended up being one of the most meaningful experiences of my life. Going into it, I expected amazing travel opportunities and fun memories, but I didn’t realize how deeply the people and relationships would impact me.

One of the best parts of my experience was meeting a close friend group with locals and building friendships that extended far beyond just a semester abroad. I came into the experience knowing just my roommate from my home university, but by meeting new friends in Sydney, we got invited to one of their family farms outside the city, which ended up being one of my favorite memories from the entire experience. It gave me such a different perspective because we weren’t just visiting Australia anymore, we were actually experiencing real life and culture through the people we met there.

Those friendships didn’t end when the semester did either. Some of the locals we became close with even traveled with us to Bali afterward, which made the experience even more unforgettable. Then, the following semester, they came all the way to visit us in San Diego and stayed with us there. What started as random people we met abroad turned into lifelong friendships and relationships that genuinely changed my life.

CEA CAPA gave me so much more than a study abroad program. It gave me confidence, independence, perspective, and connections across the world that I still have today. Sydney itself was incredible, the beaches, the lifestyle, the travel opportunities, the culture, but the people are what made it unforgettable.

I would recommend studying abroad to absolutely anyone, especially through CEA CAPA. It pushes you outside your comfort zone in the best way possible and opens your world so much bigger than you could ever expect. I came home with memories I’ll talk about forever and friendships that still continue long after the program ended.

I remember being stressed out, trying to decide where I should study abroad. Everyone I knew had gone or was going to Europe. I just wanted to switch things up. I made an amazing choice. From our arrival day the CEA CAPA staff was attentive and helpful. Classes started soon after and would meet once a week for 12 weeks at the CEA CAPA center located in the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). We stayed in a long-term hotel in Zetland which is well connected to both the beach (Coogee), Haymarket (where UTS is located) and the Opera House/downtown. These 3 months in Sydney were genuinely some of the most fun I've ever had in my entire life.

My experience with CEA CAPA in Sydney is something that I will never forget Sydney as a city was incredible, but the support from CEA CAPA made it even better. I enjoyed excursions such as an overnight at the zoo, and a show at the Sydney opera house. Throughout the quarter, they would also host lunches/dinners that were great ways to get a free good meal in while checking in on how we were doing. They also served as a great resource whenever we had questions about things we should do in Sydney. For example, they recommended the Bondi to Coogee Beach walk that was beautiful and scenic, and gave some great food recs as well. Wish I could do the 10 weeks all over again, but would definitely recommend CEA CAPA as a great agency to go abroad with, and Sydney as a great destination.

My semester in Sydney with CEA CAPA was amazing. I had never been to Sydney before and decided that it was the best-fitting city for me. The transition was tough, but the community at CEA CAPA gave me a sense of comfort and allowed me to connect with other students who are in the same position. Exploring the beautiful nature of Sydney through hiking, morning walks, and beach days was an unforgettable experience and easily my favorite part of my time there. The CEA CAPA program facilitated trips like the Blue Mountains visit and the Bondi-Coogee walk, which allowed me to even further explore the outdoors.