Location
  • Greece
    • Athens
    • Crete
    • Paros
    • Santorini
Term
Short Term, Summer
Subject Areas
Anthropology Archaeology Art History Arts Biology Business Classical Studies Communications Conflict Studies Creative Writing Cultural Studies Economics Environmental Studies European Studies Global Studies History Humanities International Business International Relations Journalism Liberal Arts Literature Medieval Studies Museum Studies Philosophy Political Science Psychology Public Policy Religious Studies Social Sciences Sociology Sustainable Development Theater Tourism +24
Need-based funding, General grants/scholarships, 529 Plan eligibility
Health & Safety

Program Details

Program Type
Provider
Degree Level
Bachelors
Housing
Apartment
Language
English

Pricing

Starting Price
4340
Price Details
Program fees include tuition, lodging in a furnished student apartment or hotel unit, course materials, a farewell lunch or dinner and, where applicable, field study and co-curricular activities. Cost varies by course; please check our website for more information.

Fee reductions are offered for students who:
- $250 per course for students from public universities.
What's Included
Accommodation Activities Classes Some Meals Transportation Wifi
What's Not Included
Airfare Some Meals SIM cards Travel Insurance
Oct 12, 2023
Sep 11, 2023
56 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Soak up summer in Greece

Students interested in short-term, intensive study abroad are invited to take advantage of our summer program, which offers unique, experience-based opportunities for learning.

Summer is an exceptional time to study in Greece with a choice of unique CYA courses tailored to combine academics with authentic experiences, taking advantage of the sun, the sea and the vibrant summer culture from Athens to the surrounding islands. Explore Greece’s rich history, get involved in archaeological excavations, and delve into the anthropology of food, and so much more, this summer at CYA. Courses are offered over two consecutive 4-week sessions that run between the end of May and the end of July.

Each 4-week course/session consists of 60 contact hours.

Video and Photos

Diversity & Inclusion

BIPOC Support

Our page on diversity in contemporary Greek society gives a little more background on the local context regarding race and ethnicity. We would also be happy to put you in touch with a CYA alum of a similar background, so you have the chance to chat with another student about how the experience was for them.

LGBTQIA+ Support

Our page on diversity in contemporary Greek society gives a little more background on LGBTQIA+ issues in Greece. We would also be happy to put you in touch with an LGBTQIA+ CYA alum, so you have the chance to chat with another student about how the experience was for them.

Accessibility Support

CYA will work with both you and your home institution if you have disabilities or are alter-abled, and need accommodations as part of your study abroad with us. It is important to be in communication so that we can plan together, and ensure that your experience is a success. We would also be happy to put you in touch with a CYA alum, so you have the chance to chat with another student about how the experience was for them.

Program Highlights

  • Onsite and experience-based classes.
  • Study-travel at breathtaking sites across Greece.
  • Personalized attention from dedicated faculty and staff.
  • Delve into a subject of interest with intensive course structure.
  • Experience the gorgeous Greek summer!

Program Dates

Application Deadline
Program Dates
-
-
-

Program Reviews

4.84 Rating
based on 43 reviews
  • 5 rating 88.37%
  • 4 rating 9.3%
  • 3 rating 0%
  • 2 rating 2.33%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Academics 4.55
  • Support 4.8
  • Fun 4.85
  • Housing 4.75
  • Safety 4.9
Showing 1 - 8 of 43 reviews
Default avatar
Natalie
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Life Changing Experience

I studied abroad with CYA this past summer, and I have no bad things to say about it. I took the Contemporary Art around the Greek Islands, a travel intensive course. The course material and travel itineraries were always very well prepared and scheduled. We were always given breakfast even when we were not at the main academic suite (usually when we were on one of the islands). We were given plenty of time to explore the cities on our own but still have opportunities to learn and practice course content.

My professor knew the material very well, was kind, and I could tell that she was a great representation of all CYA professors. They understood exactly how to motivate and support us.

The experience was immersive and I cannot wait to go back to Greece!

Pros
  • Travel
  • Food
  • Learning
21 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Ashley
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Best Summer Yet!!!

As a college athlete studying abroad for a semester is nearly impossible. CYA gave me the opportunity to study abroad for a month in the summer, and I will forever be grateful for this experience. You get to live like a local while studying abroad in Athens. You live in an apartment in Pangrati and are immersed in the culture. With the summer programs, you also get to island hop which makes your experience even better. You get to explore different parts of Greece each week. This made the experience one of a kind because every course explores different islands so it is fun to compare with everyone else and explain your own individual experiences with the program!

Pros
  • Safe area
  • Living situation is awesome
  • Island hopping included
Cons
  • CYA is closed on the weekends
  • You have to carry your laundry through Pangrati to do it
21 people found this review helpful.
Response from CYA (College Year in Athens)

Hi Ashley! Thanks for sharing your experience with CYA. Happy to hear it was an unforgettable experience and immerse yourself in the culture. We hope you can come back and visit us!

Default avatar
Grace
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Summer of a lifetime!

I took Maria Vidali's, Greek Island Architecture, Culture and Identity course in Summer 2022. It was truly the experience of a lifetime and left me with a depth of knowledge of Greek culture, lifelong friends, and memories I will cherish for the rest of my life. Over the span of four weeks, we traveled to four islands in the Aegean Sea, all with unique landscapes, people, food, and architecture. We conducted design labs on each island to better understand specific qualities of the built and natural environments. Outside of class time, I made some of my best friends that I still keep in touch with to this day. My class had around 16 students and we all became a family by the end of the trip. I can't say enough good things about my time abroad in Greece and I recommend CYA's programs to everyone I talk to!

Pros
  • Meeting amazing people and making lifelong friends with the other students in my class.
  • The food! Greek cuisine is unmatched.
  • The location/scenery. Greece is the most beautiful country I've ever visited.
Cons
  • Classwork sometimes felt tedious.
22 people found this review helpful.
Response from CYA (College Year in Athens)

Hi Grace! Thanks for sharing your experience with CYA. So happy to hear you enjoyed your course and the opportunity to explore Greece and the culture. I hope you find your way back!

Default avatar
Anabelle
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

AMAZING EXPERIENCE

Wow!!! CYA was one of the best experiences of my life! I met the most amazing people who I will have life long connections with. I also learned so much about Greek history and culture and really got to immerse myself into the program. CYA was a supportive host and with the exception of a few hiccups everything went smooth and I had an absolutely amazing summer with CYA. I am counting down the days until I can go back to Greece and see my CYA classmates again. If you are interested in studying abroad in Greece definitely consider CYA.

Pros
  • Class size
  • Lots of travel
  • Access to sites
Cons
  • Food at cya
  • Allergy accommodations
25 people found this review helpful.
Response from CYA (College Year in Athens)

Hi Anabelle! Thank you for sharing your experience with CYA. I am so happy to hear your summer course was amazing and you were able to see so much of Greece. I hope you can make it back again soon!

Default avatar
Julia
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

An eye opening experience!

I decided to apply to this program without knowing much. Therefore, I didn’t know what to expect. However, thanks to the courses I took (REL351 and PSYC345) I was able to figure out what my most felt interests and passions are for a future career. Moreover, thanks to the experiences I have done and my travels I got to gain independence and self reliability. Nonetheless, living in a foreign country for two months allowed me to reflect on my home environment, noticing the cultural, linguistic, social, and political differences between the States and Greece, with a focus on social interactions and lifestyles. Highly recommend!

Pros
  • Amazing landscapes
  • Historical richness
  • Traveling made easy
Cons
  • Packed schedule
  • Hot weather
  • A lot of walking
29 people found this review helpful.
Response from CYA (College Year in Athens)

Hi Julia! Thank you for sharing your experience with CYA and your photos. So happy you were able to spend the summer with us and see so much of Greece while taking great courses!

Default avatar
Cailin
2/5
No, I don't recommend this program

If you do NOT like being treated as an incapable child, I do NOT recommend

If you are an independent introvert as I am, you will not enjoy this program. I wish I had just saved my money and traveled alone. For example, when we got stuck waiting at the airport for hours when one of our group’s luggage got lost, we were stuck waiting and not allowed to take taxis back to the apartments by our selves. I had to take another class through my home institution in order to get financial aid to go to this program, on the trips we took, 4 days each, our days were so scheduled that I had hardly any time to work on my assignments for my other class. I received pushback when I asked to be able to skip an activity to do my work and was told I had to stick with the group.

Pros
  • AC in bedrooms in the apartments (temp unable to be adjusted tho)
  • Class is a joke- not real work (not a pro to me, might be to some)
  • If you advocate for yourself you can make the most of it
Cons
  • No AC in common areas of apartments
  • Only one food option for lunch in the cafeterias
  • Mini trips are too scheduled
25 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Kendall
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Studying Political Science in the Birthplace of Democracy

I can't say enough good things about my time studying abroad through CYA. I had great communication with the program administration and felt safe the whole time. My class was a political science course, and getting to explore that while standing on ancient ruins where philosophers and citizens first implemented democracy in society was surreal. The apartments we got to stay in with our classmates were units in buildings that locals lived in--I loved the integration that provided. My professor was so warm and kind and she took us all over the city, incorporating immersion as part of the program content. I learned so much and loved the excursions to other islands and towns we got to explore, as well. I also had the best food of my entire life during the trip. I made friends with people in the program and everyone there was so welcoming. Athens is such a friendly, cool city and having the chance to study there with CYA is a memory I will look back on forever! I hope to make it back soon!

Pros
  • Food
  • Friendliness of Culture
  • Location
57 people found this review helpful.
Response from CYA (College Year in Athens)

Hi Kendall! Thank you for sharing your experience with CYA. So happy to hear you enjoyed your course and the chance to explore Greece in a unique way. Hopefully you find your way back to Greece!

Default avatar
Ashley
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

The Most Amazing Summer Experience

Studying abroad this past summer in Greece was the chance of a lifetime for me. Prior to this program, I had never traveled outside of the United States before, aside from Canada, and certainly never overseas. But I suddenly found myself immersed in a completely new world, so unlike my own, and this culturally enriching experience has forever changed my perspective. Throughout my time in Greece, I traveled across the entire country, from Athens in the southeast, to the southern Peloponnese, to the northeastern coast and back again, learning about and exploring places along the way I never even knew existed. I traveled by bus across the rocky mountains of the countryside, and by boat and plane over the cerulean waters of the Ionian and Aegean seas. I visited every archaeological site and museum housing the actual artifacts we discussed in class. To be able to see thousands of years of history with my own eyes was a truly humbling and surreal experience, one that cannot be accurately described. Never again will I have the opportunity to study abroad and live in a different country, to travel and explore new places for one simple reason: the desire to know and truly understand the world in which we live.

Pros
  • Traditional Greek Cuisine
  • Ancient Ruins
  • Historical and Archaeological Sites
Cons
  • Intense Heat During Summer Months
  • Steep Slopes and Hills
58 people found this review helpful.
Response from CYA (College Year in Athens)

Hi Ashely! Thank you for sharing your experience with CYA. So happy to hear you enjoyed your course and the chance to see so many different parts of Greece. Hopefully you find your way back to Greece!

Read my full story

Questions & Answers