Abroad101: Study Abroad Reviews

CYA: The Program that Truly Cares! June 14, 2024

By (Psychology, University of Southern California) - abroad from 01/22/2024 to 05/18/2024 with

CYA (College Year in Athens) - Semester/Academic Year Program

What did you gain/learn from your experience abroad? Was it worthwhile?
I learned so much and it was the best experience of my life. As someone who hadn't traveled abroad much, it was so amazing to explore so many new places and have my worldview challenged and changed. My whole perspective on life is forever changed by my time abroad!

Personal Information

How much international exposure did you have prior to this program? 0-2 weeks

Review Your Program

* Overall educational experience

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

I loved my classes at CYA!!

* Host Country Program Administration

On-site administration of your program

The CYA administration is so helpful and genuinely cares for its students

* Housing:

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I had a really nice apartment with great amenities + cleaners come once a week

* Food:

The food provided by CYA for lunch was delicious + food in Athens is so amazing and affordable!

* Social & Cultural Integration:

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

CYA does an amazing job at giving students opportunities to explore the city and engage with Athenian/Greek culture. Only downside is that since this is a program for only American students you don't get to meet a lot of Greek people unless you make the effort to get out in the city, which you definitely can!

* Health Care:

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

CYA staff are so helpful with health issues and it was easy to get care and prescriptions

* Safety:

I felt extremely safe in Athens!

If you could do it all over again would you choose the same program? Yes

This program truly cares about it's students and makes an active effort to engage students in Greek culture. I cannot imagine being abroad without the support that CYA gave me!

Finances

* Money: How easily were you able to live on a student's budget?

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

Athens is a very affordable city!

Not including program expenses, about how much money did you spend on food and other expenses each week? 100 on a normal week, more with travel
Do you have any general money-saving tips for future study abroad participants? Find local cheap eats and cook!

Language

* Did your program have a foreign language component? Yes
How much did the program encourage you to use the language?

0 = No encouragement, 5 = frequent encouragement to use the language

The Greek language courses are amazing at CYA and despite it being such a hard language they are so patient and understanding

How would you rate your language skills at the beginning of the program? None
How would you rate your language skills at the end of the program? Beginner
What was the highest level language course you had completed prior to departure? None for Greek
How many hours per day did you use the language?
Do you have any tips/advice on the best ways to practice the language for future study abroad participants? Try to order in Greek/talk to people in Greek while you are out!

Other Program Information

* Where did you live?

Select all that apply

  • Apartment
* Who did you live with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
* Who did you take classes with?

Select all that apply

  • Americans
About how many local friends did you make that you will likely keep in touch with? 0

A Look Back

* What did you like most about the program?
  • The people (both in the city and the program, they were all so kind!)
  • Athens (such a beautiful city and it instantly made me feel welcomed)
  • Travel (CYA brings you on 3 field trips across Greece which were some of my best trips in my time abroad!)
* What could be improved?
  • More opportunities for meeting local students
* What do you know now that you wish you knew before going on this program? Savor every second because it will flyyyy by!

Reasons For Studying Abroad

To help future students find programs attended by like-minded individuals, please choose the profile that most closely represents you.
The Outright Urbanite
A social butterfly, you're happiest in bustling cities with hip people, and took advantage of all it had to offer. You enjoyed the nightlife, and had fun going out dancing, and socializing with friends. Fun-loving and dressed to the nines, you enjoyed discovering new restaurants, shops, cafes, and bars in your host country.