Architecture Study Abroad Programs in Greece

Heritage Greece had a profound impact on me, but the most meaningful part of the experience was the people I met along the way. Being surrounded by other young Greeks who shared similar values, ambitions, and a passion for their heritage allowed me to build genuine friendships and connections that I know will last for years to come. As the grandchild of Greek immigrants who came to Canada and often faced discrimination because they were different, I feel incredibly proud to carry on and celebrate the heritage they worked so hard to preserve. Heritage Greece reinforced that pride and showed me that being Greek is something to be celebrated openly and confidently.

Studying abroad in Greece through CYA was one of the most rewarding experiences of my college career. Living in Athens allowed me to experience everyday Greek life while exploring iconic landmarks like the Acropolis and discovering the neighborhoods such as Pagrati. One of my favorite memories was taking a field study to Thessaloniki, where we encountered pelicans on a boat tour and even had the chance to feed them by hand. I also loved traveling throughout Greece, trying authentic Greek food, and making lifelong friendships with students from around the world. This program helped me become more independent, confident, and open to new experiences, and I would encourage anyone considering studying abroad to take the opportunity.

College Year in Athens responded to this reviewJuly 24, 2026

Hi Molly, thank you for sharing your experience with CYA! We are so happy to hear you were really able to make Athens your home and found your time learning and exploring in Greece to be unforgettable. Hopefully you can visit again soon!

I will never forget my time at CYA! We went on guided trips across the entirety of Greece, were completely immersed in the culture, received a great education, and created a sense of community thousands of miles away from home.

College Year in Athens responded to this reviewJuly 02, 2026

Hi Tori, thanks for sharing your experience with CYA! We love to hear that you were able to learn so much while traveling around Greece through our hands on program. We hope you can visit us again soon!

This experience was definitely worth it, but looking back I wish I had known what to expect. First I warn you to AVOID LANGUAGES, or at least avoid taking more than one. Greek learning expectations are lower than American for anything BUT language. You will drain all of your free time. College Year in Athens almost exclusively has students from certain universities that have direct partnerships. If you're at anything other than a New England or Pacific Northwest school, prepare to be the outlier. Students are very cliquey. There are exceptions to this, and you do find your group, but it takes a while. Also, everyone spends their free time traveling all around Europe, which can feel like a letdown if you don't have the budget can do the same. Don't worry. Field Study programs are great and free ways to travel, and there are so many cool things to do in Greece alone, and even in Athens. Get an internship or volunteer. It's worth it. And befriend the staff, they're all cheering for you.

Studying abroad with CYA in Athens, Greece was one of the most transformative experiences of my college career. As a Psychology major, I was excited to explore how culture influences human behavior, but I gained much more than academic knowledge during my semester abroad. Through courses in psychology, Greek history, and Modern Greek language, I developed a deeper understanding of both Greek society and the broader cultural factors that shape people's lives. Living in an apartment with three other students from my program created a strong sense of community and led to friendships that became one of the most meaningful parts of my experience. Together, we explored Athens, traveled throughout Greece, and supported one another as we adapted to life in a new country. One of my favorite memories was sitting at the top of the Panathenaic Stadium with my friends, reflecting on everything we had experienced and accomplished during our time abroad. Having previously moved to Los Angeles without knowing anyone helped prepare me for the challenges of studying abroad. The experience strengthened my independence, adaptability, and confidence while encouraging me to step outside my comfort zone. Thanks to support from USC, CYA, and the Gilman Scholarship, I was able to pursue an opportunity that broadened my academic, personal, and professional horizons in ways I will carry with me for years to come.

College Year in Athens responded to this reviewJune 19, 2026

Hi Lorien, thanks for sharing your experience with CYA! We love to hear you found the program to be highly impactful and had the chance to see so much of Greece as part of your program. We hope you can visit again soon!

I recommend everyone study abroad! AIFS made the process seamless and easy. The experiences I had here exceeded my highest hopes. Greece was the perfect place for me and had many supports there. I’ll spend forever reminiscing on this incredible experience!

Being given the opportunity to co-lead this trip to Greece and go with my family was a truly unbelievable experience. I'm so thankful for Bethel University and the Global Studies Program, along with the ACIS partnership that made this possible. As a PreK-12 school principal, I had always seen the flyers in the hall about these trips and made the announcements about meetings. I never considered going on a trip myself until my son (Luke) had a DE Sociology class this year with Mrs. Stacie Freeman. Being that we have never traveled outside the country before, I was hesitant and nervous when he came home excited about this opportunity. As a family, we decided this opportunity was too good to pass up and initially viewed it as a once-in-a-lifetime adventure. We now know that we want more adventures like this! Around a week before departure we learned that the cruise portion and the visit to Turkey was canceled due to Middle East conflict. Our initial reaction was disappointment; however, Mrs. Stacie and ACIS worked quickly and efficiently to alter plans and secure stellar replacement activities. Now that the trip is over, I cannot imagine the trip being any better and there is zero regret about missing the cruise. We traveled many miles across the scenic landscape and experienced all of the following: Athens---Acropolis, Parthenon, Plaka District and wonderful opportunities to roam the streets. Corinth--- Canal, Epidaurus and the Theater of Epidaurus Mycenae---Pottery making Olympia---Olympic Stadium and ancient Greek artifacts Kalambaka---Majestic Meteora rocks and monasteries Delphi---The famed site of the Oracle of Delphi, Temple of Apollo and the archaeological Museum Santorini---A day flight to experience multiple sites, headlined by the beautiful coastal views and shops in Oia Along the way, we were constantly learning about the Greek culture and history through this immersive experience. Our tour guides, Penelope and Victor, gave us countless learning experiences at stops, between stops, during meals etc. The food stops along the way were rooted in Greek tradition and gave us a sense of the flavor from all over this region. I've looked at the map of our travels several times since beginning our journey home and cannot believe we covered as much ground as we did in a week. This experience was much better than the original cruise plan and gave us the most authentic Greek cultural and historical experience possible. Finally, this trip opened my eyes to international travel. I am no longer intimidated to visit a foreign country and experience the richness found within countries and cultures that are different from ours. Perhaps the best part of the entire experience was the friendships forged along the way. As a group we became very close in a short amount of time through this shared experience. We laughed (a lot), sprung to life with each new stop and gained valuable information on how we can make ourselves and our communities better. It was a pleasure to watch kids from different schools interact and seem like old friends in a very short amount of time. I learned more in one week from this trip than a year could teach me in a class. Programs like this are invaluable assets to Bethel University and the surrounding communities. I look forward to helping spread the message on why future students and community members should attend trips like this. This trip was one of the greatest experiences of my life, and I am forever grateful for the opportunity.

Everything went as planned with great food, accommodations, transportation, and planning. I highly recommend traveling with Bethel University Global Studies, which includes college credit and everything is included in the one price.

I was super nervous to travel because not only was I alone, but it was also my first time out of the country. I was starting to dread going because I thought it was going to end up being super stressful and overbearing. Once I got to the airport and I met up with my group everyone was super friendly and I knew then that it would be a good trip. The process of getting into the program and taking the class (as an auditor) was super easy and everything I had to do was clear to me. This trip is something I won’t forget and I’m so grateful for all of the support and effort put into making it really happen!

There truly are no words to fully describe how incredible this experience has been. I am so very thankful to have been able to tag along with Mrs. Stacie and the others to beautiful Greece. The scenery was breathtaking. The food, culture, people, and accommodations provided such an unique experience. I learned so many things about the Greek culture that I would have never known otherwise. This was the trip of a lifetime.

I cannot say enough about our trip to Greece with Bethel University Global Studies!!!!! We had the best tour guides, so knowledgeable and kind!!!! All of our accommodations were wonderful! Stacie was phenomenal!! She kept us in the know from start to finish and I knew I have nothing to worry about traveling with her!!!! And GREECE😍…it was so much more than I expected!!! Every single place we visited exceeded my expectations!!! Do not hesitate to travel with BUGS, you will not be disappointed!!!

This was definitely the most amazing trip I have ever been on. I've always wanted to travel across the globe and Greece is the perfect place to do it. I 100% recommend this trip wanting to travel abroad.

This Global Studies trip through Bethel University to Greece was the most amazing adventure! My son received a partial scholarship from GCAC and earned 3 hours of college credit from Bethel for being enrolled in this course with Mrs. Stacie Freeman. Mrs. Stacie is a caring, kind, capable professional who challenges students to problem-solve, to be curious about the world around them, to appreciate diversity, and to expand their horizons. We feel blessed to have had the opportunity to participate in this amazing adventure with her and the other travelers. The bonds and friendships, not to mention the memories, will be cherished for a lifetime. The course in which my son was enrolled in conjunction with this trip was challenging in that it encouraged him to deep-dive into open-ended research questions related to the history and culture of Greece before the trip so that he was prepared for what he would experience upon arrival. Upon returning, he will write a reflective essay about his experiences in Greece. In my opinion, the partnership with ACIS in this endeavor was very successful. Our tour manager and historical guide were both extremely well-prepared. After seeing the structure of the trip firsthand and the safety measures taken by Mrs. Stacie and ACIS on this trip, we would feel perfectly comfortable allowing our son to travel abroad with them again. What an amazing adventure, and what an amazing opportunity to showcase Bethel University!!🤩

This trip showed me a new part of the world. I learned there are many more cultural differences between the US and other countries. I had the most amazing time and would definitely travel with Bethel University Global Studies again!

This trip taught me so many valuable lessons on independence, courage, and self awareness. I learned how to do things on my own and not depend on my family all the time and to try new things!! Leaving the country was a great experience and i would 100% do it again with Bethel!

I had a lovely time. The adults (our teacher Mrs Staci, our guides Victor and Pinelopi, and our driver Flavio) were knowledgeable, supportive, and ensured a memorable experience. We were exposed to beautiful ancient and modern greek culture, did informative and fun experiences (such as pottery and olive oil tasting), and we enjoyed delicious local cuisine. In addition, I met wonderful travelers and forged lifelong friendships. This has been a great introduction to travel and study abroad, and I feel ready and excited to pursue further travel programs in my future life, education, and career.

This global studies trip to Greece really changed my perspective on life in general. Traveling to a foreign country was outside my comfort zone, but I am so grateful for the knowledge I have gained, the people I have met, and the experiences I have now lived. My favorite part of the entire trip was our day in Meteora. We visited ancient monasteries nestled in the beautiful mountains. This experience was, in my opinion, the greatest. Seeing the jaw-dropping views while learning about ancient Catholic culture in Greece was incredible. This trip was truly life-changing for me. I am planning to travel out of the country more often now to broaden my horizons further. Also, we had the privilege of having an amazing tour guide, Victorus. Our group leader, Pinelopi was outstanding. Our bus driver, Flavio was incredible as well. The people on this trip made the entire experience worth while!

This program was the only study abroad that was able to offer me the courses I needed to stay on track. Since ACG is an entire university, there is a full course, meal plan, beautiful campus, a large amount of students there who are not study abroad students but Greek locals, giving a true immersion experience. The quality of education at the school was challenging and impressive. It is so cool to learn about history and foundational concepts in the classroom and go visit them in a museum the next day. AIFS treated us so well from taking us out to delicious dinners, to amazing educational excursions. The staff at AIFS, Alice, was such a joy and pleasure and made sure to make herself available for any of our needs.

AIFS provided so many amazing experiences. We had group dinners, tours of different sites, as well as a swim cruise. It was truly an outstanding experience and I would highly recommend to anyone looking to study abroad.

Study abraod changed my life for the better and I couldn't be more grateful for AIFS and the ability to go to Greece. I made some of my very best friends abroad and miss being there every day. Living situation was awesome, my roommates were great and I got to meet so many new, amazing people from all over. Study abroad gave me the wings I needed to fly.