Academic Year Psychology Study Abroad Programs

If you get the chance to study abroad with CEA Capa, you should. Participating in Cal Poly's First Year GO Program, and venturing on my own to Sevilla, Spain, was the best choice I could've made. Before I left, I was nervous, unsure, and had never before left the country on my own. With CEA Capa, everything felt do-able. We were welcomed into the city, housed at a very pleasant residence hall, and got to take classes in a beautiful historic building in the city-center. Studying abroad with CEA Capa gave me the opportunity to see the world, immerse myself in Spanish culture, and build a variety of skills that I will carry with me throughout my life.

Going abroad with CYA was truly a life changing experience for me. I got to immerse myself with the Greek culture and got to visit areas of Greece that I didn't even know existed through field study trips. For example, besides living in Athens, I had the opportunity to visit Northern Greece and see more of Greece's country side. Additionally, through the academics that CYA provides, I was able to take a modern Greek class and even got to learn a little bit of Greek. I will never forget my time with CYA and am grateful for everything it taught me.

College Year in Athens responded to this reviewSeptember 25, 2026

Hi Daisy, thanks for sharing your experience with CYA! We are thrilled to hear you felt supported throughout your semester and had a chance to immerse yourself in the culture. We hope you can visit again soon!

Studying abroad is the adventure of a lifetime! With CYA, it was even more memorable. The program is located in Athens, in a safe, lively neighborhood. I felt immersed in the culture immediately, with tavernas and local grocery stores just steps from my apartment. The program not only offers opportunities and activities right there in Athens, but it also coordinates trips throughout Greece to further our exploration of the country. I loved how supportive and organized the program was. It made it easy to not only learn more about culture, history, and language while in Greece, but also to get the most out of our study abroad experience. I liked the size of the program because everyone gets to know each other really well, and it makes it feel like a family. The professors are extremely supportive and are always looking to make personal connections with the students. There are so many class options for any major or interest. A lot of the classes like to use Athens as their classroom, and I think this was one of my favorite parts. I loved meeting at the Athenian Agora or the Acropolis to actually see what we were learning about. I loved taking Greek language, mainly because my professor was the best! I learned so much from her, and she made learning the language possible and exciting. It was so fun going to the local coffee shops and practicing my Greek. CYA is a great program for anyone interested in Greece, history, arts, culture, the Greek language, or a program that takes the abroad experience to the next level!

College Year in Athens responded to this reviewSeptember 25, 2026

Hi Emily, thanks for sharing your experience with CYA and these amazing photos! We love hearing you had the chance to explore both inside and outside of the classroom. Hopefully you can visit again soon!

My time in Barcelona was one of the best experiences in my life. Out of all the cities I visited when I was abroad, Barcelona was by far my favorite and I was always so excited to come back from traveling. I loved the people, the metro, the city, and the beach. There was always something going on to have the best time of your life.

Studying abroad in Sevilla was one of the best experiences of my college years. I chose Sevilla because I wanted to improve my Spanish and truly immerse myself in the language and culture, and I got so much more out of the experience than I expected. One of my favorite things was walking through the streets around the Plaza de España and Parque de María Luisa, especially in the afternoon when I had a break from class. From eating lunch that my host dad cooked to exploring Sevilla with my roommate and practicing Spanish in everyday situations, I became much more comfortable and independent. Sevilla slowly started to feel like home, and leaving was honestly one of the hardest parts. I made memories and friendships that I will carry with me for the rest of my life, and I would absolutely recommend Sevilla to anyone considering studying abroad.

My time in Rome with CEA was the most amazing summer of my life. I came into the program knowing no one; I had no family in Rome, and I didn't speak Italian. But as soon as I met my roommates, we clicked right away and became the best of friends! Living together was so much fun; we'd do grocery runs whenever we needed food, which was the easiest supply run I have ever done since the grocery stores around our apartment were maybe two minutes away in each direction. We'd go out to dinner, trying local Roman pasta like Rigatoni all'Amatriciana, which became a favorite amongst our group; we'd get gelato practically every night! We even traveled together while we were there, heading off to different countries on the weekends when we found the time! Our group meshed so incredibly well and I had the time of my life with them. The memories we made are some of my most precious; we watched Off Campus together, shouting at the screen when someone did something wrong; we walked to the Colosseum in the middle of the night just because we wanted to see the sights; we watched FIFA on the Tiber River banks with other tourists and locals. It was so great that now it feels like a dream. The travel around Italy was so incredibly easy! Flying out of Fiumicino Airport took no time whatsoever when you were traveling within the EU and was incredibly easy to get to from our apartment in Prati. I got really used to taking public transport while I was there, and though it was intimidating at first, it was so easy after I got used to it. Taking the A line to Termini and the train to the airport was honestly a fun experience. I had a great time exploring the transportation options in Rome. Lastly, the administration in Rome for CEA CAPA was absolutely incredible! They made us all feel so welcome and were very conscientious of our needs, always making themselves available if we needed them! The professors were wonderful as well! My Art and Archaeology professor and Photography professor were incredible women and very skilled in their chosen disciplines! They took us across Rome to study sites and help us hone our skills to become better acquainted with history and photography. It was incredible to actually go into the Roman Forum and the Colosseum to study their history! My time in Rome was honestly the best time! I grew so much in confidence as I learned to live comfortably in a new culture. Everything from the academics to the lifestyle of the city was incredible and I can't wait to go back!

My study abroad experience with CEA CAPA in Antibes France was truly one of the best decisions I have ever made! I made so many core memories I will never forget and stories that I cherish. I meat people from all over the world and expanded my global perspective. I learned what it means to live and “adult” in a different country. But most importantly I got to live a life full of adventure and freedom that I would have never experienced if it was not for CEA CAPA!

Applying to CYA and studying abroad with them was one of the best choices of my life. The program was diverse and captivating, the faculty were so supportive, and the academics were top tier. This program not only fostered my growth as a student but as an individual and global community member.

College Year in Athens responded to this reviewSeptember 25, 2026

Hi Tori, thanks for sharing your experience with CYA! We love to hear you found the courses to be impactful and had the chance to grow. Hopefully you can visit again soon!

Studying abroad in Seville, Spain, was one of the most meaningful experiences I have had in college. As a first-generation college student, studying abroad was something I was not always sure would be possible for me, so being able to spend a month in Spain was a major accomplishment. During my time abroad, I took classes that allowed me to learn more about Spanish culture, communication, food, and history while also experiencing these things outside of the classroom. I visited important places such as the Real Alcázar, Plaza de España, and the Cathedral of Seville, and I also had the opportunity to travel to Lisbon, Portugal. One of my favorite parts of the experience was living with my host parents, Mama Rosa and Papa Norberto, because they helped me feel more connected to the local culture and gave me a home away from home. I also became close with the other students in my program and made friendships that I will always value. Being abroad pushed me outside of my comfort zone and helped me become more independent and confident. I returned home with a stronger sense of independence and memories that I will carry with me throughout college and beyond.

My experience studying abroad with CEA CAPA in Barcelona was truly amazing. I had high expectations going into the program, and they were completely exceeded. My apartment was in a great neighborhood that felt extremely safe while still giving me an authentic, local experience. It was also close to everything, which made it so easy to walk around and explore the city every day. I also had a great experience with my classes. My professors were extremely understanding and supportive, which made balancing academics with everything else that comes with studying abroad much easier. The CEA CAPA staff was incredibly welcoming and played such a big role in making my experience as great as it was. They offered so many activities, events, and opportunities that helped me meet people, experience Barcelona, and feel comfortable living in a city so far from home. Overall, studying abroad in Barcelona was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had, and I’m so grateful I chose to do it through CEA CAPA. I would absolutely recommend the program to anyone considering studying abroad!

Although my time abroad in Sevilla, Spain with CEA CAPA was only 4 weeks in the summer, I had the most amazing time. I was nervous going into the program; I knew no one from my school who was going and was assigned a random roommate, but the CEA CAPA staff were super accommodating and reassuring. I met the best group of people, took a super fun class on Spanish food and culture for college credit, saw beautiful architecture, traveled all over Spain and Europe, strengthened my Spanish language skills, and learned so much about myself. I loved my experience so much; my only regret is not doing a longer program!

Overall I loved my time in Costa Rica but the unfortunate part about it was I was there for 2 months and the 2nd month we did not have any excursions or cultural events even though we paid so much money to be there and I feel like we were lied to on what everything would cost to travel individually. I think I loved my time in Costa Rica because me and my roommates made the most out of it even though we felt separated from the rest of the program because we were the only ones who lived away from everyone and we could not walk to our other friends home stays because our homestay mother would make us Uber once it was already dark we did not have the money to continuously do that if we just wanted to hangout with our friends. Also we were mislead about the internship transportation luckily I was in a group of 4 for my internship and we could split Ubers but even then I was struggling financially towards the end of the trip and had no idea that we would have to figure out our own transportation to our internships if I had known that before I would have never done the internship it was totally misleading. Lastly, I enjoyed my homestay but I hated having the same meals from lunch and dinner and when I told my homestay mother that we all did not like that she did not change it she continued to do it.

My name is Kabba and I studied abroad in London, England during the Fall 2025 semester! I chose to study abroad because I wanted to explore an opportunity to grow by doing something out of my comfort zone. AIFS helped make my experience an unforgettable one by ensuring I was prepared before departure and providing me with support during my time abroad. I would recommend studying abroad with AIFS to anyone who is willing to expand their horizon!

I absolutely loved my time in Aix-en-Provence with CEA Capa. Their staff were super helpful in teaching me about the local culture and all the best places in the city. The excursions were incredible and highlights of my trip! The standard housing was also really nice, with a lofted bedroom, single bathroom, and kitchen. The only thing I didn't love about the housing was the lack of oven, but we made it work. Lastly, learning mostly in French was such a rewarding experience for me. It was difficult for sure, but it was super rewarding. Overall, I felt my skills in French got so much better due to my experience here.

Living and studying in Barcelona for four months was one of the best experiences I've ever had. The city itself is beautiful and full of live. I love how everywhere is walkable and you can get anywhere using the metro. There's so so much to do whether it's going to the beach, out for tapas, hiking in the surrounding mountains, shopping, or having a night out, Barcelona really is for everyone. CEA CAPA made my experience so smooth from start to finish.

I very much enjoyed my time in Córdoba, the program was smaller than other programs in Spain and it felt like we got fairly close pretty quickly. The town was a maneagable size while still having several place to visit. Kim Griffin is one of the kindest and most supportive people to run an abroad program, she was there at every step of the way making sure that we felt supported academically, emotionally, and in general. She drove me to the hospital when I had a minor health concern, she showed us many parts of Córdoba that she had a deep knowledge of, and she hosted us at her house for an end of semester pool party.

Studying abroad in Florence was one of the most meaningful experiences of my college journey. As an Architecture student, being surrounded by the art, architecture, and history that I had previously only studied in class made learning feel completely different. I was able to visit important architectural sites and museums throughout Florence while taking courses related to architecture, Renaissance history, museology, and Italian culture. Beyond academics, studying abroad pushed me outside of my comfort zone. I learned how to navigate a new country, travel independently, meet people from different backgrounds, and adapt to a culture different from my own. I also had the opportunity to travel to other cities and countries, which exposed me to even more architecture, art, and ways of life. By the end of the semester, I felt much more independent, confident, and open-minded. Florence became more than just the place where I studied abroad. It became a place where I grew personally and academically, made unforgettable memories, and gained a new perspective that I know I will carry with me throughout my career and life.

Living in Prague for 2 months during the summer of 2026 was an unforgettable and life changing experience. I was given the opportunity to live in a major European city, housed in an apartment building alongside locals just minutes outside of the city center. I took two courses through CEA Education Abroad, one technical and one humanities course, both counting towards my chemical engineering major at the University of Michigan. Not only was I able to see the most impeccable works of art, architecture, and music I have ever encountered, I was able to do so with new friends that I made, and I am confident that those friendships will last a lifetime. I was also able to explore 9 additional countries thanks to CEA CAPA's travel-friendly schedule, and those travels made a huge positive impact on my view of the world. I gained a global perspective that I could only have learned through first-hand experience, and I made memories that will be with me forever.

I’m very grateful to Ashoka University for giving me the opportunity to attend the HEC Paris Summer School. Being nominated for the program and spending two weeks at HEC was a wonderful learning experience, both academically and personally. The program gave me the chance to explore my interest in finance in a new setting, while living in Paris and meeting students from different backgrounds made the experience even more special. I truly appreciate the Office of Global Education for making this possible and for encouraging students to take up opportunities that extend beyond the classroom.

I had so much fun studying abroad in Costa Rica through Arcos. My program director Angie was super caring! The university professors and the rest of Arcos staff were super friendly as well. I learned a lot of Spanish, ate really good food, made some new friends and explored really beautiful places.The study abroad had excursions and activities planned throughout the weeks. There was enough structure to have something to look forward to, but also enough flexibility to do something on your own!