May Term Study Abroad Programs in Alicante, Spain

Traveling to Buenos Aires was an incredible experience! I was nervous initially since it was my first study-abroad experience. I was unfamiliar with the culture, environment, and language and did not know what to expect. The warm hospitality and generosity I received from on-site program staff and locals guided me through all the ups and downs of the experience. The program challenged me to come out of my comfort zone both academically and socially. We attended physics classes at a local university and a sports and contemporary culture class right after. We learned about the history of the country and experienced the Argentinians' passion for futbol firsthand by attending games. My friends and I explored the city after classes, trying out some of the many cafes and restaurants on every corner. Buenos Aires had a very reliable transportation system as well, so it was easy for us to travel from our apartment in Palermo to other neighborhoods in the city like Belgrano, La Boca, and Recoleta. Each neighborhood had something different and wonderful to offer. We often ran into cultural fairs, art festivals, fresh farmer markets, and live performances. There was something fun to discover every day. On the weekends, we traveled outside of the city to see the numerous natural landscapes in Argentina. We saw the falls at Iguazu, went horseback riding in Mendoza, went hiking at the Perito Moreno Glacier and El Chalten, and even visited a cute portside town in Uruguay. Although my time in Argentina was short, the incredible people, food, and music are a memory I will never forget.

Truly changed my perspective on the world of engineering and potential career path in a world I never would have thought possible. Broaden my world view and met truly amazing people that I connected with for a lifetime.

My study abroad experience with CEA program was truly transformative. From excellent academic offerings that seamlessly integrated local culture to meaningful cultural immersion experiences, this program exceeded my expectations. Living with a host family and engaging in various activities allowed me to embrace the host culture fully. The personal growth I experienced, from increased independence to a broader worldview, was invaluable. The support from program coordinators and the close-knit community of fellow participants made this journey even more memorable. I returned home with lifelong friendships, a richer perspective, and a newfound confidence. I wholeheartedly recommend the CEA program to any student seeking a life-enriching study abroad adventure.

I had a great experience. I learned a lot about the culture in the Netherlands as well as the surrounding counties. I made connections with friends that will last a lifetime. I would highly recommend this program!!!

On-site staff were excellent and very helpful. Housing was pretty good and my roommates were great. I’m glad there were several trips to other parts of Italy they organized since it allowed me to learn more about Italy. However there were some issues with the organizers and my university in the USA.

The housing was great. I enjoyed meeting my flat mates. Some of us will remain friends. My Thermodynamics class was tough for me. I think most students struggled some. For those of us engineering students who really need to capture this material for later classes and our fields in engineering; I would nit take this course in a 6 week class. The college and CEA should state that somehow to students before they sign up for it, I will pass the class but feel like I might need to take the course again OR restudy somehow The excursions were great. I enjoyed seeing other parts of Italy. The only think I was not impressed with was the food/dinner places that were a part of the program. I get feeding a lot of students...but I feel there could have been some better restaurant choices. Overall this was great. I am hopeful there will be no issues with getting my transcripts over to my school. This is the last week of class...so I have not done that yet. The communication from the beginning to the end has been outstanding. I didn't miss a beat. They let me know about everything. I would surely do another CEA program if time permitted. Possibly even an internship program. I would also surely let other students know this is a great program, and my experience was a 10 overall. Thank you CEA staff and faculty (USA and Rome, Italy).

While deciding on where to study abroad, I knew I wanted to be in Spain and be close to the ocean. After researching cities, Alicante seemed to be the perfect place, and it absolutely was. It was a smaller city with everything in walking distance. CEA made my study abroad experience so smooth and easy. With their detailed pre-departure list, reminders, and deadlines, preparing to leave was not as stressful as I thought it would be. I decided to live in an apartment, and I was matched with a roommate who is now one of my best friends. Our apartment was older and could have used some love, but it was perfectly and conveniently located- only a couple blocks walk from El Barrio (restaurants and bars), the beach, and the train station for class. While on site, our CEA specialists became our family away from home. They cared about us students as if we were their own children, and they encouraged us to travel, take part in local activities, and immerse ourself in the culture. CEA had amazing activities planned for us such as an overnight trip to Granada, wine tasting, hikes, cooking classes, and a day trip to the island of Tabarca. When I got a small stomach bug, the on site CEA employee Adriana came to the doctor with me and checked in on me every day until I was feeling better. At the end of the program, CEA offered internship and ambassador programs to continue our involvement with CEA, studying abroad, and the international community even when we came back to America.

CEA responded to this reviewMay 11, 2020

Thank you so much for your thoughtful and thorough review as well as your kind words about the CEA staff and program, Katie! We are so happy to hear you had a wonderful time with CEA in beautiful Alicante, and your detailed review will help serve as a guide for future students researching their own study abroad programs. We hope you’ll stop by and say hello the next time you find yourself in Spain, and we wish you all the best in your future endeavors!

I knew that I wanted a small city where i could emerge myself in the culture. I was able to do that In Alicante. All the excursions planned by CEA were perfect. I learned so much. My favorite excursion was a weekend trip to Granada. It was amazing. I was able to learn so much about Spain while living there. I love every day, it was a new adventure and it felt like a dream.

CEA responded to this reviewJanuary 07, 2020

Thank you for your review, Thania! We are thrilled to hear you had an amazing time in Alicante with CEA, and we’re so appreciative of all your contributions as a MOJO Photographer. We wish you all the best in your future endeavors, and be sure to stop by and say hello the next time you find yourself in Spain!

Alicante overall was an impulsive experience. The opportunities were countless and the people were overwhelmingly engaging. A great example of this was the Alicante Talk Show. In a spur of randomoscity, we were asked while simply eating lunch if a friend and I would like to be part of a talk show there on campus. We were both incredibly hesitant, being only average Spanish speakers, but impulsively decided to see what lied behind door number one and go for it! We then absolutely failed... but in the process made some incredible friends and stirred up at least a little amusement for any listeners that may have been tuned in. The incredible adventures in Alicante truly are around every corner, and if you aren't standing where you are and seeing what your eyes are looking at, you're going to miss climbing castles (literally), getting free food for being tall, discovering how poorly you can dance with domestic students, or seeing the most incredible sunrise on a pier that was definitely not made for tourists. These is not a place for just any adventurer, it's one for you.

CEA responded to this reviewDecember 12, 2019

Thank you for your review, Ben! We are glad you took advantage of spur-of-the-moment opportunities that made your time in Alicante so memorable. We wish you all the best in your future endeavors, and be sure to stop by and say “hola” the next time you’re in Spain!

I have tried a million times to express how much I enjoyed my semester abroad, but I never can do it justice. Prague has a very special place in my heart and I'd move there permanently in a heart beat. Before choosing programs, I knew nothing about the Czech Republic and my mind was set on going to Aix-en-Provence. While I'm sure I would have enjoyed my time there, I now know that Prague was a far more amazing experience than anywhere else I could've gone. I studied abroad as a first semester senior, so if I couldn't take at least three classes that would count for my major, I couldn't go. CEA was amazing at helping me through the entire beginning process, and I was able to get the classes I needed for my Business Administration/Management major. I took Human Resource Management, Corporate Finance, and Business Ethics (plus an amazing Czech language and culture course that I highly recommend). The school is beautiful and always filled with students, it's connected to Prague's oldest garden, that is otherwise tricky to find (there's peacocks running free that sometimes come up to classrooms). The school is right next to several tram stops and a metro stop. It's very central and simple to get to. I had an amazing apartment that was the most ideal situation I could've had. I had one other roommate who I didn't know but is now my best friend. The kitchen comes with all the cooking tools you need and we had so much space, we only used about a sixteenth of it. Our neighbors were also CEA students and the apartments are generally extremely secure. Normally there's a locked gate before you even enter your apartment building. The tram I took to school was only a 3 minute walk away and was right under the absolutely stunning National Theater. Prague always has people out and about at all hours and I never felt unsafe (the crime rate is incredibly low). CEA has guards walking around to apartments to make sure all is well and no one is breaking quiet hour rules (a common thing across Europe). Transportation has made Prague a wonderful city; you can get anywhere. The train station and airport can be easily reached by tram/metro/bus. CEA gives you the tools to get a transportation pass that works on all of these and is pretty cheap. CEA also offered excursions that you should definitely take advantage of (and bonus they're free! they even feed you). CEA also has events you can attend and has pastries and fruit available pretty much all the time. The staff encourage you to come in and get to know them. They even hosted a Thanksgiving meal (with a Czech twist) to help with not being home for the holiday. When in Prague you only see about a third of the city. What I mean by this is that for every building you see, you're only seeing one third of it. Buildings go underground and have secret courtyards you wouldn't see unless you go in. Definitely check out the bars because they're well known for this. There's farmer's markets all of the city (my favorite is along the Vlatava on Saturdays). Czechs are very friendly and casual. They're family oriented and have fun interests (mushroom picking is a big thing). I had the time of my life and 100% wish I could relive that semester. I'm also really glad I chose CEA because they were so friendly, helpful, and organized.

CEA responded to this reviewSeptember 25, 2019

Anna, this is music to our ears! We are so grateful to hear your kind words and positive experience with CEA. Your detailed review and advice will serve as a guide for future students when researching their own study abroad experiences! We wish you all the best in your future endeavors, and don’t forget to stop by the next time you’re in Prague to say hello!

CEA is the perfect program to study abroad through. The credible courses they offer allowed me to get required credits for my degree, while structuring the academics in such a way I could spend my free time to explore Rome. All of the staff members are friendly and willing to help with any inquiries that the students may have, and the activities that are organized through CEA are a great way to get guided trips to what would be trickier places to go to. Everyone in CEA is constantly looking out for the students and are willing to listen to feedback students have during the trip. The combined effects of all of this has led to the best study abroad experience I could have asked for.

CEA responded to this reviewJuly 09, 2019

This is music to our ears, Schuyler! Thank you for your thoughtful and thorough review – we are so glad you had a positive experience with our wonderful Rome staff and throughout your study abroad experience! We wish you all the best in your future endeavors.

I am so happy I decided to study in Alicante with CEA. I liked that the size of the program was small, and we all got to know each other. I met five of my best friends in my CEA program, and I don't think that would have happened if I did not choose this small program. Though things weren't always perfect, like sickness and issues with out apartment, CEA staff was always there to help when something went wrong. Our two on-site advisors, Adriana and Alvaro, were always so helpful. Adriana became a good friend and kind of our mother figure while being abroad. There were so many programs to choose from, and I am definitely glad I chose this one. I do not think I would have gained everything I did out of my experience if I chose another program

CEA responded to this reviewJune 13, 2019

Gracie, thank you for your review and for all your contributions as a CEA Mobile Journalist this semester. We are so glad you had a positive experience with CEA and our wonderful staff in Alicante! We wish you all the best and hope you’ll stop by to say hello the next time you find yourself in Spain!

I studied abroad in Alicante, Spain for the Spring of 2019, and I have been more than impressed with the program. They are always offering a helping hand for ANYTHING we need. From the first step of arriving to the Alicante airport where I was greeted by my CEA Advisor to the city tour and so much more, I recommend this company to anyone looking to study abroad. They are SUPER organized, which always makes you feel more secure. Alicante has a WIDE variety of classes to take (especially in the Business school). Overall, I would recommend Alicante for 1. because its the most beautiful place on earth. and 2. because the program here is so supportive and fun! We have a lot of excursions to places in Spain and even excursions in the city like a tapas workshop!

CEA responded to this reviewMay 08, 2019

Mimi, this is music to our ears! You did an amazing job as a CEA MOJO in Alicante as well, and we are so grateful to hear your kind words and positive experience with CEA. We wish you all the best in your future endeavors, and don’t forget to stop by the next time you’re in Alicante to say hello!

In college, I am majoring in International Studies and double majoring in International Business and Sociology. Upon studying abroad, I didn’t know exactly which route I wanted to take with my career upon graduating. So, I decided to intern while studying International Business abroad. At the spark of this program, I had a passion for Environmental Ethics and Global Agriculture but didn’t know how I could link it to my other passion being International Studies. Luckily, the Czech NGO internship that CEA matched fit me perfectly. Within the internship, I was one of the main student fundraisers, but they also invited me to some of their colleague’s climate change, forestry, and entrepreneurship conferences. Without studying abroad and being in such a constant learning environment, I wouldn’t have accomplished and be as confident as I am within my sector as I am now. Upon leaving the program, I am intern for a Congressman and his district office as well as become an advocacy intern for an anti-genocide company within South Sudan that is based in my hometown.

CEA responded to this reviewJune 19, 2018

Alexis, we are so pleased you were able to explore a variety of career paths within our Prague internship program. Thank you for sharing your story and best of luck with your career! - CEA

Before my time abroad I had not spent much time away from home. I attend university relatively close to my hometown and this experience was the first time I feel like I genuinely was able to stand on my own. Beautiful Alicante gave me the perfect balance of work and fun, with its easygoing, slow paced lifestyle and great nightlife(from chill and cozy live music bars to full sized clubs open until 6 AM, there's something for everyone) , and the location was perfect for travel within Spain and throughout Europe. The activities organized by CEA taught me a lot about the local culture and bonded me with my group. I experienced a few challenges during my time there, but I was lucky enough to have prompt and helpful support staff that was just a message away. All in all, I am incredibly grateful for this experience and think everyone could benefit from it.

CEA responded to this reviewJune 05, 2018

Hello and thank you for the inspiring account of your study abroad experience. It’s so nice to hear stories of personal growth accomplished through our programs. We couldn’t be happier for you! - CEA

My experience abroad has been great so far. I have travelled a lot and experienced/learned many new things. I also feel that I have adapted very well to the Spanish life style. I traveled a lot around Spain and learned a lot about the people and culture. I am having a wonderful time and really enjoying my experience. Alicante is a wonderful city. It is small and is more of an authentic experience than a large city with many tourists. The people are very friendly and will help you with your Spanish. They really like to see students try and practice. Within the program there were fun activities planned to show you around the area. The only thing I wish were different were certain ways in which the program management handles issues and interactions with the students. The process for resolving issues involving the program, especially the housing, was not always very clear and at times chaotic. While initially smooth, many easily solvable issues were often ignored or solved far slower than they should have. In certain instances, students issues were not taken seriously and accompanied by instances of unprofessional - borderline condescending- interactions. Other than that Alicante is a great city for you to immerse yourself into Spanish culture and lifestyle.

CEA responded to this reviewJune 05, 2018

Hello and thank you for sharing your experience! We are happy to hear you enjoyed studying abroad in Alicante and would like to speak with you further to find out how we can do better in the future. Please contact us at ProgramManagement@ceastudyabroad. - CEA

Studying abroad was something I knew I had to do before I graduated. Before I knew it, it was my junior year and I had yet to travel the world! Surprisingly enough I researched different schools, programs and courses that would help fulfill specific requirements for my Business Management major. I was able to study abroad during my last Fall semester as an undergraduate with CEA in the French Riviera, and attend an International Business School. Because of this amazing experience I am able to graduate on time and have experience in a global business setting with people from dozens of cultures. It couldn't have worked out any better and it was one of the best semesters of my college career!

CEA responded to this reviewJune 19, 2018

Thanks so much for your review. We’re pleased you had a great study abroad experience with us in the French Riviera. Best of luck starting your career in business.- CEA

Living and studying in Alicante, Spain was nothing short of the best four months of my life. The people are beyond friendly and the city thrives on the tourist season as summer approaches. Beautiful sites of the ocean, castles, and architecture are everywhere you go. The city is large enough that there is plenty to do but small enough that you start to recognize familiar faces around and bump into friends around the city. Alicante was the perfect mix of culture of compassionate and energetic people, making this place feel like a home in no time.

It's very interesting and exciting!

It has been really great!