Athens, the oldest city in Europe, is a perfect destination for study abroad. From marble temples to freddo cappuccinos, Greece’s capital has a vibrant mix of ancient history and modern culture.
Although Greek culture is steeped in Orthodox Christianity, few of the 100,000 students in Athens have heard about having a personal relationship with Christ. What might God do as you live out the gospel in Greece? Come and see! You’ll visit places where Paul preached and pray for the city. You’ll make new friends and learn to order food like a local. If you are easygoing, adventurous and enjoy getting to know people, you’ll fit right in. Just as Paul interacted with locals in Acts 17, you can join the Cru campus team to be used by God to draw Greek students closer to Christ.
Dozens of universities have exchange programs that come to Athens. One program is “Odyssey in Athens” with Webster University, which has a downtown Athens campus. We would highly recommend this program, based on the experience of a recent Cru Abroad student, the opportunity for students from other universities to apply and the program’s location in the city. Rutgers University and University of Missouri-St. Louis also have semester study abroad programs. Through a program at The Athens Centre, students from universities such as McDaniel College, University of Oregon, Colorado College, Penn State, and others spend a semester in Athens. The American College of Greece has an excellent program, however, it is far from the Greek universities which makes it difficult to join the local campus team.
These universities offer a wide variety of programs for coursework that will count towards most students’ degrees. The study abroad office on your campus can help you select the courses you need for your degree requirements. Your course load will be similar to a normal load (about 16 credit hours) of classes you would have in the States.
Dates depend on the university.
Connecting: Our staff will give you a brief orientation about the ministry, how to meet students, and get you connected to a local church. If possible, you will be invited to attend our “Big Fat Greek Reception” for Cru staff serving across Greece in late September (estimated cost: $200). Training: We will provide you with our Cru Study Abroad Playbook which is full of great articles and resources to have a great semester walking with Jesus and sharing your faith. Sharing: You can go sharing on campus with one of our staff a couple times at the beginning of the semester and then as much as you’re able after that. You can also share regularly on the campus where you study. Community: You can be a part of regular parties and student events too so you can connect with other students and enjoy community.
Typically, students live in dorms or apartments, depending on the program.
No! Many people in Athens speak English, so you can get around just fine without speaking Greek. Most college students are fluent in English and can have spiritual conversations in English. Speaking Greek is definitely a bonus! Typically, Greek public universities offer almost all courses in Greek. So, Americans studying abroad in Athens study at programs for English-speakers, offered by universities from America.
The cost of tuition and fees varies by each campus and by the university you currently attend.
Estimated cost for joining “My Big Fat Greek Reception”: $200 Estimated cost for joining student conference: $100 + travel
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