College Year in Athens
College Year in Athens is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 1962 that operates study abroad programs in Athens, Greece for undergraduate and graduate students from US and Canadian universities, with semester, full-year, summer, and winter sessions focused on classics, archaeology, and Greek culture.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1962
- HeadquartersAthens, Greece
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What College Year in Athens does
College Year in Athens (CYA), Inc. is a private 501(c)(3) non-profit educational organization founded in 1962, operating study abroad programs in Athens, Greece for students from accredited US and Canadian universities. The organization is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts (with a dual administrative presence at 5 Plateia Stadiou in Athens) and employs 59 staff. CYA serves primarily undergraduate and graduate students seeking transferable academic credit in classics, archaeology, history, Greek language, and Mediterranean studies, alongside specialized audiences such as first-generation students, students with disabilities, students of Greek heritage, postbaccalaureate candidates, and executive professionals.
The core product portfolio comprises semester and full-year programs (Fall/Spring at $26,500 and full year at $47,950 for 2026-2027), Summer Sessions, Winter Sessions (~$2,900 per course), the Voula Field School archaeological excavation, the Postbaccalaureate in Classics, the Heritage Greece® Program, and the CYA Hellenic Executive Program. Supporting infrastructure includes a digital learning platform, a 360° Virtual Tour of the Athens academic center, GIS software for digital archaeology, a language lab for Greek and Latin, a virtual lecture series archive, and academic skills workshops. Field study is integrated into semester programs and includes access to archaeological sites and museums across Greece, supported by strategic partnerships with the University of Crete and the Piraeus Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical Antiquities.
Revenue is generated primarily through tuition, housing, and meal fees paid by enrolled students, with automatic $3,000 per-semester scholarships offered to students from US and Canadian public universities and additional supplemental scholarships available. Distribution relies on direct website applications and institutional partnerships with university study abroad offices across North America; the Cambridge MA office supports North American students and institutions. The organization is governed by a Board of Trustees, is not venture-backed or PE-owned, and reinvests revenue into program operations and scholarships.
College Year in Athens firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- College Year in Athens
- Legal name
- College Year in Athens, Inc.
- Website
- https://cyathens.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1962
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- College Year in Athens is a 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 1962 that operates study abroad programs in Athens, Greece for undergraduate and graduate students from US and Canadian universities, with semester, full-year, summer, and winter sessions focused on classics, archaeology, and Greek culture.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
College Year in Athens industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Study Abroad Education
- NAICS
- All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Faculty-Led & Custom Group Study Abroad Programs (EDAIAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- University-Led Summer/Winter Schools (Credit/Non-Credit) (EDAIAIAA), Service Learning Program Design, Accreditation & Evaluation (EDAIAGAL)
Keywords
Where College Year in Athens is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Athens
- HQ country
- Greece
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
College Year in Athens business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Semester/Year Tuition: Primary revenue stream from tuition fees for semester and full-year study abroad programs. Includes four or five courses per semester, field study, academic advising, and transcript services. Full-year students receive 25% tuition discount for second semester.
- Student Life & Housing: Fees for housing accommodations in CYA-rented residential apartments, supplemental hospitalization insurance, student support services, orientation activities, and extracurricular programming.
- Meals: Meal plan fees covering mid-day meals Monday through Friday during the semester, except on field study days, holidays, and recesses.
- Winter/Summer Session Fees: Short intensive course fees including tuition, housing, course materials, and site visits. Winter sessions include archaeology excavations and field study programs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | Semester Program 2026-2027 |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Full Year Program 2026-2027 |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Winter Course - Crete and the Aegean |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Winter Course - Excavations at Aixonidai Halai |
| Other | Annual | Public University Scholarship |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
College Year in Athens product offering
Product offeringCore offering
CYA is a non-profit educational organization that designs and delivers accredited study abroad programs in Athens, Greece, for undergraduate and graduate students from US and Canadian institutions. Offerings include semester and full-year programs, summer and winter sessions, an archaeological Field School at Voula, a Heritage Greece Program, a Postbaccalaureate in Classics, and the CYA Hellenic Executive Program, all supported by on-site housing, advising, and credit-transfer arrangements with home institutions.
Product overview
College Year in Athens (CYA) offers a portfolio of study abroad programs centered around semester and year-long academic programs in Athens, Greece. The core offerings include Fall/Spring Semester Programs, Summer Sessions, and Winter Sessions, with integrated Field Study components that take students to archaeological sites throughout Greece. Specialized programs include the Voula Field School (archaeological excavation), Postbaccalaureate in Classics, Heritage Greece Program, and CYA Hellenic Executive Program. Academic support is provided through Library facilities, Language Lab, and Academic Skills Workshop. Student life services include Housing in CYA-maintained apartments, Internships, and Extracurricular Activities. Additional offerings include the CYA Virtual Lecture Series (remote learning content) and a 360-degree Virtual Tour of the Academic Center. The institution also offers specific winter courses such as the Crete and the Aegean course (in collaboration with University of Crete) and intensive Fresco and Metals Workshops during summer sessions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- CYA Hellenic Executive Program: Executive program for professionals interested in Greek culture and business
- Heritage Greece Program
- Voula Field School
Products and services
- Semester Study Abroad Program (Fall/Spring) Full-semester accredited study abroad program in Athens for undergraduate students from US and Canadian universities, covering humanities, social sciences, sciences, and studio arts with transferable academic credit.
- Summer Session Program Short-term summer study abroad program in Athens allowing undergraduate students to earn transferable credit over the summer break.
Quantifiable outcome
- Academic credit transferable to home institutions through established credit transfer processes
Companies that use College Year in Athens
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
College Year in Athens technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
College Year in Athens partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- University of CretecoreCollaboration with the Greek University of Crete for the Crete and the Aegean course, providing CYA students opportunity to study alongside Greek students at the University of Crete campus in Rethymno, fostering deeper cultural and academic immersion.
- Piraeus Ephorate of Prehistoric and Classical AntiquitiescoreGovernment archaeological service partnership for the Voula Field School excavation at Aixonidai Halai, directed by archaeologists Eftychia Lygouri and colleagues from the Ephorate.
- US and Canadian UniversitiescoreInstitutional partnerships with accredited US and Canadian universities for student enrollment, credit transfer, and scholarship programs including automatic $3,000 scholarship for public university students.
- The ForumminorCYA hosting The Forum's conferences in Athens, providing venue and academic programming support for international academic gatherings.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
College Year in Athens competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- API (Academic Programs International): US-based study abroad program provider offering semester and summer programs across Europe including Greece. Competes directly for the same US/Canadian university student pipeline as CYA.
- American College of Thessaloniki (ACT): US-organized study abroad institution based in Greece (Thessaloniki) that serves US undergraduates seeking accredited credit and cultural immersion in Greece. Closest geographic and thematic competitor to CYA in the Greek study abroad space.
- IES Abroad: Major US non-profit study abroad provider offering semester and summer programs in multiple locations. Operates a similar academic model centered on transferable credit, housing, and field-based learning, with comparable tuition structure.
- Semester at Sea (Institute for Shipboard Education): Non-profit study abroad program offering credit-bearing global semester experiences. Comparable in mission, US-headquartered non-profit structure, and target demographic of credit-seeking US undergraduates, though delivery model differs.
- Arcadia University (College of Global Studies): Arcadia runs study abroad programs including in Greece/Athens and across Europe. Similar business model: US-headquartered study abroad provider offering credit-bearing semester programs with housing and cultural immersion.
- CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange): One of the largest US-based study abroad program providers, offering semester, summer, and short-term programs across many countries including Greece. Directly comparable as a multi-discipline study abroad organization targeting US/Canadian undergraduates.
- SIT Study Abroad (World Learning): Non-profit provider of experiential, field-based study abroad programs including locations in the Mediterranean. Comparable model with thematic, field-study-driven programs and similar target audience of US undergraduates.
- CIS Abroad: US-based study abroad program provider serving university students with semester, summer, and short-term programs across multiple countries including European destinations. Directly comparable GTM via home university study abroad offices.
- DIS - Study Abroad in Scandinavia: Non-profit study abroad provider offering semester programs in Scandinavia with a similar academically rigorous, credit-transferable model. Comparable in organizational structure and target student demographic, though geographic focus differs.
Broad incumbents
- Syracuse University Abroad: Established university-run study abroad division offering programs in multiple European cities. Comparable academic model and US institutional GTM, but operates as a unit within a larger university rather than an independent non-profit.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
College Year in Athens social profiles
Digital presenceCollege Year in Athens financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
College Year in Athens leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
College Year in Athens funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
College Year in Athens M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about College Year in Athens
What does College Year in Athens do?
CYA is a non-profit educational organization that designs and delivers accredited study abroad programs in Athens, Greece, for undergraduate and graduate students from US and Canadian institutions. Offerings include semester and full-year programs, summer and winter sessions, an archaeological Field School at Voula, a Heritage Greece Program, a Postbaccalaureate in Classics, and the CYA Hellenic Executive Program, all supported by on-site housing, advising, and credit-transfer arrangements with home institutions.
Is College Year in Athens a public or private company?
College Year in Athens is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was College Year in Athens founded?
College Year in Athens was founded in 1962. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is College Year in Athens based?
College Year in Athens is headquartered in Athens, Greece, in the Europe region.
How does College Year in Athens make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Semester/Year Tuition is the primary driver. The others are student Life & Housing, meals and winter/Summer Session Fees.
Who are College Year in Athens's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are API (Academic Programs International), American College of Thessaloniki (ACT), IES Abroad, Semester at Sea (Institute for Shipboard Education), Arcadia University (College of Global Studies), CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange), SIT Study Abroad (World Learning), CIS Abroad and DIS - Study Abroad in Scandinavia. Syracuse University Abroad is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does College Year in Athens have an API?
No public API is recorded for College Year in Athens.
What industry is College Year in Athens in?
College Year in Athens's product category is Study Abroad Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAIAAAA, Faculty-Led & Custom Group Study Abroad Programs, with a secondary code of EDAIAIAA, University-Led Summer/Winter Schools (Credit/Non-Credit). Its NAICS code is 61169 and its SIC code is 8200.