Our Postbaccalaureate Program is designed to help college graduates improve their engagement with scholarship as well as their classical language skills by providing courses that prepare them for admission to graduate programs in Classics or Mediterranean Archaeology. CYA offers the opportunity for one-year, full-time intensive study with an array of skills-based courses including Greek and Latin at all levels, Greek Epigraphy, Latin Palaeography, Archaeological Drawing, Digital Archaeology, along with structured academic support throughout. There is an optional January term excavation fieldwork experience at The Aixonidai Halai: Voula Field School.

Beyond being a Postbaccalaureate, the program offers a study abroad experience bringing you into everyday contact and communication with the culture under study, from the wealth of archaeological sites and museums on offer to excavation and volunteer opportunities. The Greek language will be experienced as a living entity, from the ancient inscriptions scattered across the city’s sites and built into Byzantine churches to the modern graffiti on the streets – a total immersion in language learning in and out of the classroom.

Seminars will guide students through the process of producing CVs and graduate school applications and will prepare candidates for interviews. Our writing labs are also available to help students maximize the impact of their written statements and research papers. Participation in the annual CYA student conference will build presentation skills by working with advisors to craft an academic talk and effectively deliver it at a public forum.

Networking in Athens becomes a natural part of the lives of those who study its past: students can attend hundreds of guest lectures, open meetings, and seminars at the many foreign archaeological institutes such as the American School of Classical Studies at Athens (ASCSA), of which CYA is a participating member, University and Academy departments, the Archaeological Society, as well as numerous smaller seminar groups and clubs. Postbacs will also be taken to meet staff of the Greek Archaeological Service in order to understand the processes of archaeology and its conservatorship in Greece and how to apply for permissions to study objects under the care of the State.

The small size of our language tutorials and the individual mentoring, close supervision and language lab support on offer give students a customized approach to their studies. Each semester, students are required to take one Latin and one Ancient Greek language course, offered at all levels, and can choose from any of the following classics, history or archaeology offerings:

• Modern Greek (both semesters at all levels)
• The Topography and Monuments of Athens (both semesters)
• Intro to Digital Archaeology & Virtual Reality (both semesters)
• Ancient Mediterranean Routes: Corridors of Trade, Economy and Interaction Through the Ages (both semesters)
• Ancient Greek Mythology and Religion (both semesters)
• The Greek Stones Speak: An Introduction to Greek Epigraphy (Fall)
• Unveiling the Past: Particle Physics in Heritage Science (Spring)
• From Manuscript to Classroom: The Palaeographical Tradition of the Latin Language (Spring)
• Archaeological Drawing (Spring)
• Ancient Macedon to the Death of Alexander the Great (Spring)
• From Skeleton To Story: The Science Of Human Osteology (both semesters)
• Plato in Place: Reading the Republic on the Ground in Athens (both semesters)
• Prehistoric Crete: Minoan Palatial Society (Fall)

Requirements

• Attendance at all workshops and lectures organized by CYA that are related to your field of study.
• Participation in all the academic Field Study trips in Greece and the Field Study in Rome, during the Fall semester. In the Spring semester, Postbaccalaureate students will have the opportunity to contribute to the lectures during the field study trips in Greece given by CYA faculty (to be discussed with the Postbac Coordinator).
• Participation in the Annual Student Conference (spring semester). This networking opportunity provides a very useful guide to public lecturing and publication in a supportive environment.

Resources and Assistance

A complete Postbaccalaureate application package consists of the following. Detailed instructions for the below requirements are listed within the CYA Postbaccalaureate Application Portal, once you start Part II.

1. CYA Postbaccalaureate Application
2. Official Transcript
3. One Academic Letter of Recommendation
4. Postbaccalaureate Personal Statement

When your application is completed, it will be reviewed by the Postbaccalaureate Admissions Committee. As soon as a decision is made (typically within two weeks of completing your application), you will be notified by e-mail.

The Postbaccalaureate Program does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, religion, sex, or national and ethnic origin. The application form includes no question on any of these matters, and photographs need not be sent before admission has been granted.

Fees for 2026-2027: $17,500

The College Year in Athens fees cover:

PAYMENT SCHEDULE

A confirmation deposit of $600 is due four weeks after the date of acceptance for the Postbaccalaureate program. For candidates whose applications are received after May 1, this deposit will be due upon acceptance.

Balance due of total fees: July 1

Checks should be in US dollars and made payable to College Year in Athens, Inc. For questions on any matters concerning finances, please contact the Bursar at [email protected].

REFUND POLICY

We make commitments to our faculty and staff, and rent apartments for student housing in advance of each semester based on the number of students who have indicated an intent to enroll. When students withdraw shortly before or during a semester, they leave vacancies that cannot be filled. The following rules concerning refunds protect CYA from losses when students withdraw.

Refund on $600 Confirmation Deposit:

$500 of the confirmation deposit is refundable if notice of withdrawal is received by  May 1.

The entire $600.00 of the confirmation deposit is non-refundable if notice of withdrawal is given after the May 1 deadline.

Refund on Balance of Fees:

A refund of 80% will be given for withdrawal between July 1 & August 15.

A refund of 50% will be given for withdrawal between August 16 to the official arrival date in Athens.

Students who withdraw on or after the official arrival date in Athens will receive refunds according to the following schedule:
Tuition: 20% during the first two weeks. No refunds thereafter.
Room: No refund.
Board: Pro-rated.