Overview
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Study abroad programs at the American College of Thessaloniki have been specifically designed to meet the needs of North American college students at any undergraduate level. Students may choose courses from liberal arts, technology, and business curricula to fulfill electives or major requirements at the home school; or, choose courses in Greek language, history, culture and art.
ACT is a division of Anatolia, a private, not-for-profit educational institution founded in 1886 in Asia Minor and relocated to Thessaloniki in 1924. It is one of only six NEASC- accredited academic institutions outside of the US and the only institution in Southeast Europe with both full American accreditation and European validation.
ACT offers American-style undergraduate and graduate education with teaching standards and campus infrastructure unmatched in the region, and with a rich student life on and around campus.
Learn more about Greece.
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Academic Highlights
ACT provides quality academic programs in a diverse set of divisions including Liberal Arts, Business, Information Technology, International Relations and Diplomacy. The curriculum at ACT is modelled on those of leading American educational institutions, both in respect to content and the teaching style of faculty.
Classes are taught in English by experienced American and International faculty and teaching style requires little adaptation by students from the United States. Classrooms are diverse, with students from all over the world, providing a multi-cultural learning experience.
A well developed service learning program, the Dukakis Lecture Series, clubs, film screenings, workshops, athletic tournaments, art exhibits, fieldtrips and internships give ample opportunities for study abroad students to integrate with peers, faculty, the wider Anatolia campus and the Thessaloniki community.
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Location
Thessaloniki
ACT is located in Thessaloniki, the largest city in northern Greece; a historical city dating back to the time of Alexander the Great, with Byzantine, Roman and Venetian remnants and a beautiful board walk. A university town, with the largest Greek university campus, it is famous for its friendliness, its vibrant night life, its beautiful museums, restaurants, cafes and bars.
Only an hour away to the east, are the golden beaches of Halkidiki, while towards the south Mount Olympus, the seat of the Greek gods, offers a breathtaking view. The cities of Istanbul, Turkey and Sophia, Bulgaria are easily accessible by train or bus for exciting weekend adventures.
ACT’s campus, on the outskirts of the city, is spacious and tree-filled and includes a mixture of historical and modern buildings with state-of-the-art facilities. Student housing is in the heart of the city and public buses, as well as ACT’s own buses, provide students with transportation to and from campus. Taxis are very affordable and can be shared and students often chose this mode of transportation because of its convenience.
Around the University
ACT’s campus is located in the community of Pylea, set just above the city. Pylea grew out of a small village and is now a part of the wider city. Life in Pylea centers around the big Orthodox Church of Prophet Elias and the community building; an 8 to 10 minute downhill walk from campus (or a 1 stop bus ride) will bring you there.
An elderly lady who serves in the soup kitchen of Prophet Elias will tell you how her father planted the corner stones of the first building on Anatolia’s campus, while her sister was one of the school’s first graduates. Lower and middle class families live here and there are many shops and services including pharmacies, banks, a post office, a police station, two grade schools, a high school, numerous kindergartens, small eating places, a number of colorful restaurants, gas stations, a yoga center and an exhibit area for local artists.
The city hall is very active and organizes classes and workshops for the local people, as well as a full fledged Theater Festival each spring. Bus #58 passes by every 10-15 minutes and the price of a ticket is .60 cents. The main street that goes through Pylea, Kennedy Avenue, goes right by the central gate of Anatolia College and on to another small town, Panorama. Panorama is one of the city’s most chic communities and property there is very expensive.
While on campus, study abroad students who wish to enjoy the area can take long walks through the hilly terrain to the north of campus or hop on a bus to Panorama for a coffee and to enjoy superb vistas of the entire city, the Thermaic gulf and on a clear day, mount Olympus.
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Housing
Studio apartments are fully furnished and all study abroad students are guaranteed space in college housing. Single and double-occupancy options exist, and priority on choice is given to early applicants. Laundry facilities, internet and utilities (heating, water and electricity) are included.
Apartments are located in small, quaint neighbourhoods with grocery stores, banks, gyms and hospitals all close by. The apartments are also just a short walk away from museums, cinemas, restaurants, swimming pools and the waterfront. Students can walk or jog on the water promenade and enjoy the fabulous sunsets the city is famous for. The city is safe and people of all ages walk and drive downtown at all times of the day and night; a traffic jam at 2 a.m. is not unusual. ACT study abroad students enjoy the rich and varied options they have while living in the city.
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University Services
Services provided to study abroad students include: mail services, morning and evening buses from housing to campus, housing, psychological counseling, doctor/nurse services on campus, student visa and resident permit assistance, academic counseling, sports facilities and organized sports activities, clubs and cultural activities and excursions, library services, internet, housing maintenance services, computer assistance, a service learning program, select internships, writing and math tutoring, a student i.d. card, registration and accounting support, and an extensive orientation.
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Orientation
Incoming students are met at the airport; an arrival packet with maps and basic guidelines on how to navigate the city is provided and housing and neighborhood tours are given by trained ACT staff.
During a three day orientation students are introduced to the campus, academic and student life, international programs office support services, housing facilities and rules, financial matters and volunteering options.
Orientation also includes: a campus tour, a comprehensive acculturation workshop, a ‘survival Greek’ session, a city tour, group lunches, evenings out, a trip to IKEA and a cultural excursion day-trip to Vergina.
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Special Programs and Excursions
A number of clubs, excursions, and service learning opportunities are available to study abroad students throughout their semester in Greece.
A sample of Clubs and Workshops
- Greek Pottery Workshops (pieces modeled on the Greek Cycladic-Classical Byzantine ceramics)
- Music Group (students play with local musicians in gigs)
- ACT Newsletter (journalistic writing and current events, weekly publication)
- Drawing Workshops (through art-journaling and drawing)
- Cooking Classes (meals are prepared in the local style and eaten in the company of friends)
- Sailing Certificate (how to handle, navigate and safely port and anchor an open sea sailing vessel)
- Kite Surfing Lessons (wind and/or kite surfing on the island of Limnos)
- Scuba Diving Lessons (leading to PADI certificate and more)
- Sports tournaments (basketball, volleyball, football)
- Cinema Club (lectures, screenings and free participation in the Thessaloniki Film Festivals)
- Field Trips Club (guided trips to museums and historical sites)
- Horse Riding Club (experience horse riding and even continue to more advanced -competitive levels)
- The Young Diplomats Society (guest lectures, forums, Model U. N., politics and international affairs)
- Student Government (members discuss and propose solutions to issues concerning life at ACT)
- ACT Radio Club (broadcast program to fellow students)
- Sports Clubs (with use of gym facilities, dance room and fitness facilities, 790 ft track, tennis courts, beach volleyball courts and outdoor basketball and volleyball courts)
Sample Excursions:
- VERGINA (Royal tombs) Day trip to the city of King Philip, father of Alexander the Great
- ATHENS Weekend trip to Athens, the Acropolis museum, the Parthenon, the Ancient Agora, the Monastiraki flee market; Plaka neighborhood and Syntagma square.
- HALKIDIKI (beach and Mt. Athos boat tour) Weekend trip to Ouranoupolis, the town of Marmaras by night and the prehistoric cave of Petralona (2 million years old).
- Mt. OLYMPUS (hike) Two days climbing trip (2918m/9577ft) to the summit of Mytikas and peak (Skolio, 2850m) and the Muses Plateau.
- IOANNINA – METEORA (western Greece) Weekend trip to the Epirus, visit to Perama cave (1200m long) with its stalactites and stalagmites. Overnight in Ioannina and visit of the Meteora monasteries, impressively built on very high rocks.
- VOLOS – MAKRYNITSA – PELIO Weekend trip to Volos (where Jason and his Argonauts started their journey for the Golden Fleece) , includes visit to museums and traditional mountain villages and towns.
- SAILING TRIP Weekend trip to explore Halkidiki peninsulas, beaches and harbors. Swimming and snorkeling.
A sample of Service Learning opportunities:
- ARSIS: Association for the Social Support of Youth - Volunteers teach English to young refugees from Asia, Africa and Eastern European countries.
- Community Development at the Roma Community of Thessaloniki - Volunteers work with a small group of teenage gypsy girls teaching them new songs from around the world, arts and crafts.
- Thessaloniki Film Festival - Volunteers are introduced to the Film Festival’s history, offices, activities and locations and create an English language Film Festival blog.
- Soup Kitchen at Orthodox Local Church - Volunteers work within walking distance of ACT campus with local women, cooking; a great opportunity to learn favorite Greek dishes and practice Greek language skills.
- The A21 Campaign - Abolish human trafficking in the 21st century; students work on raising awareness and/or funds by organizing events on the ACT campus or elsewhere.
- Special Olympics - Volunteers work alongside special Olympic trainers preparing youth for special Olympics events.
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Scholarships
Merit-based Scholarships
ACT awards a $1,000 merit scholarship applicable towards the semester’s tuition at ACT to study abroad students who have reached sophomore status (minimum) at their home institution and have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.6/4.0. All students with the minimum GPA are automatically awarded the scholarship. No additional application is required.
Greek-Ancestry Scholarships
Study abroad students with Hellenic heritage can apply for the Hellenic Heritage Scholarships (two full or four half scholarships awarded per year) which cover all tuition and housing. Students who have been accepted to study at ACT with EuroLearn must submit a copy of a relative’s birth certificate, a copy of a passport or other documentation to show proof of heritage. This scholarship is open to all international students. Please inform your EuroLearn Coordinator if you wish to be considered. Early application is encouraged.
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Course Catalog
Classes are offered in a wide range of subjects. To see if the classes you need are available at this university, review the course catalog:
Click here to view courses/subjects available at this university.
Click here to view the "Academics: Course and Credit Information" for instructions on choosing the right subjects, tips on navigating the course catalog, and information on credit transfer.
If you have any questions about course availability, please contact studyabroad@eurolearn.org
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Fees| Program Fees | $10,190 | | Housing | | With Meals | Not Applicable | | Without Meals | $3,130 - $3,630 | | Housing Deposit | | With Meals | Not Applicable | | Without Meals | $300 estimate |
Fee IncludesAll fees are quoted in US Dollars unless otherwise specifically stated. Program Fees include tuition for full-time semester status, university and program administrative fees, two excursions (Athens or an island and Vergina), health insurance, and the Bridging Cultures Program. Tuition fees are based on the arts and social science tuition charged by this university. There may be higher tuition associated with certain disciplines. Where applicable, this difference in tuition will be added to the total Program Fees. Fees include all pre-departure services such as: orientation materials, visa-processing support (excluding the visa fee), housing placements, personal advising, subject selections, liaise with your home university, credit transfer assistance, and financial aid services. As a study abroad student, you will be required to enroll as a full time student. Your semester is equivalent to 12 U.S. credits. A housing deposit is not included in this fee. Where required to reserve accommodations in advance the student will make direct payment for the refundable housing deposit. Students who select “personal apartment living arranged upon arrival by the student” will only be charged the Program Fees, and housing costs will be paid on arrival by the student. Fee SemesterThe above fee is an estimate for Spring 2011. Fees are subject to change. Dates| All dates are provided by each university and are subject to change. EuroLearn will attempt to provide you with the most up-to-date information as we receive it. Be sure to confirm dates before finalizing any travel plans. | |
| Spring 2011 Semester - Spring | Application Deadline: October 15, 2010
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| Anticipated Departure | January 31, 2011 | | Start Date | February 1, 2011 | | End Date | June 3, 2011 | | Mid Semester Break #1 | April 16, 2011 - May 1, 2011 | | Mid Semester Break #2 | - |
| Fall 2011 Semester - Fall | Application Deadline: April 15, 2011
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| Anticipated Departure | September 10, 2011 | | Start Date | September 11, 2011 | | End Date | December 21, 2011 | | Mid Semester Break #1 | - | | Mid Semester Break #2 | - |
| Fall 2011 Year - Fall | Application Deadline: April 15, 2011
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| Anticipated Departure | September 10, 2011 | | Start Date | September 11, 2011 | | End Date | June 3, 2012 | | Mid Semester Break #1 | - | | Mid Semester Break #2 | - |
Entry RequirementsApplicants must have the required GPA and have completed at least the equivalent of one year of full-time study at the university/college level.
Required GPA: 2.50
EuroLearn Coordinator| Name: | Rachael Fellabaum | | Title: | Assistant Manager - EuroLearn | | Department: | Semester or Year Abroad in Europe and Asia |
BIO:
Rachael is the Assistant Manager for EuroLearn programs. She assists students with all inquiries as well as enrollment services.
Rachael graduated with a BA in International Relations and Russian from Bucknell University. In addition to travelling to Australia, New Zealand, China, and Eastern Europe, she spent 18 months living and working in Moscow, Russia. Rachael is excited to help students have the opportunity to experience life abroad. |
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