Overview

GlobaLinks Learning Abroad, formerly known as EuroLearn, offers semester/year abroad programs at American College of Thessaloniki. 

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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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 waterfront. 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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Academic Highlights

ACT provides quality academic programs in a diverse set of divisions including Liberal Arts, Business, Information Technology, International Relations and Diplomacy, and Energy Management and Sustainability. 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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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

In addition to the GlobaLinks Learning Abroad Bridging Cultures Program, all students will participate in a university specific 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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Scholarships Available

Merit-based Scholarships

ACT awards a $1,000 USD 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

The American College of Thessaloniki supports EuroLearn study abroad students with the Hellenic-American Heritage Scholarship. Students who demonstrate Greek heritage will be eligible for this scholarship. There are a number of awards available per year ranging from $3500 USD to $8000 USD. This scholarship is competitive and open to all students from North or South America who have been accepted to study at ACT. Please inform your EuroLearn Coordinator if you wish to be considered. Early application is encouraged.
 

GlobaLinks Learning Abroad Scholarships

In addition to these scholarship opportunities, GlobaLinks Learning Abroad offers many other scholarship opportunities and resources for students. Learn more.

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Get Involved Abroad

Extracurricular Activities

As a GlobaLinks Learning Abroad participant, you will be directly enrolled as a student in the university abroad. This allows you to take advantage of every opportunity to be culturally integrated in the campus environment and culture by participating in university activities with resident students.

Example of how you can get involved on campus:

Student Clubs
ACT has a wide variety of active clubs on campus that you can join from Photography Club to Scuba Diving Club. See a list of current clubs.

Community Involvement

Getting involved abroad can enable you to meet local students, make a meaningful connection with your campus and community, and enhance your study abroad experience. Your coordinator will connect you with local resources if you wish to volunteer for community projects through your host university. It is important for you to find the right combination of academic, cultural, and leisure activities in order to take full advantage of international learning and cultural immersion.

All students are encouraged to participate in volunteer activities at or near their campus, where permitted under host-country immigration regulations. Service learning is an integral piece of a well-rounded education, and we support students’ efforts to integrate into the local culture through volunteer activities. Students are provided with information on volunteer opportunities on campus or within the community during the orientation and preparation process.

Example of how you can get involved in the community:

ACT is also happy to connect you to several volunteer opportunities in the Thessaloniki community including teaching English to refugees, helping out at the Thessaloniki Film Festival, learning Greek recipes by volunteering at a local soup kitchen, the Special Olympics, or fundraising and raising awareness for the A21 Campaign to abolish human trafficking. http://www.act.edu/misc/act_volunteering.pdf

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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Enhance Your Experience Online

Global Citizen Development

The new Global Citizen Development modules are online learning components designed to help you explore your study abroad destination and experience at a whole new level. These modules are not mandatory; however, we strongly encourage your participation as they will introduce you to the opportunities and challenges you may encounter when participating in a study abroad program, as well as expose you to cultural insights and knowledge about your host country to help make your program abroad even more successful and fulfilling. Through the 3 modules, you will refine your skills in cross-cultural observation, adaptation, and communication.  

Course Catalog

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Photo Slideshow

Watch a short slideshow of photos of the ACT campus and the city of Thessaloniki

Ask an Alumni

Ever wonder what it's like to live in Europe? Are you having trouble finding the right university for you? Speak to students that were already there! They are truly experts on their universities and cities, and want to help you go abroad too.

Email studyabroad@globalinksabroad.org with your name, email, and your specific program of interest and we'll email you with the contact details for one of our 20,000 alumni!

Please don't hesitate to contact us as well with any questions. 
 

Fees

Fee Includes

All 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, ISIC card, 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 Advice

Dates

Entry Requirements

Programs in Europe Coordinator

Name: Jill Muegge Title: Sr. Coordinator, Student Services Department: BIO: Jill, an Outreach and Student Services Coordinator for EuroLearn, is responsible for enrollment and returned student services for programs at the University of Economics, Czech Republic; Freie Universität (FUBiS summer program and FUBEST semester program), Germany; American College of Thessaloniki, Greece; and Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore (UCSC), Italy. Jill graduated from the University of Denver with her Master’s Degree in International and Intercultural Communications and received her BA from Northwest Missouri State University. An AustraLearn alum, she studied at the University of Canberra and has since lived, worked, and traveled through Europe and Central America. Jill enjoys sharing her passion for international education, and, as a native Nebraskan, will always be a Husker fan.