Top 5 First Year Abroad Programs

If you’ve been exploring CIEE’s First Year Abroad programs, you know we have a lot of incredible options all over the world, with each offering a unique look at different cultures and providing an enriching education. 

Let’s explore in more detail five of our top first year abroad programs to really help you narrow down your choices! Spoiler alert: they’re all excellent.

1. Kyoto, Japan 

There is good reason Kyoto is known as the cultural capital of Japan. This ancient city is packed with thousand-year-old temples, teahouses, and shrines, and boasts modern-day attractions like the world’s first manga museum and the headquarters for Nintendo games. While you’ll indulge in incredible street foods and learn more about the city’s history, you’ll take amazing intro-level college courses and embark on guided cultural excursions. 

A first year abroad program in Kyoto means an excellent exploration of both old and new. Take a look at a few quick facts about this incredible city:

• Population: Approximately 1.5 million people call Kyoto home. 
• Climate: The average temperature in Kyoto is about 60 degrees Fahrenheit but winters can get cold averaging about 38 degrees, and there is a rainy season from roughly June to July. 
• Location: Considered part of the Kansai region and located west of Tokyo
• Currency: The Japanese yen 
• Language: The local language is called Kyoto-ben but many residents also speak Kansai-ben, both of which are Japanese dialects. 
• Local Attraction: The Nijo Castle is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and simply astonishing. 
• Bonus Fact: Before Tokyo, Kyoto was the capital of Japan for over 1,000 years. 

Adventuring throughout Kyoto, Japan is definitely an experience like no other.

2. Sydney, Australia 

Discover another amazing first year abroad program in Sydney, Australia. As Australia’s biggest city and considered one of the country’s economic and cultural hubs, this city is exciting, to say the least. Boasting well-preserved natural landscapes, stunning beaches and mountain ranges, a lively arts scene and nightlife, iconic monuments (Sydney Opera House, anyone?) and fascinating Aboriginal history and culture, adventure in the Land Down Under will be right at your fingertips.

As you learn more about Sydney inside the classroom and out, you’ll enhance your global perspective, and might even pick up on the local laid-back attitude! Learn more about Sydney with some fast facts:

• Population: Sydney is home to about 5.3 million people.
• Climate: It’s pretty sunny and warm in Sydney year-round, with winters averaging around 60 degrees Fahrenheit and summers up to 78 degrees. Take note: Sydney does get very humid. 
• Location: Toward the southeast end of Australia, Sydney is situated right above the capital, Canberra, and right next to the Pacific Ocean.
• Currency: The Australian Dollar (AUD) 
• Language: Most of Sydney’s residents speak English, but the city is quite international, with a large portion of the population also speaking Chinese, Arabic, Italian, and more. 
• Local Attraction: The Sydney Harbour Bridge is iconic. 
• Bonus Fact: The city has over 100 beaches. And they’re all magnificent. 

 Your first year abroad in Australia will be an adventure of a lifetime. 

3. Barcelona, Spain

A coastal Mediterranean gem, a first year abroad program in beautiful Barcelona means exploring the city’s packed culture, history, fashion, finance, incredible cuisine (tapas!), and more. As one of Spain’s largest cities and an economic and financial center of the country, millions of tourists flock to Barcelona each year for those features and then some, including incredible architecture and beautiful natural landscapes. Living and studying in this city guarantees an unforgettable experience.

Here are a few other fun facts about Barcelona: 

• Population: 1.6 million people live in the city proper, with an addition 4.5 million in the broader metro area of Barcelona 
• Climate: Barcelona has a typical Mediterranean climate, with hot summers and springs and mild winters, with average temperatures usually above 60 degrees Fahrenheit 
• Location: Located in northeast Spain, Barcelona is considered a part of Catalonia. 
• Currency: Barcelona uses the Euro. 
• Language: Most residents speak Spanish and Catalan.
• Local Attraction: La Sagrada Familia is a world-famous basilica and UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Bonus Fact: The city’s underground is filled with Roman ruins! 

4. Rome, Italy 

What’s isn’t there to say about Rome? As the capital of Italy, this world-renowned city is the perfect place for your first year abroad. Brimming with history, architecture, incredible food, and more, you’ll find yourself on a packed adventure, deepening your global perspective and finding your passions! 

Check out a few quick facts about this city that has everyone talking – we can almost guarantee that your Roman Empire will quite literally be the Roman Empire:

• Population: Approximately 2.9 million people live in Rome.
• Climate: Rome’s weather is pretty mild all year, with temperatures dipping into 50 degrees Fahrenheit and summers averaging around 78 degrees.
• Location: Rome is considered to be central Italy, right next to the Tyrrhenian Sea.
• Currency: The Euro
• Language: While the official language spoken in Rome is Italian, many locals also speak English 
• Local Attraction: There are so many sights to see in Rome, but one of the most popular is the Colosseum. 
• Bonus Fact: Rome has more churches than any other city in the world!  

5. Monteverde, Costa Rica 

Monteverde is an incredible Costa Rican marvel known for its beautiful and well-preserved lush landscapes, sustainability and eco-tourism efforts, and of course, the Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve. As you absorb knowledge in the classroom and dive into the local culture, a first year abroad program in Monteverde also provides students with incredible hands-on opportunities on local farms, natural reserves, field stations, and more.

Let’s take a look at some other fast facts about this small but incredible town: 

• Population: Nearly 7,000 people call Monteverde home – but there are quite a few more animal species here than humans! 
• Climate: Monteverde has pretty consistent temperatures year-round, ranging from about 57 degrees Fahrenheit to 74 degrees; it is officially considered a subtropical mountainous environment with a coolness in the atmosphere. 
• Location: Located in the mountain ranges of Costa Rica, about 140 miles from the capital city of San José
• Currency: The Costa Rica Colón 
• Language: Most residents speak Spanish.
• Local Attraction: In addition to the world-famous Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve, the Curi Cancha Reserve is also out-of-this-world.
• Bonus Fact: The Cloud Forest Reserve is considered the best bird-watching place in the world due to the thousands of species found there. 

Intrigued yet? If not (and we can’t imagine you aren’t), we have several more first year abroad programs to explore but these top five really make an impact – get started on finding the perfect one today! 

EXPLORE CIEE FIRST YEAR ABROAD