Visual Storytelling, Communication & AI
One city. Five connected ways of seeing it.
Study at UNIC Athens on the Athens Riviera while living in the heart of the city. Explore culture, photography, ethics, communication, and artificial intelligence while building a body of work that brings your ideas together.
Quick facts
- Athens, Greece
- Spring 2027, with Fall 2027 information available
- Fixed five-course semester, 30 ECTS
- Typically evaluated as 15 U.S. semester credits
- Furnished and equipped shared apartments in central Athens
- Spring 2027 Founding Cohort Program Fee: $18,500 USD
Your home institution determines final credit value, transferability and degree applicability.
Housing, tuition, program excursions, insurance, and core student support are included. International airfare and most meals are not included.
One fixed curriculum
You enroll in all five courses below. Courses are not selected individually. Together, they make up a full 30 ECTS semester and a connected course of study in culture, creative practice, communication and AI.
Before applying, confirm that you can meet the prerequisites for all five courses. COMM-200 and MIS-280 have required prior coursework. Read the course details below, then request an equivalency review if your previous course carries a different title or code.
Your five-course sequence
1. Observe through Cultural Anthropology.
2. Frame what you see through Photography I.
3. Question it through Ethics.
4. Communicate it for an audience through Business and Professional Communication.
5. Work responsibly with new tools through AI Applications.
Across the semester, these five perspectives come together in the Athens Culture & Creativity Lab portfolio and showcase.
Your courses
Each course carries 6 ECTS. Students enroll in all five courses.
ANTH-105A Cultural Anthropology
6 ECTS | No prerequisite
Explore how culture shapes identity, community, family, ritual, inequality and everyday behavior. Through anthropological comparison and ethnographic observation, consider how people create meaning and organize life together. Athens gives these questions a vivid context in its neighborhoods, public spaces and social life.
DES-260 Photography I
6 ECTS | No prerequisite
Develop foundational technical and creative photography skills while building a practice of visual observation and storytelling. Learn photographic technology, composition, lighting, editing and image selection, then use photography to communicate ideas with clarity and intention.
PHIL-120 Ethics
6 ECTS | No prerequisite
Examine major approaches to moral reasoning and apply them to questions of responsibility, fairness, culture, technology and everyday choice. You will assess arguments and work with perspectives including utilitarianism, Kantian ethics, feminist ethics and virtue ethics.
COMM-200 Business and Professional Communication
6 ECTS | Prerequisite: ENGL-101
Build practical skills in speaking, listening, presenting and collaborating. Learn how to shape a message for an audience and communicate with confidence in informative, persuasive, interpersonal and intercultural settings.
MIS-280 AI Applications
6 ECTS | Prerequisite: MIS-155
Explore core AI and machine-learning concepts, generative AI tools and applications across creative, professional and public settings. Consider privacy, bias, fairness, security, employment and responsible use as you examine how AI is changing work and everyday life.
Prerequisites and course equivalencies
COMM-200 requires ENGL-101. MIS-280 requires MIS-155. If you completed comparable prior coursework under another course title or number, submit the course title, catalog description and syllabus with your academic materials for review. Global Semesters will review the information with the relevant academic team. Approval of an equivalent prerequisite is required before enrollment and is not guaranteed.
Apply early if you need an equivalency review. Your home institution should also approve the full fixed curriculum before departure.
Athens Culture & Creativity Lab
Bring the semester together in a final portfolio and program showcase. The Lab is an included program component designed to help you connect ideas and work from across the five courses.
Each student will prepare a curated portfolio, a short written statement that explains the connection between selected work and the semester’s themes, and a final presentation or display for the program showcase. Your work may include photography, cultural observation, ethical reflection, audience-focused communication and thoughtful engagement with AI.
A full academic semester abroad
This is a five-course, 30-ECTS academic commitment. Your week will combine scheduled classes, reading and preparation, assignments, group work and time to develop your portfolio. Athens adds material for observation and reflection, but it does not replace the work of a full semester.
The fixed curriculum is designed to reward students who are willing to move between disciplines. A photograph can prompt a cultural question. An ethical framework can sharpen a communication decision. An AI tool can raise questions about authorship, audience and responsibility. The value of the program lies in making those connections with care.
Plan credit approval before you apply
The program carries 30 ECTS across five 6-ECTS courses and is typically evaluated as 15 U.S. semester credits. Your home institution makes the final decision on U.S. credit value, transferability and whether courses apply to major, minor, elective or general education requirements.
Ask your academic advisor or study abroad office to review all five courses, not just the ones most closely related to your major. You will receive one official transcript. Tuition and registration for 30 ECTS are included in the program fee.
When you speak with your home institution, ask about approval for every course, the way each course will apply to your degree, any documentation required for approval, financial-aid procedures, billing arrangements and transcript deadlines. Begin early. Home-campus approval can take time, especially when a course requires prerequisite review.
Excursions
Excursions & Learning Beyond the Classroom
Throughout the semester, students take part in a thoughtfully designed set of excursions in Athens and beyond that complement coursework and introduce them to Greece’s landscapes, communities, and cultural traditions. These experiences balance guided exploration with time for independent discovery, helping students understand Greece not only through its history, but through everyday life.
Athens & Its Surroundings
Students explore Athens as both an ancient city and a modern capital through visits to some of its most significant sites and neighborhoods. Walking tours and guided experiences may include the Acropolis, the Ancient Agora, Thisseio, the Panathenaic Stadium, and the historic areas of Plaka and Monastiraki. Together, these spaces reveal how ancient foundations continue to shape public life, politics, and urban culture in contemporary Athens.
Excursions beyond the city center introduce students to the coastal landscape that defines life in southern Greece. Visits to Glyfada and Vouliagmeni highlight the role of leisure, recreation, and the sea in modern Greek culture. A trip to Cape Sounion, home to the Temple of Poseidon, connects dramatic natural scenery with ancient mythology and religious practice.
Island Experiences
Greece’s islands are synonymous with the country itself, shaping how people move, work, and build community across the Aegean. Island excursions offer students insight into how geography influences daily life in coastal and island settings through transportation networks, commerce, and social interaction. Traveling by ferry, navigating compact towns, and spending time in active harbors allow students to experience the rhythms of island life firsthand.
Visits may include nearby Saronic Gulf islands, where working ports, walkable towns, and strong local traditions provide an accessible introduction to island culture. Depending on the itinerary, students might explore places such as Aegina or Hydra as examples of island communities with deep historical roots and distinct relationships to the sea, from archaeological, religious and cultural sites to maritime heritage and everyday life shaped by a harbor economy.
Destinations and length of stay may vary, but these visits often highlight the connections between maritime trade, cultural tradition, artistic production, and contemporary tourism, alongside the built environment of lively town centers and coastal settings. These experiences link close observation of place with the cultural and historical themes students are exploring throughout their study abroad experience.
Finalized itineraries are posted closer to program start date. Please note that itineraries are subject to change without notice.
Mainland Excursions
Mainland trips complement island experiences by highlighting Greece’s regional diversity and layered past. A visit to Nafplio, one of Greece’s most picturesque coastal towns, allows students to explore a living historic center influenced by ancient, medieval, and modern periods. Nearby, students may visit Epidaurus, home to one of the best-preserved ancient theaters in Greece and a powerful example of ancient design, performance, and public space.
Together, these excursions give students a well-rounded understanding of Greece, linking iconic historical sites with modern communities and everyday life. For many students, these shared experiences become some of the most memorable and meaningful parts of the semester.
For overnight excursions, students typically stay in double occupancy hotel rooms.
* Indicative itinerary, subject to change. Some trips may not be possible due to Government regulations.
Dates, deadlines, and visa information
Spring 2027
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Semester dates | February 4 to June 4, 2027 |
| Application deadline | November 1, 2026 |
| Non-refundable Confirmation Deposit deadline | November 1, 2026 |
| Final payment deadline | November 15, 2026 |
| Final withdrawal deadline | November 15, 2026 |
Spring 2027 Early Confirmation Deposit discounts
- $500 discount: Submit the non-refundable Confirmation Deposit by September 30, 2026.
- $250 discount: Submit the non-refundable Confirmation Deposit after September 30 and by October 15, 2026.
Visa information
Spring 2027 exceeds 90 days. Students traveling on U.S. passports will need a Greek national Type D student visa. Global Semesters provides supporting acceptance and enrollment documentation, but each student is responsible for obtaining required documents, requesting and attending the appropriate consular appointment, submitting a complete application, paying required fees, and securing the visa before travel.
| Milestone | Target |
|---|---|
| Application deadline | November 1, 2026 |
| Non-refundable Confirmation Deposit | November 1, 2026 |
| Final payment deadline | November 15, 2026 |
Review official Greek visa information for U.S. applicants
Global Semesters is not responsible for information provided on external links.
Student Responsibilities
- Students are responsible for obtaining all required documentation for travel related to their participation in a Global Semesters study abroad program
- Global Semesters bears no responsibility for students who are unable to obtain or do not have valid passports or appropriate visas or other documentation in order to attend their study abroad program
Information is current as of August 2, 2026. Withdrawal and refund terms are separate from the final payment deadline and are governed by the Global Semesters Payment Policies.
Fall 2027
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Program dates | Mid-September to mid-December 2027; planned 89-day program |
| Application deadline | May 1, 2027, or earlier if the program reaches capacity |
| Non-refundable Confirmation Deposit deadline | May 1, 2027, or earlier if the program reaches capacity |
| Final payment deadline | June 15, 2027 |
| Final withdrawal deadline | June 15, 2027 |
Fall 2027 Early Confirmation Deposit discounts
- $500 discount: Submit the non-refundable Confirmation Deposit by January 15, 2027.
- $250 discount: Submit the non-refundable Confirmation Deposit after January 15 and by March 15, 2027.
Visa information
Fall 2027 is planned for 89 days. U.S. citizens can normally participate without a Greek national student visa under the Schengen 90-days-in-180 rule. Time spent elsewhere in the Schengen Area before, during, or after the program also counts. Requirements depend on nationality, passport, residence, and travel history, and Greek authorities make the final determination.
Program fees
Spring 2027 Founding Cohort Program Fee: $18,500 USD
The program fee includes tuition and registration for all five courses, one official transcript, furnished and equipped shared-apartment housing in central Athens, medical, evacuation, and repatriation insurance*, designated group-arrival airport pickup, orientation, welcome and local cultural activities, welcome and farewell dinners, on-site staff and advising, 24/7 emergency support, study at the UNIC Athens campus, and five to six days of in-country excursions with program staff and program-arranged transportation.
*for those institutions opting-in to Global Semesters provided insurance coverage
- Athens Metro Pass
Use of a Global Semesters mobile phone handset or local SIM or e-SIM; call and data charges are not included
You should budget separately for airfare, meals, personal local transit or personal travel, personal expenses, passport or visa costs, course materials, call and data usage, and independent travel.
Fall 2027 Program Fee
The Fall 2027 fee will be published separately.
Sample budgets
Live in central Athens. Study at UNIC Athens.
You will live in a furnished and equipped shared apartment in central Athens and study at the UNIC Athens campus in Elliniko, on the Athens Riviera. Apartments are near metro access. Housing configuration, exact location and commute time vary by assignment.
The UNIC Athens building at The Ellinikon integrates advanced teaching, clinical simulation and laboratory facilities with UNIC Evolve’s AI, biotechnology and human-health research infrastructure.
Athens gives your coursework a living context. Notice how people share public space, tell stories, build communities and respond to change. The city’s neighborhoods, markets, galleries, coastal areas and historic landmarks offer material for observation, discussion and creative work.
Shared housing gives you a home base with fellow students during the semester. Global Semesters makes housing and roommate assignments and provides details before arrival. Roommate requests are considered when possible but cannot be guaranteed. Bring questions about access, dietary needs, medical conditions or other arrangements to the team as early as possible so available options can be discussed.
Learn beyond scheduled class time
Included academic and cultural experiences deepen your understanding of Athens and Greece. The final itinerary is confirmed before the program begins and may change based on scheduling, conditions and program needs.
Experiences may include orientation to Athens, local cultural activities, photography walks and visual assignments, visits to museums, markets and public spaces, an Athens Riviera and Cape Sounion experience, a Saronic island experience, and a mainland experience in Nafplio and Epidaurus. Overnight excursions use double-occupancy hotel rooms.
Support, wellbeing and access
Living abroad means adapting to a new city, culture and routine. Before departure, review program guidance, keep copies of important travel and health documents, save program contact information and understand how to use your insurance. Students are expected to follow local laws, university policies and program guidance throughout the semester.
Students receive pre-departure advising, in-country orientation, on-site support, staff support on program excursions, access to UNIC Athens student resources, and a 24/7 emergency support.
Eligibility
Culture & Creativity in Athens is for eligible college and university students who are ready to complete the full fixed curriculum.
Applicants must be currently attending a college or university, be at least 18 by the program start date, have a cumulative GPA of 2.5 or higher, complete at least 30 college-level academic credits before the program begins, and meet all five course prerequisites. Exceptions may be considered. Admission is not guaranteed, and your home institution may have additional approval requirements.
Apply for Spring 2027
Apply when you have reviewed the fixed curriculum and know that you can meet each prerequisite. Apply early if you need course-equivalency review, home-institution approval, financial planning or visa preparation.
Frequently asked questions
Is this a course menu?
No. Every student takes the same five required courses: ANTH-105A Cultural Anthropology, DES-260 Photography I, PHIL-120 Ethics, COMM-200 Business and Professional Communication and MIS-280 AI Applications.
Can I take this program if I am not an art or communication major?
Yes, if the full curriculum fits your degree plan and you meet all prerequisites. It can be a strong fit for students in communication, media, art, design, humanities, liberal arts, sociology, anthropology, philosophy, education, interdisciplinary studies and exploratory programs. Students from other majors are welcome when they have room for the full curriculum.
What if my school uses different prerequisite course numbers?
You are responsible for working with your academic advisor at your home institution to pre-approve your coursework for credit. Review listed prerequisites with your home institution when course codes or titles differ from otherwise similar coursework.
What support is included?
The program includes designated group-arrival airport pickup, orientation, on-site staff, and 24/7 emergency support. Medical, evacuation, and repatriation insurance is included for institutions opting in to Global Semesters-provided coverage.
Are all courses taught in English?
Yes. All five Spring 2027 courses are taught in English.
What is included in the $18,500 fee?
The fee includes tuition, registration, shared housing, designated-arrival airport pickup, orientation, cultural activities, included excursions, on-site support, insurance for institutions opting in to Global Semesters-provided coverage, and an official transcript. Airfare, meals, personal local transit or personal travel, books, mobile service, and personal spending are not included.
Where will I live?
You will live in a furnished and equipped shared apartment in central Athens with other program students. Assignments depend on available housing.
How do I get to campus?
Apartments are selected for access to public transportation. UNIC Athens is next to Elliniko metro station. Exact travel time depends on the assigned apartment and route.
Are meals included?
Most meals are not included. Welcome and farewell dinners are included, and some program activities may include food.
Is airport pickup included?
Yes, at designated group-arrival times. Students arriving outside those times will pay for separate transportation that will be arranged for them by Global Semesters.
Can I use financial aid?
Financial aid policies differ by home institution. Speak with your study abroad and financial aid offices early. Global Semesters can provide program cost, billing, and academic documentation for that conversation.
When should I apply?
For Spring 2027, apply by November 1, 2026 for visa-priority processing. Applications received from November 2 through November 15, 2026 are considered only on a space-available and visa-contingent basis. The Fall 2027 application deadline is May 1, 2027, or earlier if the program reaches capacity.
Do I need a visa?
Spring 2027 exceeds 90 days. Students traveling on U.S. passports will need a Greek national Type D student visa. Global Semesters provides supporting acceptance and enrollment documentation, but each student is responsible for obtaining required documents, requesting and attending the appropriate consular appointment, submitting a complete application, paying required fees, and securing the visa before travel.
Fall 2027 is planned for 89 days, so U.S. citizens can normally participate without a Greek national student visa under the Schengen 90-days-in-180 rule. Time spent elsewhere in the Schengen Area also counts. Requirements depend on nationality, passport, residence, and travel history, and Greek authorities make the final determination.
For parents and families
A semester abroad is both an academic and personal decision. Review the full curriculum, prerequisites, transfer-credit plan, housing, personal budget, travel documents and payment timeline together before enrollment. Students receive furnished and equipped shared-apartment housing, medical, evacuation, and repatriation insurance, on-site staff and 24/7 emergency support.
For academic advisors
Culture & Creativity in Athens is a fixed five-course, 30-ECTS semester program taught in English. Each course carries 6 ECTS. Students receive one official transcript. Please review all five course outlines and the COMM-200 and MIS-280 prerequisite requirements before approving the program.
Your perspective belongs in Athens
Spend Spring 2027 studying culture, photography, ethics, communication and AI in a city that rewards curiosity. Build skills, connect ideas and create work that reflects what you see.
Questions? Email admissions@globalsemesters.com or call +1 212 321 0921.
