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The Dutch education system pushed me to academic excellence and invigorated my curiosity about Dutch culture and my own nation.
– Courtney Kersten
University of Evansville

faculty/advisors

More than 10,000 students from over 400 American colleges and universities have studied with Central College since the launch of its first international program in 1965. In that time, the college has expanded its operation to include Central College Abroad (CCA), a nationally recognized leader in study abroad that offers distinctive programs in eight locations worldwide, including semester, year-long and summer options. CCA works in close collaboration with a network of U.S. colleges and universities to prepare approximately 400 students, each year, for the study abroad experience.

Central College is a small, private, liberal arts college located in Pella, Iowa. As an institution, Central is known for its caring and dedicated faculty, commitment to academic quality, and meaningful experiential-based learning. These attributes translate to all Central College Abroad programs through a hybrid program structure, beginning with the on-site resident director. From there, the structure extends to include academic coursework through Central College Abroad courses and affiliate institutions. Finally, we offer the opportunity to take part in hands-on learning through a wide array of internship and service-learning options.

We strive for each student to meet specific academic and intrapersonal goals during the course of a semester or year abroad. These goals shape the core programming that we provide on every Central College Abroad site. Each of the core components listed below deliberately enhance the study abroad experience:


  1. Resident directors
    Each of Central's programs is run by a resident director who is a Central College employee. All directors are highly-committed, accomplished professionals who know how to work with American students and are familiar with the university system. Their sole concern is that students have a great academic and cross-cultural experience as they provide them with the personal touch they would expect from a small, private, liberal arts college.
  2. On-site orientation
    We believe that an on-site cultural orientation, led by the resident director, is the best way to set students up for a successful experience. Each Central program offers an in-depth orientation that will acclimate students to the country's language and culture as they get a feel for their new environment. The orientation programs range from five days to a few weeks and each include excursions away from the classroom to see some of the sites in their new international home.
  3. Required cross-cultural courses
    All Central College Abroad programs include at least one required cross-cultural course. These courses are designed to help students examine and discuss their experience and discover more about their host country’s life and culture. These courses are enhanced by cultural excursions, interesting reads, lively discussions, and reflective journaling.
  4. Cultural excursions
    One of the highlights of studying through Central College Abroad is the number of cultural activities and excursions that are included as part of students’ program fee. Many of these excursions, facilitated by the resident director, link directly with your coursework and continue throughout the semester.
  5. Coursework through Central College Abroad and Affiliate Insitutions
    Central offers the unique opportunity to take coursework through Central College Abroad as well as our affiliate institutions. CCA courses are original courses taught by our expert local faculty, each specifically designed to capture an aspect of the culture's art, history, etc. Central is also proud to be affiliated with some of the finest schools in the world, such as the London College of Fashion and Zhejiang University.
  6. Experiential learning
    On Central’s study abroad programs, learning begins in the classroom, but continues in many different settings outside the traditional educational environment — offering students a more in-depth cross-cultural experience. Students can choose from either a service-learning or an internship option, both for academic credit. Central College Abroad programs offer these experiences as a way to more fully immerse students in the language and culture. This unique component sets our program apart from many study abroad options available to students.