Custom Programs
Why CEA?

CEA’s international staff and faculty come from a range of backgrounds, with extensive academic experience and expertise in international education that allows them to collaborate with custom and faculty-led program leaders on unique program designs. From conservation in Costa Rica to film studies in France, Mediterranean cultural studies in Spain to business in Ireland or engineering in Italy, our international staff members utilize their first-hand local knowledge and contacts to facilitate academically engaging experiences for your program.

Our dedicated Custom Programs team, based in the Phoenix CEA Home Office, and our University Relations team support your faculty and students (and their families) from the program development process through the group’s arrival onsite. Your CEA Regional Director and Custom Program Coordinator partner with your study abroad office and faculty leaders to develop comprehensive programs that fulfill your academic objectives and vision, all within a set price that meets your budget needs.

The success of your custom study abroad program depends, in great part, on the planning, marketing, and recruitment strategies you implement before you even set foot abroad. From understanding your target audience—your students—and what motivates their decisions both in and out of the classroom, to defining key communication points and delivering them to students through the right media, a little planning goes a long way. We’re here to help!

CEA offers marketing and recruitment support through the program development and pre-departure process. We can:

• Walk you through the steps needed to develop a robust student outreach and recruitment plan, from program conception through departure
• Create promotional flyers, digital signage, PowerPoint presentations, email campaigns, and social media posts highlighting course, city, and program features
• Assist with on-campus or virtual information sessions, presentations, study abroad fairs, etc.

We prioritize the safety and well-being of our students, faculty, and staff at each step of the custom program process. In all CEA locations, we’ve established emergency response procedures and safety protocols aligned with the Forum on Education Abroad’s Standards of Good Practices. In addition, we utilize resources from the U.S. Department of State, NAFSA: Association of International Educators, Overseas Security Advisory Council, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the World Health Organization.

CEA also enrolls all students and faculty leaders in a mandatory medical insurance and emergency support plan. This uniform policy ensures that program participants have the insurance coverage they need abroad, while allowing CEA staff to respond expediently and consistently if emergencies arise.

As COVID-19 continues to affect life around the globe in unprecedented ways, the safety of our students remains our highest priority. CEA has put into place a series of protocols and procedures as well as updated our policies to reflect this unprecedented time. It is our goal to provide students, universities, and parents with the information they need to fulfill their goal of a safe international education experience. Visit our COVID-19 Protocols page for more information.

CEA is committed to increasing access to study abroad and helping students fulfill their potential through our Custom and Faculty-Led Program Scholarship program. Visit our Scholarship page for details.

Our CEA Study Centers are managed by highly qualified, locally knowledgeable academic directors, all trained in industry standards of good practice. The University of New Haven (UNH) in West Haven, Connecticut, serves as the School of Record for courses taught at CEA Study Centers. All CEA-taught courses are designed at a high level of academic rigor and taught by qualified instructors.

CEA also utilizes strategic academic partnerships to strengthen our offerings. Our standard programs are designed, monitored, and approved in collaboration with respected international institutions and their accrediting bodies, host countries, and U.S. and international faculty.

By partnering with CEA on your custom program, you can take advantage of our academic expertise and partnerships to enhance your program through added courses, customized academic content, guest lecturers, access to local academic resources, and more.