Skip to main content
Find Your Program
David M. Kennedy Center for International Studies
Give Back

Exercise & Medicine in Greece & Rome

Dates: 11 May–12 June 2027
Priority Deadline: 1 November 2026
Application Deadline: 1 December 2026
Apply Now

Come experience the birthplace of modern medicine, walking in the footsteps of Hippocrates and Galen. Shadow English-speaking physicians in Thessaloniki and visit ancient healing sites in Epidaurus and Rome. Discover how an active lifestyle can promote lifelong health by hiking to cliffside monasteries, kayaking in Crete, riding horses on Hydra, and swimming in the Aegean. In addition, we’ll engage with the New Testament, pausing to reflect at many of the apostle Paul’s stops. This comprehensive and immersive study abroad mirrors the holistic medicine that was discovered in Ancient Greece and Rome, where early physicians explored the healing power of medications but also of physical activity, social interaction, and spirituality. In this program, you will earn credits for EXSC 360 (Exercise is Medicine) as well as EXSC 399R (Internship), gain 50+ hours of medical shadowing which may be applicable toward medical school applications, and receive hands-on training prescribing, performing, and measuring different types of exercise in iconic Greek locations.

Click here to apply today!

data-content-type=""

Contact Us

Dustin Bruening
(801) 422-1420
dabruening@byu.edu

PDF

Program Flyer

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions
overrideBackgroundColorOrImage= overrideTextColor= promoTextAlignment= overrideCardHideSection= overrideCardHideByline= overrideCardHideDescription= overridebuttonBgColor= overrideButtonText= promoTextAlignment=

More Information

Pencil and paper BIG-01.svg

Courses

Students will register for 6 credit hours while on this program during spring term:

EXSC 360—Exercise Is Medicine (2 credits)
EXSC 399R—Exercise Science Internship (4 credits)

Students may not take any other courses on this program, including BYU Online courses, without approval by the program director and ISP.
moneystack NAVY BIGsvg-01.svg

Cost

$9,200–9,700

Includes Latter-day Saint undergraduate full tuition (increased cost for graduate and non–Latter-day Saint students), internship placement fees, housing, 2–3 group meals per week, international health insurance coverage, local excursions/cultural activities, and transportation within Greece.

Does not include international airfare, preparation course tuition, passport, transportation not related to program activities, international data plan, personal expenses, or most meals.
Scroll NAVY BIG-01.svg

Funding Sources

Regular BYU tuition scholarships, Pell Grants, and Federal Insured Student Loans may be applied to study abroad programs.

Students who submit the financial aid section of the ISP application and who have a current FAFSA form on file at the Financial Aid Office (A-41 ASB) will be considered for a Study Abroad scholarship.

Academic departments and colleges may assist with scholarships and grants.

Private grants and scholarships outside of BYU may also assist (see kennedy.byu.edu/scholarships).
Backpack NAVY-BIG-01.svg

Preparation

During the semester before departure, students are required to participate in a once-a-week preparation course (IAS 201R, 2 credit hours). Part-time and non-BYU students will need to pay an additional tuition fee for enrolling in this prep class. Foreign language skills are not required. Physician partners are prepared to host English-speaking students. This program is open to all majors and is ideal for anyone considering a career in healthcare. Students will participate in multiple exercise-based activities, like hiking, swimming, calisthenics, kayaking, etc. No expertise in performing these exercises is necessary. An ability to swim and perform moderate intensity exercise is recommended.

The program begins in Rome and ends in Athens; students should purchase flights that reflect this itinerary.

International study programs are physically, emotionally, and mentally demanding, so you must be in good health to participate. These programs often take place in locations that do not have the same level of safety and services in terms of transportation, living conditions, residential accommodations, food, public behavior, and policing that you may be used to on campus. If you have further questions or concerns on this, please see our travel policy.
House NAVY-BIG-01.svg

Housing

Housing will consist of apartments in Thessaloniki (~2.5 weeks), as well as hotels and hostels in Rome, Athens, and Crete (~1.5 weeks).
Plane NAVY-BIG-01.svg

Travel

Students are responsible for purchasing their own airfare to and from the program sites. Airline reservations must be made through BYU Travel. Students should contact a BYU Travel agent.

BYU Travel
280 HRCB
(801) 422-6293
travel@byu.edu
Check mark NAVY BIG-01.svg

Application Process

Students must be 18 years of age or older to participate.

Complete the online application here. A nonrefundable $35 application fee is required; applicants will be interviewed once the application is complete.

Students will be notified via e-mail of their acceptance into the program. The first payment is due upon acceptance; please refer to the Payment Information page.

Priority Deadline: 1 November 2026
Application Deadline: 1 December 2026
Gears NAVY-BIG-01.svg

Program Adjustments

International Study Programs (ISP) reserves the right to cancel this program, revise its offerings, or make any adjustments to the preliminary cost.

If it becomes necessary for ISP to cancel a program, all program payments made to BYU ISP will be refunded to the student’s BYU Financial account.

ISP is the only office authorized to cancel any of its programs.
Faculty NAVY-BIG-01.svg

Faculty

Dustin Bruening
(801) 422-1420
dabruening@byu.edu
Phone NAVY-BIG-23.svg

Contact Us

International Study Programs
101 HRCB
(801) 422-3686
isp@byu.edu
Book NAVY-BIG-21.svg

ISP Student Handbook

To see the student handbook, click here.
Calendar NAVY-BIG-01.svg

Payment Schedule

To see the payment schedule, click here.