Application for students from collaborating universities in the United States and Canada | SPORT AND EDUCATION PROGRAM: FROM ANCIENT OLYMPIA TO THE PRESENT

We are seeking up to 10 undergraduate students enrolled at collaborating universities in the United States and Canada –specifically the University of Texas at Austin, Dartmouth College, Pennsylvania State University, and the University of Toronto– to spend five days in Olympia, Greece, this summer attending the Sport and Education Program: from Ancient Olympia to the Present. This program is offered by the Center for Hellenic Studies in Greece (CHS Greece) and the International Olympic Academy (IOA), in collaboration with Harvard Athletics, the University of Patras, and the Stark Center for Physical Culture and Sport at the University of Texas at Austin, with the support of Harvard’s Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, and the AEGEAS Non-Profit Civil Company, and under the auspices of the General Secretariat of Sport, Ministry of Education, Religious Affairs and Sports, Hellenic Republic.

The Sport and Education Program is designed to address the gap in understanding sport and education as two sides of a spectrum, rather than as distinct or sometimes conflicting entities. The program builds on the premise that sport shaped ancient models of knowledge, and in turn, the ancient athletic-knowledge complex, known as paideia, served as a model for modern universities and professional sports. Learn more about the Sport and Education Program on its website.

The selected students will join as students of the Sport and Education Program. The student body will be diverse in age and academic backgrounds, consisting of approximately 50 individuals. Most will come from various universities across Greece, along with undergraduates from Harvard University and other institutions in the US and Canada.

All students will stay at the IOA premises in double-occupancy rooms with two single beds for the duration of the program. Students will attend intensive daily seminars, either in class or through experiential learning sessions at the archaeological site and museums. The experience also includes daily group meals and leisure or sports activities at the state-of-the-art facilities of the IOA.

Sport and Education Program Application For US And Canadian Students | ACTIVE SINCE WINTER 2025

Application Form

This application is open to undergraduate students enrolled at collaborating universities in the United States and Canada, specifically the University of Texas at Austin, Dartmouth College, Pennsylvania State University, and the University of Toronto. We welcome applicants with a demonstrated current affiliation or interest in sport.

Harvard undergraduate students who are interested in the program should apply via CARAT.

Prospective candidates from universities in Greece who are interested in this program must apply online via CHS Greece forms.

Please fill out the application completely before you click on the “Submit” button at the end of the form. The system will not save incomplete applications.

As part of the application process, please prepare the following documents in PDF format:

  1. Resume in English
  2. Current Transcript

The deadline for all submissions is Tuesday, February 24, 2026, midnight (Eastern European Time). Before submitting your application, please make sure you have completed all the steps for whitelisting the email address forms-greece@chs.harvard.edu (see the banner at the top of this page). Once you submit your application, you will receive a confirmation of submission email (check your spam folder too). In case you fail to receive it, contact us immediately at programs-eventsgreece@chs.harvard.edu.

All applicants will receive notification of the selection committee’s decision by the end of March 2026. Selected participants will receive acceptance messages via email, along with instructions regarding the confirmation of their participation and the submission of other related forms. A waitlist will also be maintained.

If you have any questions regarding the application process or the Program, please contact programs-eventsgreece@chs.harvard.edu.

Applicant’s information

Please provide the phone number where we can reach you. Be sure to include the country code.

Date of birth

Your academic status and experience

If you have not yet declared a major, please enter “Undeclared.” If applicable, also list any minor(s) you have declared.

Short essays

Please respond to each of the following questions in 150 or 200 words maximum. You may want to draft your responses in a separate word processor and have them ready to paste into the application form.

0 of 200 max words
0 of 200 max words
0 of 200 max words
0 of 150 max words
0 of 150 max words

Files for Upload

The files you upload must be in PDF format and must not exceed 8 MB in size each; otherwise, your application will be rejected by the system. File names should only contain Latin alphabet letters, numbers, underscores, or dashes.

Maximum file size: 8MB

Maximum file size: 8MB

Submission

I certify that all information submitted in this application and in any supporting documents of my candidacy is complete and true to the best of my knowledge. I understand that providing false or misleading information or failing to provide updated information can result in a rejection of my application and possible dismissal from the activity.

The organizers review applications without regard to, and do not discriminate on the basis of, age, color, disability, family responsibilities, familial status, gender identity or expression, genetic information, national origin, personal appearance, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or any other factor prohibited by law in their educational programs and activities.

I have read and acknowledged the privacy notice for personal data of the Center for Hellenic Studies in Greece, Harvard University.