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STUDENTS OFTEN INQUIRE about where to study Arabic in the Arabic-speaking
world. Our purpose here is to offer information about some of the programs available and
to encourage students to learn and enjoy using Arabic in daily life.
For years the best overall program for Americans has been the federally-funded CASA
program at The American University in Cairo (see below). In the last ten years, several
new programs have opened outside Egypt. Most of the programs use only Arabic in the
classroom and offer cultural activities and field trips. Another pleasant feature of most
programs is the international make-up of the student body.
These programs are set up specifically for foreigners to complete a short course of
language study. Students who want to receive credit for their Arabic study abroad should
check with their home institutions. For full university degree programs in Arabic Studies
at Arab institutions, consult the Middle East Studies Association's “Directory of
Graduate and Undergraduate Programs and Courses in Middle East Studies in the United
States, Canada, and Abroad” (1993).
Persons interested in attending any of the programs listed here should contact the
individuals and/or addresses given in each entry. The administrators of the program will
provide students with visa information. Some US funding for these programs (e.g.,
Fulbright-Hays, FLAS) is available; students should check with their campus fellow- ship
office.
We have done our best to check the status of each program but we cannot guarantee that
all the information is up-to-date. A star (*) at the end of a listing means only that one
of us has known at least one person who has stud- ied in that program. This is not a
rating; it is not our goal to promote any of these programs.
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Center for the Study of Arabic Abroad(CASA) [Cairo]
Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies
Johns Hopkins University
1619 Massachusetts Ave., NW
Washington, DC 20036
Telephone: (202) 663-5751
Summer and full-year intensives. Modern Standard Arabic and Egyptian Colloquial Arabic.
Qualifying examinations are given in early February at selected universities in the
States. Two years of Modern Standard are recommended. Students selected receive
fellowships covering internation- al transportation, tuition, and a monthly stipend.
Dormitory housing for summer available; locating year-long housing is the student’s
responsibility. Established 1967.*
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Arabic Language Institute (ALI)
The American University in Cairo [Cairo]
Office of Admissions
The American University in Cairo
866 United Nations Plaza
New York, NY 10017
Telephone: (212) 421-6320; Fax: (212) 688-5341
Summer and full-year intensives. Modern Standard and Egyptian Colloquial at all levels.
Tuition for full year $7900, summer $1975. Housing available at the University. Housing,
food, medical, other fees additional. *
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International Language Institute (ILI)
Colin J. Rogers, Managing Director
3 Mahmoud Azmy St.
Madinet el-Sahafeyeen, Cairo, Egypt
Telephone: 3463087/3468597 Sat.-Thurs. 9 am to 8:30 pm
Fax: 3035624
Summer and full-year courses. Modern Standard and Egyptian Colloquial. Several options
are available during the year. Modern Standard: Twelve weeks $360. Egyptian Colloquial:
regular eight weeks, intensive four weeks $135. Summer four-week intensives
(MSA and EC)
$350. Assistance in finding housing provided. Established 1975.*
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International Summer Program (ISP) [Birzeit]
Birzeit University
Continuing Education Department
PO Box 14
Birzeit, West Bank, via Israel
Telephone and Fax: 972-2-956229
Six-week summer intensive. Modern Standard and Palestinian Colloquial at all levels.
Students must have completed one year of study at an accredited college or university.
Intensive course $300. Housing available in dormitories, rented apartments and with
families in Birzeit and Ramallah. Established 1986. New program during academic year in
“Palestine and Arabic Studies,” instituted in 1993.
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Hebrew University Summer Arabic Session [Jerusalem]
Office of Academic Affairs
American Friends of the Hebrew University
11 East 69th St.
New York, NY 10021
Telephone: (212) 472-2288
Seven-week intensive summer course. Students must have completed one year of study at
an accredited college or university. Literary Arabic - Elementary and Intermediate $750;
Spoken Jerusalem Arabic - Elementary $470.*
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Summer Arabic Program [Irbid]
University of Virginia-Yarmouk University
Muhammad Sawaie
B027 Cabell Hall
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, VA 22903
Telephone: (804) 982-2304 e-mail: UVAYARMK@faraday.clas.virginia.edu
Eight-week intensive summer course. Intermediate and advanced Modern Standard and
Jordanian Colloquial. $2,600 tuition, room, and international transportation. Full
fellowships available. Established 1983.*
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Arabic Language Unit [Kuwait City]
Director, Language Centre
PO Box 2575 - Safat
Kuwait University
Kuwait 13026
Tel. (Kuwait Embassy, Washington, DC): (202) 363-8056 Year-long program in Modern
Standard. Students must have completed one year of study of Arabic. Accepts limited number
of students. All admitted students receive scholarships covering tuition, housing, and
meals. Competition for scholarships is intense.*
- Intensive Arabic Studies Program [Tangier]
King Fahd Advanced School of Translation
Abdelmalek Essadi University
US Contact:
Kevin Lacey, Director, Tangier Program
Department of Classical and Near Eastern Studies
State University of New York at Binghamton
PO Box 6000
Binghamton, NY 13902-6000
Telephone: (607) 777-6120; (607) 777-6709
Intensive eight-week summer program. Intermediate Modern Standard (no elementary level
is offered), with sessions on elementary and intermediate Moroccan Colloquial. Tuition
$2000. Fellowships available. Conducted in cooperation with CASA.*
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Arabic Language Institute [Fez]
American Language Center of Fez
Stephen Casewit, Director
BP 2136
Fez, Morocco
Telephone/Fax: (212/5) 624850
Six- and three-week intensive sessions offered throughout the year. Modern Standard and
Moroccan Colloquial at all levels including Survival Moroccan Arabic, Advanced Readings in
Islamic Texts. Six week session (120 hours) 5,500 dirhams; three-week session (45-60
hours) 2,750 dirhams ($1 = 19.6 dirhams). Housing assistance provided. Moroccan host
families. Established 1983.*
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American Language Institute in Fez (ALIF) [Fez]
Aida Bamia
Department of African & Asian Languages & Literatures
470 Grinter Hall
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL 32611
Tel: (904) 392-2110 or 392-2422; Fax: (904) 392-1443
Six-week summer intensive. Modern Standard and Moroccan Colloquial. Open to students
with at least one year of college-level Arabic. Tuition, fees, room and board and
transportation estimated at $3200. Several housing options available.
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Special Arabic Sessions [Jeddah]
Dean of Admissions
Department of Islamic Studies
King Abdul Aziz University
PO Box 1540
Jeddah 21441, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
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Arabic Program [Riyadh]
Dean of Admissions
King Saud University
PO Box 2454
Riyadh II 45 1, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Since certain restrictions apply to foreigners travelling to Saudi Arabia, interested
students should first contact the Cultural Mission at the Embassy of Saudi Arabia in
Washington, DC: (202) 298-8899.
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Arabic Teaching Institute for Foreigners [Damascus]
Muhammed Kudeimi, Director
Damascus - al-Mazza
Villat Sharqiyah (Eastern Villas)
Damascus, Syria
Telephone: 963-11-221-538
Beginning and intermediate classes in Modern Standard. Winter eight-month course
(October-May) $400. Summer three-month course (June-Sept.) also $400. Classes are
conducted in the afternoon and evening to accommodate foreign workers. Assistance with
housing available. Contact Embassy of Syria in Washington, DC [Tel: (202) 872-8406] early
for entry visa.*
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Arabic Program
Institut Francais d'Etudes Arabes Damas (IFEAD)
PO Box 344 Damascus, Syria
Telephone: 412272; Fax: 247887
Contact Institute for information on terms of instruction and fees. Modern Standard and
Syrian Colloquial offered. Limited dormitory housing in the Institute itself. French is
helpful. Longstanding program.*
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Bourguiba Institute of Modern Languages [Tunis]
University of Tunis
Kacem Ben Hamza, Director
47 Avenue de la Liberte
Tunis 1002, Tunisia
Telephone: 282-418; 281-923
Six-week intensive summer program in Modern Standard, all levels. 100 dinars ($1 = 1.08
dinars). Dormitory housing available. Full and partial scholarships. Full year program in
Modern Standard and Tunisian Colloquial also offered.*
- Yemen Language Center (YLC) [Sanaa]
PO Box 16961
Sanaa, Yemen
US contact:
Mohammad Rahawi
323 Grundy Drive
Falls Church, VA 22046
Telephone & Fax: (703) 534-3346
All levels of Modern Standard and Yemeni Colloquial. Half term: four-six weeks, US
$980. Full term: ten-twelve weeks, $1800. Full year $6850. Summer: ten-twelve weeks,
$1800. Fees include housing. Class size limited to six students. Program started 1985.
- Specialist Language Training (Spectra) [Sanaa]
PO Box 16101
Sanaa, Yemen
US contact:
Marc Moebius
169 S. Harrison Street
Princeton, NJ 08540
Telephone: (609) 924-5614; Fax: 967-1-414-627
Summer and full-year programs. Modern Standard and Yemeni Colloquial. Summer: twelve
weeks, US $2200. Financial assistance available. Students sign pledge to use Arabic at all
times.
We welcome corrections, additions and feedback about the quality of programs. It is our
intention to expand and update this directory on a regular basis.
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