Arabic Study Abroad Programs

My study abroad experience with CEA CAPA in Antibes France was truly one of the best decisions I have ever made! I made so many core memories I will never forget and stories that I cherish. I meat people from all over the world and expanded my global perspective. I learned what it means to live and “adult” in a different country. But most importantly I got to live a life full of adventure and freedom that I would have never experienced if it was not for CEA CAPA!

In the program, myself and fellow students at my university really connected with the hosts of the program- both when they were professors for teaching us Darija and culture and guides in new cities. It would not have been the same for me in Morocco without them, and they have set me up on a good track for the entirety of my experience since and in the future. And this was all in 2024! They have had years to improve and refine their skills.

I had the best time in Morocco. It will always hold a special place in my heart. Marwane and his team played a major role in that. They have the kindest hearts and truly want you to learn and understand the place they call home and why it is so special to them. I could not have asked for a better experience and team to do this with. I will cherish this time in Morocco eternally. I highly recommend Marwane and his team. Cheers!

Lingua Compass left a Rabat shaped hole in my heart and was an experience that will always stay with me. Marwan and the rest of the team place you right in the heart of Moroccan hospitality, in which guests are treated with the same warmth as a long lost friend. I also had a thoroughly immersive cultural experience, not stopping at the surface of Moroccan culture, but exploring the history, geography, and complex aspects of the country. This is all coupled with really experienced language teachers who use a skills-based, speaking-first model - which is very refreshing for anyone who has ever suffered through Arabic grammar. Thank you Lingua Compass! ❤️🩵

Studying abroad in Seville, Spain, was one of the most meaningful experiences I have had in college. As a first-generation college student, studying abroad was something I was not always sure would be possible for me, so being able to spend a month in Spain was a major accomplishment. During my time abroad, I took classes that allowed me to learn more about Spanish culture, communication, food, and history while also experiencing these things outside of the classroom. I visited important places such as the Real Alcázar, Plaza de España, and the Cathedral of Seville, and I also had the opportunity to travel to Lisbon, Portugal. One of my favorite parts of the experience was living with my host parents, Mama Rosa and Papa Norberto, because they helped me feel more connected to the local culture and gave me a home away from home. I also became close with the other students in my program and made friendships that I will always value. Being abroad pushed me outside of my comfort zone and helped me become more independent and confident. I returned home with a stronger sense of independence and memories that I will carry with me throughout college and beyond.

Although my time abroad in Sevilla, Spain with CEA CAPA was only 4 weeks in the summer, I had the most amazing time. I was nervous going into the program; I knew no one from my school who was going and was assigned a random roommate, but the CEA CAPA staff were super accommodating and reassuring. I met the best group of people, took a super fun class on Spanish food and culture for college credit, saw beautiful architecture, traveled all over Spain and Europe, strengthened my Spanish language skills, and learned so much about myself. I loved my experience so much; my only regret is not doing a longer program!

I absolutely loved my time in Aix-en-Provence with CEA Capa. Their staff were super helpful in teaching me about the local culture and all the best places in the city. The excursions were incredible and highlights of my trip! The standard housing was also really nice, with a lofted bedroom, single bathroom, and kitchen. The only thing I didn't love about the housing was the lack of oven, but we made it work. Lastly, learning mostly in French was such a rewarding experience for me. It was difficult for sure, but it was super rewarding. Overall, I felt my skills in French got so much better due to my experience here.

I very much enjoyed my time in Córdoba, the program was smaller than other programs in Spain and it felt like we got fairly close pretty quickly. The town was a maneagable size while still having several place to visit. Kim Griffin is one of the kindest and most supportive people to run an abroad program, she was there at every step of the way making sure that we felt supported academically, emotionally, and in general. She drove me to the hospital when I had a minor health concern, she showed us many parts of Córdoba that she had a deep knowledge of, and she hosted us at her house for an end of semester pool party.

I studied at Middlebury School in Jordan in the spring semester of 2025. I had spent the previous summer in Jordan with another great program, but my time at Middlebury was not only the most fun regarding the people involved and my ability to interact with local Jordanians, but also because I came in non-conversational and I left nearly fluent. Not just in that I had a larger vocabulary, but that I was able to speak and think in Arabic directly, without having to translate from English first. The program staff are amazing, the class sizes are great and the content feels relevant. There is the ability to choose which electives you want to take (depending on your level), and even those at a lower level felt that they were using the Arabic that they knew in applicable contexts. Although the language pledge was difficult at first, after a week of commitment to the process, it became easy. In addition to the amazing academic environment, my homestay family was also a key component to my advancement in Arabic. I come from an Arab background and it really felt like I had another Arab jidda (grandma) helping me the whole way. The program also connected us with local students at the University of Jordan who took us around Amman and genuinely became our close friends. One other quick note was that the trips that we took were amazing. Like I mentioned, I had been in Jordan for a couple months before, and the places that we went to with Middlebury were not only some of the crucial must-see spots but also some more niche spots that I felt very privileged to be able to go to that I wouldn't have found/been motivated to go to on my own. I think that the program did a good job of giving us enough out-of-class work to improve our skills without it being so much that we didn't have enough time to explore the city/country. I do think that the program would be best suited for someone who has some prior experience with the language (in fact, I think you have to have studied for at least two years??? dont quote me on that). I had studied Arabic for almost three years at that point, but most others had studied it for two (academic) years before starting. Would 1000/10 recommend this program to anyone wanting to improve their Arabic.

Living in Jordan was one of the most immersive and meaningful academic experiences I have had. From the start, I felt fully supported by the program and quickly adjusted to daily life in Amman. Living with a host family was a highlight, as it gave me constant opportunities to practice Arabic and experience Jordanian culture in an authentic way. The balance between coursework, language learning, and cultural engagement made the experience both challenging and rewarding. Overall, my time in Jordan greatly strengthened my Arabic and gave me a deeper appreciation for the region and its people.

The Middlebury in Jordan staff is extremely caring, thoughtful, and their attention to detail is remarkable. I felt very looked out for, especially when we had to relocate due to conflict in the middle of the semester. In general, the program pushes you to learn the most you can and it truly helps you integrate into Jordanian culture. I will forever be grateful for the friends, mentors, and family I gained throughout my semester. I also gained invaluable knowledge on the region as a whole and linguistic skills -- knowledge that I never learned in my schooling in the U.S.

My study abroad in Cordoba helped me grow, pushed my boundaries, and highlighted the parts of my life that I deeply value. I was able to view the world through different perspectives and challenge my ideas of what normal was. Finding new ways in which I fit into communities that looked different from the ones I grew up around helped me find different parts of myself. The global variety of people I was able to meet, talk with, and form deep relationships with, helped me understand myself in brand new ways. Additionally, Spain has so many different places with their own distinct cultures, histories, and communities. Being able to explore the different parts of Spain enriched my study abroad beyond my experiences in Cordoba. Studying abroad completely transformed how I will approach new people and situations in the future and fueled my desire to learn more about the cultures, languages, and people that form the world.

I had a pretty great semester at UL. I thoroughly enjoyed the classes and the professors, but also learned a lot about myself and the Irish people. I joined the Christian Union pretty early on and was welcomed into fellowship with that group. I accompanied some friends of that group into smaller towns I may not have otherwise visited and helped lead churches playing piano. I was welcomed into homes and I really felt loved. I also got to see much of the countryside and felt it easy to travel around to sight see. My time in Ireland is a time where I grew in knowing myself but also my understanding of the world. I loved learning Irish traditions, culture, and history, and I know that I could never know nearly as much by staying home.

This past school year I took both semesters to study abroad in Jordan with Middlebury. While I had heard incredible things about both the program and Jordan itself, my expectations were far surpassed. This is the best work team I could imagine and supportive through everything from health issues, daily transitions, language challenges, regional conflict. I couldn’t be more grateful. I have never seen a team work so well together and create such an incredible program through attention to detail, love of students, and passion for language immersion. My arabic has exponentially improved and I was given endless opportunities to interact with daily local life creating lifelong friendships, connections, and job/volunteer experiences.

In my time here, I learned so much about what I am capable of and what the world has to offer. This is largely due to the support of the study abroad team and resources like the writing, counseling, and health centers. I am so proud of all I have accomplished, be it in academics and the things I learned, and in stepping out of my comfort zone and exploring more about Ireland, Irish culture, and how I immerse myself in it. Thank you so much to everyone who helped make this possible for me.

It was honestly the best experience it could have been - Great organization of the study abroad program, easy module selection, broad offer of modules, fun and regular campus activities, a bunch of reserved housing spaces for international students (be fast though) and a great study abroad team that helps with all your worries! I made so many good friends and enjoyed the spring semester immensely. 10/10 would recommend. the only negative part is that Ireland is a pretty expensive country as it is... UL offers a lot of cheaper food options though, that helped!

Studying abroad was more than travel, it was learning how to exist between languages, cultures, and systems of power. Coming from a background shaped by migration, the experience felt deeply personal. Walking through new cities, I began to notice not only differences in culture, but in how societies are organized, who has access, and how opportunity is distributed. It made me reflect on policy beyond textbooks—how decisions made in offices translate into real lives, real barriers, and real possibilities. I saw how history, governance, and identity intersect in everyday spaces, from public institutions to conversations with people from different backgrounds. There were moments of uncertainty, of not fully belonging, but also moments of clarity where I understood that navigating these spaces is itself a form of political awareness. I didn’t just learn about the world, I learned how to read it, question it, and imagine how it could be better. This experience didn’t just expand my perspective it gave me a deeper sense of purpose. It reminded me why I chose to study political science, and why I want to be part of the conversations and decisions that shape our global future. https://www.instagram.com/huerta_mmx/

One of the best parts of my study abroad experience was my homestay. They made sure I had everything I needed and were committed to helping me learn Arabic. They would help me with my homework and provide me with different opportunities to practice my language skills at home.

Je suis arrivée dans un pays où au début je me sentais étrangère. Très peu de relations avec les locaux comme si j’étais renfermée sur moi-même et ma culture. Pourtant, ce n’est pas ce que j’imaginais. Je m’imaginais sortir boire un verre un samedi soir. Tapear un peu, parler de tout et de rien. Ce que je faisais déjà un peu au Québec. Je cherchais une relation avec ma famille d’accueil, une ouverture de ma part, mais aussi de la leur. J’ai réussi à m’épanouir quand j’ai changé de famille. Cela a été le jour et la nuit. Ce changement m’a ouvert l’esprit et m’a permis de réellement m’encrer avec la culture. Connaître cette facette cachée dont seuls les locaux peuvent te guider à trouver le bon chemin. C’est ça que je cherchais réellement. Je suis tellement reconnaissante envers ceux qui m’ont accompagnée et qui me permettent de vivre l’expérience que je peux vivre aujourd’hui.

I’ve found the Master’s in Bilingual Education at Nebrija to be a rigorous and intellectually engaging program. Several professors stand out for their clarity, strong grounding in theory, and practical classroom applicability—particularly in CLIL methodology and active learning approaches. The program requires a high level of autonomy and time management, especially for students who are also working. For those combining teaching responsibilities with full-time study, it is important to be prepared for an intensive schedule. However, the academic depth and exposure to bilingual methodology provide meaningful professional growth. One of the strongest aspects of the program is its emphasis on connecting theory to real classroom contexts. When students actively engage with the material and apply it in their teaching practice, the learning becomes especially valuable. Overall, the program offers solid academic preparation for educators seeking to deepen their understanding of bilingual education within a European framework. RVF also provided excellent support throughout the application process. Thank you.