Culture Study Abroad Programs in Rabat, Morocco

My semester with SIT was one of the best of my life. My class on queer and feminist theory grew my comfort and knowledge within the subject, both academically and practically. The hands-on experiential learning component is central to the SIT curriculum and allowed us to continuously apply what we learned in the classroom to the real world. I've learned so much about the Netherlands and its history, peoples, and politics. From classes to my homestay to the people I met when I explored the city, I have grown significantly in my understanding of myself, the Netherlands, and the world at large. The homestay was absolutely a highlight of my time with SIT. I felt loved, cared for, and greatly supported. I was able to continuously work on my Dutch language skills with my homestay, too. Overall, I could not recommend this program enough.

I had an absolutely incredible time at CIEE. I have never met people more dedicated to full immersion in the beauty of Moroccan culture than Madiha and Haddou, the amazing directors at the Rabat site. There was a beautiful balance between academic education and teaching in ways beyond the classroom, and my perspective was respected and engaged with. Moreover, all the language and culture peers who routinely visited the site were incredibly kind and welcoming. If a student is looking to feel entirely at home in a new country, they should look no further than CIEE!

My experience studying with IES Abroad in Rabat was truly life changing! The small and tightly-knit community that formed here amongst students, program staff, and faculty, as well as our loving and hospitable host families, contributed to a warm, inclusive, and welcoming environment. IES staff went above and beyond to ensure my classmates and I felt supported and safe, and enjoyed our experiences in Morocco. Navigating culture shock and language barriers became much more doable and fulfilling with the preparation IES gave us. Our classes were rigorous yet enjoyable, with many opportunities for students to expand their knowledge in fields of interest to them. Additionally, weekly cultural activities and field trips ensured that we saw many perspectives of life in our host country, while also becoming immersed in Moroccan culture. Without a doubt, I would recommend IES Rabat to any students looking for an immersive and exciting study abroad experience different from a typical exchange semester.

I was part of the Fall 2024 APA:FMS program and my experience served as a pivotal point in my academic and personal life. So much so that I joined my colleges's study abroad advising team to urge students to not only go abroad but to go abroad with APA. My review will be divided into multiple parts, ranging from the program's structure to its impact, as I look back a year later. When I approached planing to study abroad my focus was on the country(ies) that I wanted to live and study in, I did not realize how much the program I selected would influence my experience. I was lucky to be recommended APA by a friend, but I think it should be public knowledge how much of a gem APA's structure is for anyone looking to study in a francophone country. The program's mission is immersion, so there is a great emphasis and effort put towards ensuring that students experience the country as a local would. This means the team of the program is greatly involved in helping the students navigate and integrate into local life. for example, I remember the program arranged for all students to arrive at the same time so that the director of the program could pick us up and welcome us to France. Another example of how APA go about immersion is excursions. APA value academic exposure as much as cultural exposure. Meaning, while in another program I would have to plan weekend-trip, and research on my own activities to do, APA already arranged. At the beginning of the program students receive both an academic and excursion calendar. Meaning Upon arrival I had a calendar packed with plays, concerts, wine tasting, cheese tasting. museums visit, and weekend getaway to different parts of the countries already planned and organized for me to attend. to go back to the involvement of the team, I remember how the founder of the program would sometimes join the cohort to attend concerts, we had mental-health workshops, and students were invited to have coffee chats with the founded of the program. Going abroad can seem daunting, but APA has such a diverse team and they are so involved, I not only felt supported but I felt like I joined a family. APA-FMS: APA-FMS is the acronym for the multi-country study abroad program I did with APA where during one semester I lived in studied in 3 countries! whenever it is proposed to students to go abroad it's often a semester in 1 country, so I was totally captivated by the idea that within one semester I could study in three countries across two continents with very different culture(France;Morocco;Senegal). It was the best decision I could have made. Aside from immigrating to the united states as a child I had never travelled, so the program was appealing for me in the sense that it would afford me the chance to travel and get to know the countries from a local perspective. AS part of the program students will stay in each country for 5-8 weeks, and take classes that will be taught across the historical context of three countries. YES, your institution will accept the credit for the FMS classes, I go to harvard and they counted the APA:FMS classes as elective credit, but I know other institutions will count the classes towards your major requirements. The FMS program requires that all students live in homestays, meaning with host family. I was little apprehensive about the concept but it turned out to be one of the best parts of the program. first the "host family" structure looks difference for everyone, while I stayed with a family of 6 with children, someone in the program lived with an elderly grandmother living alone, another a young filmmaker. The families we lived in depended on our preferences and requests. Staying with host families helped with my homesickness as I had a support system to whom I went home to every day abroad. In France, as a Christian, I was placed with a Christian family who took me to church on Sundays and nurtured my love for yogurt by teaching me how to make it fresh. In Morocco, my host mom taught me how to bargain and my host sisters helped me discover the beaches. In senegal my host mom taught me how to cook local cuisine, she took me to her favorite hairtylist, and took me to her friend's wedding. However, the beauty of FMS is that it ensured that my experience is one and my own. My friend in the program, who is a film major, was matched with host who is a young filmmaker so while I was making yogurt thursday nights, she was out at different bars in Paris brainstorming ideas for future projects. Additionally APA's mission of immersion carries on across all three countries, meaning in every countries we are taken to art exhibition, concerts, plays, movies, restaurants.APA also organized various week-end getways to different parts of each country. Meaning, while in lived in the capital of all three countries during the program, I am well acquainted to the country side of each country and various cities in each country. Ultimately studying in 3 countries was an amazing experience. APA-FMS taught me how to trust myself as I had to navigate three countries. The multi-country program APA offers is unique as it not only provides provides substantial support and resources for students to live and study in three countries but it helps students built a network of connection that will facilitate returning to these countries. Having done the program I now have the connection 12 professors spanning from France to senegal. One of the professors from the program even wrote my recommendation letter for an internship in Europe. Having done the program I have a network of loved ones across the world as a year later I am still in contact with my host families. Academic: the program has an academic structure where professors are solicited from different universities across the the country and come to the students to teach classes. This means that as part of the FMS program you are not going to be enrolling in a university in each country but rather APA will have professors come teach your cohort at their office space. The great plus of this structure is that the cohorts are not big so you will have the opportunity to get to know your professors who are often renowned for their work in the country. Another benefit of this structure is it facilitates participation, as you are not intimidated by local students but are learning with your friends in the program. My review is overwhelmingly positive, because my experience was overwhelmingly positive. But, while the reality of this program was fun, adventurous, exciting, and beautiful, it was also difficult in some ways. As a french program, immersing yourself in french in the classroom and home can be a challenge and at times tiring when you are not used to speaking french all the time. Therefore I would recommend watching french tiktoks, reading french book, and listening to french music before and throughout the program! I would also recommend doing APA’s pre-program where you go ahead of the program and APA’s teaching staff will help you become acquainted with academic writing in a francophone context. Travelling, living and studying broad in three countries within 4 months can also be mentally and physically taxing(fatigue and mental health). So keeping up with hobbies, families and friends back home, and resting is indispensable.

When I first applied to the program, it was because I was rejected from another one, and I had to quickly pivot if I wanted to get outside of the United States. I had a friend who had studied in Amsterdam the year prior and had amazing things to say. I chose this program because being part of the queer community, I wanted to learn more about it. I never really threw myself out there, and what better place than Amsterdam? From the orientation week we had, I was already making conversation with both students and admin alike, it was a nice transition from the United States to something completely new. Once classes started, it felt like a nice ritual. Wake up, take the metro, go to class, see your friends and classmates, and learn about theories you have never even thought about before. In between classes, the amazing diva program coordinator, Emily Bulato, would take us on site visits or bring guest lectures, which would further our understanding of what it means to live in the Netherlands. Ahmed will cook meals twice a week and provide such delicious tastes to your palate. Jonathan will always look out for you, and have so much to say on queer theory and film. Fiona helps with resources, but also has so much to say. Also, you get to go on a two-week excursion to Morocco? I feel like this was actually my favorite part of the whole program, being able to be with your cohort and explore a country much different than the Netherlands. From the beaches, to the food, to the guest lectures and site visits, it was a break that gave me so much emotion. In the four-week period, I was able to work on my own time, watch plays on the SIT dime, and write a paper I could have never even imagined writing. All of this culminated in what was the best 104 days of my college experience, and if I could do it all over again, I would. Granted a huge part of it was the students who were with me as well, but it was amazing. I truly am glad I was rejected from that program, because had I known what could have been... I would have been devastated.

Studying abroad can be a scary process just because of how new and broad everything is, but in my humble opinion, SIT Netherlands does a damn fine job. This semester wasn’t obscenely easy, but it wasn’t terribly difficult either, which is what you want in a study abroad program! It challenges you to learn even more, but also leaves plenty of space for exploring Amsterdam as a city and to just live in that space. I personally was nervous about the home-stay experience, but I genuinely have loved it and joining them has been one of the highlights of the semester. I cannot wait to visit again someday, both my family and the program staff. For me, they were the ones who made this program so special, because they are all so passionate and knowledgeable about the city and the experiences that you’re having, because they’ve been there and seen it before! As you and your classmates/friends are growing in the space together they are definitely a resource to lean on. Finally, some food recommendations! Chun lives up to the hype, De Winkel 43 has the best apple pie I’ve ever had, I’m addicted to stroopwafels, I’ve swapped eating fries with ketchup to with mayonnaise, and McDonald’s is… just McDonald’s. PS: Ahmed on staff is a fantastic cook!

Studying in Amsterdam with SIT was so much fun. The courses were interesting and well organized, we built an amazing community with students and dedicated program staff, and I loved getting to explore Amsterdam which is such a cool and interesting city. Living in a homestay immersed me in Dutch culture and allowed me to form close bonds with a Dutch family. I really loved the ISP period which allowed me to chose my own research topic that I was super passionate about and create my own schedule which gave me free time to travel and get to know Amsterdam. Also the program staff always provides delicious snacks and Ahmed (the office coordinator) is an amazing cook. I highly recommend this program!!

One of the best part of IES Abroad's program in Rabat, Morocco is how immersed you become in Morocco and its culture, even to the point where waiters will tell you in Darija that you're "100% Moroccan" by the end of your program! The courses in Modern Standard Arabic and Moroccan Arabic (Darija) induce an almost exponential growth in your language abilities, while our elective courses taught in French help you with the lingua franca of this linguistically diverse country. Then, the weekly cultural activities show you the diverse identities in Morocco such as the indigenous Amazigh nations and the Sahraoui peoples through food, dress, art, and music. Our field trips take you all over the country, and even to our Spanish neighbor to show you the expansive culture and influences of the Maghreb. Finally, I also had the amazing opportunity to intern with the Moroccan Fulbright Commission during my time in Morocco, where I got to develop my interests in international education and gain some priceless professional development and experience. Overall, I found myself fully entrenched in Morocco, especially while living with my loving host family for the entire year, and now I can confidently call Rabat my home away from home.

The CIEE Language + Culture in Rabat, Morocco program is immersive, engaging, and dynamic in ways I was not expecting. The empathy and caring from the team was a gift to be around and made my ability to be here that much easier.

CIEE was unlike any other experience I have had before. As someone who studied abroad in a different country in a different program last year, CIEE truly goes above and beyond to make sure that all students have an excellent support system and LEARN. CIEE is constantly arranging activities for us to learn more from Moroccan youth about Morocco. They constantly push us to really think about the country we are staying in and important topics regarding culture. Not only have I learned far more here than I ever have in one month, but everything I said was heard, respected, and I was always treated with overwhelming kindness. CIEE in Morocco was truly unforgettable and my experiences here will last for a lifetime.

The only words to describe the experience was life changing. Incredible staff, interesting course topics, and an even better host family. Adjusting is a little challenging but so so worth it. As a woman I often felt safer in Rabat than in the US. I got very close to my host family, and the other students in the program become your extended family, too. One of the fondest memories of my life.

My study abroad in Rabat, Morocco was unlike any academic or cultural experience I'd ever had before. In a city rich with religion, language, and life, the history and culture of Morocco were embedded into every corner, every view and every interaction I had. Along with taking relevant courses on North African politics, North African cultural identities, and media in the Middle East, all taught by Moroccan professors, my study abroad experience was enhanced through my experience living with a host family, and the relationship I cultivated with them throughout my four months in Rabat. IES Abroad Rabat also did a fantastic job of hosting weekly cultural events and organized numerous group trips to different cities and regions across Morocco; some of my favorites included Chefchaouen and the Sahara Desert! This experience not only allowed me to further explore academic interests in North African post-colonial politics but also develop personal ties in the exploration of potential career paths that could take me back to Morocco.

I had a phenomenal experience and I don't want to leave at all. If at the end of a program you want to stay forever that's a wonderful bittersweet feeling that I would love other friends to experience.

The staff is friendly, flexible, and above all - passionate. Every expectation was exceeded. They are here because they want to be here, and it makes me want to be here too. I can’t wait to recommend CIEE to my friends at home.

Studying Abroad changes your mind and open your eyes. You will learn a lot and interact with different people around the world In different settings. You get to travel the world and experience things you never seen before. Studying in Netherlands made me grow as a person and taught me a lot. Studying Abroad is a great experience.

The staff is friendly, flexible, and above all - passionate. Every expectation was exceeded. They are here because they want to be here, and it makes me want to be here too. I can't wait to recommend CIEE to my friends at home.

It was a very good program, I learned a lot and to experience was very goo -- the only reason why I gave an 8 instead of a 10 is because I feel like things could of been more organized, and also for how much I paid, CIEE could have covered more costs during the semester

I think that the staff here in CIEE are very helpful. Also I think that all the trips that come with the program are not only fun, but helpful that we get to see more of the country than being only in classes and learning about Morocco.

I love this program and its staff! However, it is a little expensive and I feel like people in this program should want to go to Morocco specifically, because it's not the best country for either Arabic or French

I had a phenomenal experience and I don't want to leave at all. If at the end of a program you want to stay forever that's a wonderful bittersweet feeling that I would love other friends to experience.