Summer Study Abroad Programs in Morocco

We did a giant loop of the Caribbean in 88 days, beginning in Antigua and sailing down through the lesser antilles to the coast of South America, then on to Jamaica, Honduras, Mexico, Cuba, and several other islands learning navigation, vessel operations, as well as credentialed college material.

My Sea|mester voyage(s) were unforgettable trips for more than a few reasons. Not only did it provide an environment where all students could live in their classroom and form unbreakable bonds, but it also allowed young adults to truly experience this planet we call home. I was able to sail the Carribbean while earning college credits, and get Padi scuba certifications- all taking place in the first few months of 2020. Even though we sailed right into the Covid-19 global pandemic (no pun intended), it really proved what an incredibly well thought-out program Sea|mester promises. Safety is always the top priority for any adventure, and this study abroad program delivers. The professional staff are excellent at teaching their subject matter, and the experiential learning never ends. This program is incredibly well suited for individuals that want to go out of their comfort zone, meet other students that also are seeking adventure, and who understand that you only live once. One of my main reasons for finding and selecting this program was because I was able to study abroad and experience different countries, cultures, and lessons- all while our floating home traveled with us. I even went back on a second trip with Sea|mester in the summer of 2021, and it was just as enjoyable as the first time around. These trips are for those who are excited to experience the world, and not afraid to put in the effort and teamwork to travel from place to place. You really do feel a sense of accomplishment when you can look back and see how much you learn about the subject material, and about yourself.

If you had told me in January 2023 that I would spend my summer on a 112-foot schooner, crossing the Atlantic with zero sailing experience, I would have laughed, and then asked what a foulie was. My voyage was different from the typical Semester at Sea experience. Argo was small, with just 12 students and 6 staff, so there was nowhere to hide and no one to hide from. By the end, we were no longer a group of students and staff. We were a family. Some of my favorite moments happened after dark. My watch team and I would lie flat on the deck inside what we called the “sparkle dome”: bioluminescence glittering in the water below and a galaxy of stars above, so that it felt as though we were floating in the middle of a sphere of light. With no cell service for days, there was nothing to look at but the ocean and nothing to listen to but each other. Those nights, I felt both the smallest and the luckiest I have ever been. The ocean also gave me my favorite surprises. Crewmates would bang on my hatch window so that I would come up and see the dolphins, even when it wasn’t my watch. They knew how much I loved the marine life, and they cared enough to wake me for it. I can’t think of a better way to be loved. Then there was the adrenaline. Our passage to the Azores brought near gale force winds and 3 to 4 meter swell in the pitch black. We crawled across the deck at 4 am, dodging flying fish and waves crashing over the stern, then spent the rest of the day being tossed around our bunks. It was uncomfortable and chaotic, and it produced some of the best laughter of my life. On calmer days, I was backflipping off the bow, climbing the mast to free a halyard shackle, and leading my first sail raise. The girl who struggled on her first sailing test and felt like the only one without experience learned to motivate her watch team through the 3 am boat checks that no one ever wants to do. Our crew was divided into watch teams, groups that rotated through shifts steering, navigating, and keeping Argo safe around the clock. Over time, those teams became tight-knit units with their own traditions. That identity came to a head during the watch team challenge course, a friendly competition in which the teams raced against one another through a series of physical and teamwork-based tasks, including a run up a grassy, slippery hill. Watch Team Two won, and we celebrated it with the seriousness of an Olympic victory, complete with an aggressively chanted team name. In port, we hiked and explored new countries together, and each place felt bigger because I was seeing it through the eyes of people who had become my closest friends. Our captain, Calum, joined our holiday traditions, told stories we will carry with us forever, and taught us silly songs. He showed us how to be a family and, more importantly, how to be part of one. When the voyage ended, I walked the length of a dock in Gibraltar alone, leaving Argo and everyone aboard behind. It was one of the hardest goodbyes of my life. But it wasn’t really a goodbye. Our entire crew is still in a group chat that texts daily. Argo taught me how to sail, but the people taught me what a crew truly is, and I know they will be close to me for the rest of my life.

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! ❤️🩵

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.

The staff here at CIEE Morocco are the most considerate and genuine people I have ever met. They want you to immerse yourself into the country, and even help you in the process of your own personal goals.

as a student of Arabic and International Relations, I was admittedly skeptical of the quality of the program before I went abroad, having experienced a less-than-ideal study abroad the prior summer, but this program has permanently changed my life for the better. From the distinguished and loving faculty to the hard-working staff, I felt like I was not only accomplishing my goals of learning IR, Arabic, and about Morocco, but I was being taken care of. I would highly recommend doing this specific study abroad, but really any ISA program as they've gained both my love and respect.

In my month program abroad for the summer, I enjoyed every day. Although a single class is 3 hours, there is still flexibility as in having a 4 day school week. Nothing bad could be said about the program, and comfort/safety was not a concern. I really enjoyed the excursions every weekend, and how all the students would be together on the bus chatting or taking pictures of the beautiful scenery all around Morocco. There is way more to say about the program, but I can happily say I've had no regrets as I had my own freedom along with going out with other students.

Seamester was the adventure of a lifetime. I went into it not knowing how to sail but wanting to learn, and came out of it not only with that knowledge, but also with memories and friendships that will last a lifetime. It pushed me out of my comfort zone and taught me so many new things about myself. The staff members were amazing with their teaching and support, especially when times got rough. Their diligence ensured we all made it safely across the pacific. I also loved the places we visited, with my favorites being the Galapagos, Mo'orea, and the Panama Canal. The class schedule could be challenging at times, and waking up for watch in the middle of the night was definitely not my strong suit, but overall I had an amazing semester. I couldn't recommend Seamester enough and I'm so grateful for this wonderful experience.

I took a gap year after high school and chose to spend my Fall onboard S/Y Argo and sail from Palau, through Indonesia, to Bangkok Thailand. I had some scuba diving experience, but had never even been aboard a sailboat before. The Seamester staff was supportive and amazing. I made some of my strongest friendships and had the most amazing experiences, from diving with oceanic manta rays to long night watches sailing through the rough South China Seas. I learned so much about diving, sailing, and marine sciences, as well as so much about myself as a person. I would recommend Seamester to anyone considering it!

This program was incredible. The teachers were fantastic as was my host family and all of my fellow travelers. It felt like we explored every corner of Morocco, the cities, the forests, the beaches, the desert. It was so beautiful there, and the program director in Meknes was so kind and helpful. My only warning for those hoping for Arabic language immersion is that most of the people in Meknes don’t actually speak Arabic, they speak French and a local dialect.

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.

I really enjoyed my time here! The program coordinators made it extremely easy to adjust to the program and Morocco itself. They also coordinated so many cultural activities and visits to other cities and museums, which I appreciated since it made it feel like my time was well spent.

Everyone involved in the program are truly such kinds souls and always helped whenever I needed it. The teachers offered extra tutoring hours at their own expense and the cultural peers/staff were amazing people. The program improved my language skills and educated me so much on a different culture which aids in my worldview and my ability to connect with others around the world.

Best think I have ever done in my life I have learned so many new things the people the places the school it was all so amazing. From waking up in the morning to 25 other random people from around the world with the biggest smiles on their faces was so awesome. This made me realize what I want to do with my life and it was the best thing I’ve ever done

This was the best thing that I have ever done in my life opened my eyes to a whole new world that I am obsessed with now. I would do anything to go back right now. From the lifestyle of waking up early morning yo a boat filled with smiles to the long passages going crazy together I miss this lifestyle. If you do this trip you will not regret it at all This made me switch up the way I lived it showed me to appreciate everything so much more. From my mindset to my new unrest this trip really changed my life I love everything that we did with the trip. I love every single person I met and we all still talk just about everyday. This creates connections with people from all around the world Best thing in my life so far hopefully I’m coming back to work for you guys :)

I had the privilege of attending Sea|mester in Spring 2019 for the Antigua Yacht Regatta voyage on S/Y Ocean Star. I am now a graduating senior and recently was accepted into graduate school to study great white sharks-a dream of mine for many years. During the time I was at sea exploring the Caribbean, learning to sail, and becoming a Divemaster, I wrote a collection of personal essays, interweaving the area’s biology and ecology with personal introspection about how these ideas related to my growth, and I watercolored scientific illustrations of fish and invertebrates which resulted in winning my college’s Outstanding Honors Thesis Award. My time on Ocean Star was instrumental to my achievements. Onboard, I gained confidence in myself and my passions, and came away knowing that the ocean was what I wanted to devote my life to and that I had the ability to make a difference. So thank you, Sea|mester. Thank you for giving me, along with every other student who gets to be involved in this program, opportunities that can change lives.

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.