Location
  • Morocco
    • Rabat
Language
Arabic
Feb 03, 2017
Sep 22, 2019
13 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

The Moroccan Center for Arabic Studies engages in education year-round. With four terms relative to the Seasons: spring, summer, autumn and winter, each can last up to three months and curriculum includes Modern Standard Arabic, Colloquial Moroccan Arabic as well as calligraphy. There are various classes available based on the student’s experience with the language, from entry level, to beginner, intermediate and advanced. Students also have the possibility of enrolling for academic courses that are taught by faculty members such as Gender Studies, Arab Spring, Migration and more while getting credits at the same time.

Program Reviews

4.92 Rating
based on 78 reviews
  • 5 rating 96.15%
  • 4 rating 1.28%
  • 3 rating 1.28%
  • 2 rating 1.28%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Instruction 4.9
  • Support 4.9
  • Fun 4.85
  • Housing 4.85
  • Value 4.9
Showing 25 - 32 of 78 reviews
Default avatar
Nida
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Arabic Classes at MCAS

I spent 2 months completing 240 hours of Modern Standard Arabic studies at MCAS and found the language courses to be exceptional. Taking the private lessons, I was able to absorb and understand the dynamics of Arabic a lot more efficiently as I was completely immersed in the language during my time at MCAS. The instructor was very reliable and helpful when it came to learning Arabic and even went above and beyond to ensure that we had discussions regarding topics in Arabic that were of interest to me and were ones that I studied within my academic program back home. I was doing all of this to fulfill my MA language requirements and upon return my supervisor was very impressed at the work that I had completed at MCAS and immediately approved that component of my degree.

53 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Cassandra
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Best Arabic course in Morocco

Cannot recommend MCAS enough, such an incredible program were the courses were superb and the staff go so far above and beyond to help you and make you feel
Incredibly welcome. Whether it is tea and chats with Jihane or great tips and assistance from Ali or the local couscous and family hospitality of my host family, you will have the most welcoming and heart warming Rabat experince. Hopefully I will return again an Arabic pro.

What would you improve about this program?
Perfection
49 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Jutta
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Noch viel besser als erwartet - Even better than we'd expected (dt./eng.)

Dt.: Gemeinsam mit meiner Tochter habe ich einen einwöchigen Arabisch-Kurs bei MCAS besucht. Wir waren ganz begeistert, von allem! Der Lehrer war ausgesprochen geduldig und ist sehr auf unsere persönlichen Wünsche und Erwartungen für den Kurs eingegangen, alles war ganz genau auf uns zugeschnitten.
Die Unterbringung im Riad war ganz toll. Besonders wichtig für uns war die Frage des Essens, weil meine Tochter vegan lebt - MCAS hat es für uns möglich gemacht, vegan zu essen, zum einen im Riad, aber es wurde uns auch gleich ein entsprechendes Restaurant genannt. Meiner Meinung nach wird bei MCAS jeder menschenmögliche persönliche Wunsch erfüllt.
Bei den gemeinsamen Mahlzeiten haben wir sehr viel über die marokkanische Kultur gelernt und es war sehr schön, dass wir alles fragen konnten. Selbst für die Freizeitgestaltung wurden uns sehr praktikable Vorschläge gemacht.
Alles in allem: Ein rundum beindruckender und toller Sprachkurs.

Eng.: My daughter and I took a one week semi-intensive Arabic class at MCAS. We were really thrilled, about just everything! The teacher was soooo patient and he always met our personal expectations and wishes for the class, it was just perfectly shaped for us.
The accomodation in the Riad was great. Of great importance for us was the food, because my daughter is vegan. MCAS made it possible for us to eat vegan, both in the Riad and also in a restaurant they recommended. I'd say that in MCAS every wish would be fulfilled if just possible.
At the joint dinners were learned a lot about Moroccan culture and it was great to be able to ask just everything. And even for our free time we got suggestions about where to go and what to do.
Altogether it was a very impressive and great language class!

51 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Gayle
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Amazing time in Rabat

Our group traveled to Rabat in June to teach English in a local school. The experience couldn't have been better.

The staff and students were so welcoming and genuinely excited to get to know us. The accommodations we great. It was easy to get around and very safe. I have never felt so welcomed not only into a home but a city before.

We all felt like we were immersed in the culture and didn't feel like outsiders or tourists.

I highly recommend MCAS. I now consider them friends,

Gayle Hendrix

54 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Kaleigh
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Best Place to Study, Intern or Volunteer in the Arab World

MCAS does a fantastic job immersing students from all over the world into Moroccan language and culture. The program is very flexible, and ensures that each student, intern or volunteer is participating in an individualized program that is enriching, educational and rewarding.

The arabic immersion program at MCAS is top-notch and facilitated by knowledgable and invested instructors. If you are thinking about studying arabic in Morocco, MCAS provides high-quality instruction at competitive rates.

The student housing at MCAS is clean and safe, and MCAS also provides the option to stay with host families, who are caring and accommodating.

MCAS is unmatched to any other provider in Morocco and is the best choice for studying, interning, or volunteering in Morocco, and the Arab World.

53 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Matt
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

My go to place in the Arab world for immersion

I have completed a number of in-country Arabic language immersions in ten years of study and find MCAS to provide the best value and experience of any. This is my second experience with MCAS. MCAS sets itself apart by taking on the role of being a host for your entire visit, not just a provider of classroom instruction. Their instructors are highly skilled in Modern Standard Arabic, and they are entirely flexible in crafting an immersion experience around your interests and specific language objectives. The instructors also helped expand my vocabulary, which played a key role in improving my performance during a subsequent test.

I have studied at several foreign language immersion programs in two languages and this program rates among the highest on all accounts, especially in being flexible to the student's academic needs. MCAS is the best program I have experienced in terms of hospitality and getting students oriented to life and culture in Morocco.

What would you improve about this program?
I have every confidence that MCAS will continue to improve upon its excellent foundation as it grows in popularity and size. For older students (in their late 30s and beyond), I would recommend they consider a range of housing options -- homestays, small apartments, and hotels. Most of the hotels in the immediate area are small but lovely. Also, the addition of more instructors to allow for regular rotations.
55 people found this review helpful.
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Sarah
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Morocco 2016 Trip

In June I traveled to Morocco and I had an incredible experience the whole time. This experience can be credited to MCAS. They provided us with everything from housing to food to finding us the school where we would be teaching English for the two weeks we were there. The school, Abdasalam Saya Middle School, is where our host, Ali, attended when he was in school. Many of the teachers at the school were there when he was a child and this component added another piece that helped integrate my team and I into the school and culture. Ali and Jihane also did a fabulous job of letting us see the Moroccan culture. Through walks in the heart of the Rabat medina and going on several home visits with our students and having conversations with their families through the use of translators we learned about the culture and lifestyles of the Moroccan people. MCAS was an essential part of the success of my Morocco trip and I highly recommend it!
If you would like to hear more about my trip read my blog: http://cottonsarah.blogspot.com/

54 people found this review helpful.
Default avatar
Susan
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Morocco 2016

This was my first study abroad trip and it was honestly a life changing experience. Not only did I get to experience wonders like the Sahara desert and the Atlas Mountains but also the struggle rural Morocco faces in terms of healthcare accessibility. I would recommend this trip to those who want to volunteer and make a difference, however big or small, with tons of sightseeing in between. This trip was unforgettable.

54 people found this review helpful.

Questions & Answers

That’s really helpful. Thank you, Julia! She has booked a two week stay and will be doing 8 hours of Arabic per day, and then some volunteering. She’s a bit apprehensive, but is looking forward to it. I really appreciate your input. Fay