IES Abroad Rabat – Study in Rabat

Although Morocco was always where I wanted to study abroad, I couldn’t decide between two extremely prominent, strong programs (IES being one of them). I was even finishing my other application when I found IES. However, from its website alone, I could tell that IES was a transparent, direct program that provided students with the aid and information needed to successfully study abroad. This ended up being the deciding factor when I chose IES.

IES Abroad’s direct communication and desire to help students only improved when I arrived in Rabat. Although I expected more pre-departure information regarding class schedules, etc. it became clear once I arrived that some information simply couldn’t be provided until we were there, especially with housing in the medina (Rabat’s old city). Despite this, we were taken care of every step of the way. Each professor was always willing to help us understand different subjects, even if it wasn’t their teaching material, were so great about giving travel tips, and other advice as well. They were so eager to help and really, genuinely cared about our learning experiences. The staff did as well, and our coordinator worked (literally) day and night to make sure we were always doing okay, from having check-in meetings, to homstay inspections, to always responding to our WhatsApp messages, to even just hanging out and talking with us in the center. Our experiences in Morocco were improved a thousand times over because of her hard work, which often went hand in hand with the director’s work. Although he was always really busy, he always found a moment to help us out, even with figuring out travel plans. The faculty and staff at IES Rabat played a huge role in helping us feel comfortable during our time in Morocco.

Beyond school though, Morocco was more beautiful and inviting than I could have imagined. I eventually grew accustomed to the bustle of the medina’s main roads, and felt comforted hearing shop owners calling out their prices as food sizzled on grills in the background. We laughed with taxi drivers, bargained with shop owners, and bantered with the waiters at our regular cafe, who always wished us the best in our time there. I’m still so grateful for the way Morocco welcomed us, and for how its people, and especially my host family, extended their hospitality through food, sarcastic (but loving) jokes, and joy at our immersion in the culture. Each experience was improved so much by the people, and when I think of the times I miss in Morocco, I find that what I miss most is the people that were there, and how they made each memory so much better.

I don’t think I’ll ever know how to fully show my appreciation for my time in Morocco, but I do know that I’ve been home for over a month, and I still think about its beauty every day. I can’t recommend this program, or this country, enough as one of the most rewarding places to study abroad and learn about so many different topics that are rarely discussed in the Western world. I can never thank IES enough, and I know that someday I’ll be back to Morocco for its food, sunsets, and adventure again.

Rabat, Morocco was not the first place I thought I'd be when studying abroad in Spring. But it was the place that brought forth everything I was looking for in a study abroad experience.

1) I wanted a cultural encompassment. I wanted to learn from a perspective outside of the Western scenario I’d grown up in all my life. How does a little difference highlight the gems of human life? How does it question our unquestioned habits?

In Morocco I learned that difference is the warmest reason for people to reach out and connect to each other. A little willingness to speak Darija, the local dialect, and every Moroccan I met wanted to have a conversation. My host family was my real family, with astounding hospitality I could never have expected. The religion I most often heard about in news allegations at home became a cultural foundation rich in history, art, science, and morality.

2) I wanted a vibrant experience. To see lots of color, pleasing architecture, and varied nature surroundings. To taste delicious food as the true foodie I am. To surround myself in beautiful difference as loud as my senses could experience.

In Rabat, I met the land of color. Where every wall, floor, and pillow can be a different pattern and official buildings were never bland. If you love food, you will LOVE Rabat. My host mom prepared every meal for her family and encouraged me to try new things. My walk home was a path of temptation from bakeries, sandwich shops, smoothie stands, fresh fruit carts. The U.S. dollar was worth about 9 Moroccan Dirhams, adding to how inexpensive it was to eat. I could enjoy a restaurant meal and dessert for less than 10 USD.

3) Coming from a wintery U.S. university, I wanted to be warm by the beach!

Welcome to Rabat, where a jacket will do from January to April, and May was finally warm enough spend a day at by the water. Being so close to the ocean was amazing! If you study here, be sure to take advantage of the view, the sunscapes, soccer on the beach, and more.

4) I wanted travel opportunities and the chance for all kinds of cities and nature.

Who knew Morocco is a gradient of desert, mountain, and forest terrains. Rabat’s location was excellent for reaching well known Moroccan cities for under $40 both ways. The ONCF train system made it very easy to travel. There was a train station only about a 15 minute walk from the IES center. Once in a city, I could stay in a hostel for $10 a night or split an Airbnb with friends.

5) Probably my BIGGEST reason for studying abroad was language-related. I wanted to continue learning French with native speakers.

Living in Morocco meant I could start learning standard Arabic, another language goal of mine. Here I could see what it was like to live in a society where most people speak about three languages. The language dynamics and feeling on multilingualism was amazing. Moroccans were so encouraging to non-native speakers who tried to communicate. Morocco is rewarding place to learn a new language if you’re nervous about practicing. For learning standard Arabic with no prior experience, this program was a gift. I had one of the best professors who was patient, determined, and informative of the language.

I communicated in French with my host family, took three classes in French (1 was at the local university), and sometimes used French to talk to barter or order food. Overall, I began to feel like Darija was the language of choice for the Moroccans I encountered. My host family spoke with each other in Darija, and not every Moroccan spoke French, which was often treated as a more academic or prestigious language. I was surrounded by both French and Arabic writing.

I wouldn’t say Morocco is the best place to learn French if you want to really engage with the people there. It was a good place to practice using the French I already knew with confidence. In this way, I know I improved in my pragmatic French skills. I would still like to live somewhere where I had no choice but to speak French with locals all the time.

~~~And that is why I give a grateful shout-out to the Everything that Morocco brought me.

I traveled with IES Abroad to Morocco for a seven-week intensive language program over the summer. In total, the trip was excellent. The program excels at cultural and linguistic immersion, with classes taught solely in the focus language and an important homestay and cultural activity component.
Predeparture, the information provided seemed a bit sparse, but upon arrival it became clear that things like homestay address were inherently difficult to provide. Upon arrival, the staff was very helpful with cultural integration and navigating the new locale.

Academically, the language-intensive program was very beneficial. The MSA teachers were excellent at teaching Arabic to English-speaking learners. The homestay structure was incredibly useful for learning the language as well.

Overall, I would highly recommend this program.

Experiencing Morocco with IES Abroad was life-changing to say the least. Not only was I paired with the most wonderful host family imaginable, but the program also arranged immersive travel experiences to the Sahara and to a remote Amazigh village. The staff at the IES Center in Rabat were welcoming and ready to help whenever we needed it. They also went to great lengths to have genuine connections with my fellow students and me throughout our time in Morocco, helping us to feel comfortable enough to ask questions and seek advice. On the administrative end of things, IES made every aspect of the experience really easy to understand. From the moment I submitted my application, a very coordinated system of knowledgeable people made sure that I was always in the know about scholarship opportunities, deadlines, updates, safety information, and useful tips. Moreover, IES offers plentiful opportunities to go above and beyond the regular program structure through opportunities to participate in internships, take classes at the local university, and research.

For many people, Morocco is not the first choice destination for study abroad, and I can understand why.
The Language, the cultural norms, and the location is different and does take time to adjust to. However, it is not impossible to find yourself really acclimating to the Moroccan lifestyle--which is a vibrant blend of chaos, fast driving, embraces, street food, singing, dancing, bargaining, coffee shops, and diversity.
IES Abroad in Rabat does a wonderful job of providing enough resources and support for students to ease into living in Morocco, while also giving us the freedom to move around, explore, and learn on our own.
The first ten days of Orientation equip students with helpful phrases in survival Arabic and explanations of cultural practices. The Program trips are well planned out and exhibit different places and cultures within Morocco. The program also provides a lot of support when it comes to homestays, from the vetting of possible hosts to checking up with students throughout the semester about their happiness with their host family. Everybody is always happy and content with their families. With such a safe support system, it empowers students to not be afraid of the foreignness of Morocco and really get out there and explore. Exploration was my favorite part of my time abroad. I had quite a few crazy nights/adventures: clubbing in Marakesh, randomly meeting friendly Moroccan youth in Rabat and traveling to little known cool spots, traveling to beach towns and throwing house parties, eating the best couscous of my life after a long day in exploring in Jaam'a Lefna. All this was possible due to the endless hospitality of the Moroccan people, and the support of the IES staff, who give you to the tools to travel Morocco with confidence.

IES Abroad Rabat Summer Studies program was a great experience for me. It was the perfect opportunity for me to use and improve my French in an academic setting as well as pick up some Moroccan Arabic. While I was participating in the program, I also got to experience Ramadan, which was an interesting opportunity to learn more about Islam and its practices. My host family spoke good French but was really encouraging and helped me practice my Arabic every night.

The field study in Senegal is also a major benefit of this program. Before going on the program, I had studied French for several years but wanted to expand my horizons and experiences cultures much different from my own. Morocco offered many fascinating cultural experiences, but my personal growth was definitely multiplied by our stay in Dakar. It changed my previously held views about North and West Africa. If you’re interested in learning more about the Francophone world, I highly recommend this program.

Living and studying with IES in Rabat, Morocco for four months was one of the best eras of my life. I lived with a wonderful family who introduced me to Moroccan mint tea, miloui and couscous, who took me to visit cousins in neighboring towns and taught me Arab dances. My teachers at the IES Center went out of their way to make sure I understood Arabic grammar, had the vocabulary to watch Moroccan media coverage of conflicts in the Middle East and religious celebrations in North Africa. I was able to travel each weekend as far north as Granada, Spain, and as far south as Western Sahara. I shopped in the suq for vegetables with my host mother, saw snake charmers on the outskirts of a rap show in Meknes, visited women's associations in the Atlas Mountains. IES Rabat allowed me to return to the states with too many stories, too many strange souvenirs, and a beautiful new perspective.

I studied in Rabat for an entire academic year, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything! I took classes in French, took a class at University Mohammed V, learned basic Arabic, and learned so much about Moroccan culture and history. Spending the year seemed daunting in the beginning, but at the end of my first semester I was happy to be staying. I had finally gotten into the groove of things and that allowed me to get an even deeper, more fulfilling experience. I loved my host family, who I stayed with for the entire year and am still in contact with on a regular basis. I also enjoyed the exploring that I had the opportunity to do living in such a vibrant country in an amazing part of the world. I am glad I didn’t just pick any old French program and instead found myself with an interest in a part of the world I hadn’t known anything about before my adventure.

I studied in Rabat, Morocco for three and a half months and it was the most unforgettable experience I've ever had. Morocco is different from anything I had ever known and even though it was intimidating at first, I felt one with the country and the people in no time. The IES staff was so great at getting us to be immersed in the culture and always there for us if we did not understand something. The classes were very interesting and taught me a lot about Morocco's culture, Islam and issues that concerned North Africa and the Middle East. There are even classes taught in French so that French speakers could improve their French language skills while learning Arabic. One of my favorite parts about the trip was my home stay. My host family was welcoming and treated me like their own daughter. My house was in the medina (the old city) where a lot of traditional families live, which was very interesting to see every day. I was also near a lot of little shops, cafes and even the beach! I definitely recommend studying abroad in Morocco with IES because it was one of the best decisions I have ever made.

Studying Abroad in Rabat was one of the most profound experiences of my life. It was difficult at times with the entirely different language and culture, but gaining that perspective was invaluable. Whether it was haggling for that jalaba in the souk entirely in Arabic or surfing in one of the many beautiful isolated beach towns or climbing the Atlas Mountains, Morocco holds an incredible amount to experience, especially in the differences it holds in their way of life, which maintains stark difference from our own. I probably could have had more fun in other abroad programs, but I would never have learned as much as I have anywhere else and I wouldn't trade this experience for anything.

IES Abroad Rabat, Morocco provided one of the best semesters of my college experience. One of the great things about this program was the placement with two host families – one during orientation and one for the rest of the semester. The organization chose great families and homes for us to live with. My first family had the smallest home I’d ever seen, but they were kind and so very loving; my second family had the most beautiful home I’d ever seen but the family was less talkative. It was nice to have the chance to experience two different local families. IES Rabat places you about a 30-minute walk from their school. This walk to/from school was always very exciting, as you get to experience the old medina streets and the busy Rabat streets full of taxis and buses. IES also provided amazing organized excursions and field trips. I was able to camp in the Sahara Desert, spent a night with an Amazigh family in the Middle Atlas Mountains, and explore southern Spain. I was a French major seeking to fulfill my degree requirements, and with this organization, I was able to take three classes that were French-taught. Learning Arabic was then a huge plus! However, one downfall while abroad was then I became very ill from severe food poisoning. IES Rabat directors were very helpful in getting me the help I needed (from doctors and pharmacists) but also providing comfort and support during my recovery. It was one of the scariest moments of my life, but with their help, my study abroad semester was still incredibly amazing. I never learned so much, and I wish I could do it again.

If you're interested in studying abroad in Morocco be mindful that it is a Islamic country. Many of the traditions of the religion are embedded within the culture.
On the other hand the program, IES Abroad, does a great job scheduling activities and field trips for the students. There are trips to the Sahara Desert, Spain, hiking the Atlas Mountain and a visit to the Berber Village.
Classes are relatively easy and everyone is required to take an Arabic course. The first week, Darija, Moroccan dialect of Arabic, is taught so the students are able to converse with their host families. During the semester, there are 4 different levels of Arabic provided ranging from beginners to intermediate.
Overall, the trip has been amazing and a great experience to learn more about Islamic culture.

The people who work for IES Rabat are an absolute godsend who support the students incredibly. They ease the transition from America to Morocco, sometimes a little too well. On trips it would feel like our hands were being held, but maybe that's necessary. The academics can feel like a hindrance because it seems like it can be simple busy work that gets in the way of actual academics or traveling. My host family was so welcoming and awesome, but there were a few families who were not as supportive. The walk to the IES Center from the medina is advertised 15 minutes, but that's only from one corner of the medina that doesn't have many families. Most of the other ones are around a 30-minute walk. 90% of the time i felt safe, but that's because i'm a male. Girls should almost ALWAYS walk with a guy to ward off street talk from creepy Moroccan men. The trips are relatively inexpensive and well worth it. Overall, i'd highly recommend the program to anyone willing to escape their comfort zone.

This was a great program and I am so glad that I was able to experience all that I did. Everyone at the IES center works very hard to make sure that you are getting the most out of your time there. Teachers are top notch from all over the city and are well known and such a privilege to learn from! I recommend this program for anyone and everyone:)