Study in Syria

 Updated Nov. 2007

Syrian Colloquial Arabic learn on the web

Arabic in Damascus* all prices base on 54 Syrian lbs to $1.00 (update: 2006)

Extending your visa or getting an Iqama (residency permit)

News Articles about study in Syria:

Syria is a Mecca of Arabic study. The dialect, lower costs, and joys of living in Damascus make it appealing destination for students. Here are some recent articles on this subject:

General Information about living in Syria

Funding Opportunities

Arabic Overseas Flagship Program: Administered by American Councils for International Education. This is an intensive, year-long, immersion-based program in Damascus, Syria, for students who already have good Arabic language skills, but who want to raise their language proficiency to a professional level. Students with public service career goals may be eligible for full funding through The Language Flagship. Partial fellowships are also available through American Councils and the National Security Education Program. Application deadline is January 31, 2008. For more information and and to request an application, please contact: Rafah Helal, 202-833-7522.

Fulbright Grants

Summer courses in Syria (non-language courses)

American Association of Teachers of Arabic:
List of Arabic programs

Learn Classical Arabic on line, here.

 

* Many people have provided generous help with this webpage

Studying Arabic in Damascus

Introduction: general information on courses

Damascus is an increasingly popular destination for students wanting to learn Modern Standard Arabic, the colloquial Syrian dialect, or both. The city offers several options for studying MSA with institutions that cater to all levels of Arabic, including beginning. Some of the more popular courses are offered by the University of Damascus's Center for Teaching Arabic to Foreigners, the Ma`had in Mezze, and the French Institute (IFEAD). While the program at the IFEAD also includes colloquial Arabic, students at the Ma`had or University combine morning classes in MSA at these institutions with private lessons in colloquial Arabic in the afternoon.

In 2005, various unlicensed cultural/educational centers, such as the British Council, French Cultural Center, Cervantes Institute, and Amideast were prohibited from teaching Arabic in favor of the University of Damascus. Those services are no longer available, unfortunately.

Another popular means of learning Arabic is to study with one (or more) of the many private teachers available in Damascus, either in place of or in addition to institutionalized classes. Finally, some students engage in "conversational exchanges". Many Syrians want to practice their English, and others seek to improve their French, German, Italian, Japanese or Spanish. While this can be a particularly useful means of studying colloquial Arabic, some foreigners in Damascus also improve their MSA through teaching exchanges. Most students use a combination of the methods listed above in order to get the most out of their time in Damascus.

As the process of "getting settled" in Damascus can take time, it is best to try and arrive at least a few weeks before you intend to start a course. It can take a few days to register for courses (many require preliminary "placement exams"), to find a place to live (after which you must go with your landlord to register with the police), and to apply for an "iqama" or residency permit (prior to which you must pass a government-administered AIDS test). You will need at least a dozen passport size photos, which you can get at Pluto Photo Services, near Cham Palace, for cheaper than in most Western countries. Don't be discouraged by the amount of "red tape" that you will encounter-everyone has to go through it, and at some point you WILL have all the stamps and papers needed. It just takes a while.

Money: The prices given below are in Syrian Pounds (SP). One US dollar equals about 54 SP, at the bank AND bit more on the "black market". One can get Syrian Pounds from the ATM across from the Sham Palace. In Lebanon you can get Dollars from ATMs and change to Syrian Pounds for the best rates. Take cash if you can - not travelers' cheques. They are difficult and expensive to cash. There is no longer much difference between the official and unofficial rates of exchange in Syria. In fact, when cashing traveler's checks, the Syrian National Bank generally gives the best deal. Today ATMs are springing up in more places in Damascus and in more Syrian cities. Or, once you establish a relationship with a local money changer, they will cash personal checks from your home bank.

The University of Damascus (updated Dec. 2006)

The University of Damascus's Arabic Language Center has the largest enrollment of Damascus institutions teaching Modern Standard Arabic.

Damascus University Arabic Language Center:

Contacting the Language Center - When contacting the Damascus University Arabic Language Center, one should send inquiries to Ms. Rahaj Ajouka, the current Student Affairs Assistant. She responds to emails quickly and she can be reached at summerp@arabicindamascus.edu.sy

Language Center Programs - Currently, the Arabic Language Center Offers two programs.

The Standard Arabic Regular Courses Program (SARC), runs 10 times throughout the year. This program is open to anyone of any level. The dates for the 2007 SARC program are now available here.

The Damascus Summer Arabic Program (DSAP), which is for American college students that have completed at
least 1 year of college level Arabic as a pre-req. It runs for 2 months from the middle of June to the middle of August and it's information for the 2005 program is available here. The 2007 program information will be added by the end of Decemer.

One aspect of the DSAP program is homestays with Syrian families in Bab Toumma, the old Christian quarter of Damascus. Ms. Ajouka summarizes the differences in the two programs as the following:"The DSAP is totally different from SARC (Standard Arabic Regular Courses Program) regarding all terms. In SARC, class size is between 8-20, text books are varied: some are prepaired by the academic staff in the center, other books are
from the Al Kitab Al Asassi series, in addition to auditing and speaking programs.

You can order transcripts of grades after completing your course (in SARC) and you will automatically recieve your transcripts in DSAP. We do not apply the credit system in the center, however, I have learnt that Ohio State University students who attend DSAP in our center get up to 4 credits for this program when converting
their grades to the credit system.

Finally, in DSAP classes size are between 2-10 students, no text books are usesd; students will be studying in a special prepaired programs that fit their level and exact needs." Tutors in Damascus: www.tolearnarabic.com - Mr. Ghazwan Al Ahmed www.arabic4foreigners.org - Dr. Hazem Alwani

Courses are about 15,000 lira a course ($300), the University is cheaper than either the IFEAD or Ma`had. Students from all over the world attend classes.

Placement tests are held sometime in the week prior to the beginning of each course, after which students are placed among six levels, (see below). Finals are given at the end of each course. Classes start at 9 am and end at 12:30 pm, with a half-hour break between 11 and 11.30, every day of the week except Friday and Saturday. (Except during the November-December course, when classes are held six days a week to compensate for holiday breaks). Classes are about 15-20 students each, and there are several classes at each level.

The quality of teaching varies greatly; some teachers are known to be outstanding, others not so good.

1. Students should come to Syria 15 days before the beginning of the course and register in Syria (Don't try to do it from abroad.)
2. Students must provide to the Student Affairs office (on the Old Campus in Baramkeh):

3. Students must provide to the College of Literature:

  • Their "new student file"
  • Photocopy of their passport
  • Arabic translation of their passport
  • Photocopy of their most recent transcript or diploma
  • Photocopy of AIDS test (Results take about a week, hence the need to arrive in Damascus 15 days before classes.)
  • 5 passport photos.

Course Duration: 4 weeks: 5 days a week: Weekly Holiday: Friday & Saturday

Levels: (updated Oct. 2004)
1. Low Beginner 1 (80 hrs) Speaking about daily tasks and needs, grammatical gender, Use of basic vocabulary.
2. Intermediate Beginner 2 (80 hrs) Interaction in the public sphere, question types and answers, build up grammar
3. Higher Beginner (80 hrs) Exposure to facets of Arab culture through simplified texts, using more complicated sentence structures.
4. Low Intermediate 1 (80 hrs) Writing short paragraphs expressing ones feelings and simple sequences of events.
5. Intermediate (80 hrs) Texts on Arab culture and civilization, skills in argumentative discussion, writing essays.
6. Higher Intermediate (80 hrs) Reading and comprehending academic texts, preparation for proficiency level in language focusing on productive linguistic skills.
6. Upper Intermediate (100 hrs) Discussing and reading advanced academic texts, texts in modern and ancient Arabic lit.

Instructions for Registration:
Registration is preceded after student's arrival to Damascus, during the registration period. A student will have to bring all enrollment requirements to the Students' Affairs office and to pay the required fees in cash.
If a student has learned Arabic before, he/she should sit a placement test before the beginning of the course to define his/her accurate level according to the Center system. The date of the placement test will be specified upon registration.

A certificate of completion is given after the fifth or sixth level. All students must take an entrance examination in order to be placed in an appropriate level. Each class is five days a week, three and a half hours a day.

The French Institute (IFPO), Institut Français du Proche-Orient, Damascus

The IFEAD offers the most expensive Arabic classes in Damascus; however, the teaching and facilities are probably the best. The IFEAD is the intellectual watering hole of Damascus.

Researchers, professors, and academics of all stripes work in the library, which is the best in Syria. They often stay in the comfortable rooms on the 4th floor, and touch base with the welcoming staff and researchers of the IFEAD when they are passing through Damascus. It is the "place to be" for an academic in Syria, which gives taking the Arabic courses there a certain je ne c'est quoi. Teaching methods are designed for students from Europe and North America. (This means you won't meet Cubans, Eritreans, and North Koreans there as you would at the University)

The following information is from the IFPO's website (2005):

1 - YEARLY PROGRAM (updated December 2005)

The yearly programme in Arabic at IFPO (Direction des études médiévales modernes et arabes) provides a comprehensive, research-oriented, linguistic training. It is open to students having had at least two years of Arabic, and able to produce a research project. Classes are given in Arabic

IFPO professors simultaneously hold teaching positions in Syrian institutions, or are involved in research programmes. Eric Gautier currently heads the programme in Arabic. Dr. Gautier holds a position of assistant professor of Arabic at the University of Paris IV - Sorbonne.

The teaching comprises at least fifteen weekly hours, which are divided into eleven hours of group sessions and four hours of individual tutorials. Group sessions are given on the following topics: Arabic grammar and linguistics, classical literature, history of the Arab world, Islamic history, Islamic thought, modern literature, oral and written expression, media and contemporary Arabic culture, Syrian dialect. In the individual tutorials, the student chooses a field of study, and is taught by the professor who specialises in that subject. Individual tutorials allow each student to better define his or her research project and, in the case of students already advanced in their research, to make substantial progress. Individual tutorials can also be adjusted to a professional project.

Every year, IFPO’s language programme admits eight or nine French students on scholarships granted from the Ministry of National Education. Because of agreements made with different universities (Oxford, Exeter etc), and international institutions, IFPO offers an annual Arabic language programme to their students. There are also about twenty-five students of other nationalities (European, American, Japanese, etc.).

IFPO teaches each year up to 40 students. Applicants are selected on the basis of their application and results in the Arabic test, which is sent to them following their application letter. Once they arrive at the Institute, those who have been accepted undergo an oral test, which enables the staff to determine precisely their level in Arabic. Students are placed into four groups, each comprising about ten people.

The programme is divided into three terms (from October 16 to December 22, from the beginning of January to the end of March and from mid-April to mid-June). The cost is 190 000 Syrian Pounds (roughly 3000 Euros) for the whole programme, and 65 000 S.P. (roughly 1000 Euros) for one term (students pay the fees at the beginning of the programme or at the beginning of each term, in cash and in Syrian Pounds only).

On their arrival in Damascus, students attending the programme in Arabic are expected to find their wn accommodation. A list of rooms and flats for rent is available at the Institute.

The students must arrive at least one week prior to the beginning of the course to take an oral placement exam and to take care of various formalities.

We suggest that the applications be sent by express mail.

IFPO does not offer financial support to students attending the programme in Arabic.

2 - SUMMER PROGRAM July 03 - 28, 2006

IFPO (Direction des études médiévales modernes et arabes) also offers an intensive summer programme in Arabic. This programme is open to students, irrespective of their interest in research, as well as to specialists and professionals who need instruction in Arabic. It lasts for the whole month of July (4 weeks), five hours a day, five days a week. The summer programme offers classes on Arabic culture, literature, Arabic grammar, history of the Arab world, press, spoken and written modern Arabic, Syrian dialect. Several levels are offered, from next to beginner (after one year of Arabic) to advanced (after three years or more).

The cost is 45 000 Syrian Pounds (roughly 700 Euros). Students pay the fees at the beginning of the programme, in cash and in Syrian Pounds only.

On their arrival in Damascus, students attending the programme in Arabic are expected to find their own accommodation. A list of rooms and flats for rent is available at IFPO.

The students must arrive at least one week prior to the beginning of the course to take an oral placement exam and to take care of various formalities.

We suggest that the applications be sent by express mail.

Forms for the yearly programme of 2006-2007, as well as for the summer programme 2006, can be requested by e-mail as soon as January 2006.

Contact :
Eric Gautier
IFPO-IFEAD
BP 344 DAMAS SYRIE
Tel : (963 11) 3 330 214
Fax : (963 11) 3 327 887
e-mail : e.gautier@ifporient.org

AMIDEAST [Amideast was closed by the Syrian government in 2006 due to worsening diplomatic relations and tit-for-tat jousting between Damascus and Washington, which is a great loss to both Syrians and Americans.]

Information on Amideast was provided by Charles Wilkins, Harvard.

Amideast regularly offers ten-week, non-intensive courses in Syrian colloquial Arabic.

For foreign students living in Syria, the costs are moderate and the class size tends to be small. On average, one hour of in-class instruction is SL 150 (roughly $ 3), and the number of students range between 5 and 10.

Depending on student demand, AMIDEAST offers courses on three different levels of proficiency: Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced Conversation. They are taught in two-hour blocks two days a week.

The teacher of three courses, Ms Maha Barakat, is an experienced teacher of both classical and Syrian Arabic to foreigners and has worked extensively as a tutor for foreign students. Ms Barakat speaks both French and English.

The courses are focused on speaking and oral comprehension and are oriented toward practical everyday topics. Using both cassette recordings and corresponding manuscript, Ms Barakat provides examples of everyday conversation, popular songs, and folk sayings. Practical exercises in class include improvised dialogues based on recordings and transcripts, which this student found to be very useful and instructive.

Ms Barakat tailors the classes to the needs of the student. In class, practical exercises alternate with instruction in the grammar of the colloquial language presented in a systematic manner. The course is most productive for the student who has clear learning goals in mind and can communicate those to the instructor.

The Arabic Teaching Institute for Foreigners or "the Ma`had"

Beginning and intermediate classes in Modern Standard.
- Winter six-month course (Nov.-May) $400.
- Summer three-month course (mid-June - through Sept.) 13,000 Syrian Pounds or $300
- Classes are conducted in the afternoon and evening to accommodate foreign workers. Assistance with housing is available. Contact the Embassy of Syria in Washington, DC [Tel: (202) 872-8406] early for an entry visa.

Students of Arabic Learn at a Syrian Crossroads
By THANASSIS CAMBANIS | NYTimes | November 14, 2007
- In Syria’s tightly controlled society, where government strictly limits foreign visitors, language study is a notable exception, an oasis of relative openness.

The following information and report was kindly provided Oct. 2002 by
Chavi Keeney Nana
Nieuwe Molstraat 21-N
2512 BH The Hague, The Netherlands
t: +31-(0)70-356 0250
chavi.nana@nuffield.oxford.ac.uk

Current Address and Contact Information of the Institute:

Arabic Teaching Institute for Non-Arabic Speakers
Mezzah, Villat Sharkiyya
Damascus- Syria
P.O. Box 9340
T: +963-11-613 2646/613 3151*
F: +963-11-611 9453
Director: Dr. Hazem Alwani

· The staff leaves at 12:30 pm, so telephone contact is only possible between 9 am-12:00pm., Mon-Thurs and Sat ( the school is closed on Fridays and Sundays)

Logistics: The Institute offers two rounds of courses, both of which cover the same material, but one of which lasts approximately six months, while the summer intensive courses run mid-June through September.

I would advise anyone interested in taking the summer course to contact the Institute early in the year to find out when they are expected to arrive, and when the final exams are planned for the end of the summer. The advantage to taking a course at this institute is that it is accredited by the government, entitling one to residence permit and to an official government language certificate upon successful completion of the final exam. However, due to inaccurate information, many of us had to leave before the final exams and so missed this opportunity. Finally, there is generally a short vacation at the end of July and a mid-term examination in the middle August. It is unlikely that students will be notified of these dates much in advance, but it may help to ask for approximate dates if students are planning to travel, or have visitors during their stay in Syria.

Language Instruction: In general, I was quite happy with the course and felt that I came away with a fairly good base knowledge of Arabic. However, I would offer one word of warning for prospective students, and one criticism of the school. First, Arabic at the Institute is not taught in the manner to which I assume most foreign students are accustomed: that is, the method in which grammar lessons and vocabulary are assigned for each class and the construction of the language is built by steps. My teacher focused almost exclusively on reading and comprehension. We were given a dialogue every two classes, had to memorize it, and then did in-class exercises to practice word usage (i.e. making new sentences with the vocabulary words and the verbs from which they were derived). Grammar per se was of secondary importance; various new constructions used in the dialogues would be pointed out in the lessons that followed, but rarely did grammar form the focal point of any class. I am not really in a position to judge the merits of this method. I did find it frustrating and unstructured at the beginning, but gradually got used to it and learned a great deal of new vocabulary and Classical Arabic sentence constructions.

Second, my criticism centers on the organization of classes in the Institute. The Institute tries to accommodate students' schedules; this flexibility allowed me to take part in the course, but it also makes it difficult for the Institute to ensure that there are enough different class levels offered to accommodate the needs of the majority of students. When I first arrived, there were a number of us who had taken some Arabic previously, and so were beyond the pure beginner level, yet not quite at the intermediate level. A middle-level class was later created, but not before I had moved myself to the intermediate level class in search of a challenge. In the end, I learned a great deal, but probably also slowed down the progress of the class. This was a trend that was reported in several classes; the range of Arabic knowledge varied widely in some cases, leaving some students in over their heads, and others bored. As much as the flexibility helped me to participate, I think that the Institute would benefit from a little less flexibility, and should be more strict in their placement requirements for each level.

Ari Alexander of Magdalen College, Oxford sent in the following description of his studies at the Mahad (February 2004)

During the summer of 2003, I had the good fortune of spending three months in Damascus studying Arabic. I went with one year of intensive Arabic at Oxford (a whirlwind tour of books 1 and 2 of the al-kitaab series), but knowing I would need to review the Arabic grammar and vocabulary to which I had already been exposed. I arrived at the Ma’had in Mezze one or two weeks after the six classes were divided, but that was no problem. Students come into and out of the classes throughout the summer. After taking the placement test and speaking to the director about my goals and my level, I began in Level Three. What I found was that the class felt quite overwhelming at first. It was difficult for me to gauge whether or not I was in the appropriate level because I was primarily focused on how new and difficult it was to be in my first classroom environment where only Arabic was spoken. After nearly a week of giving that class a try, I realized that I was probably the strongest in the class and that I should move up to Level Four in order to challenge myself more. I was surprised to find out that the grammar in my new class was no more advanced, but rather that the texts were a bit longer and the pace a bit faster. The Ma’had is predicated on the importance of reading and re-reading the same words, and it is not uncommon for one or two hours to be spent with the teacher calling on each student to read the same one paragraph text until every one in the room is bored to death. It is, however, quite an effective way of getting Arabic pumped into your system. Again, I would not attend the Ma’had without a solid base of Arabic grammar from previous study. And even with it, the one or two days of week of grammar lessons can feel unbearably childish and repetitive.

The best part about the Ma’had is its international student body. The eighty or so students at the Ma’had during the summer came from Turkey, Malaysia, Japan, the Czech Republic, France, China, India, the USA, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Pakistan, Switzerland and Russia. There is an overwhelming majority of non-Westerners, with more religious Muslims than anyone else. Many of the students who study at the Ma’had are in Damascus to study Islam and want to learn Modern Standard Arabic in order to read the Qur’an. This makes the daily tea/coffee breaks fascinating opportunities for conversing in broken Arabic since it may be the only language in common with other students.

I chose to supplement my studies at the Ma’had with private lessons several times a week. I found these hours to be the best way for my Arabic to improve in a hurry. Naturally, quality instruction can be very costly. I paid 1000 SP per ninety-minute session (about $12 an hour), both to my first-rate Syrian colloquial teacher, who was based at the Italian Cultural Centre, and to one of the Ma’had teachers. With the latter, I read children’s books and studied media Arabic.

Additionally, I spent quite a bit of time studying at the air-conditioned library in the British Council and met several individuals with whom I formed relationships, one of whom I met with on a weekly basis for a language exchange. This is a free and fun way to give and receive language help.

In the end, what sets Damascus apart from other big cities in the region, is the relative absence of Westerners and the relative lack of knowledge of English. This means that it should be harder for you to get away with spending all your time speaking your native language with people just like yourself. As daunting as this may sound, it’s the only and best way to drastically improve your Arabic, while you get to know a major city at the center of the Arab and Islamic worlds. I did not spend one second last summer regretting my decision to go to Damascus over Cairo, Beirut, Amman, Fez, Tunis or anywhere else. In fact, I am hoping to go back for a full year because I had such a positive experience there.

If you have any questions at all, please feel free to contact me (Ari) at arialexander@yahoo.com

The Abu Nour Islamic Foundation

The Abu Nour Islamic Foundation has a language program focusing on the study of Arabic and Islam.

Options for Study for Non-Arabic speakers

1·  The Institute of Arabic Language and Islamic Sciences For Non-Arabic speakers (I.T.A.L.I.S)  

The ITALIS is a three year program which teaches Arabic and Islamic sciences to non-Arabic speakers. The curriculum focuses on parts of the Holy Qu'ran, the Arabic language and basic elements of the Islamic sciences. 

2·  Intensive Arabic Language Courses

 The course covers five levels in one year. Each level lasts for 8 weeks. The courses begin with an introduction to the Arabic alphabet and progress to advanced Arabic. (See that the requirements require you to be a Muslim and make a committment to study Islamic sciences and behave according to certain norms on the Nur web-page.

Address:
Abu Nour Islamic Foundation
PO Box 7410
Damascus
Syria
Phone, 00 963 11 277 66 53 – 277 71 58 – 277 66 53
Fax: 00 963 11 276 49 89 – 332 16 77

Contact person:

Faruk Akbik
Phone: 00 963 11 331 38 25 (office)

Private Companies: Private companies have begun catering to foreign language students. Two we recommend are:

“Arabesk” is a private company that offers services oriented to university students in Middle East Studies and anyone who wants to learn Arabic for personal or professional purposes.

Nawafir-tours can help you get started on your Arabic language learning adventure with a complete range of study-related services:

Both are professional organizations, offering student services, such as accommodation, situating students with Syrian families, help with annoying paperwork such as obtaining visa extensions and university registration. They supply private teachers, organize trips and much more. See their web-sites.

Private teaching

Most students are likely - sooner or later - to arrange lessons with a private Arabic teacher. There are many teachers available, and prices and quality can vary. When choosing a teacher, ask around to see what experiences other students have had. If you decide to study with someone about whom little is known, it might be a good idea to arrange a few "trial" lessons first. Then, if the situation does not work out, you can gracefully bow out and try again. Your lessons will be more productive if you make clear to your teacher what you want from him or her. Work out a schedule of study together and agree on the books you will use. Currently, the rate for an hour of teaching is anywhere from 300 SP to 600 SP. For well-educated teachers trained in Arabic instruction, who speak English or French, prices can go as high as 1000 SP an hour.

Many students recommend studying with Basel Nejem. He writes, "Classes may be tailored to personal interests and needs, such as politics, grammar, business, Islamic studies and dialects, etc. $10 per lesson of 75 minutes. email: baselnejem@mail2world.com or see website here.

Conversation Exchanges

Check the bulletin boards at the various institutions for learning Arabic; often Syrians will post notices looking for exchange partners. Also, a day spent at the University, or somewhere like the Higher Institute for Music, can yield several potential exchange partners. Generally students make fairly good teachers themselves, and often they know other students with whom you can practice speaking. Your embassy and/or cultural center may know of someone who wants to improve their skills in your native language. Most likely, you will have no problem finding someone with whom to converse; foreign language instruction is expensive by Syrian standards, and most Syrians welcome such an opportunity for exchange.

 

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