Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) and Egyptian Colloquial Arabic (ECA) Intensive course

Ahlan Arabic Centre Cairo

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Course description

Modern Standard Arabic and Egyptian Colloquial Arabic Intensive course, five hours of lessons daily, from Sunday to Thursday.
It combines MSA (3 hours daily) and Egyptian Colloquial Arabic (2 hours daily).

The course is organized using several methods of teaching, including grammar, multi-media, literature, poetry, songs and movies.
The teachers are professional, highly experienced, native speakers, specialized in teaching Arabic to foreigners.
This course is NOT available for absolute beginners.
In some cases, a student enrolled in one of our group courses may be the only one in their level. In this case, one-to-one classes will be arranged and the daily class hours listed below will be halved.
In addition to the classes, the course includes several extra activities such as evening seminars, week-end or one-day trips, language and culture exchanges with Egyptian students.

For those are planning to stay at least for 11 weeks program, can be available a training program in some NGO’s in Cairo.
SPECIAL for winter: Cairo and Alexandria run classes at the same time. If you choose more than a 6 weeks program, you can move ANYTIME from Alexandria to Cairo and viceversa. 
This special offer allows you to change cities and sites, exploring new experiences while following your program of study!

In the case of a public holiday at any point during the course, the missed hours will be made up for through additional classes before or after the holiday, EXCEPT Eid el-Fitr and Eid al-Adha. These Eid days will be discounted from the overall course price and will not be made up for.

Activities included in the course:

- Lectures at the school
- Language exchange
- Tour in the school area
- Calligraphy class

The students can book separately the following :

- Tour to the pyramids, Citadel, Museums, Coptic Cairo, sight-seen in the city. students pay for the entrance tickets and transportation.

- Trip out side of Cairo, for example to Luxor, the Oasis or Alexandria. It is not also included and the cost of the trip will depend in how many students are joining.

Course topics

Listening, Speaking, Pronunciation, Reading, Writing, Vocabulary, Grammar and Activities

Class schedule

Course duration
1-52 weeks
Start dates
01 Dec 2024, 15 Dec 2024 and 29 Dec 2024
Classes per week
25 lessons per week (each lesson lasts 55 min)
Class days
Monday - Thursday and Sunday

Class times

Morning session
09:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Afternoon session
01:00 PM - 03:00 PM

Class schedule may change depending on availability and season.

Class level

Elementary
Pre-intermediate
Intermediate
High intermediate
Advanced
You will take a placement test on your first day to determine your class level.

Class size

Average 5 students
Maximum 8 students

Student age

Age range 18 - 99 years old
Average 23 years old
(25 in the summer)

Certificate

A certificate of completion will be issued at the end of the course.
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photos

Photos

  • Activities offered at Ahlan Arabic Centre Cairo 1/27
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  • Activities offered at Ahlan Arabic Centre Cairo 6/27
  • Activities offered at Ahlan Arabic Centre Cairo 7/27
  • Activities offered at Ahlan Arabic Centre Cairo 8/27
  • Classroom at Ahlan Arabic Centre Cairo 9/27
  • Classroom at Ahlan Arabic Centre Cairo 10/27
  • Building of Ahlan Arabic Centre Cairo 11/27
  • Classroom at Ahlan Arabic Centre Cairo 12/27
  • Classroom at Ahlan Arabic Centre Cairo 13/27
  • Classroom at Ahlan Arabic Centre Cairo 14/27
  • Classroom at Ahlan Arabic Centre Cairo 15/27
  • Classroom at Ahlan Arabic Centre Cairo 16/27
  • Common room at Ahlan Arabic Centre Cairo 17/27
  • Common room at Ahlan Arabic Centre Cairo 18/27
  • Common room at Ahlan Arabic Centre Cairo 19/27
  • Reception of Ahlan Arabic Centre Cairo 20/27
  • Corridor inside Ahlan Arabic Centre Cairo 21/27
  • Reception of Ahlan Arabic Centre Cairo 22/27
  • Entrance to Ahlan Arabic Centre Cairo 23/27
  • Classroom at Ahlan Arabic Centre Cairo 24/27
  • Entrance to Ahlan Arabic Centre Cairo 25/27
  • Building of Ahlan Arabic Centre Cairo 26/27
  • Building of Ahlan Arabic Centre Cairo 27/27
reviews

Reviews

97% recommend

based on 30 reviews
5 stars
22
4 stars
6
3 stars
2
2 stars
0
1 star
0
Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing

"So good tat i'm coming back for 2 more moths next year. Inshallah!"

Isaac Lawrenson, student from France

I took a total of four weeks of classes of the intensive course (22 and a half hours of actual teaching per week) of moderns standard arabic and was very pleased with my choice with Ahlan in Cairo.


The actual school was perfectly located in Garden city and full of charm. Good homecooked style lunches offered every day (you have to pay for them though, a bit above market price but fair enough). Regular activities are available on rotation, perfect addition to socialise a bit further and also discover some things.

The teaching method is well supported with quality material and allows for gradual and consistent progress. However, I would say that particular speedy headway depends on how much extra work you put in by yourself ;) I didn't work as hard as i wish i did but nonetheless still advanced quite a bit.

If your intend on staying in Egyot for a while, I highly recommend you take the 3ameia (egyptian dialect) course rather than classical Arabic FusHa as it will allow you to communicate on a daily basis in a quicker and more efficient way.

The entire team was absolutely lovely, professional, fun and supportive. Major shoutouts to Affaf (head of the school), Rahma and Beha! And Salma and Moustafa on the administrative side and Mouna in the kitchen

I also took the 200 euros shared room option for 2 months. it had everything you need even though i did have a particular good experience because, in the end i had a room to myself for almost the whole duration for my stay.
I will say that as much as i love the school and team, the 400 euros option for a single room in a shared flat (similar prices to many places in Europe) is quite overpriced for Egypt. Ah and also, the wifi was terrible and didn't work half the time but i came to realise that that is a common problem in Cairo.

Those last to point din't take away the slighest fro my awesome expericence over there! : )

Definitely go for it, go go go!

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing
Duration of study
3 weeks
Date of study
22 Sep 2024 - 18 Oct 2024
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"The teatchers are amazing and the atmosphere of the group lessons really nice!"

Olivia Elgazzar, student from Egypt

I really like Ahlan Center, the group sessoins where great, talking is part of the lesson and it makes you improve quick! The Teachers are amazing and they really care about you improving your language skills!
The loccation is really good just 5 minutest walking from an metrostation and the trees arround the area are giving the streats a nice vibe! The Ahlan center is offering events like music and dances and organise little trips for you to really get an idea about egypt! Thank you for that nice experience!

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Duration of study
1 week
Date of study
19 May 2024 - 31 May 2024
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"Learned a new language fast and efficently"

Marie-Luise Schaller, student from Germany

It was nice, but challenging. Some teachers were really good and professional, others were less good at understanding how an educational system works. But its ok

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
Duration of study
5 weeks
Date of study
28 Jan 2024 - 8 Mar 2024
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"Bonjour, je tiens à féliciter la responsable d’Ahlan Cairo j’ai été très bien accueilli,les Cours sont très bien."

NABILA BOUDOUCH, student from France

Tout d’abord je tiens à remercier toute l’équipe. L’école est très bien située. Il y a des sorties, la cantine et proposer tous les jours. Les profs sont super sympa. Le personnel aussi. Je recommande cette école à toute élève qui souhaite apprendre l’apprentissage de la langue et de l’écriture se fait très bien, car les professeurs sont très compétents, je mets un 10/10 sur mon expérience ici.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Duration of study
1 week
Date of study
12 Nov 2023 - 24 Nov 2023
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"A very good surprise"

Augustin André, student from France

I was so happy with this school, I had 2 wonderful teachers, they were different and this was enrichi g.
Also the workers at the school were very helpful, nice, and caring.
The activities were so great that I always had something to do and was kept occupied.
The activities were relevant and were very well chosen by the teachers and the director.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Date of study
12 Nov 2023 - 17 Nov 2023
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"Professional learning in Cairo"

Steven Bragorgos, student from USA

My time at Ahlan was excellent. The school is staffed with well-educated professional educators. The staff was very friendly and helpful. I was a complete basic beginner, and the school was able to provide a challenging and appropriate level of instruction. The school also provided many opportunities for students to site see together after class or enjoy cultural activities. It was a great experience, and I would certainly consider going again.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Duration of study
1 week
Date of study
16 Jul 2023 - 27 Jul 2023
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"Excellent school which helped me learning a lot and loving the language in very short time"

Janey Lo, student from Germany

I spend two weeks in the school and I made the ASA Level I course as a beginner. The courses fitted very well to my knowlegde.
The teachers were extremely friendly, amiable and patient. The way of explaining the grammar was very clear and even making fun, especailly when we learned to "dance" the konjugation of the verbs. I finished the classes amazed of the beauty, origins, structure and clarity of this challenging language and got the feeling I will be able to learn the language despite its complexity.
I also got a good insight to the culture and the way of living.
If I had a request for changing lessons or adapt something, I was alway taken seroiusly and my requests were very well cared for.
I had to leave the school ways to soon, but I surely will return there I can recommend this school to everyone.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Duration of study
2 weeks
Date of study
7 May 2023 - 21 May 2023
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"Ahlan is such a warm space with a wonderful team of teachers who cater to your needs as a language learner."

Manal YOUNUS, student from Australia

My teacher was brilliant! She was very responsive to my needs, very personable and open. It was like learning with a good friend. All of the staff are lovely and as it's a small school so you get a chance to know everyone.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Duration of study
3 weeks
Date of study
9 Oct 2022 - 4 Nov 2022
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"It was excellent!!"

Muhammed Erkan Bayhan, student from Denmark

Overall, a must-do adventure for learning a new language.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing
Duration of study
1 week
Date of study
17 Jul 2022 - 29 Jul 2022
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"A charming school with very friendly teachers."

Lilli Meike Trebs, student from Tanzania

I really enjoyed my stay at Ahlan Cairo Centre. The teachers are very friendly and welcoming and all have their own teaching style of which some might suit you better and others don't. The location in Gamaleya used to be absolutely perfect, but now that they moved to Garden City I don't know. Overall my experience was very good, though I was disappointed that there were barely any cultural activities and the work with the NGO did not exist at all.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Duration of study
18 weeks
Date of study
20 Feb 2022 - 1 Jul 2022
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"Competent teacher"

Le Saëc Rozenn, student from France

I would like to repeat the course as soon as possible. Arwa, teacher with a great pedagogy. who did her course only in Arabic language. Good manual, very good method

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
Duration of study
1 week
Date of study
6 Mar 2022 - 18 Mar 2022
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"Thanks Nagwa!"

Soki Ishiguchi, student from Egypt

Ms. Nagwa is an excellent teacher. I owed her a lot.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Duration of study
16 weeks
Date of study
2 Aug 2021 - 26 Nov 2021
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"Awesome school, great level, I made incredible progress in one month, definitely recommend it"

Dany MARIGNALE, student from France

I was lucky to have a wonderful person as a teacher who really took time to define what i wanted to accomplish with these lessons and adjust the course accordingly. The school is located in khan al khalili which makes it really easy to access. There are several classroom of various sizes, with good AC. I fell in love with the team there, and their warm welcoming made me felt just like I've know them for years. I immediately felt comfortable.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Duration of study
3 weeks
Date of study
25 Jul 2021 - 19 Aug 2021
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"It was ok and I learned some more Arabic"

Susanne Kern, student from Switzerland

We had no classes, because there were not enough students. This I find not good: You should tell the students before, that at the moment there it is most possible, that one has single lessons and because of that less lessons than booked.

My teacher was ok. But she came 2x late and was often tired. She did not really explain the grammar, she just went through the book. The book was quite good and the entrance test also. So they really taught me on my level.

facilities were ok and teachers were very kind.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
Duration of study
1 week
Date of study
11 Oct 2020 - 23 Oct 2020
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"I am 100 % content"

Charlott Hjert, student from Sweden

Teachers very good, and also the other stuff. Everybody did their best to make everything as good as possibly for me.
The location of the school was "funny" , I liked it.

The apartment had also a good location (down town). Everybody did everything they could to make/fix everything as good as possibly in the "housing".

I didn´t participate in any activities, because I didn't wanted to. But they (the school) organised things and the students seemed to be happy about it.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing
Duration of study
7 weeks
Date of study
8 Dec 2019 - 31 Jan 2020
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"Amazing school, teachers and location :)."

Anonym, student from Germany

The offered programs of Ahlan are various, so you can go on learning how ever you like and feel. Also within time classes you are flexible for course changes or time outs for travelling around Egypt. The Ahlan team is so great and nice, you will feel comfortable timely if you are open minded. And if you need help in anyway? You will get it!

Thanks for everything.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing
Duration of study
3 weeks
Date of study
7 Jul 2019 - 2 Aug 2019
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"Great school, kind people, good teachers, interesting location"

Tijn van Emmerik, student from Netherlands

When I searched at the first day the location of Ahlan school it was pretty hard to find it.
Finally after asking some people and using my maps I founded the right place.
So as a feedback maybe they could place some signs.
When arrived the welcoming was really niced.
My teacher directly presented herself and I needed to do a test so they could check my level.
After finishing my test there was a kind boy who helped me with pronunciation.

During the two weeks I really enjoyed the lessons.
The teacher was able to speak English very well.
Besides that he had a really positive vibe.
I've heard there a hotels linked to the school but I already had another hotel booked.
Sometimes the students organised activities like having diner together or going to cultural places together.
After all I'am really happy with this experience in Cairo and at Ahlan.

Hope this is enough information.
Kind regards.

Tijn van Emmerik

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Duration of study
1 week
Date of study
28 May 2018 - 8 Jun 2018
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"I am an absolute beginner and my teacher, Yahia, was very patient, well-organized and excellent."

Samuel Cristler, student from USA

Location is excellent. It’s fun to have lunch in Khan el Khalili. All of the other faculty members seem to be excellent also, as the administrators.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Duration of study
1 week
Date of study
2 Apr 2018 - 13 Apr 2018
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"Fit my busy schedule, full-time job"

Nichole Harris, student from Egypt

Very flexible and accommodating: Because of my full-time job, I could only do class on Fridays and/or Saturdays when the school is closed, but they were very flexible in scheduling one-on-one tutoring for those days. They were also very flexible in creating a curriculum that included a blend of MSA and colloquial Egyptian. They were also very flexible in extending my lessons due my frequent travels that caused me to miss class.

Competent teachers: I began with one instructor for the first 20 or so weeks who was very good, but had to depart for a job overseas. My second instructor has also been very good. Ahlan Instructors are patient and especially good with explaining Arabic grammar which, for me, is very important in understanding and retaining the language. Instructors are also very nice and welcoming and enjoy helping students experience the culture of Cairo.

Acceptable location: I live in Cairo about a 20-30 minute Uber ride from the school so the location was not convenient for me in terms of being within walking distance of home. However, the school is located on the backside of the Khan e-Khalili shopping district so it is an ideal location for students to walk outside the school and practice Arabic at shops and restaurants.

Acceptable facilities: The school has separate furnished classrooms (with white boards), outdoor sitting areas, kitchen facilities, bathroom facilities, free Wi-Fi, and A/C (very important in the summer). Flies are bothersome, but that's typical everywhere in Cairo. Feral cats are also frequent visitors slipping into classrooms and meowing loudly for food (students should be careful as they may carry rabies). There was also staff available during my lessons offering tea and keeping the facilities clean.

Housing: Not applicable (I live in Cairo)

Activities: For the most part, my schedule would not allow me to participate in any of the cultural activities that Ahlan offers. I was able to participate in Iftar dinner hosted at the school because it occurred late enough after work. It was very nice. Plenty of good food and an opportunity for me to me other teachers and students that I normally don't have an opportunity to interact with. Very family-oriented feeling at Ahlan.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Duration of study
30 weeks
Date of study
25 Feb 2017 - 30 Sep 2017
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"I had an unforgettable experience and was given every opportunity to both learn Arabic and explore Cairo and it's culture."

Jacob Kopfensteiner, student from USA

Ahlan Cairo is a language school that I would definitely recommend to anyone who wants to study Arabic in Cairo, as there was a very good balance between studying and doing cultural activities, where you could explore Cairo and learn more about Egyptian culture. The class sizes were perfect for me, as I wanted to do a one on one course and get more personal attention. The classes were then tailored to me, based on what I wanted to learn or study. The school itself is located in Al-Gamaleya, which made the experience feel very authentic, as you get to see the old city of Cairo every single day. The housing was also excellent, as that was one thing I was worried about but I had no complaints or problems.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing
Duration of study
7 weeks
Date of study
5 Jun 2016 - 29 Jul 2016
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"Amazing school"

Lea Skriver, student from Denmark

Location was perfect and just 10 minutes from metro station. Facilities were excellent and the activities were great. The teacher and manager are super friendly.
I only missed having other students around because I was the only one in my class. It would be more fun to have someone in the same level as me to make homework and practice with in Arabic.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Duration of study
4 weeks
Date of study
17 Jan 2016 - 19 Feb 2016
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"Formative and friendly. Thanks to Ahlan, I finally improved my Arabic!"

Donatella Mistretta

I'm a student of languages and I have studied in several private schools, so I can make a comparison. Ahlan has small classes with few students, divided by level. This was good for learning because the teachers give you full attention and involve you in the lesson. Having different teachers gives different learning methods, such as listening, dictation, grammar etc. The teachers were always available to help you if you had problems understanding, and they incited you to talk and practice the conversation. They had a good method of teaching Arabic to foreigners, which is what is sometimes difficult to find in others Arabic schools.

Talking about the general atmosphere, I never felt excluded; the entire staff had always done their best to make me feel at ease even with the different culture. They treated me with respect and cordiality.

Moreover, the school organized different activities, which allowed you to spend your time outside school, discovering Egypt.

Mr. Hamada, the director, was very helpful; he answered all my doubts and he helped me every time I needed help. He worried about everything until he was sure you had everything you need.

The nice thing about Ahlan is that you can learn and make friends, and feel like being in a big family. Even the cleaning lady was very nice to us. The last thing is the school location: Ahlan is on the old Islamic Cairo, which is the best place to see the real Egyptian life.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing
Duration of study
3 weeks
Date of study
15 Mar 2015 - 9 Apr 2015
Would you recommend this school?
Yes

"The best way to understand a culture is to learn the language"

Isabelle Iskandar

I enjoyed my experience at school, especially the fact that I was living in the city where I was studying! The people were very kind and generous. I would however like to make more cultural visits in the city of Cairo. I liked the patience of the teacher. Some were a lot more organized than others in their working methods. The teaching method of Professor Omar was remarkable, because these courses were planned and he tracked back on the material covered in other courses. I believe this is essential to learning.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing
Duration of study
4 weeks
Date of study
26 May 2015 - 23 Jun 2015
Would you recommend this school?
Yes

"An unforgettable human experience that allowed me to improve my language skills while meeting great friends and discovering the beauty of Egypt"

Philippe Michaud

The teachers are excellent, very competent and extremely professional. The school is located in a very nice historical area. When you enter the school, the staff makes you feel you are a part of their family. There is a very nice employee who cooks great authentic Egyptian food while helping you do your homework and practice speaking Arabic.

The administrators would do anything to make your stay enjoyable. They actually visit the country with you! They take care of everything. I was living in a nice flat, located about 5 minutes walk from Tharir square. Every single person that I met has become a great friend of mine. It's all about the people. Everyone is so kind.
There are no words to express how grateful I am to have met all these great people.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing
Duration of study
8 weeks
Date of study
4 May 2015 - 4 Jul 2015
Would you recommend this school?
Yes

"A very good blend of language immersion with cultural experiences."

Michael Salvatore Wood, student from USA

I liked that the classes were smaller. It was more personal, which helped me learn the language. It was good that the teachers conducted the classes in Arabic as much as possible. This forced me to learn the language. Extra cultural experiences, trips, and lectures outside of class made the experience even more fulfilling. I felt that the location was very good. There were some nice little shops in the area surrounding the school. I walked there every day from the Arabian Nights hostel, which was a very nice walk for me. I liked the Arabian Nights hostel very much, but I think it was a better place for shorter stays.

If you will in Cairo for over a month, do not stay in the Arabian Nights hostel. If you will stay for less than a month, then the Arabian Nights hostel is a nice simple place. As for the teachers, I liked all of them. It felt very family-like, which helped in learning the language. The weekly activities were also amazing and I am glad that I had the opportunity to do some of those. I will hopefully return one day. I connected with a lot of good people.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Duration of study
5 weeks
Date of study
30 Aug 2015 - 9 Oct 2015
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"Perfect time in Ahlan Egypt in Cairo"

Johanna Trittenbach, student from Germany

The staff at school, location and facilities were very nice. I learned a lot, since the school provides classes for every student, no matter which level they are in. What made the experience to study Arabic at Ahlan Egypt even more perfect were the countless activities after class.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Duration of study
2 weeks
Date of study
30 Aug 2015 - 18 Sep 2015
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"Great teaching in family atmosphere"

Annika Elsässer, student from Germany

Warm hearty atmosphere. Teaching was well prepared and included intuitive learning which I appreciate. Lessons were held in Arabic only where possible which was really helpful for the learning process. The staff was always very friendly caring and interested. I felt very much at home.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Duration of study
4 weeks
Date of study
11 Jan 2015 - 13 Feb 2015
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"Teaching Arabic by immersion"

André Hilal, student from Switzerland

I am back in Switzerland for a week now. All in all I had a good experience, of which the school was one part. I have relatives in Alexandria which I visited regularly on the weekends and I have friends in Cairo whom I met in the evenings.

I have applied for a class and for a one on one teaching; in the end I was the only student, so I had only one on one teaching. I was welcomed in a friendly way, by Ali the manager and Omar, the teacher.

I am a language teacher myself, so I am probably a very difficult student and in fact I judge the didactic quality varied. On the one hand the teaching material was all in Arabic and did not offer any vocabulary list, but I managed to do one by myself. On the other hand, with the help of the teacher I managed to get through the book quite well, but I must say it is not comparable with what I use in my teaching. As for the didactic techniques, the teacher used a variety of methods through the lessons, gave homework and checked it. But I hardly ever had the impression that he was in any way prepared. I am, of course, aware that I cannot expect Swiss quality.

My Arabic is now on a decent level, I can formulate sentences and speak to strangers who don't speak English, and that is due to the lessons; but I'd like to add that I did my homework and added two hours per day to the lessons, revising and studying.

The school is situated in an area that is considered the historic centre of Cairo, unfortunately that means only to a certain extent picturesque, the area (not the school) is rather dirty, but never dangerous. The call to prayer was extremely loud and disturbed the lessons very much. The house in which the school is in belongs to the FEDA, an organization which gives room to craftsmen. That makes it loud too, for hammering and so, but I liked the idea and I didn't find it disturbing.

The school offers an outing every night, I accepted it once, since I had a lot of friends in Cairo, it was a very nice Sufi dance. Every day, we had a breakfast with local traditional food, which I liked very much.

My main issue concerning this school is the staff, not so much as professionals, but rather their way of thinking: Ali the manager is from upper Egypt, not from Cairo and has a wife there who can not come to see him. He speaks openly about wanting to get married to another woman in Cairo since he is fascinated with their libertine ways, although he cannot understand that women in Cairo walk without men at their side.

Omar the teacher, when I answered to his question, what is east of Egypt, there is Israel, said, no Israel does not exist, it's Palestine.

The (female) servant was veiled with a face cover that allowed to see only her eyes. I didn't like that so much, although the lady was very nice.

I can accept that people think the way they think, especially since this gave me an insight in a way of thinking which seems to be very common in Egypt, but this school is oriented to westerners and it belongs to an Italian. So I expect the staff to be aware about their clients' open minded thinking and not to let their thinking shine through too much.

All in all, I learned a lot in this school, not only linguistically, but socio-politically as well, but that part was not easy to digest.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Duration of study
2 weeks
Date of study
22 Dec 2014 - 9 Jan 2015
Would you recommend this school?
No
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.
Hamada Salah,, General Director at Ahlan Arabic Centre Cairo responded to this review.
18 April 2015

Dear Mr Hilal,

Having read your feedback, I feel it is my duty to respond to you personally. I am glad to hear that, on the whole, your experience of Egypt was good. As you are no doubt aware, Egypt has been adversely affected by both the revolution and the Middle East conflicts along its borders. As a result, tourism is down and students are few. Therefore, we appreciate your visit all the more and take your comments seriously.

Egyptians are very friendly people, so it pleases me to hear that the staff were welcoming. Your assumption to expect less of the teaching methodology here is correct, although your vocabulary list suggestion is excellent and we shall put this into action for future students.

I was pleased to read that your Arabic has improved as a result of the course and that you also understand the importance of the homework and self-study. Not all students are as diligent. Your comments about the setting of the school will be useful to those people who have never travelled to Cairo before and will let them know what to expect upon arrival.

My main issue concerning your feedback was the personal comments about the staff. The review page should not be used as a forum to make judgements about individuals or their religious beliefs. There are no 'servants' at this school, we are all staff. At Ahlan Egypt, if a woman chooses to wear a nicab then this is her choice. As long as staff are friendly and helpful, they are welcome to work in our school.

With regard to the temporary manager (who was working there at the time of your visit), I accept that his personal opinions may have offended you and that they may have been inappropriate comments. However, to state your understanding of his opinions on a public web page is equally inappropriate. Finally, your statement about the teacher being drawn into a political conversation was alarming. Obviously, I have reminded staff that Ahlan Egypt is not a political or religious institution and therefore no opinions can be expressed on these matters, even if pressed.

I hope we have dealt with the feedback to your satisfaction.

Kindest regards,

"A very rewarding challenge in one of the most stimulating places in the world"

Melanie Pitkin, student from Australia

I very much liked studying Arabic in Islamic Cairo and found this to be a much more dynamic and authentic experience. It was great having intensive private classes, and the teachers/staff were very friendly. I was disappointed that there weren't any cultural activities offered (it was a very quiet time at the school) and it was also quite frustrating that I wasn't able to have morning classes every day - but the staff did try to be understanding about this.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Date of study
29 Dec 2015 - 2 Jan 2015
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.

"Great experience in Cairo"

Katharina Wehinger, student from Germany

My time here in Cairo is amazing. I am having Arabic lessons in the morning, it is one to one because there was nobody else on my level and therefore very intensive, and in the afternoon we are having each day different activities. I really like my lessons, my teacher is good and patient. The school is really nice, the facilities are very good and everybody is totally friendly and helpful. Any question can be asked and they try to do everything to make you feel good. There is always time for having a tea together, for a talk, for a joke... I am not only learning Arabic, but also a lot about the people, culture and the current situation in Egypt. I am living in a shared apartment with another girl who is also studying at school. The place is really nice.

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My ratings for this school

Quality of teaching
School facilities
Social activities
School location
Housing
Duration of study
3 weeks
Date of study
27 Jan 2013 - 14 Feb 2013
Age group
35 - 49
Would you recommend this school?
Yes
This is a verified review. This student has booked a course at this school through Language International.
housing

Housing

Ahlan Arabic Centre offers the following housing types:
apartment

Shared apartment - 2-person shared room - No meals

S$ 84
weekly
Age range: 18 years old and older
Location: In the city center of Cairo
Housing type: Shared apartment
Room type: 2-person shared room
Board type: No meals
Facilities: Kitchen, laundry, wireless internet, free internet, air conditioning, and other
Distance to school: 15 - 25 minutes by other
Availability: January - December
Check-in: Saturday, after 01:00 PM
Check-out: Friday, before 12:00 PM
S$ 84
Apartments are generally assigned ten days before your departure date.
The apartments are "good Egyptian standard”, which would translate roughly to middle class quality by western standards.
The apartments are usually mixed-gender but rooms are allocated on a male/female basis.
All apartments are furnished and equipped with kitchen facilities (oven, dishes, cutlery, refrigerator…).
Apartments do not include AC but they have fan. In summer time, the apartments have AC.
Apartments do not include towels so you will need to supply them yourself.
If something is broken or missing when you arrive, you must inform the Ahlan Arabic Centre’s apartment manager immediately.
On the last day of your stay the apartment manager will inspect your accommodation to make sure that nothing is broken or missing. Any broken or missing items will have to be paid for before your security deposit is returned.
For those who are not staying for a full month there is not a reduction in the cost of this kind of accommodation.
The flat will be available starting on Saturday evening before the beginning of the course and check out will be on Friday mormning. If you need to stay on more, you should book an alternative accommodation (usually a hotel or a room in a convent) for any additional day.

Shared apartment - Single-person room - No meals

S$ 137
weekly
Age range: 18 years old and older
Location: In the city center of Cairo
Housing type: Shared apartment
Room type: Single-person room
Board type: No meals
Facilities: Kitchen, laundry, wireless internet, free internet, air conditioning, and other
Distance to school: 15 - 25 minutes by train or subway
Availability: January - December
Check-in: Friday, after 01:00 PM
Check-out: Friday, before 12:00 PM
S$ 137
Apartments are generally assigned ten days before your departure date.
The apartments are "good Egyptian standard”, which would translate roughly to middle class quality by western standards.
The apartments are usually mixed-gender but rooms allocated on a male/female basis.
All apartments are furnished and equipped with kitchen facilities (oven, dishes, cutlery, refrigerator…).
Apartments do not include AC but they have fan. In summer time, the apartments have AC.
Apartments do not include towels so you will need to supply them yourself.
If something is broken or missing when you arrive, you must inform the Ahlan Arabic Centre’s apartment manager immediately.
On the last day of your stay the apartment manager will inspect your accommodation to make sure that nothing is broken or missing. Any broken or missing items will have to be paid for before your security deposit is returned.
For those who are not staying for a full month there is not a reduction in the cost of this kind of accommodation.
The flat will be available starting on Saturday evening before the beginning of the course and check out will be on Friday morning. If you need to stay on more, you should book an alternative accommodation (usually a hotel or a room in a convent) for any additional day.
visa

Visa support

We cannot apply for visas on behalf of students. However, the school can supply you with all the documentation you need to support your visa application.

Your letter of acceptance will be sent to your home address by regular mail at no charge to you.

Flights and airport transfer

Please note that we do not book flights for our students. If you are researching airfare costs, we recommend using Kayak.com, a search engine that lets you compare flight options from your home country to Cairo based on your budget, schedule and preferences.

Travel insurance

Study abroad worry-free with Language International's health and personal effects insurance coverage. When you book a course with us, you can opt to purchase an international insurance plan that covers not only your health care cost but also loss of your personal belongings. You must book your insurance in advance when you register.

Learn more about our insurance plan »

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questions

Questions and answers

Have questions? Get answers from Ahlan Arabic Centre Cairo staff, Language International student advisors, and past students.

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