Wake Forest University’s Fes Summer Program is based at the Arabic Language Institute in Fez (ALIF). ALIF offers small classes with exemplary, enthusiastic, and experienced teachers, as well as a full cultural calendar packed with concerts, art exhibitions, handicraft workshops, academic lectures, optional weekend excursions, and over 20 clubs shared with Moroccan students from the on-site American Language Center. A robust homestay program helps students integrate seamlessly into the local culture of one of Morocco’s most important cities – Fes. 

ALIF  facilities include the largest English-language bookstore in Morocco, a library, a computer lab with laptop charging stations, and a café situated in a lush garden.  ALIF also owns a cultural and study space in a traditional riad in the old medina. There is WiFi throughout all properties. The main campus is conveniently located in the center of downtown (within easy walking distance of shops, restaurants, and cafés) but is just a short taxi ride from the historic medina.

Summer Session I – 2025
May 14th – June 15th, 2025 

Fes is Morocco’s historical capital, and was the country’s political and economic center for centuries prior to French colonization. The city remains
the spiritual and traditional heart of the nation, with a strong artistic legacy. The entire old medina is a UNESCO world heritage site, and one of the
largest pedestrian zones in the world, while the new city (Ville Nouvelle) provides a stark contrast with high-rise apartment complexes, modern restaurants, sprawling universities, and traffic. Fes is well-connected to the rest of the country by train, bus, and grand taxi, and is easily accessible to
Europe by air.

A Wake Forest faculty member serves as resident professor in Fes to oversee program academics. Courses taught by the resident professor and professors at ALIF include 3 credit hours of Arabic and one 3-hour course from the resident professor’s discipline for a total of 6hrs of credit. Academic study is enriched by a cultural immersion experience through homestays with Moroccan families. Language course offerings include initial Colloquial Moroccan Arabic (CMA) for all WFU students (to facilitate communication with locals), followed by each student’s appropriate level of Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) in group classes with other students, determined by a placement test. Students receive 3 hours of Wake Forest credit for the area studies course and 3 hours of transfer credit for the intensive language course. Non-Wake Forest students who are applying for this program are encouraged to contact their Center for International Studies regarding how the courses are transcripted.

Rayed Khedher
Assistant Teaching Professor
Middle East and South Asia Studies
khedher@wfu.edu

Students are matched with homestay families in Fez and are provided two meals per day. Students stay in hotels during some excursions.

NOTE: All students participating in the WFU Morocco program are required to live in program-provided housing. Housing accommodations you may have on campus do not automatically transfer to abroad and certain housing accommodations (single rooms and private bathrooms, for example) may not be available.

Excursions may include weekend trips to the following places:

• A three-day to trip to the Sahara, Rissani, and Merzouga
  Tazekka National Park
  Meknes, Volubilis, Moulay Idriss

 Excursions are subject to change.

• Good academic standing
• Interest in Moroccan culture and languages

The total cost of summer study abroad can be broken down into four categories:
Program Fee – Usually covers room, in-country travel, excursions, some meals and other costs associated with the program.
Tuition – Students on WFU summer programs pay WFU summer school tuition per credit hour. The current rate is $950/per credit hour. 
Airfare (estimated) – Varies per location. Students are responsible for their own airfare unless otherwise noted.
Personal Expenses (estimated) – These will vary depending on the students’ spending habits, cost of living in the destination country, and the number of meals included in the program fee. This may also include visa fees, vaccinations, academic supplies/books and other miscellaneous daily expenses.

Program Fee (estimated) (includes 3hrs of transfer credit) – $3,522
Tuition (3hrs) – $2,850
Airfare (estimated) ~ $1,800
Personal Expenses (estimated) ~ $1,390
Estimated total cost – $9,562

*Final program fee is dependent on total number of students enrolled in the program

Scholarships are available through the Center for Global Programs and Studies.

Passport Information
Students need to check their passport’s expiration date and ensure that it will be valid for at least 6 months after the program’s end date.

Students going on a summer program need to make sure their passport is valid through at least mid-February of the following year.

US passport holders who need to renew their passport should visit the U.S. Department of State’s passport website for information on this process.

Non-US passport holders who need to renew their passport should refer to their home country’s passport office.

Visa Information
If you are a US citizen, you most likely will not require a visa for your summer abroad program. If you do, details will be shared with you by GPS. Non-US passport holders should check with their host country’s embassy or consulate to find out if a visa is required for their program or not.

Rayed Khedher
Assistant Teaching Professor
Middle East and South Asia Studies
khedher@wfu.edu

Tyler Favale 
Study Abroad Advisor
Center for Global Programs and Studies
336-758-4072
favalet@wfu.edu

Arabic Language Institute Website:
www.alif-fes.com