Studying Arabic Abroad:  Advice & Preparation

     Studying Arabic in an Arabic speaking country has great benefits, but it requires some basic preparatory work.  Without an adequate amount of preparatory work, overseas study can not only be too demanding, but also overwhelming at times. Students who do not undergo sufficient preparatory work often end up wasting valuable time, money, and energy doings things that they could've done back home.  This unfortunate pattern has been witnessed by QL teachers in the Middle East over and over again.  Thus, it is highly recommended that student’s prepare before traveling.

     Students are advised to begin their study of the Arabic language by first taking advantage of what is already available in the West via local mosques or community centers.  Many great resources are now available to us in the West that didn't exist a decade ago. These include courses such as those offered by Fawakih Institute (Herndon, Virginia), Zaytuna College (Berkeley, California), Suffa Seminary (IANT) (Dallas, Texas), MAI Center for Islamic Studies (New Haven, CT), and many others.

What preparatory work should I complete before traveling

overseas to study Arabic?

     Ideally, all three levels of QL (or equivalent work) should be thoroughly studied with a qualified teacher as a necessary prerequisite before traveling overseas. However, as an absolute minimum, students are advised to gain proficiency in at least QL1 and major parts of QL2 before thinking about traveling overseas.

Why Study QL (or equivalent work) before traveling abroad?

     Upon successful completion of QL 1 - cover to cover- with a qualified teacher, the student not only becomes grounded in the basic building blocks (see Building Blocks in Total-Immersion Vs. Grammar-Translation) of the Arabic language, but also gains first-hand experience and insights into the challenges, issues, and rewards of studying Arabic.

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How do I know if I’m ready to travel abroad to study Arabic?

     The rigorous QL curriculum thoroughly prepares students to take advantage of the overseas experience and make the best and most efficient use of their time. Once QL1 has been successfully completed with a qualified teacher, the student of Arabic will know what’s best for her/him.

More Questions? Visit the Quranic Linguistics FAQ page.