Spend a transformative short-term semester studying Moroccan culture and Arabic language in Rabat, Morocco's vibrant coastal capital. This program, offered through USAC in partnership with the Center for Cross Cultural Learning (CCCL), immerses you in authentic daily life while earning U.S. semester credit. You'll start each morning with sweet mint tea, explore bustling souks filled with spices, argan oil, and handcrafted pottery, and return to your host family for traditional meals of tagine and couscous before completing your coursework.

Rabat is a thriving metropolis of two million people that blends Mediterranean charm with Arab and African culture. As the country's capital, it offers sandy beaches, historic sites, relaxed cafés, art galleries, and restaurants along walkable, tree-lined avenues. The climate is mild—balmy highs of 82°F in summer and cool lows of 42°F during January—making it a comfortable year-round destination. You'll study at CCCL, a respected 30-year private educational institute and cultural center where you can walk to class from your local homestay.

Your academic experience extends beyond the classroom. You'll attend lecture series on Moroccan society, Arab and Islamic cultures, and engage with art exhibits and musical performances at the learning center. Several full-day field trips are included in your program fee, taking you to villages, desert locations, and local must-see cultural sites that bring classroom learning to life.

Weekends offer exciting exploration opportunities. You can quickly journey to nearby cities including Casablanca, Tangier, and Fes, or visit Morocco's famous "blue city" of Chefchaouen and "red city" of Marrakesh. Living in a homestay ensures you experience daily life as a resident, building genuine connections with your host family and deepening your cultural understanding beyond what any textbook could provide.

This program is ideal for undergraduate students seeking intensive cultural immersion and language study in a welcoming, manageable city. Whether you're interested in Arabic language acquisition, Middle Eastern and North African studies, cultural anthropology, or simply broadening your global perspective, Rabat offers a rich, accessible gateway to North African culture and heritage.