Students Testimonials

Sajida Jalalzai - Columbia University
"My favorite thing about Hedayet was the program's conscious effort to balance courses in Modern Standard Arabic and Egyptian Arabic, as well as extracurricular classes and cultural events, all of which showcased Arabic as a living language, rather than a set of grammatical rules and vocabulary lists in textbooks." Summer I 2010

Yuval Orr - University of Pennsylvania
"I cannot say enough about my learning experience at Hedayet Institute. The quality of the teachers is unrivaled by any other foreign language institution I have attended. While many language institutes focus solely on working through standard Arabic textbooks, the program at Hedayet Institute dealt with all aspects of language learning - reading, speaking, writing, listening comprehension and cultural studies. With the help of an excellent group of teachers I improve my language skills vastly. I am now more confident in my ability to communicate in colloquial Arabic, read and write in Modern Standard Arabic, and listen to Arabic media sources. I would strongly recommend Hedayet Institute for anyone interested in immersing themselves in the Arabic language in order to gain a greater understanding not only of the language, but also of the Arabic culture." Summer I 2010

Maria Stohler
"Attending the Hedayet Institute was by far the best choice I could have made for my Arabic education. The total immersion experience is incomparable to any other study abroad option in Cairo. The staff and teachers are friendly, extremely helpful and qualified, and the surrounding area of Ma'adi has something to offer any time of day or night. The language classes were small enough that I learned as much as I would have with a private tutor. The weekly field trips were awesome; they truly offer a diverse and educated experience of Egypt. The elective classes - cooking, music, Egyptian films - and field trips are experiences you cannot find except at Hedayet. The family-and-friends atmosphere made the day-to-day experience fantastic. I can't possibly say enough good things about my experience - it was worth every penny."

Ian Blood
"HIAS is an incredible value. For a fraction of the price of other programs, I am confident that I learned about as much Arabic as it is possible to learn in 7 weeks! The intimate size of the program is also very nice. Since we all travel together and eat together at Dr. Hedayet's home, we really began to feel like a family. In addition, the cultural, historical, political and religious knowledge that I was able to glean from my professors added immensely to the excellent language instruction. I think it would be hard to find another program with such distinguished, enthusiastic faculty at such a reasonable price. I highly recommend HIAS to anyone, at any stage in their Arabic studies, who wants to have an exciting, intense Arabic learning experience and be introduced to the largest, most dynamic city in one of the most fascinating countries in the world."

Peter C. Lohman- Johns Hopkins University
Studying at HIAS was an enriching and rewarding experience. Through daily intensive study, interaction with Egyptian culture and history, weekly trips to sites in Cairo, and the support of the HIAS faculty, my Arabic abilities grew beyond my expectations. HIAS is an organized, well-run, professional school that can cater to all levels of Arabic and provides students with a supportive, yet challenging classroom environment. I would recommend it to anyone!"

Max Mattern
The teachers at HIAS are what really make the program great. They give you a level of personal attention that I’ve never found before in my language classes. Also, they’re not just teaching you the Arabic language at HIAS, but also the Arabic and Egyptian cultures as a whole.