Das YCAS ist stolz Universitaetsstudenten die Moeglichkeit zu bieten, ein Studiensemester oder -jahr im Jemen zu verbringen. Um eine Liste der Universitaeten einzusehen, an denen die Leistungspunkte (credits) des YCAS akzeptiert werden, klicken Sie bitte hier. If your university is not listed, please contact us and we can create a course tailored to their requirements. Below is a description of our program:

I. Class Structure

The Semester Abroad program will consist of 16 weeks of Arabic instruction, beginning in February, and ending in May (or October through January). During these four months, the students will receive 20 hours of instruction per week for a total of 320 hours for the semester. The classes will be no larger than six students, but frequently smaller.

The Year Abroad program will consist of 32 weeks of Arabic instruction, beginning in October, and ending in May. During these eight months, the students will receive 20 hours of instruction per week for a total of 640 hours for the semester. The classes will be no larger than six students, but frequently smaller.

II Class Materials and Instruction

The primary texts used in our program are. Al-Kitab Fi Ta'allum Al-'Arabiyya parts I,II &III, Al-'Arabiyya Al-Yamaniyya, 'Arabiyya Wasa'il Al-'A`laam, Durus fi-l 'Arabiyya: Studies in Arabic, Kalila wa Dimna: Animal Stories and Fables, Amthal al-'Arabiyya and texts created by the Yemen Language Center as well as supplementary materials including : daily newspapers and weekly political, social or entertainment magazines, short stories and poems selected from a variety of sources, audio and video cassettes and short subjects created by the teaching staff.
The students are required to do a number of translations from English to Arabic and are required to write one research paper in Arabic, of approximately 2,000 words.
We prefer that the students base their papers on information gathered while here in Yemen. Possible primary source material could include oral interviews, transcriptions of court cases, analysis of documents from manuscript collections in Sana'a or architectural observations. Our intention with this "fieldwork" is to encourage students to take their newly acquired Arabic skills out of the classroom and apply them to a real-life situation, and return to the classroom with information presented in a formal manner. Secondary source material to assist in the preparation of the dissertation is available at one of our affiliate libraries at the American Institute for Yemeni Studies (AIYS), the British Council and The French Center for Archeology and Social Sciences (CEFAS). These papers will be strictly graded by the YLC.
Upon arrival, students are given placement exams and then separated into classes according to their levels. In addition to the placement exams, the YLC requires mid-term reviews at the end of the first Semester. These reviews include: a self-assessment by the student, an assessment of our program by the student and evaluation of the student's progress by our staff. The staff assessment is based on in class performance and periodical exams given focusing on writing, listening and speaking. The results will then be forwarded to the responsible faculty member from your university.

III Room, Board and Field Trips

Students will be required to live in one of the 3 YLC buildings during their stay. Each house is equipped with laundry facilities, a fully stocked kitchen, European bathrooms and a television with European and Arab satellite. There are telephones with international lines in each room, so the students can call and receive calls from their rooms. All of the buildings are located in the heart of the city, right next to Tahrir Square and about a two-minute walk from the center.
Breakfast and lunch will be included, 5 days a week, Saturday through Wednesday, for the duration of their stay. The food is a mixture of traditional Yemeni food and Western food, catering to vegetarians or non-vegetarians. We found that very often students were getting sick from the food outside and (at a cost to us) we began a regular kitchen service to ensure students would be eating well-balanced, sanitary meals.
The YLC will arrange one field trip for each five-week term, each trip to places of historical and cultural interest, outside of Sana'a. If the students wish to do any other in-country travel, we can help them out.

IV Additional Student Services

The YLC will arrange visas for the students. They are required to send us a copy of their passports and we will obtain their entry visa. During their stay we will arrange for all of their necessary extensions.
Transportation to and from Sana'a International Airport will be provided for the students.
A Library with books ranging in topics from short stories to Academic works on the Arab World, along with Arabic dictionaries in all of the major world languages.
A computer lab with Internet access and word processing, in both English and Arabic, is open for the students from 8:00am until 8:00pm Saturday through Wednesday.
24-hour health and security services are offered for students during their stay. We arrange for any medical treatment as needed in quality private hospitals in the city. Medical expenses, however, are the responsibility of the student and some form of coverage is recommended. Our facilities are staffed with 24-hour guards to ensure our students safety.
The YLC has an agreement with Yemenia Airways to provide discounted airfare for students traveling to Yemen. We require that the students arrange their flights through this agreement, and we will handle all of the booking and confirmations. The students are required to pay for their airfare.
The house is equipped with laundry facilities, a fully stocked kitchen, European bathrooms and a television with European and Arab satellite. There are telephones with international lines in each room, so you can call and receive calls from your room. The guesthouse is located in the heart of the city, right next to Tahrir Square and about a two-minute walk from the center.
The meals include breakfast and lunch, Saturday through Wednesday for the duration of your stay. The food is a mixture of traditional Yemeni food and Western food, catering to vegetarians or non-vegetarians. We found that very often students were getting sick from the food outside and (at a cost to us) we began a regular kitchen service to ensure students would be eating well-balanced, sanitary meals.

V Additional Information

Yemen is a country that while weak in formal institutions is marked by strong ties in personal relationships. Accordingly, the YLC believes in providing a personalized service to its students. With this desire in mind, we would encourage the exchange of whatever information is possible between your university and the YLC regarding both our programs and students. Specifically, we would like to know what topics your students will have covered during previous instruction, and where their individual strengths and needs lie. Not all college students adapt to a culture like Yemen's with ease, and we would be appreciative of whatever assistance your university might be able to provide in our efforts to facilitate this cultural transition.

In order to maintain a our good reputation and standing in the Yemeni community, the YLC reserves the right to expel any student from the program for the following reasons:
1. Failure to make satisfactory progress
2. Chronic nonattendance of classes
3. Culturally inappropriate behavior in this conservative Muslim country that would have a negative impact on the activities of the YLC.