International Students NVIC
Study Arabic and Middle East Studies in Cairo
at the Netherlands-Flemish Institute in Cairo (NVIC)
Fall semester (31 August-18 December 2025)
International Students (10 spots available)
International BA and MA students, who are not from our partner universities, can now apply for a semester abroad in Cairo at the Netherlands-Flemish Institute in Cairo. We are an academic centre in the heart of Cairo administered by Leiden University. The institute’s programmes are fully accredited semesters, designed for students who wish to spend time in Egypt to learn Arabic and explore the history and politics of the region. For the Fall 2025 programmes, we have 10 spots available to international students in the BA Middle East Studies and the MA Arabic Studies.
1. BA MIDDLE EAST STUDIES PROGRAMME (30 ECTS)
The Middle East Studies programme at NVIC targets second and third year bachelor students of the humanities, social sciences or related fields. The interdisciplinary programme aims to familiarize students with various topics on the region with a particular focus on Egypt. The programme consists of 5 modules, three of which explore political, economic, and cultural issues taught in English (6 hours per week) and two Arabic language modules (8 hours per week) at various levels.
|
Course module |
Hours/w |
ECTS |
|
Egyptian Colloquial Arabic |
6 |
10 |
|
Modern Standard Arabic |
2 |
5 |
|
Gender in Egypt: Historical and Contemporary Perspectives |
2 |
5 |
|
Middle East Geographies |
2 |
5 |
|
Imagining Egypt: National identity formation and Imagined Communities in Egypt: |
2 |
5 |
|
Total |
14 |
30 |
Entry Requirements for the BA Middle East Studies programme
- Letter of motivation
- Academic transcript of previous year
- Letter of recommendation from your supervising professor
- No Arabic language level requirement needed. Beginners students are welcome to apply.
- Proficiency in English
2. MA ARABIC STUDIES PROGRAMME (30 ECTS)
The MA Semester Arabic & Islamic Studies at NVIC is an intensive language-acquisition programme targeting advanced students of Arabic. Students who have completed BA training in Arabic or equivalent are invited to apply. The programme is designed to expand and perfect the students’ oral and written skills in Modern Standard and Egyptian Colloquial Arabic, as well as their knowledge of the literature and social, political, and religious phenomena of the Arab world and Egypt in particular.
|
Course module |
Hours/w |
ECTS |
|
Advanced Skills in Egyptian Colloquial Arabic |
4/6 |
5 |
|
Advanced Skills in Modern Standard Arabic (Writing, Media, Oral) |
4/6 |
10 |
|
Texts in Context I (MSA Reading) |
2 |
5 |
|
Texts in Context II (MSA Reading) |
2 |
5 |
|
Art Seminar (Calligraphy course) |
2 |
5 |
|
Total |
30 |
Entry Requirements for the MA Arabic Studies programme
- Letter of motivation
- Academic transcript of previous year, including test scores for Arabic language courses
- Letter of recommendation from your supervising professor
- Proficiency in English
- MSA and ECA level equivalent to B1-B2 (as this is for advanced students, an entry interview may be conducted).
Calendar dates
Fall 2025
(31 August – 18 December )
31 August: Orientation Day
1 September: Classes start
12-16 October: Mid-term exams
19-23 October: Mid-term Break
26 October: Classes resume
7-11 December: STUVAC
14-18 December: Final Exams
Costs
€1950 tuition fee for a full semester (€65 per ECTS), plus €250 administration fee.
These costs do not cover flight, accommodation, or daily expenses.
Accommodation
Usually students share flats with other students. All practical information will be communicated in the summer.
Application
Please fill in our application form by 20 April 2025. Successful candidates will be notified in late May.
More information
Check out our website and our FAQ section for more information, or email us at info@nvic.leidenuniv.nl