Study Levantine Arabic: If you’re interested in learning Levantine Colloquial Arabic, also known as Shami Arabic (Ammiya – اللهجة الشامية), the Excellence Center is the perfect choice for you! We offer a range of options, including super-intensive, intensive, and non-intensive Arabic immersion courses. The Excellence Center warmly welcomes anyone eager to master this beautiful language while experiencing the rich and vibrant Palestinian culture.
Whether you are an undergraduate, graduate, professional, or retiree, our Arabic language programs are designed for all. Our courses are also designed for all levels of Levantine Arabic. If you are a current college or university student, we can even provide you with academic credit towards your studies!
Throughout your individualized Arabic program, you will also be immersed in the Palestinian culture and daily life. You will get to experience Palestinian cuisine, culture, history, the political situation, and MUCH more.
You will also have the opportunity to meet like minded people from around the world as we host a number of international volunteers and students. Additionally, we arrange regular sightseeing trips around the breathtaking city of Hebron, West Bank.
Intensive Levantine Arabic Programs in 2025/2026
The Excellence Center in Palestine is now accepting applications for its 2025/2026 Levantine Arabic Programs, including Intensive Levantine Arabic Language Courses, Summer Levantine Arabic Programs, Online Levantine Arabic Lessons, and Winter Levantine Arabic Programs. We look forward to welcoming you to these exciting opportunities in 2025/2026!
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Full Cultural Experience
If you are looking for a Levantine Colloquial Arabic course in the area of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, the West Bank, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon or Middle East or are interested in experiencing the full cultural experience, we can accommodate ALL of your needs. The Excellence Center is like one big family, and we will do everything we can to make your stay an unforgettable experience.
Levantine Colloquial Arabic Immersion Classes
This course can span from one week to three months and runs year-round. We also offer a four week intensive Levantine course in a small group setting during the Summer. We are very flexible in accommodating any and all of your needs.
Levantine Arabic Courses
The Center’s Levantine Arabic courses teach daily colloquial tasks, covering idioms and phrases. Students learn speaking, writing, reading, and listening with Levantine phonetics. Topics tailored for conversation are included based on the course level. Choose from four difficulty levels: beginner, elementary, intermediate, and advanced.
Formats include intensive, super-intensive, and non-intensive, differing in weekly instruction hours and different degrees of cultural immersion. Courses by the Excellence Center in Palestine are year-round with no set deadlines, allowing flexibility in starting your Levantine journey.
What Is The Levant And Levantine Arabic?
The Levant, a geohistorical term denoting the Eastern Mediterranean of western Asia, encompasses Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Palestine, and more. Its population of about 44.5 million comprises diverse cultures and ethnicities, including Arabic, Aramaic, Armenian, and others.
Situated in the Fertile Crescent, the Levant’s strategic location connected Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Africa, fostering a melting pot shaped by civilizations like the Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, and Ottomans. These influences persist today. Learning Levantine Arabic unveils the region’s rich history and cultural blend, providing access to its diverse world and the wider Arab diaspora.
What Is Levantine Arabic?
Levantine, also known as Shami due to the Arabic word for the Levant being “Sham,” is a major Arabic dialect alongside Egyptian. With around 38 million native speakers in the Levant and the Arab diaspora, it’s widely taught to non-natives and understood across Arabic-speaking nations. Levantine is closely related to Modern Standard Arabic (MSA), sharing about 50% of its vocabulary, making it highly recognizable.
What Are The Levantine Subdialects?
Levantine Arabic sub-dialects split into northern and southern groups. North Levantine, or Syro-Lebanese Arabic, is found in Lebanon, northern Levant countries, Turkey’s coastal areas, and parts of Syria. Southern Levantine is spoken in Palestine, Jordan, and southern Syria, mainly the Hauran region.
Why Learn Levantine Arabic?
Learning spoken Levantine Arabic offers diverse and extensive benefits. With about 44 million native speakers, this dominant dialect connects learners to Arabic-speaking societies, histories, and cultures worldwide. Whether for travel, business, recreation, lineage, or curiosity, studying Levantine Arabic fosters connections to a diverse, influential region.
Arabic students can engage with individuals and communities across Arabic-speaking nations and the diaspora, even in their local communities. This dialect opens doors to meaningful interactions and understanding within the global Arabic-speaking community.
Benefits of Studying Levantine Arabic
- Gain access to one of the most widely understood dialects, spoken by around 44 million people
- Be able to easily travel throughout the Levant
- Learn more about Levantine history and culture through language
General Information About Levantine Arabic
| Number of Speakers | Approximately 44 Million |
| Language Family | Afro-Asiatic > Semitic |
| Dialects | North Levantine South Levantine |
| Writing System | Arabic alphabet |
Qualified Teachers
The Excellence Center prides itself on its faculty and staff, all of whom are native Levantine Arabic speakers. However, many of our teachers have varying degrees in related fields such as Teaching Arabic to Non-native Speakers, Teaching Arabic as a Second Language, Arabic Cultural Studies, Arabic Literary Studies, and many others.
Are The Courses Taught In English?
The short answer is yes, all of our Levantine Arabic courses are geared towards English speakers. However, for the sake of immersion, the higher the course level the less English will be utilized in the classroom.
Please also keep in mind that when navigating through Hebron, students will need to utilize their Arabic and rely on their own skills to the best of their ability, thereby creating a fully immersive experience.
Specific Course Information
The Study Levantine Arabic Program is available in 4 distinct course levels, with course loads offered in either intensive, super-intensive or non-intensive for each. The variety of Levantine Arabic courses are designed to give students the maximum amount of learning options, all while being tailored to fit their specific language needs.
Each Levantine Colloquial Arabic course offered by the Excellence Center is designed to immerse students in Arabic language and culture, as well as prepare them for the lifelong process of learning another language! Below you may find the list of courses available in this program.
Arabic Course Levels On Offer
The Excellence Center in Palestine provide the following Levantine Arabic courses
| Levantine Arabic Intensive Program | Summer Levantine Arabic Courses |
| Arabic (Colloquial Levantine) Beginners Course | Online Levantine Arabic Programs |
Beginner
The Beginner course is designed for students with absolutely no previous Arabic language experience of any kind. This course will introduce students to basic concepts including the Arabic alphabet, writing systems, grammar fundamentals, phonetics, and common vocabulary and colloquial phrases.
The Beginner Levantine Arabic will create a strong, linguistic foundation from which students may leap into the diverse, complex, and ever-expanding world of the Levant.
Elementary
This course is intended to continue where the previous course left off, building on students’ foundational Arabic language knowledge. This entails the introduction of new vocabulary and slightly more complex grammatical rules into the curriculum, as well as regular reading, writing, and speaking exercises.
Upon the completion of this course, students will be able to converse, read, and write about elementary subjects such as shopping, asking for directions, and expressing preferences.
Intermediate
The intermediate course will introduce students into a more immersive curriculum than the previous levels; this will entail venturing into the Palestinian community of Hebron in order to communicate with native speakers and complete everyday tasks.
For example, students may be instructed to purchase items from a Palestinian market, order from a restaurant, discuss preferences about a certain topic, or other colloquial activities. Students will also be introduced to subjects in class which touch upon specific issues such as culture, art, and politics, and will learn the vocabulary needed to further converse about these topics in a concise and well-informed manner.
Advanced
This course will combine all the previous courses’ curricula, maintaining the immersive nature of the Intermediate level while also expanding into complex reading, writing, and spoken materials. Additionally, students will conduct research in the community of Hebron on a variety of subjects.
With all these methods and materials combined, students will be able to establish a firm understanding and grammatical competency of Levantine Arabic. Upon completion of this course students will be able to articulate their thoughts and opinions over complex matters such as politics, history, the environment, and the arts of Palestine.
What Is The Difference Between The Paces?
Not to be mistaken with course level itself, course intensities refer to the number of classes, the frequency at which classes are held, as well as their level of immersion and the amount of assigned homework.
1. Non-intensive Course
If you are interested in a long term Levantine program of 1-3 months, we recommend students enroll in a non-intensive course, which will provide you with plenty of in-class instruction(4 lesson hours* per day, 3 days a week) while still leaving ample time to explore the city of Hebron and immerse yourself in Palestinian culture.
2. Intensive Course
The intensive Levantine course is designed to further immerse students in the Arabic language and culture. These courses are held 5 days a week for approximately 4 lesson hours* each day, giving a total of about 20 lesson hours* of instruction per week. Intensive Arabic courses will also add additional homework and out of classroom assignments for participants.
3. Super-intensive Course
Finally, our super-intensive levantine courses are designed for students who are looking for an accelerated Arabic course in a completely immersive, high-intensity classroom setting. Super-intensive Arabic courses are conducted 5 days a week at 6 lesson hours* of instruction per day, totaling approximately 30 lesson hours* per week. We recommend those studying less than a month enroll in this program.
* Please note that 1 lesson hour = 45 minutes.
Which Arabic Course Is For Me?
If you are having difficulty deciding in which course to enroll, the Excellence Center offers a free placement test to evaluate students’ Arabic language skills in 4 crucial areas: speaking, reading, writing, and listening.
We are always happy to consult you if you have any questions regarding course levels or intensity. Our contact information can be found at the bottom of this page, along with our Facebook page and other social media platforms.
Study Levantine Colloquial Arabic In Summer
Summer is the peak period at the Excellence Center, bustling with international students and volunteers. From late June to September, our Levantine Colloquial Arabic courses follow a unique format. New four-week intensive courses start on the first of each month (July, August, September), offering 4-6 daily Arabic lesson hours, five days weekly, totaling 80 lesson hours per month. You can immerse yourself for up to three months.
Choose your level or take a placement test upon arrival for accurate placement. Levels range from Beginner to Advanced. Small groups of 2-5 students ensure collaborative learning in and out of class. Enjoy two days off (Friday and Saturday) for travel and exploration, and connect with fellow students and volunteers.
Beyond lessons, our sightseeing trips immerse you in Palestinian culture, history, and daily life in Hebron. University students seeking summer Arabic learning, whether for credit or personal enrichment, find our programs ideal. Academic credit is available through our partnership with the Palestinian Ministry of Education.
Applications for our summer Arabic Program in Palestine close on May 30th each year, though inquiries about availability are welcome anytime. The fee for each four-week summer course is 1750€ per person. Join us to enhance your Arabic skills and experience vibrant Palestinian culture firsthand.
General Information Regarding Levantine Arabic Courses
| Colloquial Levantine Arabic Courses | Super-Intensive Program | Intensive Program | Non-Intensive Program |
| Program Duration | 1-13 weeks | 1-13 weeks | 1-13 weeks |
| Lessons Per week | 30 | 20 | 12 |
| Days Per Week | 5 | 5 | 3 |
| Lesson Duration | 45 minutes | 45 minutes | 45 minutes |
| Average Class Size | 1-3 students | 1-3 students | 1-3 students |
| Maximum Class Size | 3 students | 3 students | 3 students |
| Program Levels | Beginner Elementary Intermediate Advanced | Beginner Elementary Intermediate Advanced | Beginner Elementary Intermediate Advanced |
| Lesson Periods | Morning 8:30-12:30 Afternoon 12:30-16:00 | Morning 8:30-12:30 Afternoon 12:30-16:00 | Morning 8:30-12:30 Afternoon 12:30-16:00 |
| Application Deadline | No Deadline | No Deadline | No Deadline |
| Start/End Dates | Flexible | Flexible | Flexible |
| Program Fee Per week | Price List | Price List | Price List |
| University Credit | Available | Available | Available |
Housing
edit: When staying in Hebron, our female students will generally stay with a Palestinian host family and our male students will generally stay in our modern apartments which are 5 minutes walk from the center ; in either case, there are advantages to both. For those staying in the shared nice apartment you will have extra time to become acquainted with other male students and volunteers at the Center.
For women, staying with a Palestinian host family will provide you with an intimate view into Palestinian daily life, customs, and culture, while also giving you a chance to become familiar with family structures and taste some of the delicious Palestinian cuisine. It’s also likely that participants residing with a host family will be invited to family gatherings and cultural events, guaranteeing a culturally immersive experience!
Whichever housing option you have, we are sure that your time in Palestine will be immersive, enriching and memorable!
Free Time And Weekend Exploration
Explore Palestine and Israel during your stay with us. Our Hebron-based courses offer ample free time, allowing you to uncover the region’s attractions. Hebron, a historic city, boasts shops, cafes, and more. Enjoy two days off per week (four for non-intensive courses) for personal excursions.
Connect with fellow students or volunteers to visit cities like Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Jaffa, Haifa, Eilat, Ramallah, Jenin, Nablus, and Tel Aviv. Affordable and accessible, travel within Palestine enhances your Arabic practice. You’ll find your schedule filling up and time flying by as you make the most of this enriching experience.
Your Benefits While Studying Arabic With Us
- Immerse in Palestinian culture and daily life while studying Arabic in Hebron
- Experienced, dedicated Arabic teachers with strong educational backgrounds
- Enhance language skills through interaction with native speakers in the community
- Guided trips to old city, holy sites, and more
- Engage with Palestinian students and teachers
- Free time for independent travel to historical sites and neighboring cities
- Explore nearby cities and those in Jordan
- Accommodation with a host family or in our modern shared apartments
- Attend Palestinian cultural events and entertainment
- Receive a participant certificate upon completion
When Does The Levantine Colloquial Arabic Course Take Place?
The Excellence Center accepts students year-round. Students decide when they would like to start and The Excellence Center will organize it. We are very flexible when it comes to starting and ending dates. Participants freely choose their study period.
Awards And Recognition
With a decade of experience, the Excellence Center in Hebron has garnered positive feedback from over 1000 international interns, students, and volunteers since 2011.
Our commitment to excellence is evident through our accolades: in 2022, we ranked top three globally for volunteer opportunities and language schools by Go Overseas, winning five Community Choice Awards.
In 2021, we were again rated top three for volunteer opportunities and received awards for “Best Language School,” excelling in “fun” and “instruction.”
The Excellence Center received its first Go Overseas Community Choice Award in 2019, recognizing our impact on the global traveler community. Consistently highly rated, our programs continue to offer exceptional travel experiences.
Check out our many great reviews here:
- 835+ Reviews (96%) on Gooverseas.com
- 160+ Reviews (94%) on Goabroad.com
- Participants’ video testimonials
Traveling On Your Own To Palestine?
Rest assured, you’re in the right place! Engage effortlessly with Palestinian students, locals, and diverse community members who embrace cultural exchange. Hebron fosters connections and meaningful friendships, with international visitors from around the world studying, volunteering, and interning. Participate in educational and community activities organized by the Excellence Center, while weekends often bring shared travel adventures.
Many first-time travelers find Hebron welcoming and settle in quickly. At the Excellence Center, everyone, from Palestinian students to international visitors and staff, forms a close-knit family, engaging in a variety of shared activities. Hebron’s social atmosphere makes it an ideal hub for an enriching stay.
How To Get A Visa To Study Arabic In Palestine
Generally, upon your arrival at Ben Gurion Airport (Tel Aviv Airport), Israel, you will be granted a tourist visa valid for 90 days. You can also get this visa upon arrival at Eilat Airport in Israel or at one of the land border crossings with Egypt or Jordan. This tourist visa is sufficient to participate in our Arabic courses.
Usually, no prior visa is needed for Americans, Canadians, Britons, Australians and most Europeans in order to enter Palestine (and Israel), as they usually qualify for the visa exemption agreement.
Summary
The Excellence Center’s Study Levantine Arabic program offers a transformative experience for those seeking spoken Arabic proficiency, cultural immersion, and vibrant Palestinian city life. Our unique approach extends beyond classrooms, integrating diverse Arabic learning opportunities with real-world usage. This immersive Levantine Arabic course caters to students of all backgrounds, including university students who can earn academic credit.
Beyond Arabic classes, you’ll be steeped in Palestinian culture and daily life, with free days to explore and organized visits to key sites. Interact with international peers and embrace a flexible Intensive Arabic course for 1-13 weeks year-round. Join our Hebron family, apply today, and embark on your linguistic journey!
How To Apply
If you are interested in participating in our Study Levantine Arabic Program, please write to us at Rafat@excellencenter.org. We will respond to your initial inquiry within 1-2 business days.
In the subject line of your email please write “Study Levantine Arabic,”. We will reply with an application form attached. Please fill this out and return to us to begin the on-boarding process.
Related Arabic Programs
How To Get Further Information
For more information, please visit our website: https://excellencenter.org/
WhatsApp:+972 599 479 880
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/excellence.center
Facebook account: https://www.facebook.com/RafatECHebron
Watch us on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsQSLdFZWZcBm6Uj0XMYuKg
Visit and Explore Palestine: https://www.facebook.com/ExplorePalestine
