Why Gap at CET Jordan?
Want to spend your gap term interning abroad or building critical language skills? Or maybe you’re looking to experience the Middle East beyond what you see in the news. You’re in luck—a gap program at CET Jordan will set you up with the tools to become an independent learner of Arabic while giving you the supportive network to navigate your gap experience in Amman, Jordan.
program highlights
- Intensive Modern Standard Arabic and Jordanian Dialect coursework
- Engage with the local community through custom internship placements
- Climb the city ruins, shop at the Friday flea market, see King Hussein Gardens
- Special focus on supporting the gap experience
- Travel out of Amman to see Wadi Rum, swim in the Dead sea, and explore Petra
TAKEAWAYS
- International and intercultural experience to benefit college essays
- College credits and an official transcript from the University of Minnesota
- Experiences to inform and shape college and career-related decision making
- Improved language skills and an official OPI score to add to your résumé
- Established intercultural workplace skills and relevant experience for your résumé
Why go with Gap at CET?
In our 35+ years within international education, we’ve developed a keen understanding of the student experience abroad and a strong reputation for thoughtful, immersive, and supportive programming.
Academics
Program
Snapshot
- Recommended Credits: 9-12/semester; 9/summer
- Study Intensive MSA and Jordanian Dialect
- Not-for-credit internship option
- Weekly Arabic language partner sessions
- Limited language pledge
- Fall/Spring seminar that tackles gap student-related topics
- Out-of-class learning & assignments
Critical Language With Critical Skills
Take intensive language classes, live with a local roommate, uphold a language pledge, take on an local internship, and have a language partner… it’s no surprise our students make incredible strides in MSA and Jordanian Dialect. And with this kind of exposure before you even begin college, you won’t just have academic credits to give you a boost—you’ll have the skills, cultural competency, and insight to inform your college experience and set you apart from your peers.
A Seminar for the Gap Experience*
Taking on a gap term is more than just learning a new language or traveling to another country—it’s an intentional pause in your academic path for personal reflection and exploration. Your language classes and internship keep you busy, but this gap-focused seminar creates a space for facilitated reflection and discussion, as well as activities that help you explore and build skills for the future.
*This course is not offered during summer terms
Oral Proficiency Interview
Coursework & Syllabi
Fall/Spring: LANGUAGE
You combine one 6-credit MSA course, one 3-credit Jordanian Dialect course, one 3-credit language elective, and a not-for-credit gap student seminar to meet the total of 12 recommended credits.
You are placed into one of these 6-credit courses:
You are placed into one of these 3-credit courses:
You have the option to add one of these electives to your course load for 12 total credits. These courses are taught in the target language.
- AM/LANG 222/322/422 Living Language: Jordanian Dialect in Popular Culture
- AM/LANG 233/333/433 Living Language: Modern Standard Arabic in Practice
You and other Gap at CET students from all over the world meet to reflect and explore topics and issues unique to gap students. This not-for-credit course is taught in English and conducted virtually once a week.
Fall/Spring: LANGUAGE + INTERNSHIP
You combine one 6-credit MSA course, one 3-credit Jordanian Dialect course, a not-for-credit internship, and a not-for-credit gap student seminar to meet the total of 9 recommended credits.
You are placed into one of these 6-credit courses:
You are placed into one of these 3-credit courses:
You conduct a not-for-credit internship at a local organization.
Note: Internship placements start approximately two weeks into the term, after you’ve had a chance to warm up your Arabic.
You and other Gap at CET students from all over the world meet to reflect and explore topics and issues unique to gap students. This not-for-credit course is taught in English and conducted virtually once a week.
You learn about personal strengths and learning styles, establish/track goals and identify any potential barriers, and even explore careers and intended majors.
SUMMER term
You commit to a full language pledge and combine one 6-credit MSA course and one 3-credit Jordanian Dialect course for a total of 9 recommended credits.
"Getting off the plane in Amman for the first time, I barely spoke Arabic and knew nothing of the country. By the end of the program, I'd written half a dozen academic papers in Arabic, made more friends than I can count, and gained a language I love. Cannot recommend highly enough."
American University | Fall student
Housing & Meals
COVID Modifications
Because of precautions CET is taking related to COVID-19, your housing experience will look different from standard programming. Please see the COVID playbook page for more information.
- Apartment
- Off-campus housing in residential area
- Live with CET peers & local Jordanian students
- 2-4 people/apartment
- 1-2 people/room
- Shared kitchen, living room, bathrooms, in-house washing machine
- Wifi, AC, space heaters, bed and bath linens, basic furnishing, kitchenware, TV with satellite, laundry drying rack
Your apartment is different from what you might find in the US—from the typical furnishings to the home life culture. You share a space with local roommates and other CET gap and college students and have everything you need—markets, cafés, restaurants—within walking distance. This isn’t just a place to live, it’s an extension of your Arabic language classroom and a daily opportunity for cultural exchange. You’ll use your language skills to help you navigate your new life and immerse yourself in Jordanian culture and customs.
Local Roommates
Living in Amman will be different—there are parts of the culture you don’t understand. English may disappear from your surroundings. And basic things, like navigating a market or ordering at a restaurant, are processes you suddenly have to relearn. These challenges are exactly what’s exciting about gap abroad—and your local roommates are your go-to resource for all things Jordan. Sure, they might teach you how to fry the perfect falafel or introduce you to an Arabic soap opera, but what they’re really doing is bringing local culture and language into your everyday life.
Eating in Amman
On-site Staff
Manal Yousef
Academic Director
Mazen Bernieh
Resident Director,
Logistics
Ahmad AbuShaikha
Resident Director,
Student Life
Life in Amman
- Known locally as: عَمّان ʻAmmān
- Population: 4.008 million
- Local Currency: Jordanian Dinar
- Famous for: Delicious food, Amman Citadel ruins, hospitable people, cultural diversity, central location
Amman is the place to be—it’s lively, diverse, and there’s no shortage of opportunities to take your Arabic language skills for a spin. Explore the city’s traditional side by shopping at the Friday flea market or watching the sunset from the Citadel after dinner downtown. Or enjoy the Amman’s more cosmopolitan perks: see a concert with friends or sip on Arabic coffee after enjoying street art in Lweibdeh.
Activities & Excursions
Around Amman
Each term, the program offers different extra-curricular activities that allow you to explore Amman, experience Jordanian culture, or just unwind with your friends. Relax during a yoga session. Try your hand at sand art or Arabic calligraphy. And there’s more to see on your own or with friends—have a barbecue outside the city, hike in Wadi Mujib, or attend a concert with your language partner.
Three-Day Retreat
"Through this program, I’ve encountered so many people and experiences I never thought I’d be able to see and do. It was very challenging in the beginning, but we were surrounded by people willing to open up their culture to us and help us explore the differences between our cultures in a safe and exciting way. My language partner and local roommate helped me accomplish this. "
UNC Chapel Hill | Summer student
Program Costs
Fall/Spring
$13,390
|
Summer
$8,190
Fall/Spring: $13,390
Summer : $8,190
CET aims to make program fees as inclusive as possible to minimize out-of-pocket costs.
All of your classes and program-related learning are included with your tuition.
From pre-departure to orientation, from on site to re-entry, CET provides you with the support you need every step of the way.
You’re provided with a comprehensive insurance plan that includes medical evacuation coverage.
The activities and excursions that we arrange are included in your program fee. All you need to do is remember to bring your camera!
Your textbooks and course supplies are covered and waiting for you on site.
Estimated
Out-of-Pocket
Costs for Fall/Spring
- Round-trip Airfare: $750 - $1,040
- Meals: $1,200 - $1,400
- Personal Expenses: $900 - $1,100
- University of Minnesota Transcript (optional): $425
Estimated
Out-of-Pocket
Costs for Summer
- Round-trip Airfare: $1,260 - $1,450
- Meals: $600 - $800
- Personal Expenses: $450 - $550
- University of Minnesota Transcript (optional): $425
To be eligible for a Gap at CET program, you:
- Must be 18 or order at the time of program participation
- Should have a high school diploma but are not yet enrolled at a college or university degree program
- Are recommended to have a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher. Admissions decisions are made on a case-by-case basis, so students with lower GPAs are still encouraged to apply.
Complete the application through your online CET account. This is a brief form that asks for basic information and has a few short answer questions about why you want to study abroad.
Use the link in your online account to send a recommendation request to one of your previous teachers.
Your online CET account has specific instructions for submitting an official transcript.
A phone interview with a CET staff member is a required step of the application process. You will be contacted soon after the completion of your other application materials.
Fall deadline:
May 1st
Spring deadline:
November 1st
Summer deadline:
March 1st
Price Subject to Change:
CET reserves the right to increase quoted charges at any time without prior notification, based on increased instruction costs, exchange rate fluctuation or other cost increases beyond CET’s control.
Have a question? Get in touch!
Melanie MacKenzie
Senior Student Services Coordinator
Advises on CET programs in Brazil, Colombia, Japan, and Jordan.
202.846.7662
[email protected]
