Welcome to
At CET, our goal is to make study abroad accessible for all. We believe that learning happens best when your class reflects the world around us—complex and diverse. So we work hard to create and maintain programs that support students of all races, religions, abilities, gender identities, and sexual orientations. No matter where you are coming from, we want you to have the chance to have a successful study abroad experience.
CET makes every effort to offer accommodations comparable to those of your home institution. Disclosing early helps us to make proper preparations and work with you to determine if a program will be a good fit. We recommend that you use the following details to inform your decisions and conversations with your Student Services Coordinator.
Race & Ethnicity
Amman enjoys cultural, national, ethnic, age, and occupational diversity and is considered to be a very open city within the Middle East. However, the average Jordanian person is not surrounded by the same racial diversity that exists in the US and as a result racism manifests itself differently. It may express itself in various ways—through words, ways of thinking, some laws, etc.—but rarely does it escalate to physical harassment.
LGBTQ
While homosexuality itself is not illegal in Jordan, same-sex marriage is not permitted by law. However, the legality of homosexuality should not be conflated with overall acceptance by Jordanian society. Generally speaking, the local culture is less welcoming of LGBTQ issues and individuals than the US, but there are increasingly more exceptions. These include but are not limited to less religious individuals and those of upper socioeconomic backgrounds who may be more open minded. There are no official support groups that students can reach out to, but there are certain spaces where local LGBTQ individuals may find community.
Gender
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Religion
Muslim and Christian students are free to practice their religious beliefs and can easily find a mosque or church in the city. Those of other religions cannot publicly practice their faith, but the program can provide excused absences for religious holidays with advanced notice. Proselytizing is illegal in Jordan.
Cost of Living
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Relative to other countries in the Middle East, the cost of living in Jordan is generally on par. Check out our budget sheet to get an idea of what life in Jordan might look like financially.
Abroad
ACCESS in ACADEMICS: LANGUAGE
Day-to-Day
Semester and summer intensive language students typically attend classes for about 4 hrs/day with 1-2 office hour(s) each week. On average, classes are around 4 students/class, but can be anywhere from 1 to 8 students maximum. For every hour of class, students are expected to complete a minimum of 1 hour of homework. Exams are taken by hand, without use of computer. A low-distraction test environment, extra time on exams, modified deadlines and seating, exam readers, note-takers, and syllabi/readings/assignments in advance are a few available accommodations for students with documented need. Reach out to your Student Services Coordinator for a complete list.
Classrooms
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Out-of-Class Activities
CET occasionally plans mandatory academic activities and optional trips to nearby sites and other cities after class and on weekends. Excursions may involve urban walking, rural hiking, use of public transportation, and/or going up and down stairs.
Itinerary modifications and accommodations can be made for students with documented need. Transportation can be arranged as necessary, and excused absences are provided for mandatory excursions that are inaccessible due to a disability.
ACCESS in ACADEMICS: INTERNSHIP
Day-to-Day
Semester and summer students typically attend classes for about 4 hrs/day with 1 required office hour each week. On average, classes are around 4 students/class, but can be anywhere from 1 to 8 students maximum. For every hour of class, students are expected to complete a minimum of 1 hour of homework. Exams are taken by hand, without use of computer. A low-distraction test environment, extra time on exams, modified deadlines and seating, exam readers, note-takers, and syllabi/readings/assignments in advance are a few available accommodations for students with documented need. Reach out to your Student Services Coordinator for a complete list.
Internships offer varied work environments and require varied tasks. Interns typically two full days each week. Distances and modes of transportation to internship sites vary. Private transportation to and from internship sites can be arranged for a student with documented need.
Classrooms
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ACCESS IN HOUSING
Your Home Abroad
Apartments differ in layout but are all located in two buildings about 5-minutes’ walk from one another. These apartment buildings also house Jordanian families (as well as CET staff), so it is crucial that students respect local norms in and around housing. Commuting from housing to the University of Jordan campus takes a 10-minute walk, and an extra 5 minutes to reach the CET offices. Housing setups are not wheelchair accessible.
Housing Assignments
Mixed-gender housing is forbidden by Jordanian law, so housing assignments are arranged following a student’s passport-listed gender. However, arrangements can be made to accommodate gender non-conforming students if notice is provided in advance.
Rooms are typically shared, but a single room in an apartment, with a private shower or toilet, may be available for students with documented need if requested in advance.
Around Amman
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Fall 2018
Health & Medicine
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Keeping Fit in Amman
Our host university provides many campus amenities, including a running track and other sports facilities that CET students have free access to with their University of Jordan student ID cards. There are also multiple gyms around the housing area that past students have been paid members of.
Managing Mental Health
There are two mental health specialists in the GeoBlue provider network, and even more available in Amman that students would be able to submit a claim for. There are also a number of American and British mental health specialists who could also work with students who need to speak with someone of a similar cultural background.
Dietary Restrictions
Special dietary needs are not as common in Jordan, so restaurants do not have the same regulations about the contamination/mixing of ingredients. Students with severe allergies are advised to cook for themselves at home and to be extra careful when eating out. Staff can help these students when arranging meals during trips and provide them the verbiage to make special requests at restaurants. Amman also has western-style supermarkets where students with dietary restrictions can purchase more familiar ingredients for home-cooked meals.
There are many options available that cater to a variety of diets, but generally speaking, traditional Jordanian food is very heavy on bread, dairy, and meat.
from Alumni
Perspective pieces
These are alumni-written essays that reflect upon how their own identity affected their time abroad (both good and bad) and what it was like to navigate another culture in their position. We encourage you to read these to better understand what studying abroad in Japan could be like for you or your future peers.
- Being Foreign
The foreign-presenting experience in Amman
By Anonymous Contributor, CET Jordan | Fall 2018
BLOG Posts
This is a curated list of blog posts chosen specifically to provide context for life abroad. Posts here may cover culture shock, diversity, daily life and workload, etc. To see all posts from students in Jordan, head to the Student Voices blog.
- Photo Essay | CET Jordan
By Student McStudentson, Soka University | Fall 2018 - On Belonging: Studying Abroad in Asia as an Asian American/Heritage Learner
By Kyla Aiko Smith, Scripps College | Fall 2018 - Life with a Language Pledge in Osaka
By Jacob Clements, University of Kansas | Summer 2018
Alumni Insight
In final evaluations, we ask students how their identities affected their experience abroad. The following are a few select quotes from recent program evaluations to help you understand what life in Jordan may be like for you or your future peers.
TALK TO ALUMNI
Chat with alumni about their experiences abroad. Once you start an application, your online CET account will give you access to the following resources:
- Alumni Support List: A directory of students who have volunteered to chat about their experiences abroad in Japan.
- Identity Abroad Support Network: A group of students who have volunteered to discuss their identity-related experiences in Japan. This is a volunteer-based program that started in 2019. Volunteers can also opt to have their contact information kept privately by CET staff and only shared when certain lived experiences are asked about.
Don’t see anyone listed for the Identity Abroad Support Network? Call CET for more information and resources. Consider joining after your program to support other minority students abroad.