Visa Application

Visa Application

Get A Visa Application.


Please note that Citizens of the following countries do not need a visa to enter the Kingdom of Morocco and may stay up to 90 days.
Algeria - Andorra - Argentina - Australia - Austria - Bahrain - Belgium - Brazil - Bulgaria - Canada - Chile - Republic of Congo - Croatia - Cyprus - Czech Republic - Denmark - Estonia - Finland - France - Germany - Great Britain - Greece - Guinea (Conakry) - Hong Kong - Hungary - Iceland - Indonesia - Ireland - Italy - Ivory Coast - Japan - Kuwait - Latvia - Libya - Liechtenstein - Lithuania - Luxemburg - Mali - Malta - Mexico - Monaco - Netherlands - New Zealand - Niger - Norway - Oman - Peru - Philippines -Poland – Portugal - Puerto Rico - Qatar - Romania - Russian Federation - Saudi Arabia - Senegal - Singapore (Singaporean nationals may stay up to one month without visa) - Slovakia - Slovenia - South Korea - Spain - Sweden - Switzerland - Tunisia - Turkey - United Arab Emirates - United States of America - Venezuela.

Visitors intending to stay in Morocco longer than 90 days, however, should request a permission to extend the duration of their stay, at the nearest Police Precinct to their place of residence in Morocco. Citizens from countries not listed above do need a visa and the requirements are as follows:

Visa requirements for diplomats and officials of international organizations:

Visa application form duly filled out in capital letters and signed
Original passport (valid for over 6 months at the entry date)
Copy of the original passport (Pages 1-3)
Two passport size color photos with a white background
A verbal note
Visa processing fees will be waived for diplomats and officials of international organizations
Transit Visas:

A visa application form duly signed and filled out in capital letters
Original passport (valid for over 6 months at the entry date)
Copy of the original passport (Pages 1-3)
Two passport size color photos with a white background
Copy of the applicant's legal status in the US: Green card, F1 Visa, H1B-Visa, etc.
In case the applicant is a US visa holder, a copy of the I-94 (the I-94 is a document stapled to the passport) is required
Copy of the plane tickets or of the confirmed reservation
Transit visa fees:

1 day stay period (one entry): $26
2 days stay period (one entry): $26
1 day or 2 days stay period (two entries): $39
Tourist visa:

A visa application form duly signed and filled out in capital letters
Original passport (valid for over 6 months at the entry date)
Copy of the original passport (Pages 1-3)
Two passport size color photos with a white background
Copy of the applicant's legal status in the US: Green card, F1 Visa, H1B-Visa, etc.
In case the applicant is a US visa holder, a copy of the I-94 (the I-94 is a document stapled to the passport) is required
Copy of the round trip plane tickets or of the confirmed reservation
Hotel reservation or notarized Letter of Invitation from your host in Morocco
For applicant married to Moroccan citizen, a copy of the marriage certificate and a copy of the Moroccan passport or national ID of the Moroccan spouse, can be a substitute for the invitation letter or for the hotel reservation
Tourist Visa fees:

3 to 90 days stay period (one entry): $26
3 to 90 days stay period (two entries): $39
Student visa:

A visa application form duly filled out in capital letters and signed
Original passport (valid for over 6 months at the entry date)
Copy of the original passport (Pages 1-3)
Two passport size color photos with white background
Copy of the applicant's legal status in the US: Green card, F1 Visa, H1B-Visa, etc.
In case the applicant is a US visa holder, a copy of the I-94 (the I-94 is a document stapled to the passport) is required
Copy of the admission letter or class registration issued by the school in Morocco
Copy of the plane tickets or of the confirmed reservation
Student Visa fees:

3 to 90 days stay period (one entry): $26
3 to 90 days stay period (two entries): $39
Business visa:

A visa application form duly filled out in capital letters and signed
Original passport (valid for over 6 months at the entry date)
Copy of the original passport (Pages 1-3)
Two passport size color photos with white background
Copy of the applicant's legal status in the US: Green card, F1 Visa, H1B-Visa, etc.
In case the applicant is a US visa holder, a copy of the I-94 (the I-94 is a document stapled to the passport) is required
Copy of the invitation letter issued by the company you are planning to visit in Morocco
Copy of the plane tickets or of the confirmed reservation
Business Visa fees:

3 to 90 days stay period (one entry): $26
3 to 90 days stay period (two entries): $39
Visa application for a minor

A minor who is not travelling with his/her parents, needs to provide a notarized letter signed by both parents authorizing the child to travel with designated adult. The parent authorization should submitted with the application.

Foreigners residing in Morocco

The formality of the return Visa for foreigners residing in Morocco has been waived as of January 1, 2005. Foreigners residing in Morocco, who have been subjected in the past to the formality of the return Visa, can enter and exit freely, with their residence card, their registration card, or the receipt of their residence card application.

Submitting your application

The visa application may be sent by mail or submitted either in person or by messenger. If you have to mail your passport, please do not use regular mail. Please include a prepaid self-addressed Express Mail envelope (Express-mail from the United States Postal Service is the only mailing form accepted for applicants residing in the USA) and keep your tracking number. Please note that completed visa applications should be mailed to the following address:

Visa Department
Consulate General of the Kingdom of Morocco
10 E 40 Street 23 Floor
New York, NY 10016
Method of payment:

Please be advised that this Consulate General does not accept personal checks. Only money orders, company checks, or cash (if applying in person) are accepted. Please do not send cash in the mail.

All payments should be made payable to the Consulate General of the Kingdom of Morocco.

Processing time:

Your application will be processed only if you provide all the requirements listed in the above guidelines. The processing time is no less than three business days.

Applicants who do not reside in the USA:

Residents of countries other than the USA must contact the nearest Moroccan Consulate or Embassy.

Refugee passports and travel documents:

Visa applications of refugees and nationals of some countries need to be approved in Morocco, which may take approximately six weeks, so please contact the visa officer at 1 (212) 758 2625, ext. 314 or at visa@moroccanconsulate.com to follow up on your application.

Tourist Information:

For tourist brochures, you may contact the Moroccan National Tourist Office at: Moroccan National Tourist Office 104 West 40th Street, Suite 1820 New York, NY 10018 Tel: 1 (212) 221 1583/84 Fax: 1 (212) 221-1887 e-mail: info@mnto-usa.org.

Important Information:

The decision to grant a visa will be at the sole discretion of the Consulate General of the Kingdom of Morocco.
The fact that a visa has been granted to an applicant does not mean that he/she will be entitled entry to the Moroccan territory. The prerequisites for entry will be checked again by the immigration services at the airport in Morocco.
More useful information concerning visiting Morocco can be found on the following link: www.visitmorocco.com
For further assistance or to follow-up on your application, you may contact the Visa Department by phone at (212) 758 2625 Ext. 314 or by e-mail at visa@moroccanconsulate.com


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Planning a trip to Morocco

Planning a Trip
At the crossroads of Africa, Arabia, and Europe, 21st-century Morocco is an exotic land of intriguing culture, mesmerizing landscapes, great shopping, and memorable experiences, and is welcoming Western travelers in record numbers. First-time travelers may know little about the country other than the ancient cities of Fes and Marrakech and the quintessential camel treks through the desert, but there's a lot to consider -- how to get there; money, health, and safety concerns; where to stay and what to eat; and what to see and where to shop.

Sounds good! What else do I need to know while planning a trip to Morocco?

First, check the current validity of your passport.

All travelers will need a passport valid for at least 90 days following your departure date from Morocco. However, we strongly recommend traveling with 6 months validity on your passport at all times. VisaHQ can assist U.S. citizens with a full range of expedited passport services, including new passport application and passport renewal.

Second, make sure your passport has blank Visa pages.

Most destinations, including Morocco, require that you have adequate un-used pages in your passport, allowing for any necessary stamps upon arrival and departure. We recommend that you have at least two free pages in Visas section of your passport before any international travel. U.S. citizens can get extra passport pages added to their passports as fast as within 24 hours.

Finally, confirm if transit visa is required for any connections.

Check with your airline in case you have connecting flights overseas as part of your journey to Morocco. It may be the case that countries you pass through en route to your destination may require a separate transit visa. Please refer to visa requirements of the specific country.


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Morocco Visa Information

Morocco Visa Information


Morocco Visa Requirements: Moroccan visa application form information on Morocco visas for travel, tourist visa, visitor / transit visa, student visa. Moroccan embassy address, information on Morocco immigration procedures for US citizens, Canadians, Indians, Australians, UK, EU citizens.
Learn4good provides general information on study, travel, work visa and business visa requirements and the addresses of embassies worldwide. You should contact your local embassy or consulate for the most up-to-date information or visa forms.

For Hotels, Hostels, Car Hire, Jobs and Schools in this country, see the menu options above. See our Travel Forum to create a travel topic and ask questions to fellow travelers.


Who requires a Visa?
What documents will be required?
Time required to issue a Visa
How do I apply?
What is the cost of a Visa?
How long is the Visa valid for?
Embassy contact information
Arabic Language Course in Morocco
Travel Guide



Who requires a visa?
Citizens holding passports of the following countries do not need a visa to enter the Kingdom of Morocco (If your stay is longer than 90 days, a resident permit is required and can be issued by the Police Department of your place of residence in Morocco): Algeria – Andorra – Argentina – Australia – Austria – Bahrain – Belgium – Brazil – Bulgaria – Canada – Chile – Congo Brazzaville – Croatia – Cyprus -Cote d’Ivoire – Czech Republic – Denmark – Estonia – Finland – France – Germany – Great Britain – Greece – Guinea (Conakry) – Hong Kong – Hungary – Iceland – Indonesia – Ireland – Italy – Ivory Coast – Japan – Kuwait – Latvia – Libya – Liechtenstein – Lithuania – Luxemburg – Mali – Malta – Mexico – Monaco – Netherlands – New Zealand – Niger – Norway – Oman – Peru – Philippines – Poland – Puerto Rico – Qatar – Romania – Russian Federation – Saudi Arabia – Senegal – Singapore (They can stay one month without visa) – Slovakia – Slovenia – South Korea – Spain – Sweden – Switzerland – Tunisia – Turkey – United Arab Emirates – United States of America – Venezuela.
Citizens from countries not listed above do need a visa.

What documents will be required?
The following documents are required for Tourist Visa:

Application form
Your original valid passport + copy of the first page with photo
04 passport size colour photos.
Copy of your detailed provisional flight itinerary.
Employment certificate from your employer
For students, copy of a recent letter from the school confirming that the applicant is attending the school.
For business owners, copy of the last Income Tax as substitute of the employment letter.
Hotel provisional reservation or notarized Letter of Invitation from your sponsor in Morocco.
For applicants married to Moroccan citizens, a copy of the marriage certificate plus a copy of the Moroccan passport or national ID of the Moroccan spouse can be a substitute for the invitation letter or for the hotel reservation.
Travel Insurance.

PASSPORTS: Passport valid for at least 6 months from date of entry required by all.

Note:
(a) Children up to and including 16 years may travel on their parents’ passport, but must have photographs included in these passports by the relevant passport authorities.
(b) All temporary travel document holders need to get clearance from Morocco, and this may take up to 2 months. Apply at nearest Consulate or Consular Section of Embassy for further details.

Time required to issue visa:
Typically, a visa takes anywhere from 2 days to 15 days to process in the Morocco Embassy/Consulate depending on the consulate that we need to send the application to and whether you choose to “rush” your Morocco visa.

How do I apply?
Application to: Consulate (or Consular section at Embassy); see Contact Addresses section.

Application requirements:
(a) One completed application form.
(b) Four passport-size photos taken within the previous 6 months.
(c) Passport (valid for at least 6 months from date of exit out of Morocco, and with at least one blank page), with a photocopy of the relevant data pages.
(d) Fee (payable by postal order only).
(e) Evidence of employment, enrolment as a student or bank statements.
(f) Photocopy of flight ticket(s).
(g) Photocopy of hotel reservation. (h) Self-addressed, stamped, registered envelope for postal applications (for those living outside London only).

What is the cost of a visa?
Single-entry: £16; Double-entry or Multiple-entry (both business only): £25. Prices may fluctuate in accordance with the exchange rate and must be paid by postal order only.

How long is the visa valid for?
Entry visas are valid for 3 months; visitors wishing to stay longer should apply to the local police station within 15 days of arrival. For other visa enquiries, contact the Embassy (see Contact Addresses section).

Embassy contact information:
Please contact the nearest Embassy of Morocco for information on what documentation you may require to enter Morocco.

Disclaimer: The contents of these pages are provided as an information guide only, in good faith. The use of this website is at the viewer/user’s sole risk. While every effort is made in presenting up-to-date and accurate information, no responsibility or liability is accepted by the owners to this website for any errors, omissions, outdated or misleading information on these pages or any site to which these pages connect or are linked.

Source & Copyright: The source of the above visa and immigration information and copyright owner/s is the:
– Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, Kingdom of Morocco – URL: www.maec.gov.ma

The viewer/user of this web page should use the above information as a guideline only, and should always contact the above sources or the user’s own government representatives for the most up-to-date information at that moment in time, before making a final decision to travel to that country or destination.



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Reflections on a Semester Abroad in Morocco

Reflections on a Semester Abroad in Morocco



Yesterday I graduated from University of Hartford. I am no longer a student, I am officially a college graduate. I am finally entering “the real world” with practically no solid plans for the future. People keep asking me how it feels. It feels like I've been standing on a diving board for the past twenty-two years, toeing the edge, and someone just gave me a good, solid push. That feeling when you're falling through the air and your stomach drops and you suddenly can't breathe and you're terrified but it's the best kind of terrified- that's what it felt like to graduate. Now, I've belly flopped into the pool and have no choice but to start swimming.

I'm not entirely sure what happened to the past four years. I met some incredible people. I realized my passion for writing. I developed terrible sleeping habits.

I do know that in the future, when somebody asks me about my life in college, I won't hesitate to say that studying abroad was the most educational and enriching aspect of my college career. That's not to say that I didn't learn a lot while on campus; I did, but studying abroad taught me things which I could never have hoped to learn while staying at school.

 I spent a semester in Morocco, living with a Moroccan family and struggling everyday to learn Arabic and become assimilated into a culture very different from my own. The first two weeks of classes included a crash course in Darija, a Moroccan dialect, in which my classmates and I sat in a room for four hours a day attempting to absorb as much information as possible. Including writing hundreds of pages of papers and homework and tests over the years, I don't think I have ever pushed my brain to work as hard as I did sitting in Nawal's introductory Darija class. By the end of the day I couldn't remember which language I was supposed to be thinking in. I left everyday feeling exhausted and confused, but accomplished.

Academically, I learned a lot about Moroccan history and about Arabic but by living with my host family I was able to study the culture firsthand. At least in the beginning it felt like I was studying my family, but with every day that passed I became more assimilated. I grew used to their routines and formed my own. Soon I wasn't confused as to where I was when I woke up in the morning and I was no longer startled by the call to prayer. My family gave me a Moroccan name: Emina. I felt more and more at home in the Kasbah.



Without my host family, I still would have enjoyed studying abroad. I still would have learned a lot and I still would be prompting the students I meet now to study abroad. However, living with them gave me a much more intimate and comprehensive connection to Moroccan culture than I ever could have hoped to have without them. They made me feel comfortable enough to ask anything, not only about language but also culture and politics and religion. They fed me until I thought I'd never be hungry again; and then they fed me more. They took care of me when I was sick. They loved me like their own, and I grew to love them too. I think about them all the time and someday will travel back to Morocco to visit them. They are and will always be my Moroccan family.

At the end of three and a half months in Morocco, I had gotten so attached to my family and to the culture that while I missed my friends and family back home, it was extremely difficult for me to leave. Coming home was strange because I experienced reverse culture shock.

The initial culture shock of leaving the United States and arriving in Morocco was to be expected. I knew that things would be different from back home, but I had no idea how different some things could be. This shock was, ultimately, a positive one. My world and my reality was turned on its head and I was left completely disoriented and forced to survive. Not only did I survive, I thrived, and I learned so much in the process.

I think that everyone needs their reality to be shaken up every once in a while, if only to put things into perspective. I got a lot of perspective while studying abroad on several different aspects of my life which I could not have anticipated.

I had hoped that while studying abroad I would figure out what I wanted to do with my life, that I would suddenly have a plan for the future. For some of my classmates this was the case, but not for me. I didn't leave Morocco knowing what I would do after graduation, but I left with a new outlook on life. The future was still scary, and I was still unprepared, but I wasn't quite as stressed as I had been before. When I had complained to my host family about how I thought I'd never get a job with my English degree and how I was going to end up living at home forever and how I had no future, they laughed at me.

Not only was I getting an education, I was able to travel around the world to do so. Not only did I have a home to go back to but a family who would support and encourage me. My host grandfather, as it were, would tease me a lot but he constantly reminded me of how much opportunity lay before me. In the most gentle and caring way possible he made me realize how petty all my anxiety and fear about the future really was.

Moroccans cannot leave the country without a visa, which is close to impossible for many people to obtain. My host grandfather, in his late sixties, would most likely never get to leave the country. He would tell me wistfully about how he longed to move to Germany and get a job and marry a nice German girl. Then he would cackle and wink at me and tell me not to worry about anything, I would be fine. And I know that he's right, I will be fine.

I made a lot of questionable decisions in college, but the best decision I made was to study abroad. No matter what your goals are for the future, I believe that you should study abroad. It can only help prepare you. Go anywhere, it doesn't matter what country you go to, as long as it's something new and different. Now is the time for adventures; now is the time to study abroad.


Maral pictured with her family at graduation.


Maral graduated from the University of Hartford with a BA in English/Creative Writing and a minor in French. She spent a semester abroad in Rabat, Morocco through the Council for International Education & Exchange (CIEE) in Fall 2011.

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Post-Port Reflections of Morocco

Post-Port Reflections of Morocco
A very popular experience for Semester at Sea Voyagers in Casablanca was the SAS-arranged dinner with a Moroccan family. Students were met by the families aboard the MV Explorer, where they took their hosts on a quick tour, and then left with them for dinner in their homes. I spoke with Nancy Abbott, a student from the University of San Diego, who relayed her experiences to me. Her group consisted of four Semester at Sea students. They were picked up by the mother of the family, Sauda ben-Moussa. Following the tour of the ship, Sauda took the students on a driving tour of the city where they were able to see the great mosque, both the new and old medina, the beach, and some of the lively parts of the city. Dinner started at around 9:00. Nancy described the house as very modern, set in a nice part of town, and comparable to an American home. The family consisted of a mother, father, a 23-year-old son, and a 25-year-old daughter and her husband. Despite the many cultural differences, such as being able to eat with your hands (which I’ve been told everyone enjoyed), Nancy said that she and her shipmates felt very comfortable and that it reminded them of being at home. The family was very interested in what was going on in the States and had a genuine appreciation for American culture and values.


Tucker Whitcomb, Cornell
Tucker was with a group that spent a night in a nomad village. He and a few friends met a Moroccan university student who was ecstatic about the opportunity of talking with American students. Their conversation ranged from politics, to history, to economics. One thing that Tucker realized were the differences between the American and Moroccan styles of education. From what he gathered by talking with this student, the Moroccan system is based much more on theory than in the U.S. For example, when the conversation turned to politics, the student did not ask about specific policies or current events, he wanted to learn what the Americans thought of the writings of Karl Marx and other political writers. For the Moroccan, “Talking to Americans was a dream come true,” according to Tucker. For the SAS students, it was a very revealing experience about life for some of their counterparts on Morocco.

SAS Student
I wasn’t able to catch the name of this student, but I really liked what she had to say. She was speaking with someone back home who asked how she could really get to experience the culture of a country. After her time in Morocco, this SAS student had her answer. While she was waiting for a bus, she sat down next to an elderly man who struck up a conversation with her. She said that it was an incredible experience and that she learned so much more about life in Morocco by just sitting at the bus stop than she ever could have learned by traveling around the country and visiting the sites.

Joshua Bernstein, University of Maine
“I want to talk about us,” Josh said as he took the microphone. He described the various places around the world that Semester at Sea Voyagers have come from, and how this group of 700+ people is now “beginning to form a family of sorts.” Faces are becoming familiar, which he described as very comforting fact when you are exploring a foreign country. “I was so happy and relieved to see family - Semester at Sea faces.” Josh recognized the turning point our community is at right now, but he also alluded to the fact that we are still in the beginnings of our journey together. He told an interesting short story to show how we need build on our great start, which I’d like to share with you.

There was a carpenter who was about to retire, but his boss asked him to build just one more house before he ended his career. The carpenter reluctantly agreed, but because he was in a rush to retire, he did not pick out the best materials as he usually did, but instead used whatever the store had. He also did not give the same level of care or attention to detail that he had always taken in his work before. The carpenter just rushed through the project as fast as he could. When the house was finished, the carpenter’s boss met him at the front door and handed him the keys – “This house is a gift to you in honor of your retirement.” The carpenter was completely taken aback. If he had known the house would have been for him, he would have put in just as much effort as he always had.

The community that we are building on the MV Explorer is ours. Every “wall” that we build, every relationship made, will contribute to a stronger and more meaningful experience for every SAS Voyager.



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Reflections on Semester in Morocco

Reflections on Semester in Morocco

Living with a host family allowed me to improve my French, develop basic conversational Darija, enjoy Moroccan cuisine, and learn about Moroccan culture.  I will stay in touch with my host families in Rabat and Fez.  My Moroccan host mothers fervently remind me to bring my future, currently nonexistent, spouse and children to stay in the comfort of their home during my next visit, inchallah.  I know that I will always be marhaben (welcome) in the homes of my beloved Moroccan families.

I created a list of my academic goals, anticipated challenges, and expectations for personal growth for my four months in Rabat.  I enclosed the list in an envelope and gave it to the director of my campus study abroad office.  Near the midway point of the semester, I received the letter in the mail.  Reading over the list, I am satisfied with my accomplishments.  As would be anticipated with ‘study’ abroad, I have learned by living in Morocco, engaging in course work, and participating in an internship.  Interacting with my host family, friends, and the host culture have facilitated the greatest growth.


Among my academic courses, Gender and Society in North Africa and Beyond has made the greatest impact on me.  The course was predominately focused on the scholarship of feminist Muslim scholars.  The scholars we studied challenge patriarchal interpretations of the Koran and seek women’s liberation through the study and reinterpretation of religious texts by women.  The content instructed in this course contrasted with my previous studies of Western feminist movements which predominantly seek liberation through the rejection of religion, a system deemed to be innately patriarchal and oppressive.  I am eager to incorporate the knowledge I gained in Morocco into my studies in the U.S. next year.

Managing Communication in Arab Organizations: A Case Study of Morocco helped deepen my understanding of the differences in the business cultures of Arab, Africa, and Western organizations.  My experience interning at l’Association Démocratique des Femmes du Maroc (ADFM) helped illustrate the concepts and theories that we studied in class.  By translating documents from French into English, I was able to enhance my French proficiency and become more familiar with the women’s activism of the ADFM.  Based on my experience, I am more aware of the inner workings of small NGOs and feel more adept to work with international organizations like the ADFM in my future career.

It is impossible to communicate everything I learned about Morocco, myself, the world, and my place within it within the confines of this 500 word blog post.  I hope that these three examples serve as a mere introduction to the wealth of knowledge and skills I accumulated throughout the semester.  It is certainly not inclusive.

I will continue processing the experience throughout the upcoming months.  Readjustment back to the United States will be challenging.  I will miss Morocco.  Despite the physical distance, the understandings I developed will remain with me.  If fostered correctly, they will continue to grow and flourish.


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Morocco Semester Overview

Morocco Semester Overview
Study abroad program in Ifrane, Morocco conducted through an agreement with the ... Morocco: Ifrane Semester. Overview. Academics. Student Life. Details ...
Each time I go to a place I have not seen before, I hope it will be as different as possible from the places I already know.
–Paul Bowles, author of The Sheltering Sky, desert explorer, Morocco expatriate
A mere 17 miles south of Europe, across the Strait of Gibraltar, a very different experience awaits—an intriguing place of great contrast, color, culture, history, and hospitality: Morocco was the first nation to recognize the United States as an independent nation in 1777. The Moroccan-American Treaty of Friendship stands as the U.S.'s oldest non-broken friendship treaty. Signed by John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, it has been in continuous effect since 1783.

"Rooted in Africa, watered by Islam and rustled by the winds of Europe" in the words of its late King Hassan II, Morocco is a captivating and multifaceted country. If you are you motivated to learn firsthand about a culture rich in African, European, Arab, and Islamic traditions…if you are eager to explore an ecological diversity ranging from Atlantic Ocean to High Atlas Mountains to Mediterranean Coast to Saharan Desert…and if you desire close interaction with people of legendary hospitality, the Morocco semester will be intensely rewarding and enduring....


Fes
Global LAB’s Morocco immersion begins in Fes, the oldest of Morocco’s four Imperial Capitals. Founded in 808 and claimant of the “oldest university in the world” (Kairaouine Mosque, founded in 857), Fes was renowned during the Middle Ages for its achievements in Arab commerce, art, religion, mathematics, and philosophy. Today, its old city (“the medina”)—a UNESCO World Heritage Site—preserves this glory and timelessness as a living museum of how life was lived in Medieval times. In its crowded maze of alleys and markets (souqs), suffused with sensations unfamiliar, and filled with simple and profound moments, you’ll cut the surface of your adventure. Courses in Moroccan Arabic, Moroccan Culture & Society, and an Introduction to Islam will give your daily rhythms meaning and context. You’ll remain mobile throughout this first circuit of the semester with regional excursions to the blue-on-white Rif mountain village of Chefchaouen and to the Portuguese-influenced coastal town of Asilah.


The High Atlas Mountains

(Photo Credit: Alex Safos)

For the next 10 days, you’ll continue experiencing the new and superlative. You’ll travel south into North Africa’s grandest mountain range, the High Atlas, for an in situ perspective of Morocco’s oldest inhabitants, the indigenous Berbers. You’ll trek across streams and valleys, mule dirt roads, overnight in hillside-terraced villages, and ascend the highest peak in North Africa, Jebel Toubkal at 13,665 feet. Penetrating this habitat offers the privilege of witnessing a remarkably friendly and brightly dressed people, seemingly incongruent with their labor-intensive lifestyle. The unique Berber language, music, and architecture will be on vivid display for appreciation. To understand the challenges of rural development, you’ll conclude with a week engaged in community service, observing how villagers gain consensus on fundamental development needs such as shelter, food, sanitation, and potable water—and you will help fulfill some of these needs before descending out of the High
Atlas.

Fes, Part II

Next, a return to the Fes “base camp” for the celebrated conclusion of Ramadan, Islam’s holy month of fasting, self-purification, and self-restraint. Over the next several weeks, you’ll become more integrated into the fabric of this special city. Language instruction will continue (with French added as an option) and facilitate your daily interaction with Moroccans. Lectures on Moroccan anthropology, geography, and folklore will further your cultural insight and appreciation. And your ongoing medina restoration project “apprenticeships” will reveal the artisanship for which “Fassis” are famous, including Zellij tilework, intricate wood carving, and sculpted plaster work. You’ll eventually leave Fes, but Fes stays—its spirit, people, images, sounds, and smells there for you to ponder for years after.

As with every segment of the semester, time is allocated to explore a region’s diversity. During this second tour of Fes, we map routes to the south and west, including: an eco-tour of the Middle Atlas cedar forests to spot Barbary Apes; visits to the Roman ruins of Volubilis and the nearby Imperial City of Meknes; an excursion to the seaside capital, Rabat; and a trip to the cosmopolitan metropolis of Casablanca.

Marrakesh

Pushing onward to Morocco’s second largest city, Marrakesh, you plug back into an urban environment for the next semester phase. Known as “The Pearl of the South” and “The Red City”, Marrakesh stands in stark contrast to Fes’ predominantly Arab and insular feel. Here, the spirit is more frontier-like and African—certainly a reflection of its history as a depot for caravans transporting slaves, gold, and ivory from Timbuktu. Marrakesh boasts its own UNESCO-stamped medina and cultural-historical icons such as the Koutoubia Mosque and Saadian Tombs. Yet its heart and energy derive from the place and spectacle of the Djemaa el Fna, “Assembly of the Dead”—an open square where musicians, peddlers, merchants, snake charmers, fortune-tellers, acrobats, and artists co-mingle and perform day into night, every night. Marrakesh’s anything-can-happen air is nowhere thicker than here. Against this fascinating backdrop, you awaken to new layers of the Moroccan experience. An introduction to Sufism, the varied practice of Islamic mysticism, and an overview of the Arabic script comprise the academic elements for this Marrakesh circuit.

To be sure, we’ll take advantage of Marrkesh’s relative proximity to the Atlantic coast with excursions to the laid back seaside city of Essaouria, the acclaimed “Windsurfing Capital of Africa”, and a visit to the exquisitely preserved kasbahs (fortified villages of ochre mud) of Ait Benhaddou, backdrop to the epic films Lawrence of Arabia and Jesus of Nazareth, among others.

Oases and Desert

The last two weeks of the semester indulge desert fantasies and deliver an awareness of Morocco’s historic cross-continental reach. Move west across the rock-and-scrub wasteland through the Dades and Ziz Valleys and discover numerous ksour, khasbahs and cinematic date-palm oases that increasingly fleck the southern landscape, culminating in the Tafilalt region. Explore the nearly 1,000 foot high cliffs of the Todra Gorge and surrounding palmery. And begin to note the subtle textures of light and kaleidoscope effect for which Morocco is famous. Finally, our southern terminus is at Erg Chebbi, the largest sand dunes in Morocco on the doorstep of the Sahara. Here you’ll traverse by camel caravan, and encamp for a few days, under dark skies shot with starlight, with mint tea served by our Berber guides at sunrise.

Tangier and Southern Spain

The final days of the semester route you back north to Tangier, the Mediterranean resort that lured artists, musicians, authors, and aimless decadents during its moment of 20th century fame and infamy. And it is from here that you symbolically ferry yourself across the strait, into Spain, and bear witness to Morocco’s past influence, incarnate in the Moorish grandeur of The Great Mosque (“La Mezquita”) of Cordoba, founded in 785, and the 13th century Alhambra (“Red Castle”) at Grenada. Witness an Andalusian orchestral ensemble or a Flamenco dance performance. Here, East-meets-West, and the semester of experience ends…leaving you enlightened, if not transformed, by the extraordinary culture and mosaic that is Morocco.


CORE SEMESTER ELEMENTS

Language Learning
Daily language instruction. Students may choose among Moroccan Colloquial Arabic, French, and Modern Standard Arabic. Real-world, instant feedback of a native environment and plenty of support from homestay families enables a richer cultural experience and builds a foundation for further study. No prior linguistic knowledge required.

Family Homestays
There is simply no better way to gain a deep appreciation for another culture than the homestay. Global LAB's Morocco Semester includes three remarkable opportunities to share the rhythms and warmth of indigenous families: the first in the Fes medina; the second in Marrakesh; and the third in the High Atlas with overnights in Berber villages.

Community Service Projects
Gain a perspective on local community needs and instill a sense of service by working alongside citizens on fundamental projects, for example: participating in English discussion classes at schools; assisting at orphanages; promoting conservation awareness and habitat preservation; planting trees to mitigate soil erosion; helping preserve cultural resources; distributing potable water to remote areas; and observing the governance process of rural villages.

Independent Study Project and Portfolio
With the guidance of Global LAB advisors, design and pursue your own study of an area of Moroccan arts, history, spirituality, environment, folklore, or culture that interests you. The ISP culminates with a group presentation where you have the opportunity to share what you have learned, as well as a portfolio—writings, photography, video, performance, website design—that you will take home with you at the semester’s conclusion.

Credit
For high school seniors, Global LAB works closely with your school to ensure that you receive full credit for participating. University students may also be eligible for credit, and appropriate proficiency exams can be arranged through the Arabic Language Institute in Fes (ALIF).


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