WHAT WE LIKE - Key features of this program A comfortable provincial town, located on the border between UAE & Oman, Buraimi is on the Oman side. Small / professional school downtown with 6 AC classrooms. Colloquial Gulf Arabic is taught.

Enjoy an Arabic language course in the U.A.E. at our language school in the city of Al Ain.

Al-Ain is located 160km east of Abu Dhabi, on the border between the United Arab Emirates and Oman. Its sister town, Buraimi, is on the Omani side of the border, but visitors can move freely between the two, making this a fine way to get a taste of Oman without the hassle of obtaining a visa.

Al-Ain is the main town in the Buraimi Oasis, and the oasis is probably the longest inhabited part of what is now the UAE, with settlements dating back to the 4th millennium BC. In more recent times, Al-Ain was the birthplace of Shaikh Zayed, the current ruler of Abu Dhabi, and he has lavished funds on it.

Buraimi has not received the same funds and remains a comfortable provincial town. The resulting contrast between the two communities makes this an interesting spot to visit. The other bonus in the summer is the dry heat of the oasis, a welcome relief from the humidity on the coast.

SCHOOL FACILITIES Small professional school downtown with 6 AC classroms, social area and a kitchen. Colloquial Gulf Arabic is taught.

Our small yet professional school is located just outside the city center, housed in a modern, two story building close to all facilities, including public transport.

Only a few minutes walk away you will find supermarkets, shops, restaurants and banks. Other facilities in the area include gyms and hotels with fitness clubs, and/ or (paid) access to outdoor swimming pools. Jogging in the area is popular.

THE BASICS Course for all language levels (CGA) - use of course materials - class schedule is from 8:00am - 2:00pm, Saturday to Wednesday - min age 18 - - Max. 4 students per class - set course lengths. NOTE: plan to arrive on the Friday before your Saturday start date / depart on the Thursday. Classes are held Saturday - Wednesday(weekend in U.A.E is Thursday/ Friday). No airport pick up is available.

Summer program: (30 lessons per week) - 4 weeks
Our (CGA) course runs Saturday to Wednesday, (MSA) is not available - see below for details

Semester program: (17 lessons per week) - 18 weeks
Our (CGA) course runs Saturday to Wednesday, 3.5 group lessons daily, total of 315 class hours - see below for details

After classes are over for the day our program allows you plenty of time to discover your new country, culture, traditions, customs and everyday life.

On weekends, students can arrange to take excursions to nearby cities or places of interest. A shared taxi to Dubai/Abu Dhabi would cost approx. AED20 each way. To hire a car for a day and drive would cost AED100.

Some example activities: Local markets & camel market, Al-Hilla Fort, camel racing takes place about 20km from Al-Ain, camel safaris ranging from one-hour jaunts to overnight treks that include a night in a Bedouin tent, Hafit Mountain, which is the highest point in the country.

Al Ain Museum, The Camel market and racing, Al Jaheli, Eastern Fort and Al Muwaiji Forts,Zoo, Al-Hili shrine, Hili Fun City is the Gulf's largest and most popular theme park.

A selection of apartment or hotel accommodation is available and can be arranged via our
Accommodation Locator Service.

Buraimi Hotel Flat (Apartment):
A typical apartment includes one double bedroom, a living room, one small bathroom, and one kitchen. It includes a double or two single beds, wardrobe, television, stove, refrigerator, and bedding. There are very few kitchen utensils provided. The hotel washes the linens and will do some simple cleaning. The students will need to provide the rest of the kitchen utensils, towels and all their own food. Apartments are of two-star hotel quality.

Apartment accommodations in Buraimi are very safe for independent, single female participants (as are all our of our accommodation options). All of the furnished hotel flats are located in Buraimi.

Booking Method: Students make their request to stay in a furnished flat at the time of enrolment with Languages Abroad via our Accommodation Locator Service. Upon arrival, students stay in a hotel for the first few days. (Languages Abroad will make the required hotel reservations on behalf of the student.) Upon arrival, students will meet with school staff members who will assist them in formally booking a hotel/flat in Buraimi.

Buraimi Hotel:
This is a four star hotel that can be booked in advance. There are no kitchen facilities in the room so students are required to either prepare simple meals in the room or to dine out.

Al Ain Hotel:
This is a five star hotel that can be booked in advance. There are no kitchen facilities in the room so students are required to either prepare simple meals in the room or to dine out. The hotel used by Languages Abroad is a short taxi ride from a North American style mall with a modern food court and a modern grocery store.

Privately Rented Apartments:
Students who are studying with us for six months or more may wish to rent and furnish an apartment privately. This is the cheapest option and the best for language learning. We will provide help and guidance in finding and renting an apartment. Groceries - There are modern grocery stores in Buraimi and Al Ain.

Food is available from many parts of the region. Groceries can be very inexpensive, depending on what you buy. They can also be quite expensive if you are purchasing foreign goods. Some Western products are reasonably priced, others are very expensive.

Dining Out - A person can eat out quite inexpensively (approximately US$3 per meal) if they eat simple, local foods. There are several fast food restaurants with prices similar to those in North America. There are also very expensive restaurants.

Note: For more information about the approximate cost of accommodation (to be paid on site), please refer to our Al Ain price page.

Booking a course online is easy using our
ONLINE SECURE PAYMENT METHOD
(simply scroll to the top of the page and follow the steps)

If you prefer not to book online, please click on the
"Prices & Start Dates" button below. If you have an additional questions, please CONTACT US!

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STUDENT FEEDBACK "I enjoyed my time, but I was a little disappointed that more people did not speak Arabic. Many of the workers are non-native speakers of Arabic, so it was hard to practice speaking. The hotel that I stayed at was great. The school was good and the teachers were excellent. I wish the school had emphasized speaking a little more than it did. " Daniel L. (age 30)

Arrival airport: AL AIN
Al Ain has an International Airport, which is located 13km northwest of the city center. Airport code: AAN. There are few airlines providing a service to the Al-Ain airport. It is usually easiest to fly into Dubai or Abu Dhabi and then get a taxi to Al-Ain.

Passports / Visa / Length of stay: It is the participant's responsibility to have a valid passport and any necessary visas and permits to study abroad.

Visit G3Visas for comprehensive information on visa, passport, permit and general country entry requirements.

Useful links:
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