The National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations is proud to serve as the American Main Office for the Yemen College of Middle Eastern Studies (YCMES), whose campus is centrally located in Sana'a, the capital of the Republic of Yemen. The YCMES offers year-round Arabic language instruction through the Yemen Language Center (YLC) along with a Program in Contemporary Middle Eastern Studies (PCMES). Students at the YCMES have the opportunity to focus entirely on Arabic language instruction, the PCMES, or a combination of the two.

The YLC, established in 1989, is the oldest private institution in Yemen dedicated exclusively to teaching Arabic as a foreign language and to serving the needs of international students, researchers, and the resident expatriate community. The YLC offers Arabic language instruction from survival lessons to post-advanced independent study. The YLC has a high-quality staff that is well-trained and experienced in teaching Arabic as a foreign language.

The PCMES is intended for students taking a semester or year of study abroad and are seeking credit for their course work at their home institutions. The PCMES offers a wide range of university-level courses on contemporary Middle East Studies. The faculty is comprised of the world's most distinguished regional specialists, most of whom hold professorial appointments at leading universities.

Courses for students enrolled in the PCMES are offered in two fourteen-week semesters (fall and spring). There is a three-week winter session for students wishing to travel, conduct research, or take an intensive Arabic course, as well as a ten-week summer school session, when courses are more concentrated in time and content. A student may enroll for only one semester or for the whole year, depending on individual needs and interests.

For students only enrolled in the YLC, courses are offered in nine five-week terms throughout the year. There are two terms for fall, winter, and spring, and three terms offered in the summer as a special language program for university students. Each five-week term is comprised of roughly 100 hours of study and is intended to advance the student one half-level of Arabic, i.e. from Beginning Intermediate to Advanced Intermediate. Students may enroll in any number of terms throughout the year.

Click to access:

• Yemen College of Middle Eastern Studies Homepage

• Yemen Language Center Homepage

• YCMES / YLC Admissions Information

• 2008 Summer YLC Application

• 2008-09 Academic Year YLC Application

• Semester / Year-Long YCMES Application (for PCMES programs)

• Information on Safety & Security in Yemen

Students interested in studying at the YCMES / YLC are invited to submit application materials and payment to the National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations in Washington, D.C. for forwarding to the YCMES / YLC campus in Sana'a. Payments for YCMES / YLC Programs can be made through wire transfer (see instructions on the application), through check (payable to: National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations, 1730 M St. NW, Suite 503, Washington, DC 20036), or through credit card (*call the NCUSAR office 202-293-6466 to do this, PLEASE NOTE CREDIT CARD PAYMENTS INCUR AN ADDITIONAL 7% PROCESSING FEE).

If you have any questions please feel free to contact:
Ms. Megan Geissler
National Council on U.S.-Arab Relations
1730 M St., NW, Suite 503
Washington, D.C. 20036
Phone: 1-202-293-6466
Fax: 1-202-293-7770
Email: ncusar@ycmes.com