Jordan: Amman

In cooperation with CET Academic Programs, the Jordan program provides language intensive academic and experiential learning through a rigorous curriculum consisting of language and elective courses.

CET Jordan prides itself on providing top-tier intensive language instruction with a great deal of curricular customization. Students enroll in two core courses, plus a choice of electives in Arabic or English. Students are also able to take on directed research or an internship with a local organization. Combined with field-based learning, language partners, and a housing setup designed to engage and acclimate, the semester provides extensive language learning and plenty of individual choice.

Program Location

Amman, the capital of Jordan, is a modern city with numerous ancient ruins. Atop Jabal al-Qala’a hill, the historic Citadel includes the pillars of the Roman Temple of Hercules and the 8th-century Umayyad Palace complex, known for its grand dome. Built into a different downtown hillside, the Roman Theater is a 6,000-capacity, 2nd-century stone amphitheater offering occasional events.

Amman is known as a lively and diverse city, and there are many opportunities to work on language skills while immersed in local life and culture. Students explore the city’s traditional side by shopping at the Friday flea market or browsing the Gold Souq. Or they enjoy Amman’s more cosmopolitan perks: visiting a museum with friends or sipping on Arabic coffee while befriending a barista on Rainbow Street.

Onsite Staff: The Resident Director of CET Jordan is Ahmad AbuShaikha. Ahmad is a proud Ammani who has been in the study abroad field for the past 10 years. After graduating from The Hashemite University with a BS in Cultural Heritage Management (2007), he turned his focus to sharing the jewels of Jordan with students. Ahmad completed an MA in International Development at the University of Sussex (2018) in the United Kingdom and is committed to creating sustainable opportunities for community engagement with students. In his free time, Ahmad enjoys cooking, traveling, and music.

Requirements Fulfilled:

General Education - This program fulfills the Global Perspectives general education requirement for students who successfully complete 8 or more semester credits. 

Minor - All courses will count as elective credits for the MENA minor.

Credits: Credit earned varies based on courses completed, but students may earn up to 19 credits. Overloads are not permitted.

Curriculum: 

Students will enroll in the following courses:

• Modern Standard Arabic (6 credits)
• Jordanian Colloquial Arabic (3 credits) 
• 2-3 Electives taught in Arabic or English (3 credits each)

Excursions: During the semester, students have the chance to visit the Dead Sea, the Natabean ruins at Petra, and the dunes of Wadi Rum. 

Housing: Students live in an apartment with CET peers in a residential neighborhood of Amman. Sharing the building with you are jiran, Jordanian neighbors. The jiran are part of the program: planning activities that show you Amman, showing you how to cook authentic Jordanian dishes, and just hanging out at night when you’re taking a break from studying.

Extracurricular Opportunities: The program offers different activities that allow you to explore Amman, experience Jordanian culture, or just unwind. Relax during a yoga session, try Arabic calligraphy or experiment with sand art.

Volunteering: Give back to the community by opting to volunteer regularly with a local organization. Play with children at the King Hussein Cancer Center, lend a hand to organizations supporting refugee communities, or help distribute food to those in need. 

2026-2027 Fee Breakdown*

Total Fee (includes Tuition, Program Fee, and Health & Wellness Fee): $44,791

Tuition: $35,329

Program Fee: $9,425

Health & Wellness Fee: $37**

Included in the program fee are room/housing, board/meals, and administrative fees. Not included are airfare, passport and visa expenses, primary insurance coverage, photographs, books, immunizations, and incidentals.

*Fees are updated every February for the following academic year.

**The Health & Wellness Fee supports the operations of Wellness Services staff in delivering pre-program orientation services, as well as in providing health-related consultation regarding participant health needs. All students in the College of Arts and Sciences pay a mandatory fee of $37 per semester.

Stipend: Students will receive a stipend to cover the cost of meals and transportation costs not covered by the program fee.

Estimated Airfare (Round Trip PDX to AMM): $1,000 - $1,250

Estimated Travel Document Fees: $50 - $100

Estimated Health Insurance Fee: $1,906

All students participating in overseas programs are automatically enrolled in iNext, a supplemental travel insurance program. The fee for iNext is covered in the program cost. However, students are also required to have comprehensive health insurance during their time abroad. All students participating in overseas programs, both abroad and domestic, are automatically enrolled in the College’s student health insurance program. Similar to a regular semester on-campus, students participating in overseas programs may waive enrollment in the student health insurance program if they have other comprehensive health insurance (e.g., through a parent, guardian or employer) that 1) provides coverage for them in the geographic region in which they will be studying and 2) includes mental health benefits. Find more information regarding health insurance & overseas programs.

Physical Requirements:

Before applying to this program, you should assess and determine if you are physically and/or emotionally able to participate in the following physical demands required by some of this program’s activities:

• Walking or hiking up to 5 miles in a day, sometimes for two or more days in a row, sometimes on hilly, uneven, unpaved, or cobbled terrain
• Climbing and descending stairs
• Using public transportation, including sometimes crowded buses or trains
• Standing for long periods during tours and site visits
• Entering into older buildings with narrow and sometimes steep staircases, at times with limited or no access to elevators
• The possibility of warm/hot temperatures while residing in locations without air conditioning, and/or cold temperatures while residing in locations with a comfort for lower indoor temperatures
• The possibility of long, busy days with little downtime and infrequent days off from program activities

If you have questions or are concerned about these or any other program activities, please contact the Lewis & Clark College Overseas & Off-Campus Programs office (overseas@lclark.edu).

Application Process: This program has a dual application process. Student must first submit a Lewis & Clark application. Once admitted by Lewis & Clark, the students will receive instructions for submitting their secondary application to CET and will receive a separate notification letter of admittance. Please keep a digital copy of your essays and other application materials as you will need to submit these similar materials to CET. Please note that this secondary application process can be as late as the semester preceding your scheduled participation.

Learn more about our application process.

Travel: Students usually fly into Queen Alia International Airport (QAIA), where they are met by CET staff and transported to their apartments.

Visa: Students with a U.S. passport will be required to apply for a visa in order to participate in this program. More information will be provided upon admission to the program.

Country-Specific Health Information: View specific health information for people traveling to Jordan.

State Department Country Information: Visit the State Department’s Jordan page.