Program Overview
Since 2011, Illinois Wesleyan University has had a bilateral student exchange program with Al Akhawayn University (AUI) in Ifrane, Morocco. In a bilateral exchange, students from IWU exchange places with students from Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane, Morocco.
This program affords IWU students a special opportunity to live and study in Morocco at a small, American-style university while earning general education and discipline-specific credit.
Why Morocco? Morocco stands as a cultural, geographic, linguistic, and religious crossroad. Here, Berber, African, Middle Eastern, and European influences combine to create a culturally rich tapestry. In its cities, you will find the melding of French, Spanish, Arabic, Jewish, and Berber architecture and art; will hear a mix of Moroccan Arabic, French, English, and Berber languages; will savor the blending of African, Mediterranean, and Middle Eastern cuisines. In its landscape you can travel from the Sahara Desert to the High Atlas Mountains, from the beaches of the Atlantic to the Mediterranean coast.
Location
Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane (AUI) is a private, American-style residential university. Founded in 1995 by King Hassan II, it is the first and only English-language university in Morocco.
The university comprises three schools: the School of Humanities and Social Sciences, the School of Science and Engineering, and the School of Business Administration. AUI has about 2,200 students, as well as approximately 160 exchange students from 28 countries. The student-to-faculty ratio is 12 to 1, and the average class size is 19.
Located in the beautiful resort community of Ifrane in the Middle Atlas Mountains, the AUI campus occupies over 90-acres of rolling terrain. Campus facilities include a state-of-the art library; 16 student residence buildings; and an athletic center with an indoor Olympic swimming pool, soccer fields, track, and regulation tennis courts.
The Imperial Cities if Fes and Meknes are only an hour away, the capital city of Rabat on the Atlantic coast is about 2 hours away, and the Sahara desert is just a 6-hour drive to the south
Eligibility
- Declared major
- 3.0 cumulative GPA
- Cannot be on academic or social probation
- IWU account must not be in arrears
For More Information
Academics
IWU students can study at AUI for a semester (fall or spring) or for a full academic year, during which time they can pursue General Education credit, Arabic language study, and/or discipline-specific coursework. Courses are available in the following subject areas:
Arabic Language & Culture • Biology • Business Administration • Business Management • Chemistry • Communications • Computer Science • Economics • European Studies • Finance • French Language • Geography • History • Humanities • Human Resource Development • Information Systems • International Business • International Studies • Literature • Marketing • Mathematics • Physical Education • Philosophy • Physics • Political Science • Psychology • Sociology • Women’s Studies
Housing & Meals
Students will be housed on campus in single-sex residence halls with Moroccan students. Standard accommodations will be in double occupancy rooms furnished with a wardrobe, desk, chair, twin size bed, mattress pad, sheets, pillow, blanket, and an en suite bathroom equipped with a shower. Self-service laundry is available in two of the halls.
Campus dining facilities include several self-service restaurants—Moroccan/International, The Grill, and The Pizzeria, a café, and The Club House—as well as a convenience store stocked with a small selection of groceries. The campus is also within walking distance of Ifrane’s city center, with convenient access to banks, a supermarket, cafes, and other amenities.
Financial Info
Financial Aid and Scholarships
IWU normally allows students to use all federal, state, and institutional aid, as well as any external scholarships, toward one semester of study abroad. Students who participate in the IWU Exchange Program are given the option to participate in a second abroad experience using their full aid package.
Additional assistance is available. Students are encouraged to talk with the Financial Aid Office about loan eligibility. In addition, IWU has a Study Abroad Scholarship, supported by a generous gift from Betty Ritchie-Birrer ('47). Further Information on financial aid, including a list of possible scholarship options, can be found on the
IWU Study Abroad website.
Program Cost
IWU has a home-school tuition policy, which means that students studying abroad pay the regular IWU tuition—unless the study abroad tuition is higher, in which case the student pays that higher cost. For the IWU Al Akhawyan Exchange, students are also charged regular IWU Room and board. Students' regular financial aid package will be applied to IWU costs, and IWU will bill participants using the regular billing cycle.
Included in these costs are:
- Tuition for 5 courses
- Housing for the semester
- A campus meal plan
- Pre-departure and onsite orientations
Not included:
- Airfare to/from Morocco
- Optional airport pick-up (Fes airport)
- AUI Health Insurance
- Book deposit (refundable)
- AUI Residency Service fee
- Housing deposit (refundable)
- Personal expenses
Paid to IWU
| 2023-2024 |
Per Semester |
| Tuition* |
$27,743 |
| Room |
$4,023 |
| Board |
$2,438 |
| Program Fee |
$0 |
| Subtotal - Paid to IWU |
$34,204 |
*For semester programs, you regular financial aid will be applied to the tuition portion of your bill (for one semester). Bills will be issued on their regular schedule and you can continue to pay in installments.
Estimated Additional Costs
| 2023-2024 |
Per Semester |
| Airfare (roundtrip) |
$1,000-$1,500 |
| Passport and Photos |
$165 |
| Visa (U.S. citizens) |
$0 |
| AUI Fees (room deposit, book deposit, insurance, other fees) - Paid to AUI |
$750 (approximately) |
| Personal Expenses/Miscellaneous* |
$1,500-$2,000 |
| Subtotal - Additional Costs |
$3,415–$4,415 |
*Spending amounts will vary by student and will be affected by how often a student goes out, travels, and the items they purchase.
Program fees and student expenses are based on preliminary estimates and are subject to change. Please contact the International Office for more information.
