All updates to Amideast programs and our host countries related to COVID-19 will be posted here on this ongoing thread. For updates prior to June 28th, please visit our retired Summer and Fall 2021 blog thread.

For program and scholarship applications, visit our application portal.

Amideast Vaccination Policy (Pinned Post, updated 3/16)

Since Amideast resumed on-site programming during the summer, we have required that all program participants be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 before departing for their host country. ‘Fully vaccinated’ is currently defined for this purpose as having the initial 2-doses of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine or the 1-dose Johnson and Johnson vaccine, and a booster per CDC guidelines. Participants must submit proof of vaccination as part of their post-decision materials.

If you have received a brand of vaccine other than the 3 mentioned above, or will not be eligible for a booster by the start of your program, please be in contact with us. At this time, only some foreign students are able to receive COVID vaccinations and/or boosters in only certain host countries.

March 16, 2022

With much of the world reopening and loosening COVID restrictions, Amideast has a few COVID-related updates to share with students, their families, and our sending partners.

We continue to require all students to be fully vaccinated for COVID-19; this includes the booster. Amideast staff, faculty, and host families are also required to be vaccinated.
We are once again extending our deadlines to withdraw from the program, inclusive of deposit, to one month before the program start date for summer and fall 2022 programs. After this date, our standard financial policies apply. The upcoming program deadlines are as follows:
- For Summer Session I and Action Amideast: Social Innovation in Tunisia – Before May 4th
- For Summer Session II – Before June 15th
- For Fall 2022 and Academic Year ‘22-’23 (excluding the Direct Enroll at AUD program) – Before July 27th
There have been several changes in our host countries’ entry requirements.
- Morocco’s borders are back open with new requirements for entry. All travelers must present proof of vaccination, complete a health form, and have a negative PCR result from within 48 hours of departure for Morocco. Travelers are subject to random antigen tests upon arrival – in the event a person tests positive, they will be required to quarantine at their place of residence (Amideast will arrange a hotel or homestay for this period).
  Mask mandates in the country remain enforced, and proof of vaccination is required to enter many public spaces. COVID cases are at 1% of their peak (79 new infections per day) at time of writing
- Jordan has dropped all testing requirement for entry into the country. Travelers must still provide proof of valid health insurance, and register on the Gateway2Jordan platform.
  Mask mandates in the country remain enforced, and proof of vaccination is required to enter many public spaces. COVID cases are at 12% of their peak and have been falling consistently every week since their Omicron peak in early February.
- Tunisia does not require vaccinated travelers to present any PCR test results, but does require proof of vaccination. Travelers may be subject to random testing upon arrival - in the event a person tests positive, they will be required to quarantine at their place of residence (Amideast will arrange a hotel or homestay for this period).
  Mask mandates in the country remain enforced, and proof of vaccination is required to enter nearly all public spaces and private businesses. COVID cases are at 27% of their peak (150 new infections per 100,000 people reported in the last 7 days).
- The U.A.E. has different requirements for entering into different Emirates, so please note that the following only applies to travelers arriving in Dubai. The U.A.E has stopped requiring vaccinated travelers to present any PCR test results. However, vaccinated travelers must present proof of vaccination and the certificate must include a QR code. Students should look into getting a QR code from the CDC VAMS system. QR codes may also be available from specific state health department online services. Travelers may be subject to random PCR testing upon arrival.
  Mask mandates in the country remain enforced, and proof of vaccination is required to enter nearly all public spaces and private businesses. COVID cases are at 11% of their peak (28 new infections per 100,000 people reported in the last 7 days), and falling.

As a final note, it’s not too late to apply for our summer or fall programs! Deadlines are coming up though, so make sure to get started soon. We highly encourage all students to apply for one or both of our Amideast scholarships, which can now be disbursed as a tuition reduction, one-time bank transfer, and/or monthly on-site cash payments.

December 15, 2021

Applications have opened for summer, fall, and academic year programs, pre-departure is well under way for spring 2022 students, and we’re saying goodbye to fall 2021 cohorts. With all that’s been going on, we have updates on the COVID situations and entry requirements in all of our host countries.

Firstly, some general news:

Program-provided CISI health insurance now includes a $2,000 quarantine benefit, should a student need alternative housing arrangements to quarantine due to COVID infection or suspected infection.
Amideast has extended the program withdrawal deadline for the Spring 2022 semester for a full refund inclusive of deposit to January 3rd.
Amideast will continue to place students with fully vaccinated host families.
Amideast will continue to require that all students be vaccinated against COVID-19, and we highly encourage all eligible students to get a booster as well. Amideast is likely to require boosters for future academic terms.
QR codes and vaccine passes are being used throughout all 4 of our host countries. Students should look into getting a QR code from the CDC VAMS system. QR codes may also be available from websites specific to their host country.

Morocco

On 29 November, the government of Morocco announced a total suspension of flights both in and out of Morocco in response to the Omicron variant of COVID-19 for a period of 2 weeks. This suspension was extended on Friday 10 December for another 2 weeks, and is set to expire on 31 December.

Our best guess is that flights will resume after 31 December except to countries that were subject to suspensions before the blanket suspension. There may be increased entry requirements upon resumption of flights. Amideast has been in contact with all spring 2022 participants and their home institutions to explain the situation and their options moving forward.

These border closures prompted the Department of State to increase the Travel Advisory for the country to Level 4, but it’s important to note that there has been no actual change to COVID cases in the country, which remain very low. Morocco continues to see improvement in its number of cases and remains at CDC Level 1. Vaccination rates are at over 60% fully vaccinated and boosters are now being distributed.

Jordan

Jordan has officially announced that is does not intend to shut its borders except to a handful of countries in southern Africa.

Requirements to enter the country have not changed significantly since our last updates, with the exception that every traveler must now have a second PCR test done once they arrive in Jordan (previously this did not apply to vaccinated travelers). This test is in addition to the test that travelers need to have done from within 72 hours before arriving to Jordan. The cost of the arrival PCR test is 28 JD, and any traveler who tests positive will be quarantined at a government-approved hotel for 14 days.

Jordan has seen an increase in positive cases over the last few weeks, prompting the Department of State to increase its Travel Advisory to Level 4. The current numbers are at less than 50% of the peak that occurred this past spring, and even worst-case projections indicate that the cases have reached their peak and will begin falling over the next few weeks. Vaccination rates in Jordan are also at over 40%, and booster programs are rolling. Eligible U.S. citizens over 18 are able to get a COVID booster in Jordan.

Tunisia

At time of writing, all travelers to Tunisia, including vaccinated travelers, must present a negative PCR test taken no more than 48 hours prior to departing for Tunisia. The test result must include a QR code. Vaccinated travelers must present proof of their vaccine (a CDC vaccination card qualifies), or they will be made to quarantine for 10 days.

The COVID situation in Tunisia remains good, with an average of 9 out of 100,000 people testing positive for COVID over the last 7 days, and the total cases are at around 2% of the country’s peak. Projections also predict this trend continuing through at least March. Vaccination rates are at over 45% in Tunisia.

U.A.E. – Dubai

Different Emirates within the United Arab Emirates have different entry requirements, so please note that the following requirements are only for entry to Dubai. Travelers going to Dubai must hold a negative COVID‑19 RT‑PCR test certificate for a test taken no more than 72 hours before departure in either paper or electronic form (SMS texts are not accepted). Travelers transiting through several countries (mostly countries in Africa, Eastern Europe, and Asia, but perhaps most relevant, Turkey) may need to take a second COVID PCR test on arrival at the Dubai Airport. If this is the case, travelers must remain in their hotel or residence until they receive the result. For this reason, we highly recommend that students fly direct when possible, or at least carefully consider their layovers.

The U.A.E. has an incredibly low number of COVID cases (roughly 4 out of 100,000 positive cases over the last 7 days) and an incredibly high vaccination rate. Over 90% of the population has been fully vaccinated, and over 32% have received their booster. The CDC and DoS have placed the UAE at a Level 1.

While Omicron has shaken up global travel yet again, we are happy to see COVID situations improve and remain favorable in all of our host countries. Amideast Education Abroad is excited to welcome participants this spring and work with interested students and their home institutions to facilitate their participation on our upcoming summer and fall programs. If interested in an upcoming program, please follow the application link at the top of this page, and/or email us at edabroad@amideast.org.

October 15, 2021

It’s hard to believe that we are already half-way through the fall semester! As we near the end of the Spring 2022 application cycle, we have some updates and news related to our COVID-19 policies and our host countries:

Our deadline to withdraw from spring semester programs without financial penalty for a full refund, inclusive of deposit, is now December 8th. This decision was made to accommodate the continued uncertainty of COVID-19 on global travel and study as well as institutions’ risk assessment decision dates. After December 8th, our normal Financial Policy and withdraw dates apply.
We will continue to use a Student Agreement and Release Addendum similar to the one available below under the June 28th update.
We will continue to house one student per host family in Morocco and Jordan.
We will continue requiring vaccinations from all participants, staff, faculty, and host families.

The COVID situations in Morocco, Jordan, the UAE, and Tunisia are generally positive. About 56% of eligible Moroccans are fully vaccinated, while rates in Jordan and Tunisia are about 35%, and 86% in the UAE. The UAE and Jordan also require proof of vaccination or a recent negative PCR test to enter many public spaces such as malls, cafes, gyms, hotels, etc. Of course, vaccination, masks, social distancing, and enhanced sanitization measures remain in force at all Amideast centers, as well as on the AUD campus.

Entry requirements for Morocco and Jordan remain unchanged since our last update on June 28th. At time of writing, to enter the UAE, specifically the Emirate of Dubai, all travelers must present a negative PCR test taken no more than 96 hours prior to entry into Dubai. To enter Tunisia, travelers must present either proof of vaccination or a negative PCR test taken no more than 72 hours prior to arrival and complete an online health questionnaire. Unvaccinated travelers must complete a 7-day quarantine at a government-approved hotel.

It’s been a wonderful semester and good to see everyone learning a lot and having fun again. We are optimistic that Amideast will continue to provide safe and rewarding study abroad programming to our current participants and beyond.

Applications for spring 2022 will close November 7th, and applications for summer and fall 2022 programs will open December 1st. Please reach out to edabroad@amideast.org with any questions.

August 8, 2021

Though there have been no changes to entry regulations, COVID requirements, or anything else that might alter a student’s preparation for their program this fall, we wanted to provide some additional guidance and clarification regarding a few points of fall study abroad.

Out of an abundance of caution, Amideast highly recommends that all participants, despite being vaccinated, spend the two weeks prior to their departure being extremely conscious of the risks they take in regard to COVID exposure. Though participants might be tempted to spend time with friends and family before they leave for the next several months, we very much recommend that they get a diagnostic PCR test two weeks prior to departure and spend their remaining time in the United States at home with limited exposure to others. By now, we know that vaccinated individuals may be asymptomatic with and transmit COVID, and a surprise positive COVID test the day before departure would be a frustrating and stressful situation for participants to find themselves in.
In the event that a participant does test positive for COVID on their pre-departure PCR test, Amideast will accommodate late arrivals in these specific circumstances. Students must be in contact with Amideast as soon as they realize they cannot travel on their intended flight and plan on an arrival no more than 2 weeks later. In this event, Amideast will provide recordings of orientation and class sessions as necessary, which the participant is responsible for watching asynchronously and staying up-to-date on classwork.
Amideast is not responsible for any refunds for plane tickets, other transportation, housing, missed program weeks, or for any other program expenses. Please reread the Financial Policies for reminders about refunds. Participants are expected to rebook their flights for as soon as they are fit for travel, and must keep Amideast up-to-date on their arrival plans.
As a reminder, Amideast cannot guarantee the vaccination status of all our homestay families for the fall 2021 semester. Please note that we are requiring that homestay families, instructors, Amideast staff, and language partners get vaccinated once they are eligible for vaccination. However, the reality is that the very great demand for vaccines in our host countries is challenged by global vaccine inequity vis-à-vis the United States and other countries of the Global North. Low supply and slow rollouts mean that many residents in Morocco and (to a lesser extent) Jordan are still waiting to be called for their turn. While all of our host parents and household elders are already vaccinated, Jordan is still working to vaccinate those as young as 12 years of age and Moroccans under 25 years of age remain ineligible for vaccination at time of writing. Meanwhile, strict COVID-19 protocols--masking, social distancing, curfews, select business closures, etc.-- remain in effect in both countries.
As entry requirements for both countries have not changed, participants should begin scheduling their PCR test appointments and complete any necessary forms for their travel. As a reminder, students will receive an email from Amideast in the days leading up to their departure with the most up-to-date information regarding entry requirements and any invitation letters or hotel reservations which might be necessary.

We are very excited to welcome students on site this fall in Jordan and Morocco for what will hopefully be a fun, safe, and successful program! As always, please reach out to edabroad@amideast.org with any questions that you may have.

June 28, 2021

It’s been some time since our last update, as EdAbroad has been busy preparing for and sending students to all three of our program locations this summer. We’re happy to report that all of our students were able to navigate the changing entry requirements and are having safe, successful, and fun programs!

With COVID cases down and vaccination rates up globally, our host countries’ entry requirements look a bit different now than they did in the spring, and so we would like to share those updates for Morocco and Jordan, as well as some from us at Amideast EdAbroad.

Morocco

In exciting news, Morocco has been lowered to a Level 2 advisory by the Department of State, and the COVID situation in Morocco is looking very good. Over 20% of the population has been fully vaccinated, and cases are at an all-time low.

Throughout this year, Morocco has protected its residents partly though strict and numerous flight bans, including from most European countries. Though the US was never on the list, the flight bans did make student travel to the country somewhat limited. Because of the continually improving public health situation, Morocco has lifted most bans as of June 15th. They have instead implemented a List A and List B framework, wherein travelers coming from List A countries (including the US and most of Europe) are free to enter without quarantine but must provide either proof of COVID-19 vaccination or a negative PCR test administered within 72 hours of arrival. Some vaccinated travelers have reported being asked for a PCR test as well, and have been denied entry without one.

For this reason, we highly recommend all students, regardless of vaccination status or country of origin, be prepared with a negative PCR test to present if asked.

If students fly from or through a List B country (even on a short layover) they must follow the guidelines for travelers coming from list B countries. This includes a mandatory negative PCR test that must have been sampled no more than 48 hours prior to entry into Morocco. All travelers, regardless of vaccination status, must have this PCR test. Relevant List B countries include Spain and France.

Students also need a hotel reservation to enter the country along with their PCR test result, and Amideast has and will continue to make these reservations on the students’ behalf.

For the time being, we still recommend students to purchase direct flights from JFK or Dulles airports to Casablanca.

Make sure to stay-to-date on changing requirements by visiting the US Embassy in Morocco’s COVID information page.

Jordan

Similarly, Jordan’s COVID situation has greatly improved since the spike in early spring, and as such, has also been lowered to Level 3 on the DOS travel advisories.

Travel to Jordan remains relatively easy for students. All travelers must have a negative result from a PCR test taken no more than 72 hours prior to travel and register on Gateway2Jordan to receive a QR code they will present at their departure airport. Upon arrival, travelers must take a second PCR test at the airport, though vaccinated travelers are exempt from this second PCR test. Instead, vaccinated travelers will be asked to provide a medical certificate (in paper or electronic form) of their vaccination and must complete a health form prior to boarding their flight to Jordan.

Amideast EdAbroad

As we announced in January, we are requiring that all students participating on an in-person Amideast program in the fall be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 before their departure. While we will consider participation by unvaccinated students on a case-by-case basis, we are committed to ensuring the health and safety of our student cohorts, our teachers and staff in the field, our host families and language partners, and our larger host communities. While vaccination rates are consistently improving in all of our host countries, we cannot ignore the reality of global vaccine inequity, and anticipate that we will require COVID vaccinations for many terms and years to come.

This requirement is and has been communicated extensively to participants and U.S. university partners, and is included in an updated Student Agreement and Release Addendum. An updated version of that addendum is posted here. We will continue to edit and improve this document in reaction to and anticipation of the COVID-19 situation as fall students prepare to depart.

Supplement to the Amideast Student Agreement and Release

This document serves as a supplement to the Student Agreement and Release and is specific to programs operating in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic under conditions that may pertain throughout summer 2021.

Please read and affirm your acknowledgment of and/or consent to the following:

I understand and will abide by the terms, conditions, and policies detailed in the Student Agreement and Release;
I have read and understood the information on COVID-19 and coverage under my Amideast-provided travel medical and evacuation insurance (linked here);
I understand the risks that COVID-19 poses to me as a fully vaccinated person, and appreciate that there are both benefits and limits to intervention and support that Amideast and the host community medical system can render me in the event I contract COVID-19 while on program;
I understand the risks that COVID-19 poses to others, and that I have an important role to play in helping maintain a safe environment for the entirety of my study abroad community;
I am enrolled in the U.S. Department of State’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP);
If my home country is the U.S., I understand that, particularly during the first year of the pandemic, my home country’s national response to COVID-19 is understood to have been lacking and ineffective;
I may be arriving in my host country from a country that has had a different experience of and response to COVID-19. My home country may enjoy more privilege than my host country. I recognize that my host country’s current response to COVID-19, including the availability of vaccines and timeline for vaccinating the population, may be greatly affected by global inequities, and I will be mindful of my presence and my comportment in my host country in that context;
I recognize that Amideast policies and procedures for COVID-19 mitigation will meet, but often exceed, those of the host country government. When Amideast policies and procedures exceed those of the host country government, they are responses based on both scientific recommendations and ethical considerations;
I understand that airline, host country government, and/or Amideast policies and procedures as pertain to COVID-19 are necessarily fluid and subject to change with little or no notice;
I am responsible for preparing accordingly for and adhering to airline, host country, and Amideast policies and procedures for travel and arrival onsite for my program. I acknowledge that COVID-19 testing may be required by airlines, the host country government, and/or Amideast prior to or at various points during my time on program, and that testing required by entities other than Amideast will be at my own expense. I acknowledge that COVID-19 testing may involve any type of test kit, and may indicate my status vis-à-vis COVID-19 only at the moment of testing;
Amideast will cover the expense of two cumulative weeks of quarantine or isolation if made necessary by exposure and/or COVID-19 infection during the program (as confirmed by a positive test) as a direct result of program context;
Any PCR tests necessary to re-enter the US at the end of my program will be at my or my home institution’s expense. If this will be a financial burden to me, I understand that I may seek assistance from Amideast for this expense.
Time required in quarantine or self-isolation due to exposure and/or COVID-19 infection during the program (as confirmed by a positive test) outside of a direct program context and/or on account of my own actions and choices will be at my own expense;
Any quarantines or isolations due to exposure and/or COVID-19 infection as a result of any context which cumulatively exceed two weeks will also be at my own expense;
Amideast will assist in arranging quarantines, isolations, and/or PCR tests and will provide support to students in these situations regardless of the party financially responsible for the quarantines, isolations, and/or PCR tests;
I will properly wear masks at all times when outside my living space, adhering to best practices as regards social distancing and hand-washing, even if I see others in the host country not adhering to such standards. I will self-isolate and contact Amideast onsite staff immediately if I think I have been exposed to COVID-19 or if I begin to feel sick;
I will have my program-provided phone turned on, charged, with credit, and on my person at all times;
I understand that there may be days on which I must attend my classes online, particularly during unexpected periods of quarantine or required isolation; I understand that Amideast has no computer equipment to lend and will bring my own device appropriate for remote learning; I understand that the speed of internet in my host country may not be as fast as I am used to in my home country;
I understand that COVID-19 will have impact on the logistics of co-curricular activities and excursions; regularly scheduled co-curricular activities and excursions may look quite different during summer 2021, and some may be impossible. I understand that Amideast will make every effort to substitute safe activities and excursions when others are deemed too risky;
I understand that independent travel outside of my host country while the program remains in session is not possible, and that independent travel within my host country is subject to local conditions and restrictions. If traveling independently within my host country, I will refrain from taking undue risks as pertain to COVID-19, and will adhere to all Travel Registration policies as outlined in the Student Agreement and Release and on-site orientation;
I recognize that, depending on local conditions, there may be periods during which Amideast premises are closed and/or that I may not be able to have face-to-face access to Amideast staff;
I affirm to remain in close touch with Amideast staff at all times;
I will continue to closely monitor updates from Amideast, as well as local and relevant international sources of news and information, adjusting my behavior accordingly;
I will observe all Amideast advice and directives related to my personal behavior and acknowledge that these may change as conditions in my host country change;
Once in my homestay, I affirm to remain there if directed to do so, and strictly limit time outside my homestay as directed;
Depending on local conditions, I may find myself spending significant time in my host family’s home, and may have to be flexible in adopting strategies to be the best host student I can be (i.e., help out in new ways at home, be even more mindful of my use of resources in the home, remain open and maintain my sense of humor, etc.);
While Amideast has worked intimately with its homestay families for many years, I recognize that my host family’s tolerance for risk under the circumstances may ultimately prove greater than my own. If I am uncomfortable with COVID-related practices in my homestay, I will alert Amideast immediately. I understand that Amideast will remove me from that situation and work to find me a new living situation, although it may prove difficult to find a new host family;
I similarly recognize that my host family’s tolerance for risk under the circumstances may be less than mine. I recognize that not following health-related advice or directives, especially as relates to social distancing, hygiene, isolation, or quarantine, could put myself and my host family at risk, or cause my host family to perceive that they are at risk as a result of my actions. Should this be the case, I understand that my host family may ask me to leave their home and disciplinary action may be considered; I assume all risk and cost associated with moving out of my host family in this situation;

In conclusion, I will follow all Amideast directives and take all suggestions seriously. Should I break any directives listed above or as stated in the Student Agreement and Release, I run the risk of forfeiting all resources provided by Amideast and risk dismissal from the program.

For earlier updates, please visit our retired Summer and Fall 2021 blog thread.