Graduate students still must participate in the full program as described in question 5. 8. No - although it is very useful for pursuing research in the area, and getting to know the region, all activities at the AIES are held in English and therefore, you do not HAVE to know these other languages. We encourage anyone interested in studying Hebrew or Arabic to take an intensive language study in the summer right before or after the academic program, and can recommend some programs that offer this. Some of the regular courses offer fieldwork, and of course you can design your independent study to include fieldwork as well. Many area environmental experts are willing to be mentors for this type of project.
Students live in beautiful new dormitories.
Every two students share a bedroom and bathroom. These clusters surround a lovely courtyard, and there is a sitting area on the roof with a gorgeous view of the area. In theirfree time, students often go into town for shopping, recreation or just to swim and snorkel. Some students have pursued research for their independent study project based in or near the city of Eilat, and others have done some volunteer work there. You can read about past student's experiences in the Desert Dreams Newsletter.