Study In Egypt

*Please be aware the economy has changed a lot since this was written so the exact costs will not be up to date due to high levels of inflation.   After several requests from fellows students and people hopeful of studying in Cairo we have decided to write up a post discussing expenditure and costs of life in Egypt for a student. Each individual situation depends on their lifestyle and is unique therefore it may be difficult to provide a complete accurate figure of ones expected monthly expenditures. However we will attempt to provide a simple breakdown based on our own experiences, through which others can come up with an estimate of their own. There are several costs one must take into consideration when planning their trip to Cairo. We will attempt to breakdown each one individually and then provide a monthly total. We will provide the price in Egyptian pounds and then in sterling when calculating the totals. Calculations are based on the current exchange rate of 23.7egp p...

Learning and memorising the Qur'an in Cairo Having produced some of the greatest Qur'an reciters off the last century, from the likes of Mahmood Khalil al-Hosary, Mohammed al-Minshawi and Abdul Basit Abdus Samad, just to name a few, Egypt is without doubt one of the best places in the world to learn the Holy Qur'an. Whether you want to memorise the word of Allah, perfect your tajweed or gain an Ijaazah in the various narrations and styles of recitation, you can find something suited to you in Egypt and Cairo in particular. We will use this blog post to highlight the various Qur'anic centres and places of learning in Cairo for those interested in travelling to Egypt to study and memorise the Qur'an. For someone who wants to memorise the Qur'an there are many institutes at which they can do so. Through full time studies, memorising the Qur'an takes 2-3 years on average. However it can be completed in more time or less, depending on the students’...

Most students bring foreign currency - pounds Sterling or US dollars for example - with them when travelling to Egypt. This is a good way to evade issues with using plastic as this isn't as widespread in Egypt. At local stores and markets, they will laugh if you ask to pay by card; In Egypt, cash is king. However, someone who didn't bring enough cash to last their entire stay, ran out, or it simply wasn't feasible for them to bring a larger amount to cover their stay will need an alternative. It is possible to use cards to get by. Anyone can send money to that account and you can then use it abroad easily. You can sign up for an online bank card – or a few cards – and bring with you. These cards are great as you can withdraw money in Egypt without getting charged at first (check the websites for updated details) and you can also use them in supermarkets and many other stores free of charge. This beats paying £1.25 every time you use your normal (UK high street bank) car...

What to bring with you After questions about accommodation and places to study, we often find aspiring students of the Arabic language seeking advice on things they need to bring with them. Egypt is a truly global country and you'd be surprised to hear that the majority of things we are accustomed to in the West can be found here. As such, this list isn't too long.   I've omitted general things from the list (i.e. undies, socks and oh yeah - your passport)! In no particular order; Cash Pounds Sterling / Dollars are fine and you will find loads of places to exchange. Avoid the airports as they may charge you a premium (as a general rule, find out what the rate is that day on xe.com and don’t exchange with anyone charging over 2%). It's hard to say how much to bring and this is relative to you overheads and your length of stay. Please refer to the "overheads" page for an idea. International bank / cash cards See out post on dealing with fina...