About CASA

The Center for Arabic Study Abroad (CASA) was established in 1967 to offer intensive advanced Arabic language training at the American University in Cairo, Egypt. Since its inception, CASA has trained more than 1,350 American college level students, graduate students, and professors specializing in various areas of Middle Eastern Studies.

CASA is currently administered at University of Texas at Austin by a U.S. Director and Program Coordinator. Academic programs are offered at the American University in Cairo (AUC), under the guidance of an Egypt Co-Director (who is also the Director of the Arabic Language Institute at AUC), an Executive Director and Program Coordinator and at the University of Damascus, under the guidance of a Damascus Co-Director.

CASA is represented by a Consortium of twenty-eight American universities and colleges who serve a vital role in directing various academic, financial and administrative aspects of the CASA programs.

CASA receives its primary funding from the United States Department of Education, under the Group International Study Abroad Program. In addition, CASA is currently supported by two endowments from the Ford and Mellon foundations, with additional funding from the Binational Fulbright Commission in Egypt.