Alalamia One-Year Diploma in Arabic for Non-Native Speakers
This one-year diploma teaches you Arabic as it is written and as it is spoken in daily life in Damascus. You build Modern Standard Arabic from the alphabet to an independent B1 level, while parallel conversation courses in Levantine Arabic help you talk naturally with the people around you. By the end, you can read, write and hold real conversations with growing confidence.
Expatriates and international staff living or working in Syria, diplomats and humanitarian workers, students of Arabic and Middle Eastern studies, and heritage learners who want a structured path from complete beginner to confident everyday use.
What you receive: Alalamia One-Year Diploma in Arabic for Non-Native Speakers, issued on successful completion of all five courses and the final assessment.
- Read and write the Arabic script accurately, with correct pronunciation of all sounds
- Understand and use the core grammar and vocabulary of Modern Standard Arabic up to B1 level
- Read short articles, notices and messages and write clear everyday texts
- Hold everyday conversations in Levantine Arabic for shopping, travel, work and social life
- Recognise the difference between formal and spoken Arabic and choose the right one for each situation
The courses, in order
216 training hours · 5 courses
- Foundation
Modern Standard Arabic for Non-Native Speakers A1
Arabic for Non-Native Speakers
View course → - Foundation
Levantine Arabic Conversation: Beginner
Arabic for Non-Native Speakers
View course → - Foundation
Modern Standard Arabic for Non-Native Speakers A2
Arabic for Non-Native Speakers
View course → - Intermediate
Levantine Arabic Conversation: Intermediate
Arabic for Non-Native Speakers
View course → - Intermediate
Modern Standard Arabic for Non-Native Speakers B1
Arabic for Non-Native Speakers
View course →
How the diploma runs
Five courses taken over one academic year, alternating Modern Standard Arabic levels with Levantine conversation so that reading, writing and speaking grow together. Study in an evening or weekend cohort in Damascus, join live online classes, or arrange the diploma privately for your organisation's team. The diploma runs for roughly 36 to 40 weeks and closes with a final assessment combining a written test and a recorded conversation.
Questions and answers
An Alalamia diploma is our own award. It shows that you completed a planned programme of several courses with us, passed its practical assessments and met the attendance requirement. An international certification is awarded by the vendor or awarding body after you pass its official exam. Many of our diplomas prepare you for such a certification, but the certification itself is earned through that exam, not through the diploma.
No. The diploma fee covers training and course materials. Exam fees are separate and are paid directly to the exam provider. We will tell you which exam applies and what it involves. Many exams can be sat at our Authorised Test Centre for Pearson VUE and Prometric in Mazzeh, and we confirm the exact exam before you book.
Yes. You can start with the first course of a diploma and continue at your own pace, or take a single course on its own. Each completed course earns an Alalamia certificate, and the courses you complete count towards the diploma if you decide to finish it later.
Yes, instalments are possible and are agreed in writing before you start. Quotes are given in writing in US dollars. Payment is made at our office and you always receive a receipt. Your place is confirmed once your registration form is complete and we have received the first payment or agreed instalment.
Let's plan your next step together.
Tell us the course or certification you have in mind and we'll send the outline, upcoming dates, fees and private-team options.