Study in Cairo, Egypt

About Cairo

Cairo is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world. Greater Cairo had an estimated 20.9 million inhabitants in 2020, about 20% of Egypt's population, according to the Cairo Metro company. The city stretches along the Nile from the historic centre around Tahrir Square to new districts in the desert, such as New Cairo.

Students come to Cairo for two main reasons: English-language university degrees and Arabic. The American University in Cairo notes that the Egyptian dialect is the most widely known and understood in the Arab world, which makes Cairo a natural place to learn the language.

Studying in Cairo

Our directory lists five schools in Cairo: two universities and three language schools.

• The American University in Cairo (AUC) has taught in English for more than a century and is an independent, not-for-profit institution chartered and accredited in both the United States and Egypt. Its New Cairo campus houses five schools, 12 research centres and Egypt's largest English-language library collection; a second campus is on Tahrir Square in the city centre. AUC also teaches Arabic to international students, with curricula in Modern Standard, media and Egyptian Arabic, and has offered a master's in teaching Arabic as a foreign language since 1979.
• Future University in Egypt (FUE) is a private university in New Cairo, founded in 2006 by Presidential Decree 254/2006. Its six faculties (dentistry, pharmacy, engineering, economics and political science, commerce and business administration, and computers and IT) are accredited by Egypt's Supreme Council of Universities, and an International Support Center advises foreign students.
• For Arabic, the directory lists International House Cairo, which teaches Arabic and English and trains teachers; the Qortoba Institute for Arabic Studies, which offers Modern Standard, conversational and colloquial Arabic online and summer programmes in Egypt; and the Drayah Language Center.

Cost of living for students

Costs depend heavily on the school. At AUC, undergraduate tuition for international students is US$735 per credit hour (rates updated in July 2026), and international students must pay tuition and fees in US dollars. AUC has student residences a short walk from its New Cairo classes. No official figures for private room rents are published. Public transport is the cheapest way to get around: the Cairo Metro sells student subscriptions, valid between the student's home and place of study.

Getting around and daily life

Cairo is a large and busy city, and AUC warns that traffic congestion is a significant challenge. The metro is affordable but crowded at peak hours. Line 1 links Helwan University in the south with downtown Cairo, line 2 runs to Giza with a station at Cairo University, and line 3 crosses the city from east to west; a planned fourth line will connect 6th of October City with New Cairo.

The climate is dry. At Cairo Airport, January averages a high of 19.0 °C and a low of 9.7 °C, and July a high of 34.8 °C and a low of 22.9 °C, according to the Egyptian Meteorological Authority's 1981-2010 normals published by the World Meteorological Organization. AUC notes that annual rainfall is only about 40 mm (1.6 inches), that winter nights can be cold, and that in spring the khamaseen, a hot, dry and dusty wind, can blow.

Frequently asked questions

Is Cairo a good place to learn Arabic?

Yes, for many learners. The Egyptian dialect is widely understood across the Arab world, and AUC and several language schools in our directory teach both Modern Standard and Egyptian Arabic.

Which universities in Cairo teach in English?

The American University in Cairo is an English-language university, accredited in both the United States and Egypt.

How much does AUC cost for international students?

Undergraduate tuition for international students is US$735 per credit hour, payable in US dollars, according to AUC's tuition page updated in July 2026.

Is there a student discount on public transport in Cairo?

Yes. The Cairo Metro sells student subscriptions, which are valid only between the student's home and place of study.