Housing Options at ALIF
ALIF students may choose from the housing options detailed below:
The ALIF Residence
The ALIF student residence is located around the corner from ALIF. The residence provides basic accommodations for students looking to live near ALIF. All rooms, whether single or double, are furnished. Each student will have a single bed, wardrobe, desk, chair, fan, bed sheets and linens. Some rooms have balconies. The residence has a shared, fully-equipped kitchen, shared bath facilities, hi-speed WiFi throughout, and a large garden area.
ALIF Residence room prices as of September 1, 2021:
- the ALIF Residence
- a Homestay with a Moroccan family
- a hotel
- an apartment or house
The ALIF Residence
The ALIF student residence is located around the corner from ALIF. The residence provides basic accommodations for students looking to live near ALIF. All rooms, whether single or double, are furnished. Each student will have a single bed, wardrobe, desk, chair, fan, bed sheets and linens. Some rooms have balconies. The residence has a shared, fully-equipped kitchen, shared bath facilities, hi-speed WiFi throughout, and a large garden area.
ALIF Residence room prices as of September 1, 2021:
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Reservation & Payment procedures: To reserve a room, please email our housing coordinator. If a room is not available, you'll be put on a waiting list. Residents must pay ALIF upon receipt of their housing invoice.
Here's the location on Google Maps: ALIF Student Residence
Below are images from rooms in the ALIF Residence
Here's the location on Google Maps: ALIF Student Residence
Below are images from rooms in the ALIF Residence
Homestay with a Moroccan Family
A feature of ALIF's programs is the Moroccan homestay service. Homestays with Moroccan families entail room and board for a fixed fee and provide the student with a window into family life in Morocco.
Students desiring a homestay should email the ALIF housing coordinator or speak with him upon arrival to discuss specific needs before being placed with a family. Students with specific preferences, such as dietary restrictions, allergies, or the family's distance from ALIF, should indicate these on their housing preference forms. Homestays are located in various parts of the city and many necessitate the use of taxis or public transportation. Please note that our number of homestay families is limited, and that during busy times you may need to be placed on a waiting list.
Cost and Payment procedures: 840dh/week plus an admin fee (10% of total/350dh minimum) for a single, private room with meals. For stays of less than 3 weeks, the cost is 1,050dh per week plus the admin fee. At least three weeks of homestay payment must be paid in advance upon receipt of the homestay invoice. While the first night of homestay is not refundable, the balance may be refunded following a one-night trial period. Participants subsequently pay ALIF for their homestay on a three or six-week basis in advance.
Other concerns: Students who feel they may have difficulties adapting to life with a Moroccan family should consider other housing options. Among the difficulties experienced by past participants: (1) Lack of privacy, (2) Noise from television and radio, (3) Unfamiliar meal times and dietary habits, (4) Unavailability of study space, (5) Unfamiliar sanitary fixtures (in some cases, "traditional" toilets), (6) Location of host family (in some cases involving a bus ride to ALIF). For the overwhelming number of past participants such inconveniences were far outweighed by the positive experience of living with a Moroccan family, whose hospitality is legendary for good reason.
Hotels
The housing coordinator is happy to reserve a room in a hotel for you, but we've found that you can get better prices by booking directly on websites such as www.booking.com and www.airbnb.com.
Cost: 150-750dh/night.
Reservation procedures: Students wishing to have hotel reservations made prior to their arrival should request this by separate email to the ALIF housing coordinator.
Apartments & Houses
For longer stays, a house, a room in a shared house, or a furnished apartment may be a good option. Traditional houses in the medina are especially wonderful and an interesting cultural experience. Please ask our housing coordinator for our list of available apartments and houses. Please note that this is a list of places people have submitted, but that we haven't seen all of them. You can also find a place via word of mouth, or with an agent if necessary. If you identify a place on your own, please speak to us before signing a lease, just to make sure the price and terms are reasonable.
Costs: 2500dh/month and up.
Other concerns: Students should be aware that there is not a wide selection of furnished apartments and houses in Fez and that looking for appropriate housing may take several days or more. Not all apartments are furnished, so students should factor the cost of furnishing an apartment into rental costs.
