Sign up for a beginning Arabic course. Beginning Arabic courses will introduce you to the basics of the language, such as the alphabet and the differences between the Arabic dialects and the formal written form. You can enroll as a full-time student and receive credit for your Arabic course as an elective or to fulfill a general education requirement. Many community colleges offer Arabic language courses. If you are not currently enrolled as a college student, you can sign up for single classes at a university or community college.
Get involved in on-campus activities related to Arabic language and culture. Take courses related to the Arabic language, such as those in departments of history, politics, history of religion, art history or anthropology. Take advantage of the many cultural and educational resources available in centers of higher education and in your city. Start a study group or an Arabic film or music club. Attend all discussion and supplementary sessions and commit to extra time studying outside of class. You will need to dedicate at least three times as much time to homework and self study as you spend in class.
Study abroad. Many schools offer the opportunity for full-time enrolled students to take part in long or short-term study abroad programs. You can spend a summer, semester, or full year abroad practicing your Arabic language skills and learning firsthand about Arab culture. Many of these programs cost the same as the regular tuition for your school, though you can apply for scholarships such as the Critical Language Scholarship (see Resources). If you are not a full-time university student, you can attend universities or private Arabic language schools abroad independently, though you will need to fund this yourself.