STUDENT INFORMATION….    

General Information 
Visa: Most nationalities can obtain a tourist visa upon arrival at Cairo International Airport. This visa has a validity of one month. For your visa extension we will ask you for a copy of your passport and will then issue a letter confirming that you are our student. With this letter, your passport and two photographs you will apply for your extension at the local "Mugamma". 
Alternatively you can apply for a visa at the Egyptian Embassy at your home country.
However certain nationalities do have problems:
Citizens of Israel and South Africa are only allowed a one-month stay and can only renew by leaving Egypt. Citizens of Malaysia, Indonesia and India are only allowed a three-month stay, and can only renew by leaving Egypt.
Money exchange: There are numerous Exchange Outlets or Banks throughout Cairo that will change your money. There are no restrictions and if you want to change your Egyptian Pounds back, this is not a problem. Egypt operates a free market for currencies. Banks and Exchange Outlets will take Travellers Cheques. You can also use your VisaCard or MasterCard at ATM machines to obtain cash. Most credit cards are accepted by larger businesses and shops. 
School hours: ILI is closed on Friday and Saturday. This does not effect the airport meeting service and hotel bookings. Classes are held from Monday to Thursday. Class times are usually 9.00 – 11.00 am, 11.30 am - 2.00 pm and 2.00 - 4.30 pm depending on which course you are enrolled in. During break times, the Institute has a good restaurant and email facilities, both of which you are welcome to use.
Public Holidays: Classes that fall on public holidays are usually cancelled and not made-up. Courses that have a high content of public holidays, such as religious feasts, may be given make-up classes on a Sunday. Due to the moveable nature of the feasts, we cannot always predict the exact holiday date in our course schedule.
Cost of living: If you come from Europe, USA, Australia or Japan, you will find the cost of living relatively inexpensive. Travel by taxi, food and eating in restaurants is easily affordable. A meal in a local restaurant can cost from U$ 4 - 5 per head. Eating in 'international-style' restaurants or hotels will cost approximately U$ 16 - 18 per head (excluding alcoholic drinks).
Medical: You do NOT need yellow fever or cholera vaccinations, but we suggest you are up-to-date with typhoid, tetanus, polio and hepatitis. Whilst there are irritating mosquitoes in Cairo, you do not have to take malaria tablets. If you have to take certain medicines on a regular basis, either bring a supply, or check with us to be sure that your medication is available locally.

Culture: As Egypt is predominantly a Muslim country it is important to respect its customs - in particular its dress code. This particularly concerns women who should dress modestly and not wear shorts, short skirts and sleeveless tops. Although conservative, Cairo is also very cosmopolitan, allowing alcohol, nightclubs, discos and a huge range of cheap to expensive clubs and restaurants. Cairo is a very safe city in comparison to many other capitals.
Please do not hesitate to contact us for more detailed information.
Once you begin to understand how Cairo 'works' it is an amazing city to live in. In comparison to many capital cities it is very safe, and with a little effort and ingenuity, you can buy almost anything. You can travel inexpensively from antiquity sites to mountains to dazzling sea resorts and breath-taking oasis. If you are staying long enough you can chose from a large range of furnished flats, and if you are really lucky, rent a houseboat on the Nile. Cairo is an experience!
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    STUDENT INFORMATION….    

Airport Meeting, Hotel and other Accommodation Facilities

Airport meeting service

The ILI provides this service to all its students on receipt of their full flight details and a fee of 20U$ per person payable to the ILI. 

Hotel Booking
The prices below are special ILI student prices per night at the following hotels:

Hotel	Stars & location	Single & bath	Double & bath	Nile View &
bath (single)	
Mohandseen:					
Caroline Crillon	3, central location	21 U$	30 U$		
Swiss Inn 	3, central but quiet
    location	21 U$	30 U$		
Dokki:					
King	3, near Opera &     
    Egypt. Museum	30 U$	40U$		
Zamalek:					
El Nil Zamalek	3, facing the Nile	20 U$	23 U$	25 $
	
Hotel Longchamps	3, garden view,
    quiet place	42 U$	48 U$		
Flamenco	4, facing the Nile	50 U$ 	70 U$	60 U$	

These hotel rates are excluding 10% service tax.

The hotels in Mohandseen are the nearest to our institute. The Dokki area is the closest to down town, but also in reasonable distance to ILI. Zamalek is the most famous area, located on an island in the Nile, also in easy reach.

All hotel rooms do have private bathroom, TV and air condition.

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    STUDENT INFORMATION….    

Flats 

We advise our students to let us book them in one of the above hotels on their first couple of nights. On their arrival to ILI we help them find or share flats with other ILI students. A search & agency charge of 40 U$ is to be paid to ILI.

A share of a room is	   250 - 350 U$ per month
A 2 bedroom flat is	   500 – 700 U$ per month.  
A 3 bedroom flat is	   600 – 800 U$ per month

In the high season of July and August the rents are usually higher than during the year. You have to be prepared to add another 100 to 150 U$.

These apartments do not belong to ILI. The students will sign a contract with the landlord directly. Usually such contracts include a deposit payment of one month's rent that the owner of the apartment will keep in case of any damage until the last day of your stay.

Please note that these prices are excluding bills (water, electricity, telephone). 

The flats shown to the students are fully furnished, including TV, telephone, fridge, stove, washing machine and air condition.

The telephone line can normally be used to connect computers or lab tops.

When checking on flats, we focus especially on functionality, safety and hygiene and get the best & most reasonably priced accommodation. These apartments fulfill local quality standards.

Some flats are in walking distance, others in about 5 to 10 minutes drive from ILI.
The most common way to reach from your apartment to ILI is by taxi as they are available everywhere and the fares are very low. 

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