Study Farsi/Persian in Iran in 2015.

[brownbunny3]

Hi everyone,

I'm a Spanish student who finished his career at college almost a year ago. In my last year I studied farsi and I just fell in love with the language and Iranian culture (literature, cinema, etc...). I love it.

Last summer I asked my teacher to tell me if he knew some place in Iran where I could continue studying and improving my farsi. He suggested me one called 'Dehkhoda Institute' in Tehran.

The thing is that I spent a month doing all the paperwork and then I was around 5 months waiting for an answer (if I had been accepted or not), and they answered me 2 weeks after my course already started. It's a shame and I still don't understand why they took so much time for nothing. I told my teacher about it and he said that with that institution (Dehkhoda) sometimes happens, that they are useless.

I'm disappointed and sad for what happened and I don't know anymore places where I can study farsi in Iran.

That's why I'm asking here if there is anybody who knows some other places (and not Dehkhoda) where I can continue studying and improving my farsi in Iran. I would like to stay in Iran for a month (or a few months if it's possible) in Tehran or Esfahan mainly, but if there are persian courses available in others cities, that's ok.

I really appreciate all the recommendations and advices.

Thank you very much for everything.

[eskandar]

Sorry to hear it didn't work out with Dehkhoda. It's possible your application just got lost on their end; generally it's good to follow up several times if you don't hear back. There are many other places to learn Persian in Tehran, Esfahan, and elsewhere in Iran. While they don't mention it on their site for some reason, I'm pretty sure Kanun Zaban Iran (Iran Language Institute) has Persian courses for foreigners. You could contact them and ask.

[brownbunny3]

Hi Eskandar,

Thank you for your answer. I just sent an e-mail to Kanun Zaban Iran asking them about Persian courses for foreigners. I hope to recieve an answer soon.

I feel a little frustrated because it may sound weird, but the thing is that I couldn't find any info about Persian courses (centers) for foreigners in Iran on the internet, only a recommendation of Dehkhoda in a couple of forums, but I don't want to try it again with Dehkhoda.

Eskandar, could you recommend me which are the best places to study persian for foreigners in Iran (besides Kanun Zaban Iran, mainly in Tehran and Esfahan, which are the cities that most interest me)? What I liked about Dehkhoda is that is located in the North of Tehran (which I heard is one of the best areas of the city) and that it has student accommodation. So I hope to find another good place to study Persian in Iran and with student accommodation if it can be possible.

Thanks a lot again.

[eskandar]

Sorry I don't have a lot of information on this subject; I never really studied Persian in Iran. I visited Dehkhoda once but they didn't have anything useful for more advanced learners at the time so I didn't stay (though I've heard it's very good for beginning and intermediate students), and Kanun Zaban was recommended to me as well but I never studied there. Unfortunately I don't know anything about other centers. I would recommend trying again with Dehkhoda while seeking out other options at the same time. That way, if Dehkhoda works out then your problem is solved, and if it doesn't, you at least have pursued other options.

I don't know anything about it, but the University of Esfahan has a short Persian course for foreigners, as does the University of Shiraz. (You didn't mention interest in Shiraz, but it's a beautiful city). These might also be worth looking into.

I recommend also contacting both the Spanish Embassy in Iran and the Iranian Embassy in Spain to ask if they know of any courses they can recommend or other relevant information. They might just tell you to try Dehkhoda, but it's possible they could have other information. I will warn you right away that the Iranian Embassy might be totally unhelpful (they usually are) but it's worth a try.

[brownbunny3]

Hi, Eskandar, thanks for answering again.

Trying it again with Dehkhoda was an option, but then I thought about it and definitely not. If they took almost 6 months to give an answer (and two weeks after my course started)...

I didn't mentioned before, but I spent nearly 200 € in paperwork: a few legalizations, an official translation... I have made language courses in Ireland and Russia and I asked some friends of mine who also made this kind of language courses, and it never takes so long to recieve an answer after all the paperwork and stuff, at most one month. So there is no way with Dehkhoda. Besides, I sent them an e-mail asking for explanations and they never replied me -and I was very polite-.

I asked to the Iranian Embassy in Spain, but they are not very helpful -as you say-, in fact they only told me about Dehkhoda telling me is the best place to study Persian in Iran, bla bla bla. But I can't believe there is no way I can't find another place (not Dehkhoda) to study Persian in Iran for a few months -3 or 6 minimum-.

I'm pretty sure there are academies for foreigners but I was hoping to find some special academy/institute for foreigners like Dehkhoda with student accommodation and with a visa student, because that's another "problem", I don't know how much time I can stay in Iran with a turist visa or a student visa.

I have seen that the University of Esfahan offers Persian courses (for one or three months), but are very expensive -2,000 $ for three months- compared with Dehkhoda. I also like Shiraz, but I had already made me illusions with Tehran or Esfahan.

I'll keep trying it. Anyway thanks for your recommendations.

[eskandar]

De nada, buena suerte y موفق باشی !

[Mehrdad]

Dear Bonny
I searched a little for you & found a private institute in west of Tehran called Gaat.
I called them & they said as there's not enough students for it , they don't have group classes nowadays. But they arrange private courses.A course contains 20 units , lasts about 1 month & costs 10,000,000 Rials (about 240 euros ) .

Here is their site : higlc.com
& their Tel : 0098 21 44154940
I spoke to Miss Tabe-ee (تابعی) (she speaks English)


Good Luck
Mehrdad

[Mehrdad]

Dear Bunny3

People in Isfahan & Shiraz have nice but very strong accents. Although visiting theses cities is a must for every visitor, I think their accents may confuse a new learner a little. Tehran is not as beautiful as those cities, but as Tehrani accent is a bit closer to formal Farsi, the capital might be a better choice for practicing in streets.

Good luck again.

[brownbunny3]

Salam Mehrdad,

Kheili Mamnoon for your messages and the recommendation of Gatt in Tehran, but I want to stay in Iran at least 3 months, -6 or more if I can-. Until now I haven't found yet any center/academy/university that offers Persian courses for foreigners.

I tried with Kanun Zaba (Iran Language Institute) but they answered me that they don't offer Persian courses.

Anyway, I can't hardly understand why a person -me- who wants to visit a beautiful country like Iran can't find a good place to study/improve his Persian -not Dehkhoda-.

I didn't know that to study Persian in Iran were soo difficult. Now I think I understand why Persian language is still so unknown in Occident.

I don't know, I'm feeling kind of frustrating. I keep writing on forums but still nothing. I would like to go to Tehran in September, but If I don't find that place from here to February/March... I don't know... I hope to find a good answer.

Thanks anyway.

[nasimb]

Hi
I know that University of Isfahan also offers Farsi courses, but I can't find any related webpage on their website! I found a blog post from someone who had taken these courses and I founded this e-mail: iinternationaloffice@yahoo.com which is the contact e-mail of International Office of the University of Isfahan.
I suggest you contact them and ask them to give you some information.

Good Luck!

P.S. Here is the blog post I mentioned above:
http://www.edgeofconsciousness.net/2009 ... fahan.html

[MinaGJ]

there are different institutes which provide Persian courses for non-persian. such as:

International center of ferdowsi university
http://ctpl.um.ac.ir/index.php/en/home- ... -offerings
just for 450 euro

and

Dehkhoda
http://icps.ut.ac.ir/tuition-e.html

if you want to study persian and get international certificate, international center is the best option.

[brownbunny3]

Hi nasimb,

Thanks for your answer. Unfortunately, the Persian courses of the University of Esfahan have a maximum duration of three months and are very expensive comparing to Dehkhoda. I would love to go to Esfahan to study farsi, but not this way.

Hi MinaGJ,

Thanks for answering. Thanks a lot for give that link of the Ferdowsi Center of Mashhad. I will definitely write them to get more info about it. It's a good option. I had on mind the idea of go to Tehran, Esfahan or Shiraz, but maybe Mashhad is a good place too. As I said before, I tried it several times with Dehkhoda but never worked out, so I'm not going to try it again with Dehkhoda anymore.

Anyway, do you know more places to study Persian in Iran (I plan to stay as long as I can, maybe 1 year if it's possible)? At this point, I don't care to go to other cities.

Sorry I didn't reply to both of you, but it's been a few months since the last time I entered here.

PS: One question I wanted to ask you. Perhaps I'm a little crazy, but do you see as a real option to study persian in Afghanistan? I mean, maybe in Herat, which is in the west of the country very close to Iran?

[555]

Dear Bunny
I think studying English is a weird idea,because Afghans speak in Dari and Pashtoo(Old Farsi).And also they are in a war .

[Korkut]

Hi Bunny, did you solve your problem ?

[Persianteacher]

Salam All Persian learners,

I have been teaching Farsi, specifically to Non-Farsi speakers since 2008.You may contact me if you are interested to learn Persian here in Iran,just send me an email at: m_h_mohammadpur@yahoo.com

I also offer Online tuition for those who`d like to learn Persian from thier country.

[learner123]

dear
did u try at ferdowsi?
any idea when their courses start?
did u get the visa?