Student Life
Sports & Recreation in Jordan
University sport, gyms and the outdoor side of Jordan.
In short
Universities maintain sports facilities and field teams in football, basketball, volleyball, athletics and other sports, and sport is one route into Jordanian student life that does not require fluent Arabic.
University sport
Universities maintain sports facilities and field teams in football, basketball, volleyball, athletics and other sports, and sport is one route into Jordanian student life that does not require fluent Arabic.
Gyms and fitness
Commercial gyms are widespread in Amman, Irbid and Zarqa, and are affordable by regional standards. Membership is usually monthly or annual; class-based studios and swimming pools exist mainly in Amman.
Outdoors
Jordan is an outstanding country for hiking and trekking: the Jordan Trail runs the length of the country, and there is good walking around Ajloun, Jerash, the Dead Sea escarpment, Dana, Wadi Rum and Petra. Hiking is a genuine highlight of living in Jordan, and student groups frequently organise trips.
Water
Aqaba on the Red Sea offers diving, snorkelling, windsurfing and kite-surfing, with internationally recognised dive centres. It is a long weekend destination from Amman and a short trip from the southern universities.
Cost
University facilities are the cheapest option; commercial gyms and water sports cost more. Hiking is essentially free apart from transport, which makes it the best-value activity for students.
Sources & verification
Priority order: official Jordanian government authorities → official institution websites → accreditation organisations → official ranking organisations → Visit Jordan → other reliable sources. Claims that could not be verified from these are marked as unverified rather than presented as fact.
- Study in Jordan (national higher-education portal) https://studyinjordan.jo/
- Visit Jordan — learning experiences https://edutravel.visitjordan.com/en/