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About

Humanizing International Relations Since 1947

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For 75 years, we’ve had a single mission:

To help people gain understanding, acquire knowledge, and develop skills for living in a globally interdependent and culturally diverse world through meaningful exchange programs.

Each year, we serve more than

10k

Study Abroad Students

1k

U.S. High Schools

35k

International Exchange Visitors

  • CapeTown
  • Seoul
  • Berlin

Our Story

1947 - The Beginning
The Executive Committee on Student Travel forms to foster student and teacher travel. Logistics management and orientation for student exchange programs to Europe begins.

1967 - Becoming CIEE
Name change from Council on Student Travel to Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE); begin to focus on academic programming. The first CIEE Study Center opens in Leningrad.

1969 - Introducing Summer Work Travel
CIEE is designated by the State Department as the first sponsor of the J-1 Summer Work Travel program; the CIEE Work & Travel USA program is created.

1984 - Expanding J-1 Visa Opportunities 
At CIEE’s suggestion, the State Department creates a new J-1 visa category, J-1 Trainee, for university students to travel to the U.S. for internships.

2003 - Hello From Portland, Maine 
U.S. headquarters moves from New York, New York, to Portland, Maine.

2015 - Reinventing Study Abroad 
CIEE reinvents the study abroad model with the launch of its first Open Campus Block Program in Berlin. Open Campus Block locations follow in London, Paris, and Rome.

2017 - Seven Decades Of Bringing The World Together 
CIEE celebrates 70 years of transforming lives through meaningful exchange.

Read more about CIEE's history

Our Community

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Our People

See the faces of CIEE.

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Our Partners

The people & organizations that help us do what we do.

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Our Alumni

Our alumni change the world – see how.

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Sound Like Your Kind Of People? Come Work With Us! 

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The CIEE Difference

Access 
All students. All nations. That’s our commitment.
Advocacy 
Raising our voice about the importance of exchange.
Health & Safety 
Keeping our participants safe, every step of the way.

The Latest

Madrid

What we do

See our comprehensive lineup of exchange programs and services

Sydney

News

Up-to-date news, insights & announcements from the CIEE Community

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Follow Us

Stories & information about our participants and alumni engaging with the world