About
Powered by CIEE. Built for the BridgeUSA Community.
CIEE is the world’s leading nonprofit sponsor of international exchange programs and the longest-serving BridgeUSA sponsor designated by the U.S. Department of State since 1969.
Each year, CIEE facilitates more than 30,000 international exchanges across 140+ countries and partners with more than 4,000 U.S. employers to create meaningful cultural and professional exchange experiences that strengthen communities across America.
Established in 1961 through the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act, BridgeUSA is the U.S. government’s premier exchange visitor program, welcoming approximately 300,000 participants each year from around the world to live, learn, work, and share culture in communities across the United States.
These programs do more than support cultural exchange—they strengthen local economies, extend tourism seasons by an average of 50 days in many destination communities, and contribute billions of dollars in economic impact nationwide.
Through One World Café™, CIEE brings the mission of BridgeUSA to life locally, supporting stronger communities, meaningful cultural exchange, and opportunities that help make America safer, stronger, and more prosperous.
History
In the years immediately following World War II, a number of organizations and institutions emerged in the U.S. and abroad that were dedicated to promoting peaceful coexistence and respect between nations through student and teacher exchange programs. It soon became clear that these organizations needed expert assistance in coordinating their efforts.
To fulfill that need, CIEE (or the Council on Student Travel, as it was then known) was founded in 1947 and, in its first year of operation, attracted the participation of 32 member organizations. These were primarily U.S. nonprofits and cultural agencies that were engaged in sponsoring groups of students who wanted to travel to Europe for educational purposes.
By the mid-1950s, the Council on Student Travel (CST) was facilitating travel by U.S. students to study in Europe and bringing international students to the U.S. At the same time, CST established operations abroad and began sponsoring conferences on student travel for administrators, educators, and teachers.
In the 1960s, CST emerged as the locus of strategic and policy discussions on the future direction of intercultural education. In recognition of this strategic shift, in 1967 the Council on Student Travel changed its name to the Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE). In 1969, CIEE was designated by the U.S. Department of State as the first sponsor of the J-1 Summer Work Travel program.
Over the past eight decades, CIEE has continually redefined its focus to meet the changing needs and expectations of students, faculty, staff, employers, families, institutions, and communities, solidifying its leadership as the world’s premier international educational organization.
