Council on International Educational Exchang

What Council on International Educational Exchang does

CIEE is a U.S.-headquartered nonprofit organization, founded in 1947 and domiciled in Portland, Maine, that operates one of the largest portfolios of study abroad and intercultural exchange programs in the world. It serves three primary customer segments: U.S. and international college and graduate students seeking study abroad, internship, and gap-year experiences; high school students and recent graduates; and international exchange visitors (including J-1 visa holders) seeking to work, train, or study in the United States. The organization also serves institutional clients — over 400 partner universities, U.S. seasonal employers (e.g., Park City ski resorts), host families, and the U.S. Department of State — through a platform that combines program delivery, J-1 visa sponsorship, and academic credit infrastructure.

The operational footprint spans 49+ cities and 590+ programs across Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East. Core product lines include semester/year College Study Abroad, CIEE Business + Culture (38 locations), CIEE Open Campus Block (35 locations), CIEE Quarter In (35 locations), College First Year Abroad (13 cities), High School Study Abroad, BridgeUSA Summer Work Travel, Camp Counselor Exchange, TEFL certification, and government-sponsored programs such as CBYX, YES, and FLEX. Technology infrastructure centers on the MyCIEE portal (my.ciee.org) for applications and participant management, supplemented by ASU online coursework integration (2024 onward) and standard web analytics tooling (Google Analytics, Microsoft Clarity). Academic credit is validated through partnerships with Tulane University (School of Record for College First Year Abroad) and Arizona State University.

Revenue is generated primarily through participant program fees (tuition, housing, service fees), supplemented by application and processing fees, J-1 visa sponsorship fees via BridgeUSA, conference revenue, and donor contributions. The organization distributes $8M+ in annual scholarships to 1,000+ recipients and has an 80th Anniversary Fund targeting $5M (with matching to $10M). CIEE holds affiliated subsidiaries covering the Global Education Conference, Global Internship Conference, Baltic American Freedom Foundation, and HAESF. It is governed by a Board of Directors under President and CEO James Pellow, and operates as a private, non-stock nonprofit under Maine law with no equity ownership.

Name

Council on International Educational Exchang

Legal name

CIEE, Inc.

Website

https://ciee.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1947

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

CIEE is a 1947-founded U.S. nonprofit operating 590+ study abroad and intercultural exchange programs across 49+ cities, serving college students, high schoolers, and J-1 visa exchange visitors through 400+ university partnerships and U.S. Department of State sponsorship.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Study Abroad and International Educational Exchange Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710), Travel Agencies (561510)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Erasmus+ and Government-Sponsored Exchange Partnerships (EDAIABAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Articulation & Credit Transfer Partnerships (EDAIABAE), Educational/Student Retail Travel Agencies (THAKABAK)

Keywords

• Study abroad programs
• International educational exchange
• Cultural exchange programs
• J-1 visa sponsorship
• Intercultural learning programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Study Abroad Program Fees: CIEE generates revenue primarily through program fees charged to participants for study abroad, internship abroad, and work abroad programs. These include tuition, housing, and service fees for programs lasting from weeks to a full academic year.
2. Application and Processing Fees: Fees for visa processing, program applications, and administrative services supporting exchange visitor programs including J-1 visa sponsorship.
3. BridgeUSA Program Administration: CIEE administers the BridgeUSA Summer Work Travel program, bringing international college students to the U.S. on J-1 visas. The program supports seasonal employers while generating revenue through program sponsorship fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

CIEE is a nonprofit international educational exchange organization that designs, delivers, and administers study abroad, internship abroad, work-and-travel, and cultural exchange programs for college students, high school students, and international exchange visitors across 49+ cities worldwide. Its offerings combine academic coursework (delivered through partnerships with 400+ universities and AACSB/EQUIS-accredited institutions), housing, cultural activities, on-site support, J-1 visa sponsorship under U.S. Department of State designation, and an annual scholarship portfolio exceeding $8M.

Product overview

CIEE is a nonprofit study abroad and intercultural exchange organization operating since 1947. The company offers a comprehensive portfolio of educational exchange programs structured as a platform with multiple product lines: (1) Study abroad programs for college students (College Study Abroad, CIEE Business + Culture, CIEE Open Campus Block, CIEE Quarter In), (2) High school programs (High School Study Abroad, High School USA, Gap Year Abroad), (3) First-year college programs (College First Year Abroad in 13 cities), (4) Work and cultural exchange programs (Work & Travel USA/BridgeUSA, Camp Counselor Exchange), (5) Internship programs (Global Internships, Intern/Trainee Programs), and (6) Supporting services including TEFL certification, travel protection (iNext), and the MyCIEE online portal. The organization partners with Arizona State University for online coursework, operates annual conferences (Global Internship Conference, Global Education Conference), and administers government-sponsored exchange programs including Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX). Programs are offered across 49+ global cities in Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, Africa, and the Middle East.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BridgeUSA: Work and travel exchange program for international college students visiting the U.S.
• CIEE Business + Culture
• CIEE Open Campus Block
• CIEE Quarter In
• CIEE College First Year Abroad
• Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX)
• Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES)
• Future Leaders Exchange Program (FLEX)

Products and services

• College Study Abroad Semester, academic year, and summer study abroad programs for college students at 49+ international locations, delivered through partnerships with local universities and AACSB/EQUIS-accredited institutions.
• High School Study Abroad Study abroad programs for high school students including semester programs, summer programs, and gap year options in international locations.
• College First Year Abroad First-year college programs allowing students to launch their undergraduate studies overseas and earn 12-14 transferable credits from Tulane University (School of Record) or Arizona State University.
• Work & Travel USA (BridgeUSA Summer Work Travel) Cultural exchange program bringing international college students to the U.S. on J-1 visas during their home-country summer breaks to work for seasonal employers under U.S. Department of State designation.
• Internship Programs (College Intern Abroad) Global internship programs enabling college students to gain professional experience abroad through semester and summer placements across various industries.
• CIEE Business + Culture Business-focused study abroad program offered in 38 international locations in partnership with AACSB- and EQUIS-accredited business schools, combining in-person CIEE courses, host institution offerings, and Arizona State University online coursework.
• CIEE Open Campus Block Flexible study abroad program allowing students to enroll in 6-week academic blocks across 35 global locations, with options for in-person and online courses through CIEE and Arizona State University.
• CIEE Quarter In Quarter system-focused study abroad program allowing students to earn up to 21 academic credits in 12-week academic terms, offered in 35 international locations.
• TEFL/TESOL Certification Teach English as a Foreign Language certification program preparing individuals to teach English abroad.
• High School USA Exchange program allowing international high school students to attend American high schools for a semester or full academic year.
• Camp Counselor Exchange J-1 visa program placing international participants as counselors in American summer camps.
• Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) Bilateral exchange program for German students to study or pursue vocational training in the United States, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State.
• Kennedy-Lugar Youth Exchange and Study (YES) Government-sponsored exchange program for students from countries of strategic importance to study in the United States.
• Future Leaders Exchange Program (FLEX) Government-sponsored exchange program for students from Eurasia to study in the United States.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1000+ scholarship recipients annually
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• America250minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2026Partnership to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence through projects inspiring national reflection and civic engagement as part of CIEE's cultural exchange mission.
• Arizona State University (ASU)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024ASU provides online coursework and dual credentialing for CIEE programs including Business + Culture and Open Campus Block programs across 38+ global locations. ASU courses are available through CIEE's global network, expanding access to study abroad for students at all CIEE locations.
• Tulane UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTulane University serves as the School of Record for CIEE College First Year Abroad, providing official transcripts and credit validation for 12-14 transferable credits earned by students during their international programs.
• Host Universities (Various)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with 38+ universities worldwide providing academic infrastructure for Business + Culture programs. Includes AACSB and EQUIS accredited institutions such as Charles University Prague, ISC Paris, Bocconi Milan, University of Cape Town, and many others.
• U.S. Department of StatecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIEE serves as an official designated sponsor for J-1 visa exchange programs including BridgeUSA, Work & Travel USA, Summer Work Travel, Intern/Trainee programs, and various cultural exchange initiatives administered under U.S. Department of State oversight.
• Scan Design FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFoundation supporting Environmental Sustainability Internship program in Denmark, providing fellows with first-hand experience in Denmark's sustainability practices through internships and professional development activities.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• IES Abroad: IES Abroad is a nonprofit study abroad organization offering semester and summer programs in 30+ locations across Europe, Asia, Africa, Latin America, and the Pacific. It is the closest direct peer to CIEE in nonprofit, multi-city, credit-bearing college study abroad with U.S. university partnerships.
• Institute of International Education (IIE): IIE administers the Fulbright Program and other U.S. government-sponsored exchange initiatives, similar to CIEE's role as a J-1 visa sponsor. Both are nonprofit exchange organizations with deep U.S. Department of State ties and operate exchange visitor and scholarship programs for international students and scholars.
• API (Academic Programs International): API is a study abroad provider offering programs in 30+ cities across Europe, Latin America, Asia, and Africa, with multi-disciplinary semester, summer, and internship tracks. Comparable to CIEE in college study abroad scale, university partnerships, and internship offerings.
• ISA (International Studies Abroad): ISA, a WorldStrides brand, provides study abroad, internships, and service-learning programs in 30+ countries. Direct competitor to CIEE in college-level study abroad with comparable semester, summer, and internship formats aimed at U.S. undergraduates.
• AFS Intercultural Programs: AFS is a nonprofit international youth exchange organization running high school study abroad, gap year, and intercultural programs in 50+ countries. Most directly comparable to CIEE on the high school study abroad and youth exchange side, including scholarship-driven access models.
• Youth For Understanding (YFU): YFU is a nonprofit international student exchange organization focused on high school exchange programs, gap year, and inbound international high school students in the U.S. Overlaps with CIEE on High School USA, FLEX, YES, and youth J-1 sponsored exchange programs.
• Arcadia University - The College of Global Studies: Arcadia's College of Global Studies runs study abroad programs for U.S. undergraduates across 20+ countries, including academic and internship tracks. Comparable to CIEE's College Study Abroad portfolio and a key competitor for U.S. university study abroad partnerships.
• CET Academic Programs: CET is a nonprofit study abroad provider offering direct-enroll, language, and internship programs in 15+ cities across Asia, Europe, Latin America, and Africa. Comparable to CIEE in college study abroad with intensive language and academic focus.

Broad incumbents

• EF Education First: EF is a private global education company operating language schools, academic programs, study abroad, and cultural exchange at massive scale across 50+ countries. Broader than CIEE in language training and K-12 but competes directly in study abroad and exchange visitor programs.
• WorldStrides: WorldStrides is a U.S. private provider of educational travel, study abroad (through ISA), and K-12 programs serving schools, universities, and sports teams. Comparable to CIEE on the study abroad side and substantially larger in K-12 educational travel.

Market position

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CIEEstudyabroad
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CIEEStudyAbroad
• Facebookfacebook.com/ciee
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ciee
• Instagraminstagram.com/cieestudyabroad
• TikToktiktok.com/@cieestudyabroad

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments5 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Council on International Educational Exchang