Council on Standards for International Educational Travel

What Council on Standards for International Educational Travel does

CSIET (Council on Standards for International Educational Travel) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1984 and headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia. It develops, maintains, and enforces standards for international secondary-school student exchange programs, certifying J-1 visa sponsors, F-1 program operators, outbound programs for American students, and non-U.S.-based international student recruitment agencies. Its core product is the annual CSIET Advisory List, an online and printed directory that identifies which programs are currently in compliance with CSIET Standards; programs are evaluated through an Annual Certification Process that involves application submission, audit reporting, and compliance review.

CSIET monetizes through tiered membership dues (ranging from $95 for Individual Associates to $11,825 for the largest exchange organizations), annual certification fees, conference and symposium registration (Annual Conference $800-$890; International Symposium $385-$475), and publications including the Advisory List book and statistics reports. Complementary products include the Program Finder consumer-facing search portal, Model Standards for international student recruitment agencies (Stewardship, Transparency, Engagement, Partnership), Model Practices for Mental Wellness, training workshops such as Emotional First Aid, and resources including a J-1 vs F-1 visa guide. CSIET distributes primarily through direct B2B sales to exchange programs, schools, and agencies, supplemented by digital channels, events, and an Advisory Board comprising nine secondary and post-secondary trade organizations that co-develop industry standards.

The organization employs 1-10 staff and has been led by Executive Director Christopher Page since 2011. Its strategic footprint has expanded from U.S.-centric certification toward international convening, with rotating International Symposia in Madrid (2024), São Paulo (2025), and Berlin (2026), each co-hosted with a local academic or industry partner. CSIET holds an advisory relationship with the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, and its certification carries weight in J-1 and F-1 visa compliance contexts.

Name

Council on Standards for International Educational Travel

Legal name

Council on Standards for International Educational Travel

Website

https://csiet.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

CSIET is a nonprofit founded in 1984 that sets standards, certifies, and provides resources for international secondary-school student exchange programs. It serves J-1 and F-1 exchange sponsors, schools, recruitment agencies, students, and families in the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Youth Exchange Certification & Standards

NAICS

Educational Support Services (6117)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Compliance Training & Audit Support for Institutions & Agents (EDAIADAN)

akta.pro secondary industry

Assessment, Certification & Qualifications Frameworks (BPADAKAL)

Keywords

• International student exchange certification
• Youth exchange program standards
• Nonprofit education certification
• Secondary school exchange programs
• International education standards

Headquarters

HQ city

Alexandria

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues from certified exchange organizations, schools, international associates, and educational organizations. Dues range from $95 (Individual Associate) to $11,825 (Exchange Org >1500) based on organization size and type.
2. Certification Fees: Fees associated with the annual certification and evaluation process for exchange programs seeking CSIET listing.
3. Event Registration: Registration fees for Annual Conference and International Symposium. Annual Conference: $800-890 for members/non-members; International Symposium: $385-475 for various attendee categories.
4. Publications Sales: Sale of Advisory List books, International Student Exchange Statistics reports, and other publications. Members receive free or discounted access.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

CSIET is a nonprofit standards-setting organization that certifies long-term international student exchange programs at the U.S. secondary school level. It publishes the annual CSIET Advisory List of compliant programs across J-1 visa, F-1 visa, outbound, and international agency categories, conducts annual certification audits, and provides training, conferences, and publications to support the exchange community.

Product overview

CSIET (Council on Standards for International Educational Travel) is a nonprofit organization that evaluates and certifies international student exchange programs at the secondary school level. The organization's primary offerings include the CSIET Advisory List (a directory of certified programs), the Annual Certification Process (for J-1, F-1, and Outbound programs), and annual conferences and symposia. Additional products include statistical publications, model standards for recruitment agencies, mental wellness resources, and the Program Finder tool. The organization also provides training workshops such as Emotional First Aid and publishes resources like the Model School Practices and visa guides.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CSIET Advisory List Annual directory of certified international student exchange programs at the secondary school level, segmented into J-1 Programs, F-1 Programs, Outbound Programs, and International Agencies. Used by U.S. secondary schools, host families, and partner organizations to identify programs in compliance with CSIET Standards.
• CSIET Annual Certification Process Annual application, audit, and compliance-review process through which exchange programs earn the CSIET Seal of Approval and listing on the Advisory List. Covers J-1 visa sponsors, F-1 program operators, outbound programs, and non-U.S. based international student recruitment agencies.
• CSIET Annual Conference Annual in-person conference bringing together the international exchange community for networking, training, professional development, and pre-conference workshops such as Emotional First Aid. Registration ranges from $800–$890 for participants, with discounts for school/government representatives.
• CSIET International Symposium Annual international symposium rotating cities (Madrid 2024, São Paulo 2025, Berlin 2026) that convenes U.S. and international student exchange programs for presentations, panel discussions, and networking on focused themes such as mental wellness.
• International Student Exchange Statistics Statistical reports on international student exchange programs covering J-1, F-1, and Outbound program data. Free for CSIET members; available for purchase by non-members.
• Advisory List Book Annual paperback publication containing full program descriptions for every certified organization, plus resources such as Model School Policy, Short-Term Guidelines, and CSIET Standards.
• Model Practices for Mental Wellness Publication providing model practices for supporting the mental wellness of international exchange students, including a traffic-light system for categorizing mental health concerns during recruitment, orientation, and in-country phases.
• Program Finder Online self-serve tool directing students, host families, and volunteers to CSIET-certified exchange programs for studying abroad, hosting, or volunteering.
• Model Standards for International Student Recruitment Agencies Model standards framework for third-party, non-U.S. based F-1 international student recruitment agencies, centered on Stewardship, Transparency, Engagement, and Partnership; used as the basis for CSIET certification and Advisory List listing of international agencies.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90% of surveyed private schools agree there needs to be more oversight of non-U.S. based international agents/agencies at the secondary school level
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• GLS Language School BerlinflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 19 May 2026Host venue for 3rd Annual CSIET International Symposium: Shaping the New Normal in Berlin, Germany on May 19-20, 2026. GLS Berlin is a five-time STAR SCHOOL GERMANY award winner, led by a mother-daughter trio, with over 5,000 students from 80+ countries annually.
• BELTA (Brazilian Educational & Language Travel Association)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 May 2025Co-hosted 2nd Annual CSIET International Symposium: Mind the Gap with ESPM in São Paulo, Brazil on May 22-23, 2025. BELTA represents main Brazilian institutions in courses, internships and exchanges abroad, with partners representing over 70% of Brazil's educational international market.
• ESPM (Escola Superior de Propaganda e Marketing)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 22 May 2025Co-hosted 2nd Annual CSIET International Symposium: Mind the Gap with BELTA in São Paulo, Brazil. ESPM is a leading Brazilian higher education institution founded in 1951, recognized for excellence in Communication, Marketing, Consumer Behavior, Management, Creative Economy, and Technology.
• IE UniversityflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 May 2024Co-hosted inaugural CSIET International Symposium: Promoting Mental Wellness on May 21, 2024 at IE Tower in Madrid, Spain. IE University is a prestigious institution known for academic excellence and innovation in higher education with a diverse community from around the world.
• IE University (Madrid)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 May 2024Hosted inaugural CSIET International Symposium on Mental Wellness. IE University's Center for Health & Well-being contributed expertise on holistic well-being and facilitated discussions on mental health in exchange programs.
• NAFSA: Association of International EducatorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of CSIET Advisory Board comprising nine secondary and post-secondary school trade organizations developing Model Standards for F-1 secondary student recruitment.
• NACAC (National Association for College Admission Counseling)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of CSIET Advisory Board contributing to Model Standards for international student recruitment. CSIET Advisory Board develops standards to guide F-1 secondary student recruitment efforts.
• NAIS (National Association of Independent Schools)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of CSIET Advisory Board representing independent schools in standards development for international student exchange.
• AIRC (American International Recruitment Council)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of CSIET Advisory Board focused on standards for international student recruitment agencies.
• AISAP (Association of Independent School Admission Professionals)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of CSIET Advisory Board contributing to standards development for international student enrollment.
• GEBG (Global Education Benchmark Group)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of CSIET Advisory Board representing private schools enrolling international students. Supports standards development and school outreach.
• EMA (The Enrollment Management Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of CSIET Advisory Board contributing to standards for international student recruitment.
• TABS (The Association of Boarding Schools)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of CSIET Advisory Board representing boarding schools in international student exchange standards development.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• NAFSA: Association of International Educators: NAFSA is the largest U.S. association for international educators and exchange professionals, with a far broader membership and policy footprint. It overlaps with CSIET on standards advocacy for J-1/F-1 programs and serves a similar community at higher education level.

Peers

• Alliance for International Exchange:

Direct peers

• American International Recruitment Council (AIRC): AIRC establishes standards and certifies international student recruitment agencies, overlapping directly with CSIET's Model Standards for Non-U.S. Based International Student Recruitment Agencies. Both sit on CSIET's Advisory Board and compete for authority over F-1 recruitment oversight.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CSIET_Tweet
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CSIETalexandria
• Facebookfacebook.com/CSIET84
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/council-on-standards-for-international-educational-travel
• Instagraminstagram.com/csiet

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Council on Standards for International Educational Travel