
°®ÓÎÏ·ÏÂÔØ
Humanizing International Relations Since 1947
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.
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 °®ÓÎÏ·ÏÂÔØ
Name change from Council on Student Travel to Council on International Educational Exchange (°®ÓÎÏ·ÏÂÔØ); begin to focus on academic programming. The first °®ÓÎÏ·ÏÂÔØ Study Center opens in Leningrad.
1969 - Introducing Summer Work Travel
°®ÓÎÏ·ÏÂÔØ is designated by the State Department as the first sponsor of the J-1 Summer Work Travel program; the °®ÓÎÏ·ÏÂÔØ Work & Travel USA program is created.
1984 - Expanding J-1 Visa Opportunities
At °®ÓÎÏ·ÏÂÔØ’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
°®ÓÎÏ·ÏÂÔØ 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
°®ÓÎÏ·ÏÂÔØ celebrates 70 years of transforming lives through meaningful exchange.
Our Community




Sound Like Your Kind Of People? Come Work With Us!
The °®ÓÎÏ·ÏÂÔØ 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



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