CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange) is a nonprofit organization that runs study abroad, internship, and teach abroad programs in dozens of countries. It’s one of the largest and oldest study abroad providers in the United States, operating as a 501(c)(3) educational nonprofit. If you’re a college student exploring semester or summer programs overseas, or a high school student considering a summer language immersion, CIEE is likely one of the first names you’ll encounter.
What CIEE Actually Offers
CIEE’s programs fall into a few main categories, and the options are broader than most students initially realize. For college students, the core offerings are study programs and internship programs, available in both full-time and part-time internship formats. You can go abroad for a full semester, a single summer session, a January term, or even a custom combination through what CIEE calls Open Campus Block programs.
Open Campus Block is one of CIEE’s more distinctive features. It lets you split a semester into up to three separate blocks at different locations around the world. So instead of spending an entire fall semester in one city, you could study for one block in Berlin, intern for another in London, and finish in Cape Town. Each block runs roughly four weeks, and you can mix study and internship experiences across them.
Beyond college programs, CIEE runs high school summer abroad programs focused on language and cultural immersion, along with teach abroad placements for graduates who want to work as English language educators overseas.
How Academic Credit Works
One of the biggest concerns students have about study abroad is whether the credits will transfer back to their home university. CIEE handles this through what’s called a “school of record” arrangement with Tulane University. If your home university doesn’t directly accept credit from CIEE’s own transcript, Tulane awards the credit on its official transcript instead. Most U.S. colleges accept transfer credit from Tulane, which makes the process smoother than it would be if you were trying to transfer grades from a foreign university directly.
That said, you should always check with your home school’s study abroad or registrar’s office before committing. Some universities have pre-approved CIEE programs that transfer seamlessly, while others may require you to get individual courses approved in advance. Starting that conversation early, ideally a full semester before you plan to go, saves headaches later.
Program Costs and Financial Aid
CIEE program fees vary widely depending on the destination, duration, and whether you’re doing coursework or an internship. Fees generally cover tuition, housing, some meals, cultural excursions, and health insurance. Airfare is typically not included in the base price, though some scholarships help cover it.
CIEE offers a surprisingly deep menu of scholarships and grants, split into need-based and merit-based categories. On the need-based side, the GAIN Travel Grant provides up to $1,500 toward flights for students whose financial need qualifies. It’s guaranteed for students with a Student Aid Index (the number from your FAFSA) up to 10,000. The Gilman Go Global Grant offers up to $2,500 off semester program fees for students who apply to the federal Gilman Scholarship.
Merit scholarships target specific academic interests. The Ping Scholarship for Academic Excellence, the McDermott Health Sciences scholarship, the Ritzmann Tropical and Marine Ecology Scholarship, and the Stohl International Undergraduate Research Scholarship each offer up to $2,500 off program fees. STEM majors can apply for a $500 STEM Scholarship. For internships specifically, the Douglass-O’Connell Global Internship and the Scan Design Foundation Environmental Sustainability Internship each cover 100% of program fees and travel costs.
One important detail: CIEE caps total scholarship and grant awards per term. For a fall or spring semester, the cap is $5,000. For summer, it’s $2,500. For a single Open Campus Block, the cap is also $2,500, scaling up to $4,000 for two blocks and $5,000 for three. January term caps at $500. You can stack multiple awards, but the total won’t exceed these limits.
On-Site Support and Safety
CIEE staffs local teams at its international study centers, and those teams handle orientation, day-to-day logistics, and emergencies. When you arrive at your program destination, you go through an on-site orientation covering cultural norms, public transportation, local safety tips, program rules, and emergency contacts. Local staff maintain relationships with community leaders and host families, and they serve as your first point of contact if something goes wrong.
Back in the U.S., a separate CIEE team monitors global security conditions around the clock and contacts families in case of emergencies. You’ll have access to 24/7 support through both local and U.S.-based channels throughout your program.
Health insurance is included in program fees. For high school summer programs, CIEE provides international student travel insurance through iNext, covering accidents, illnesses, and evacuations related to medical emergencies, political unrest, or natural disasters. CIEE also has affiliated doctors who review medical cases and make treatment recommendations. In serious situations, the insurance can even cover flying a parent or guardian to the program location. College programs include similar coverage, though the specific policy details may differ by program type.
Who CIEE Works Best For
CIEE tends to appeal to students who want structure and support rather than a fully independent experience abroad. The organization handles housing, arranges excursions, provides on-site staff, and manages the credit transfer process. That makes it a strong fit for first-time travelers, students whose home universities don’t run their own overseas programs, and anyone who wants the safety net of a large, established provider.
The Open Campus Block format also makes CIEE worth a close look if you want variety. Being able to study in one country and intern in another within a single semester is unusual among study abroad providers. If you’re weighing CIEE against enrolling directly at a foreign university, the tradeoff is convenience and support versus full immersion and potentially lower cost. For students who want a middle ground, with guided cultural experiences but real academic coursework and professional internships, CIEE fills that space well.