Our J-1 Visa Sponsors: CIEE and InterExchange. Your Internship or Traineeship on a J-1 Visa

From€1,505J-1 internship price with health insurance. Trainees from €1,875, scholars from €3,900 plus insurance.

Who Stands Behind Your Internship or Traineeship on a J-1 Visa

Every J-1 Visa applicant must have a sponsor designated by the US Department of State. Our main sponsor is CIEE, active in exchange since 1947; we also work directly with InterExchange. We match your case to a sponsor and remain your single contact until you receive your DS-2019.

What You Get

CIEE as our main sponsor, with more than 75 years of exchange behind it.
The sponsor that fits your program, chosen by us with you.
One contact for you and your host, whichever sponsor runs your program.
Your sponsorship payment to VisaNerd back in full if the sponsor says no.

At a glance

Main sponsor: CIEE, founded in 1947
Our role: Official international representative of CIEE
We also work with: InterExchange, founded in 1968
Designated by: US Department of State
Your contact: VisaNerd, whichever sponsor

It accepts you. The sponsor checks your eligibility and decides whether you are admitted to the program.
It checks your host. For interns and trainees, the sponsor checks the host company and approves the DS-7002 training plan.
It issues your DS-2019. Without the DS-2019 from your sponsor, you cannot apply for the J-1 Visa.
It stays with you. The sponsor supports and monitors you during your program in the US.

That is why experience on the sponsor’s side counts. What a sponsor does is in the library under J-1 Sponsor.

The Council on International Educational Exchange, or CIEE, is a nongovernmental nonprofit organization. In its own description, it is the US’s oldest and largest nonprofit organization for study abroad and intercultural exchange.

We are an official international representative of CIEE. Most of the programs we handle run through CIEE, and every scholar program does.

Year	CIEE and the J-1 program
1947	CIEE is founded as the Council on Student Travel, after the Second World War. In its first year, 32 member organizations take part, most of them sending groups of US students to Europe.
Mid-1950s	The council helps US students study in Europe and brings international students to the US.
1961	The US passes the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act (Fulbright-Hays Act), the law the J-1 exchange programs are based on to this day.
1967	The Council on Student Travel takes its current name, Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE).
1969	CIEE becomes a designated J-1 sponsor, according to CIEE.
1985	CIEE brings its first J-1 interns and trainees to the US, according to CIEE.
2007	The US Department of State reorganizes the training rules. Next to the trainee category, a new intern category starts, and every intern and trainee needs a signed DS-7002 training plan before the DS-2019.
2020	The State Department establishes BridgeUSA, today’s name for its J-1 exchange programs.
Today	CIEE is designated for nine J-1 categories, among them intern, trainee, research scholar, professor, short-term scholar and specialist.

The dates for CIEE come from CIEE, those for the J-1 program from the US Department of State: CIEE history, BridgeUSA timeline, Federal Register, 19 June 2007.

Founded by Uta and Paul Christianson in 1968, InterExchange is a private nonprofit exchange organization. Uta had moved from Germany to the US. The US Department of State has designated InterExchange as a J-1 sponsor and runs Career Training USA for interns and trainees, as well as Work & Travel USA, Camp USA and Au Pair USA.

InterExchange handles some internships and traineeships. Our work stays the same: preparing your application, reviewing the documents and responding to the sponsor’s questions.

Source: InterExchange, about us.

What This Means for You and Your Host

The right sponsor for your case. We look at your program, your host and your plans and choose the sponsor that fits. Scholar programs run through CIEE.
One contact. You and your host deal with us, whichever sponsor runs your program. We submit your application in the sponsor’s own portal and answer its questions.
Your training plan checked. Your host writes the DS-7002 training plan with you. We check it before it goes to the sponsor and help with the wording where needed.
Nothing extra for your host. Your host company works with one contact at VisaNerd and doesn’t have to become a sponsor itself.

Already on a program with another sponsor? A move to another sponsor is possible only within your category and with both sponsors’ agreement, see Sponsor Transfer. Declined by another sponsor? We take a look.

Your Price

Your whole sponsorship has one price: interns from €1,505 and trainees from €1,875 including health insurance; scholars from €3,900 with health insurance paid separately. Find every price on our J-1 Visa costs and scholar pricing pages. There is no processing fee.

FAQs

Are you CIEE or InterExchange?

No. We are an official international representative of CIEE, our main sponsor, and also work directly with InterExchange. The sponsor handles the review of your application and issues your DS-2019, and the US consulate decides on your visa.

Which sponsor will run my program?

After reviewing your case, we choose together. CIEE handles most programs and all scholar programs. Some internships and traineeships go through InterExchange. Whichever sponsor is chosen, we take care of the work and remain your contact.

How long has CIEE been a J-1 sponsor?

CIEE was founded in 1947. By its own account, it has been a designated J-1 sponsor since 1969 and has brought interns and trainees to the US since 1985.

What if the sponsor says no?

You receive a full refund of the sponsorship payment you made to VisaNerd. For interns and trainees, a completed site visit at your host is the sole exception. The sponsor charges €250 for that visit.

The Bottom Line

Our main sponsor CIEE has worked in exchange since 1947, InterExchange is a second sponsor we work with directly, and you deal only with us. Send over your host’s contact so we can get started right away.

J-1 SponsorAn organization designated by the US Department of State to run J-1 exchange programs. Every J-1 participant needs one.
DS-2019The Certificate of Eligibility your J-1 sponsor issues. You need it to apply for your visa.
Sponsor TransferMoving a running J-1 program from one sponsor to another. Possible only within the same category.
DS-7002The Training/Internship Placement Plan. You, your host company and your sponsor all sign it.
J-1 TraineePeople with a degree and work experience abroad can use this US exchange visitor category to train at a US company for up to 18 months.
J-1 InternStudents and recent graduates can use this US exchange visitor category to train at a US company for up to 12 months.

Legal basis