Professional Associations
This section provides links to professional membership organizations and associations for educators involved with international student exchange and study abroad.
- American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO)
- AACRAO is the national professional organization for admissions and credential evaluation.
- American Council on International Intercultural Education (ACIIE)
- ACIIE is an affiliate of the American Association of Community Colleges. ACIIE-member schools admit qualified international applicants.
- American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA)
- AILA is a national bar association of more than 5,200 attorneys who practice immigration law. For more information, call 1-202-216-2400, fax 1-202-371-9449, or write to American Immigration Lawyers Association, 1400 Eye Street, NW, Suite 1200, Washington, DC 20005 USA.
- AMIDEAST
- AMIDEAST focuses on intercultural exchanges with the Middle East. Among other services, they publish The Advising Quarterlyfor international educational advisors for $40 per year plus $10 shipping. For more information, call 1-202-776-9600, fax 1-202-776-7000, write to America-Mideast Educational and Training Services, Inc. (AMIDEAST), 1730 M Street NW, Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20036-4505 USA, or send email to inquiries@amideast.org.
- Association for Experiential Education
- Association Internationale des Etudiants en Sciences Economiques et Commerciales (AIESEC)
- AIESEC (pronounced “eye-sec”) is a student-run nonprofit organization that promotes international student exchanges. For information about the USA programs, see the US AIESEC web site. For more information, call 1-212-757-3774, fax 1-212-757-4062, write to AIESEC USA, 135 W 50th Street, 17th Floor, New York, NY 10020 USA, or send email to aiesec@us.aiesec.org.
- Association of International Education Japan (AIEJ)
- Association for International Practical Training (AIPT)
- AIPT is a nonprofit organization that promotes practical training opportunities (internships) for international students. It is affiliated with the International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience (IAESTE). For more information, call 1-410-997-2200, fax 1-410-992-3924, write to Association for International Practical Training, 10400 Little Patuxent Parkway, Suite 250, Columbia, MD 21044-3510 USA, or send email to aipt@aipt.org.
- Business Council for International Understanding (BCIU)
- BCIU is a business association that is dedicated to furthering American business interests in the global marketplace. Located at the American University in Washington, DC, BCIU offers customized training to foreign nationals to operate in the US.
- Canadian Bureau for International Education
- Council for International Exchange of Scholars (CIES)
- For more information, write to Council for International Exchange of Scholars, 3007 Tilden Street, NW, Suite 5L, Washington, DC 20008-3009 USA, or send email to scholars@cies.iie.org .
- European Association for International Education (EAIE)
- EAIE is the European national association for international student advisors.
- European Council of International Schools
- ECIS is an international association of nonprofit international schools, with offices in the UK, Australia, Spain, and the US. For more information, write to ECIS Office of The Americas, 105 Tuxford Terrace, Basking Ridge, NJ 07920.
- International Exchange Organizations
- This site provides a directory of USA and Japanese International Exchange Organizations.
- NAFSA: Association of International Educators
- NAFSA is the national professional organization for advisors of international students. They have more than 7,000 members. They publish many useful books for advisors and students. They have sections devoted to such topics as international student admissions, teaching English as a second language, foreign student advisors, and overseas educational advisors. Their site includes information for newly admitted international students, including their US Culture Series brochures. For more information, call 1-202-462-4811, fax 1-202-667-3419, write to NAFSA: Association of International Educators, 1875 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20009, or send email to inbox@nafsa.org.
- National Society for Experiential Education (NSEE)
- NSEE is a national membership organization that promotes experienced-based approaches to teaching and learning. NSEE focuses include internships and cross-cultural education. For more information, call 1-919-787-3263, fax 1-919-787-3381, write to National Society for Experiential Education, 3509 Haworth Drive, Suite 207, Raleigh, NC 27609-7229, or send email to info@nsee.org.
- OSEAS-Europe
- OSEAS (Overseas Educational Advisors) is a professional educators group within NAFSA: Association of International Educators. OSEAS members advise students outside the USA about opportunities for study in the US.
- SIETAR International
- SIETAR International (International Society for Intercultural Education, Training, and Research) is an international professional service organization for people who work in the intercultural field. Related societies include SIETAR Europa. For more information, call 1-802-387-4785, fax 1-802-387-5783, write to SIETAR International, Putney, VT 05346 USA, or send email to SIETAR@sover.net.