Become a Local Coordinator
Connect your community to students all over the world
Take On a Community Role that’s Fueled by Passion
Turn your enthusiasm for cultural exchange into a meaningful opportunity by becoming a local coordinator with CIEE: Council on International Educational Exchange!
As a coordinator, you’ll help international high school students experience life in the United States while strengthening your own community through global connection. It’s a chance to build lifelong relationships, support young people as they navigate a new culture, and play a key part in fostering mutual understanding across borders.
If you’re excited by the idea of making a real impact – right from your hometown – partnering with CIEE BridgeUSA is a powerful way to do it.
The Perks of Being a Local Coordinator
Local coordinator positions are ideal for people who value the impact of cultural exchange – and who are looking for meaningful project-based work.
CIEE BridgeUSA local coordinators can:
- Earn pay: Receive $1,000-$2,000 for each student you place with a host family.
- Create your own schedule: As an independent contractor with CIEE, you decide your hours each week.
- Win trips: High-performing local coordinators are eligible for annual international trips.
Learn more about what a local coordinator does as well as the benefits and pay.
Local Coordinator Global Gatherings
What BridgeUSA Local Coordinators are Saying
“I had a really incredible local coordinator when I studied abroad. So when I recognized I had the opportunity to do that, I took it. There are a lot of families who aren't familiar with the exchange experience, and being able to introduce that to them, I think is really impactful."
– Jala Washington, local coordinator in Texas
“It's a job you do because you've got a love for the broader world around you. You've got a love for helping dreams come true and creating opportunities both for families in your local community and students from all over the world. This is one of the best jobs I think I've ever had in my life.”
– Jonas Lenth, local coordinator in Iowa
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
A local coordinator is the primary point of contact between exchange students, their host families, and the J-1 visa sponsor organization. They’re also the first point of contact if issues arise. Local coordinators are passionate about cultural exchange, and many of them have hosted – or are hosting – international students in their homes.
No. CIEE BridgeUSA local coordinators are independent, 1099 contractors. As a local coordinator, you won’t receive a salary, but payment per student placed with a host family.
While most of our local coordinators have hosted international exchange students in their homes or have some connection to the exchange process, it is not a requirement that you’ve hosted students in the past.