The Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) has entered the Irish student travel market, with a new affordable J1 visa product.
The new product – called BridgeUSA – is set to launch through CIEE’s new Dublin office.
CIEE already has a strong presence in Ireland, since 2006, where it – until now – has been focused solely on being an inbound travel operator for US college students.
“CIEE has been a proud supporter of international exchange for over 50 years, and we are excited to extend these opportunities directly to Irish students,” said Sheelagh Daly – a 20 year veteran of student travel services in Ireland – who is heading up the new outbound programme at CIEE.
CIEE said financial barriers to the J1 programme and other cultural exchange programmes can prevent some students from participating. It is offering programmes directly to students, making the process more accessible.
Its product starts at an introductory price of €499.