About PIE

Pacific Intercultural Exchange-USA (P.I.E.- USA) was incorporated in 1975 in San Diego, California, as a not-for-profit international student exchange organization. Since that time, the program has facilitated exchanges for more than 25,000 high school students from almost every corner of the world. Working with similar organizations in more than 40 countries, P.I.E.-USA brings students into the United States for six and ten month academic homestays, and sends American students overseas for similar time periods.

Foreign students traveling to the United States are selected, screened, and prepared for the experience by cooperating organizations overseas. Through its network of volunteer community representatives located throughout the United States, P.I.E.-USA recruits, screens and prepares host families to receive these students. Enrollment in a local public high school is also secured by the program. Once the students have arrived, host families are supported by their local representatives, as well as P.I.E.-USA's full-time staff.

Students live as family members; they participate in family activities, share successes and problems with the host family, and perform household tasks required of family members. All students are covered with medical and accident insurance by P.I.E.-USA; and the organization assumes full responsibility for each student on program. To cover expenses outside of the home, students bring their own personal spending money.

American students traveling overseas are recruited, screened and prepared for the experience by P.I.E.-USA's Passport program. P.I.E.-USA's international affiliates provide the placement and support for these students while overseas. Programs range from short-term summerstays to full academic year homestays.

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Recognizing the importance of global interdependence, Pacific Intercultural Exchange-USA has dedicated itself to breaking down barriers to communication and building bridges among the cultures of the world through the medium of international student exchange. P.I.E.-USA believes that only through knowledge can the fear of the unknown be eliminated and true cooperative unity be achieved.

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Pacific Intercultural Exchange-USA is overseen by an independent Board of Directors comprised of individuals drawn from multi-disciplinary backgrounds who share a common interest in international exchange.

The program maintains its international headquarters in San Diego, California, where a full-time staff oversees finances, the distribution of program information, student academics, counseling, insurance, travel, and program quality control.

A network of 250 local representatives in 49 states is managed by a team of 15 Regional Coordinators. Each Regional Coordinator works closely with a Placement and Support Director in the San Diego office. Together, they provide seamless support to students and host families for the duration of each exchange.

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Support for operations outside of the United States is provided to P.I.E.-USA by both agents of the program and affiliated sister organizations. Currently, P.I.E.-USA has established relationships with agents or sister organizations in Argentina, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovinia, Brazil, China, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, Macedonia, Mexico, Moldova, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Serbia and Montenegro, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Syria, Tajikistan, Thailand, Tunisia, Turkemenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, West Bank and Gaza and Yemen.

These agents and organizations are responsible for the recruitment, screening, selection and preparation of students coming to the United States, and for the recruitment, screening, selection, preparation and support of host families for American students.

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Tax-Exempt Status

Incorporated in the State of California on October 21, 1975, P.I.E.-USA was designated by the Internal Revenue Service (I.R.S.) as a not-for-profit, 501(c)(3) corporation on January 23, 1976.

U.S. State Department Exchange Visitor Designation

P.I.E.-USA was designated as an Exchange Visitor Program Sponsor by the United States Department of State on April 3, 1976. This designation allows the program to issue the paperwork necessary for exchange students traveling to the United States to come under the sponsorship of P.I.E.-USA.

The U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs administers the overall exchange visitor program which implements the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961. This act promotes mutual understanding between the people of the United States and other countries by means of educational and cultural exchange. For more information on exchange visitor programs, contact the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs at (202) 619-6299.

CSIET Advisory Listing

On the basis of materials submitted and reviewed, the Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (C.S.I.E.T.) has granted a full listing to Pacific Intercultural Exchange-USA. The C.S.I.E.T. mark certifies that this organization complies with the standards as set forth in C.S.I.E.T.'s standards for international educational travel programs.

C.S.I.E.T. was established in 1984 as a not-for-profit organization committed to quality educational travel and exchange. It establishes standards for organizations operating international educational travel and exchange programs at the high school level, monitors compliance with those standards, and disseminates information regarding international educational travel organizations. C.S.I.E.T.'s annual publication, the Advisory List of International Educational Travel and Exchange Programs, provides a description of exchange programs which, based on the current year's evaluation, were found to be in compliance with the C.S.I.E.T. standards. Application for listing is voluntary, and organizations must reapply annually.

For more information on C.S.I.E.T., or to request a copy of the Advisory List, please call 1-703-739-9050 or visit their Web Site at www.csiet.org.

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Fees paid to P.I.E. for participation in the program are expended as follows:

Communications -- Phone, FAX, postage, printing, and mail	12.2%
General and Administrative -- Accounting, contract services, equipment, legal, maintenance, rent, taxes, supplies, and utilities	10.1%
Grants -- Expenses associated with the administration of the program's grants	18.6%
Insurance -- Student, staff and program	11.8%
Finance Charges	0.5%
Marketing -- Advertising, conferences, development, entertainment, and promotion	1.4%
Passport -- Expenses associated with the administration of the American outbound program	1.9%
Personnel -- Consultants, employee benefits, memberships, payroll taxes, and salaries	30.7%
Student Support -- Airport assistance, counseling, orientation, placement, student expenses, and support	8.0%
Training -- Expenses associated with the training of field staff	2.0%
Transportation -- Automotive and transportation-related expenses	1.0%
Travel -- Staff, student relocation	1.8%

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