Founded in 1974 as an association for area and language professionals, American Councils for International Education has focused its expertise on academic exchange, professional training, distance learning, curriculum and test development, delivery of technical assistance, research, evaluation, and institution building.In its four decades, American Councils has developed into one of the premier American education and international training organizations, administering more than thirty exchange and training programs, including U.S. government programs and non-U.S. national fellowship programs. The organization develops collaborative and partnership programs between individuals and institutions worldwide and has representation in over thirty countries across Asia, the Middle East and Southeastern Europe.  American Councils strives to expand dialog among students, scholars, educators and professionals for the advancement of learning and mutual respect in the diverse communities and societies in which we work.

The National Security Language Initiative for Youth (NSLI-Y) program was launched in 2006 to improve Americans' ability to communicate on an international level. The U.S. Department of State, in cooperation with American Councils, AFS-USA, and iEARN-USA, along with several partner exchange organizations, awards and administers full merit-based scholarships to high school students for participation in summer and academic year immersion programs in locations where the seven NSLI-Y languages are spoken. Programs immerse participants in the cultural life of the host country, giving them invaluable formal and informal language practice and sparking a lifetime interest in foreign languages and cultures.