What ApplySquare does

ApplySquare (申请方) is a Beijing-based international education technology platform launched in 2013 and operated as the core consumer product under the SquareEdu (平方创想) corporate umbrella. The platform primarily serves Chinese students planning overseas education, spanning high school applicants, undergraduate and master's candidates, and PhD-seeking graduate students. Its core proposition is the aggregation of global university data and academic opportunity information—including USNews, Times, QS, and ARWU 2025 rankings; 35,803+ PhD open positions; 93,776+ lectures; 28,819+ competitions; and 48,314+ company internships—combined with free assessment and planning tools, an application case database, and a Q&A community.

The product surface is delivered through a web platform at applysquare.com, dedicated iOS and Android mobile applications, and a suite of WeChat mini programs covering both international education and domestic Gaokao planning. Feature set includes 1v1 positioning assessments for undergraduate, master's, and PhD selection; Academic GPS planning diagnostics; tuition and GPA calculators; an application form browser plugin; mentor matching via Mentor Square (导师广场); and a B2B institution cooperation storefront at mall.futuresquare.cn. Underlying the experience is a content engine that combines curated rankings and program data with user-generated case studies and community discussions, rather than any disclosed AI or ML layer; no API, SDK, or AI capabilities are documented.

ApplySquare operates a freemium go-to-market, distributing free tools and content through product-led growth, SEO, and the WeChat ecosystem, with monetization derived from premium advisory and mentor-matching services and B2B institution cooperation. The company is privately held, headquartered in Beijing at 星光大厦62号海王星科技大厦, has 51-100 employees, and has raised approximately $6.7 million across two disclosed rounds in 2014 and 2016 from Future Capital Discovery Fund and Sinoking Capital. Leadership comprises founder and CEO Gang Wang, COO Qi Gong, and CDO Jiang Chen.

Name

ApplySquare

Legal name

ApplySquare

Website

https://applysquare.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

ApplySquare is a Beijing-based international education technology platform serving Chinese students seeking overseas education, offering free global university rankings, study abroad assessment tools, PhD recruitment listings, and application resources via web, mobile, and WeChat channels.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Education Platform

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Application Processing & Admissions Support (Document Prep, SOP/Essay, Credential Review) (EDAIACAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Test Strategy & Prep Integrated with Admissions (EDAFAMAE), Admissions, Placement Testing & Progression Management for Pathways (EDAIAJAL), Virtual Recruitment Events, Fairs & Webinar Platforms (EDAIACAF)

Keywords

• Study abroad platform
• University rankings database
• International education tools
• PhD recruitment platform
• Academic assessment software

Headquarters

HQ city

Beijing

HQ country

China

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Freemium Platform Services: Core platform services with free features including assessments, rankings access, and community Q&A. Premium services may include enhanced guidance and personalized support.
2. Institution Cooperation Services: Partnership services with educational institutions and agencies for招生资源 (enrollment resources)

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

ApplySquare (申请方) operates a web and mobile international education platform that aggregates global university rankings (USNews, Times, QS, ARWU), overseas majors, application case studies, PhD direct recruitment listings, and academic opportunity resources. It provides free assessment tools (undergraduate/master's/PhD selection, career, professional tendency), planning tools (Academic GPS, tuition and GPA calculators), a Q&A community, and WeChat mini programs to help Chinese students plan and execute overseas education applications.

Product overview

ApplySquare is a comprehensive international education platform offering a portfolio of interconnected tools and databases. The core platform provides global university rankings, overseas major exploration, and study abroad admission programs. The product suite includes assessment tools (Undergraduate/Master/PhD Selection Assessment, Career Assessment, Professional Tendency Assessment), planning tools (Academic GPS, Tuition Calculator, GPA Calculator), mobile access (ApplySquare App, WeChat Mini Programs), and community features (Q&A, Application Cases, Offer Information). Users can also access PhD direct recruitment opportunities, academic enhancement resources (lectures, internships, research opportunities, competitions), and receive personalized 1v1 guidance. The platform serves students from high school through graduate studies, primarily in China, who are planning to pursue international education.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ApplySquare Rankings: Global university rankings platform
• Academic GPS (GPS学业规划)
• Abroad Assessment (留学评测)
• Q&A Community
• Case (申请经验)

Products and services

• ApplySquare International Education Platform (申请方) Comprehensive international education platform providing global university rankings, major exploration, study abroad admission guidance, and academic opportunity discovery for students planning overseas education.
• Global University Rankings (全球大学)

Quantifiable outcome

• 35,803 PhD positions and 93,776 lecture opportunities available on platform
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• SquareEdu (平方创想)coreOthersParent company of ApplySquare. SquareEdu operates multiple education-related platforms including ApplySquare, SquareStrategics, 北辰PolaRise, FutureSquare, Futuresearcher, and Nebulas. ApplySquare is a core product within the SquareEdu portfolio.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• 小站教育 (Xiaozhan Education): 小站教育 is a Chinese platform combining test prep (TOEFL/IELTS/GRE), study-abroad counseling, and online community features. It overlaps with ApplySquare's positioning assessments and admissions-support modules for Chinese outbound students.
• Studyportals: Studyportals operates a global database of universities, programs, and rankings that helps prospective students compare and discover international study options. It directly competes with ApplySquare's rankings aggregation and overseas major discovery modules.
• College Confidential: College Confidential is a US-focused college admissions community with university search, rankings, application advice, and Q&A forums. Its community-driven content and rankings aggregation are directly analogous to ApplySquare's Q&A and rankings modules.
• Yocket: Yocket is a study-abroad platform serving primarily Indian students with university search, rankings, application tracking, and community Q&A. It is directly comparable to ApplySquare in product surface (rankings, cases, community) and PLG freemium model, though it targets India rather than China.

Broad incumbents

• 启德教育 (EIC Education): 启德教育 is one of China's largest study-ab abroad consultancies offering counseling, language training, and admissions services. It is an incumbent competitor to ApplySquare's free tools with a higher-priced offline agency model.
• College Board: College Board administers the SAT and PSAT and operates BigFuture, a college and career planning platform. It is a broader incumbent comparable in function to ApplySquare's academic GPS and assessment tools, with greater scale and direct US-university relationships.
• Crimson Education: Crimson Education is a global admissions consulting and EdTech firm offering personalized counseling, mentoring, and university matching. It overlaps with ApplySquare's Mentor Square and 1v1 positioning guidance but operates a higher-touch, higher-price service model.
• QS Quacquarelli Symonds: QS produces the QS World University Rankings and operates prospective-student portals (e.g., topuniversities.com, QS Reimagine Education). As the publisher of one of the four rankings aggregated by ApplySquare, it is both a data source and a broader incumbent competitor.

Emerging players

• 知乎 (Zhihu): 知乎 is China's largest Q&A knowledge platform, with significant study-abroad discussion content. While not purpose-built for admissions, it competes with ApplySquare's Q&A community for the same Chinese-student attention.

Regional players

• 新航道 (New Channel): 新航道 is a Chinese test-prep and study-abroad consulting brand that appears as a partner link on ApplySquare. It overlaps with ApplySquare's target persona (Chinese outbound students) but operates a services-heavy rather than platform-led model.

Market position

Strengths3 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/applysquare

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about ApplySquare