What IES Abroad does

IES Abroad (legally, Institute for the International Education of Students) is a not-for-profit study abroad and international internship provider founded in 1950 and headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The organization operates 140+ programs across more than 30 countries covering Europe, Asia, Australia/New Zealand, South America, and Africa/Middle East, serving approximately 10,000 undergraduate students annually drawn primarily from U.S. colleges and universities.

The core product is bundled semester, summer, and year-long study abroad programs—including direct enrollment (e.g., University College London), customized/faculty-led programs, and community-based learning variants—combined with international internships (semester full-time, summer full-time, part-time, and remote options) with guaranteed placements and academic credit. Pricing is a single comprehensive program fee covering tuition, housing, international health insurance (through partner CISI), and full on-site support including visa assistance and 24/7 crisis management.

The business model combines program fee revenue with philanthropic fundraising. IES Abroad operates a 275+ member consortium of U.S. colleges and universities that pre-approve credit transfer, effectively serving as a distribution channel alongside the company's own regional representatives. Technology infrastructure is service-oriented rather than differentiated: the MyIESabroad student portal, Moodle LMS, and third-party communications platforms (Cvent, Guidebook, WhatsApp, Trip Tracker) enable program delivery but do not constitute proprietary technology. The organization disburses roughly $7.9 million in scholarships annually through the High-Impact Aid Commitment (HIAC) model and maintains a 190,000+ alumni network that supports fundraising, mentorship, and program advocacy.

Name

IES Abroad

Legal name

Institute for the International Education of Students

Website

https://iesabroad.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1950

Operating status

Operating

Short description

IES Abroad is a not-for-profit Chicago-based study abroad and international internship provider, founded in 1950, offering 140+ programs in 30+ countries to undergraduate students from 275+ U.S. partner universities, with bundled pricing covering tuition, housing, insurance, and on-site support.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Program Fees: IES Abroad charges comprehensive program fees that cover tuition, housing, health insurance, and on-site support. As a not-for-profit organization, any income generated is reinvested into programs and students. The bundled fee structure includes academic instruction, accommodation, insurance coverage through CISI, and full logistical support during the program.
2. Donations and Philanthropic Revenue: IES Abroad receives charitable contributions from alumni, donors, and institutional partners. The organization runs fundraising initiatives including OpportunitIES in Motion (a five-year $20 million initiative) and receives gifts such as Richard Landers' $2 million commitment and the Charles Merrill Family Charitable Foundation's $100,000 gift. These funds support scholarships and academic innovation.
3. Scholarship and Aid Distribution: IES Abroad distributes approximately $7.9 million annually in scholarships and financial aid to students. This includes the High-Impact Aid Commitment (HIAC) model which directs funds to students with financial need, with awards up to $7,000 for Spring semester programs. The Charles Merrill Jr. Scholarship provides up to $2,000 to eligible HBCU students.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

IES Abroad is a not-for-profit study abroad provider that delivers semester, summer, and year-long academic programs plus international internships in 30+ countries. Programs bundle tuition, housing, international health insurance (CISI), visa assistance, and 24/7 on-site support into a single fee. The organization also runs customized and faculty-led programs for U.S. university partners and administers need-based scholarships including the High-Impact Aid Commitment model.

Product overview

IES Abroad is a not-for-profit study abroad provider founded in 1950 offering a comprehensive portfolio of international education programs across 140+ programs in 30+ countries. The core offerings include Study Abroad Programs (semester, summer, year-long, and direct enrollment options) and International Internships (full-time, part-time, and remote), supported by Customized & Faculty-Led Programs for partner universities. Financial support is provided through the High-Impact Aid Commitment (HIAC) and approximately $7.9 million in annual scholarships and aid. The company also operates the Global Pillars Courses and Global Institute for academic innovation, a Student Film Festival and Student Correspondent Program for experiential engagement, and maintains the MyIESabroad portal and Moodle LMS for student access. Student support services include visa assistance, CISI health insurance, housing, and 24/7 on-site staff. The alumni network encompasses over 180,000 members worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• OpportunitIES in Motion: Five-year $20 million fundraising initiative to expand study abroad access through increased scholarship funding and reduced financial barriers.
• High-Impact Aid Commitment (HIAC)
• Giese Taylor Professional Development Grants
• Global Institute
• Charles E. Merrill Jr. Scholarship

Products and services

• Study Abroad Programs Semester, summer, and year-long study abroad programs across 30+ countries with academic coursework, housing, international health insurance, and 24/7 on-site support included in program fees. For U.S. undergraduate students seeking international academic credit.
• International Internships Guaranteed professional placements abroad with academic credit, including semester full-time, summer full-time, part-time semester, and remote internship options across various fields. For U.S. undergraduate students seeking professional experience abroad.
• Direct Enrollment Programs Programs allowing students to enroll directly in host universities abroad, including partnerships with institutions such as University College London (UCL) in London.
• Community-Based Learning Programs Semester programs combined with community-based learning components that integrate classroom instruction with local community engagement in destination cities.
• Customized & Faculty-Led Programs Customized programs designed for partner universities and faculty-led groups, with options including pre-built Global Pathway customizable programs.
• High-Impact Aid Commitment (HIAC) A transformative financial aid funding model that awards up to $7,000 for Spring semester programs to students with highest financial need, with a simplified 10-minute application and 5-business-day decision timeline.
• Charles Merrill Jr. Scholarship Endowed scholarship providing up to $2,000 annually to Morehouse and Spelman College students with financial need attending IES Abroad programs, honoring the legacy of Charles E. Merrill Jr.
• Global Pillars Courses Academic courses offered at nearly 20 locations across Africa, Asia, Europe, and South America exploring sustainable living, equitable living, and human well-being through local context.
• Global Institute Immersive workshop initiative bringing together educators, faculty, and select alumni to reimagine global learning, featuring collaborative exchanges and focus on addressing real-world challenges in international education.
• Student Visa Support Services Comprehensive visa assistance including application guidance, document preparation, and consulate appointment support for students across all program destinations.
• MyIESabroad Student Portal Online student portal providing access to applications, program information, visa documents, predeparture guides, and scholarship aid management for accepted students.
• International Health Insurance (CISI) Comprehensive international health insurance through CISI included in program fees, covering physical and mental health needs during study abroad.
• Student Film Festival Annual film festival showcasing student-created films documenting their study abroad experiences, including annual events and press/awards recognition.
• Student Correspondent Program Program providing students opportunities to document and share their study abroad experiences through blogging, photography, and social media content.
• Alumni Network & LEAP Council Alumni engagement platform connecting over 180,000 IES Abroad alumni worldwide, including the LEAP (Leadership, Engagement, Alumni, and Philanthropy) council, reunions, Exchange magazine newsletter, and ambassador programs.
• Giese Taylor Professional Development Grants Professional development grants supporting higher education administrators and faculty in attending international education conferences (NAFSA, Forum on Education Abroad, DA Global), with IES Abroad contributing $75,000 of the $150,000 total.

Quantifiable outcome

• 65% of alumni say studying abroad shaped their career
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• American Institute For Foreign Study (AIFS)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 14 April 2026IES Abroad and AIFS partnered to launch the $150,000 Giese Taylor Professional Development Grants over three years. This initiative supports higher education administrators and faculty in attending major international education conferences (NAFSA, Forum on Education Abroad, DA Global). The program honors internationalist Sir Cyril Taylor (AIFS founder) and IES Abroad co-founders Clarence and Alberta Giese.
• NAFSA: Association of International EducatorsminorOthersNAFSA is one of three major conferences supported by the Giese Taylor Professional Development Grants, enabling education abroad professionals to attend and participate in NAFSA's annual conference for professional development and networking.
• The Forum on Education AbroadminorOthersThe Forum on Education Abroad is one of three major conferences supported by the Giese Taylor Professional Development Grants, providing professional development opportunities for international education practitioners.
• DA GlobalminorOthersDA Global Impact Conference is the inaugural conference supported by the Giese Taylor Professional Development Grants, with the first cohort awarded funds for the November 2026 conference.
• CISI (Cultural Insurance Services International)coreOthersIES Abroad includes international health insurance through CISI as part of the comprehensive program fee. The insurance covers physical and mental health needs for all program participants.
• 275+ U.S. Colleges and Universities ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity consortium partners pre-approve credit transfer for IES Abroad programs, enabling students to count coursework abroad toward their home degree. The consortium includes MSIs, HSIs, HBCUs, and two-year institutions. Partner schools include Morehouse College, Spelman College, Howard University, and hundreds of other U.S. institutions.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ISA (International Studies Abroad) by World Strides: ISA, part of World Strides, runs semester, summer, and internship programs across 30+ countries with global staff and bundled pricing directly overlapping IES Abroad's core product set.
• CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange): CIEE is a nonprofit study abroad and intercultural exchange organization offering semester, summer, and J-1 internship programs comparable to IES Abroad's bundle of academic study, housing, insurance, and on-site support.
• CAPA The Global Education Network: CAPA offers semester, summer, internship, and customized faculty-led programs in major cities with comparable housing, insurance, and academic credit transfer services to IES Abroad.
• API (Academic Programs International): API delivers multi-country study abroad, internships, and direct enrollment programs with bundled housing and insurance—an offering that closely mirrors IES Abroad's bundled fee structure.
• SAI Programs: SAI Programs offers semester and summer programs, particularly strong in Italy and France, with bundled housing and on-site services that overlap IES Abroad's European footprint and bundled fee model.
• SIT Study Abroad (World Learning): SIT/World Learning, a nonprofit, runs field-based semester and summer programs emphasizing experiential learning and ethics in 30+ countries—competing directly for credit-transfer-seeking undergraduate students.
• American Institute For Foreign Study (AIFS): AIFS offers customized faculty-led, semester, and summer study abroad programs with comparable bundled pricing and is IES Abroad's direct competitor and Giese Taylor grant co-launch partner.
• Arcadia University - College of Global Studies: Arcadia's College of Global Studies provides semester, summer, and internship programs with a strong direct-enrollment focus and credit-pre-approval infrastructure similar to IES Abroad's consortium model.
• DIS - Study Abroad in Scandinavia: DIS provides semester and summer study abroad programs in Copenhagen and Stockholm with on-site support, credit articulation, and a comparable interdisciplinary academic model to IES Abroad.

Emerging players

• CET Academic Programs: CET provides semester and short-term study abroad with a focus on language and area studies and on-site academic partnerships, overlapping with IES Abroad's language and direct enrollment offerings at smaller scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@IESabroad
• Facebookfacebook.com/iesabroad
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ies-abroad
• Instagraminstagram.com/iesabroad
• TikToktiktok.com/@iesabroad
• Xx.com/iesabroad

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 IES Abroad