University of the Nations

What University of the Nations does

The University of the Nations (UofN) is a private, non-profit Christian higher education institution founded in 1978 and headquartered in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, operating as the degree-granting arm of the global Youth With A Mission (YWAM) missionary movement. UofN delivers modular, live-learn university education through a network of 650+ training locations across 160+ countries, offering courses in 97+ languages and serving approximately 17,500 students annually. All programs share a common entry prerequisite — the Discipleship Training School (DTS), a 12-week lecture phase followed by 8–12 weeks of field assignment — after which students can pursue Associate's, Bachelor's, and Master's degrees across 16 specialized colleges covering applied linguistics, arts, bible engagement, Christian formation, ministries, communication, education, extension studies, family studies, health care, humanities and international studies, leadership, science and technology, sports and fitness, whole-person care, and international centres.

The core product is the modular one-course-at-a-time curriculum combined with field-based ministry assignments, delivered through a distributed campus model where each location is operated by YWAM staff and serves simultaneously as learning center, ministry base, and recruitment hub. UofN is accredited through the Global Accreditation Association rather than any single national system, reflecting the complexity of its transnational scope. There is no proprietary technology platform; the institution relies on standard educational technology infrastructure for course management, student records, and multilingual content delivery (website available in English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish).

UofN generates revenue through per-course tuition and registration fees collected from individual students, with financial information gathered at admission and academic advisors handling pricing inquiries. The institution operates on a volunteer-staff model in which personnel raise their own financial support independent of their positions, so UofN carries minimal salary burden and no venture, private-equity, or public ownership. Governance sits with a Board of Regents drawn from YWAM international and regional coordinators, supplemented by an International Advisory Board. Leadership includes Markus Steffen (International President) and Bobby Norment (COO).

Name

University of the Nations

Legal name

University of the Nations

Website

https://uofn.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The University of the Nations is a non-profit Christian higher education institution operating 650+ modular training locations across 160+ countries and 97+ languages, serving approximately 17,500 students annually through 16 specialized colleges under the Youth With A Mission (YWAM) umbrella.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Christian Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Christian Colleges with Theological Programs (EDAHAKAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bible Colleges (Undergraduate Ministry & Biblical Studies) (EDAHAKAB), Ministerial Training Institutes (Clergy Formation) (EDAHAKAE)

Keywords

• Christian higher education
• Missionary training programs
• Modular degree education
• Cross-cultural ministry training
• Biblical worldview education

Headquarters

HQ city

Globel

HQ country

Slovenia

HQ region

Europe

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Course Fees: Revenue is generated through course registration fees and tuition for the modular education programs. Students pay for individual courses and degree programs. Financial support information is collected as part of the admission process, indicating a fee-based model for educational services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

University of the Nations delivers modular Christian higher education through 16 specialized colleges and international centres across a global network of 650+ locations in 160+ countries. It offers Associate's, Bachelor's, and Master's degree programs in 97+ languages, combining classroom instruction with practical field assignments via a "live-learn" model that requires the Discipleship Training School (DTS) as the entry-level prerequisite.

Product overview

The University of the Nations is a global Christian higher education institution organized as a platform of 16 colleges and international centres. The portfolio includes: the College of Applied Linguistics & Languages, College of Arts, College of Bible Engagement, College of Christian Formation & Discipleship, College of Christian Ministries, College of Communication, College of Education, College of Extension Studies, College of Family Studies, College of Health Care, College of Humanities & International Studies, College of Leadership, College of Science & Technology, College of Sports & Fitness, College of Whole Person Care & Development, and International Centres (comprising Community Development & Justice, Centre for Discipleship Training Schools, and Centre for Economic Development). All programs share a common prerequisite: the Discipleship Training School (DTS). The institution offers degree programs at Associate's, Bachelor's, and Master's levels through a live-learn modular education system delivered at 650+ global locations in 97+ languages. UofN is accredited through the Global Accreditation Association.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• College of Applied Linguistics & Languages

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Global Accreditation AssociationnotableOthersThe University of the Nations has obtained accreditation through the Global Accreditation Association. This accreditation is significant given the unique international scope of UofN's missionary training across 160+ nations. The university explicitly notes the complexity of accreditation due to its international missionary training scope and its integration with YWAM.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Biola University: Private, non-profit Christian university in La Mirada, California offering undergraduate and graduate degrees with a biblical integration across multiple disciplines. Directly comparable as a faith-based, multi-disciplinary higher-ed institution targeting Christian students, though smaller and residential rather than UofN's global modular model.
• Wheaton College: Highly regarded evangelical Christian liberal arts college in Wheaton, Illinois offering residential undergraduate and graduate programs with biblical integration. Comparable as a top-tier evangelical higher-ed institution, though UofN differentiates through its global modular delivery and explicit missionary focus.
• Moody Bible Institute: Faith-based institution in Chicago focused on biblical/theological education, ministry training, and missionary preparation across undergraduate and graduate levels. Directly comparable in mission and audience, though Moody is residential and Chicago-based rather than UofN's distributed global model.
• Dallas Theological Seminary: Prominent evangelical graduate seminary offering master's and doctoral degrees in theology, ministry, and biblical studies, with both residential and online programs. Comparable as a faith-based graduate theological institution preparing students for ministry and missions, though narrower in disciplinary scope than UofN.
• Columbia International University: Evangelical Christian university in Columbia, South Carolina emphasizing biblical worldview education, intercultural studies, and missions training across undergraduate and graduate programs. Directly comparable in mission focus and audience, though smaller and residential.
• Oral Roberts University: Spiritually-led evangelical university in Tulsa, Oklahoma offering undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral programs with Pentecostal/charismatic theological integration. Comparable as a faith-based multi-disciplinary institution, though ORU is residential and UofN's global modular format is a key differentiator.
• Fuller Theological Seminary: Multi-denominational evangelical seminary in Pasadena, California offering graduate degrees in theology, intercultural studies, and ministry, with both residential and online/distance options. Comparable in mission, audience, and global reach of program delivery, though narrower in scope than UofN's 16-college portfolio.
• Regent University: Christian university in Virginia Beach offering undergraduate and graduate programs with online and residential formats across multiple disciplines including theology, education, business, and government. Comparable as a faith-based multi-disciplinary institution with strong online presence.
• Bob Jones University: Private, non-profit Christian liberal arts university in Greenville, South Carolina offering undergraduate and graduate programs with fundamentalist biblical integration. Comparable as a faith-based multi-disciplinary institution, though BJU is residential and serves a different denominational niche than UofN's evangelical-missionary focus.

Broad incumbents

• Liberty University: Largest private, non-profit Christian university in the U.S. with extensive online programs spanning theology, business, education, and healthcare. Comparable as a faith-based multi-disciplinary institution offering accredited degrees, but serves a much broader (largely non-mission-focused) audience through residential and online formats.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/UniversityoftheNations
• Xx.com/u_of_n

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles24 records

Subsidiaries16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about University of the Nations