IFSA

Name

IFSA

Legal name

Institute for Study Abroad, Inc.

Website

https://ifsa-butler.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Study Abroad and International Education Services

NAICS

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

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Hybrid, Multi-Location & Multi-Country Study Abroad Programs (EDAIAAAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Direct Enrollment & Third-Party University Study Abroad Programs (EDAIAAAB), University-Affiliated Pathway & Foundation Programs (EDAIAJAA)

Keywords

• Study abroad programs
• International education services
• Experiential learning abroad
• Academic credit transfer
• Career accelerator programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Indianapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Study Abroad Program Fees: IFSA generates revenue through program fees charged to students for study abroad experiences. Fees vary by program and include housing, academics, health insurance, cultural excursions, and on-site support. Programs range from approximately $3,575 (January Mexico) to over $116,000 (Cambridge Pembroke College).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

IFSA provides study abroad programs for North American undergraduates in 18 countries and 47 cities, covering housing, academics, health insurance, cultural excursions, on-site support, and transcript services. Programs are offered as IFSA-Designed Programs at IFSA program centers and as IFSA Partnership Programs at leading universities worldwide, with credits transferable through Butler University. Specialized Career Accelerator programs combine academics with industry projects in tech, biosciences, health sciences, and business.

Product overview

IFSA (Institute for Study Abroad) is a not-for-profit study abroad organization offering comprehensive educational programs across 18 countries and 47 cities. The portfolio includes IFSA-Designed Programs (affordable, IFSA-delivered programs in London, Buenos Aires, Prague, Barcelona, and other locations), IFSA Partnership Programs (collaborations with leading universities worldwide), and specialized Career Accelerator programs (Tech, Biosciences, Health Sciences, and Business) combining academics with industry projects. Supporting services include the IFSA Student Portal, housing services, Appreciative Advising, financial aid/scholarships, diversity and inclusion initiatives, alumni resources, and comprehensive health and safety support including Alert Media emergency communications. Programs are available in semester, quarter, January, and summer formats with experiential learning components including internships, directed research, student teaching, and volunteering. Credits are fully transferable through Butler University's accreditation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Career Accelerator: Specialized study abroad programs combining academics with professional experience, including Tech Career Accelerator, Biosciences Career Accelerator, Health Sciences Career Accelerator, and Business Career Accelerator.
• IFSA-Designed Programs

Products and services

• IFSA Study Abroad Programs Comprehensive study abroad programs across 18 countries and 47 cities, including semester, quarter, January, and summer programs with experiential learning components such as internships, directed research, student teaching, and volunteering, available to U.S. undergraduate and graduate students.
• IFSA-Designed Programs IFSA-created and delivered study abroad programs at IFSA program centers, designed to be more affordable than direct enrollment at partner universities, with small classes taught by local faculty in locations such as London, Buenos Aires, Prague, and Barcelona.
• IFSA Partnership Programs Programs operated in collaboration with leading universities worldwide, where students attend classes as visiting students at partner institutions such as Oxford, Cambridge, LSE, UCL, and Trinity College Dublin while receiving IFSA support services.
• Career Accelerator Programs Specialized study abroad programs combining academics with industry-specific challenge projects and professional networking, including Tech Career Accelerator (Prague), Biosciences Career Accelerator (London), Health Sciences Career Accelerator, and Business Career Accelerator (Barcelona), aimed at students preparing for specific careers.
• Experiential Learning Opportunities Hands-on learning experiences including internships, directed research, student teaching, and volunteering opportunities integrated into IFSA study abroad programs across various global locations, available as part of program enrollment.
• IFSA Extracurricular Sustainability Certificate Certificate program available in select Ireland locations (Dublin City University, Trinity College Dublin, University College Dublin) designed to build sustainability, biodiversity, and environmental health skills through hands-on work with Dublin-area organizations.
• Quarter Programs Study abroad programs designed specifically for students at quarter-system schools, aligning with quarter credit structures and calendars in locations such as Prague, Rome, and Buenos Aires.
• January Programs Three-week intensive study abroad programs (3 U.S. semester credit hours) focused on specific topics such as psychology, international politics, sustainable development, or marketing in locations including Rome, Mexico, Costa Rica, and Barcelona.
• Summer Programs More than 35 summer study abroad options ranging from three weeks to multiple months, including internships, academic programs at prestigious institutions such as Oxford and Cambridge, and specialized programs in various global locations.
• Custom Programs Custom programs designed in collaboration with partner universities and faculty-led programs tailored to specific institutional needs, available to U.S. colleges and universities seeking bespoke study abroad experiences.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90.5% of students gained new intercultural knowledge and skills (2024-2025 End-of-Program Survey)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Butler UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIFSA is affiliated with Butler University, a top-50 institution in Indianapolis, Indiana. Credits earned through IFSA programs are recognized by and fully transferable to students' home colleges and universities via Butler University transcripts.
• University of OxfordcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple Oxford college partnerships including St Hilda's, Magdalen, St Edmund Hall, Regent's Park, St Anne's, Mansfield, Lady Margaret Hall, Hertford, Worcester, and St Catherine's. IFSA has larger allocations at Oxford than other organizations.
• University of CambridgecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Pembroke College, Cambridge for semester and summer programs. Premium program offerings with costs up to $116,630.
• Trinity College DublinmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor Ireland partnership with Trinity College Dublin offering programs costing $28,675-$53,495.
• University of MelbournemajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with University of Melbourne in Australia offering programs costing $25,095-$25,875.
• University College London (UCL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor UK partnership with UCL offering programs costing $29,970-$69,260.
• University of EdinburghmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerScotland partnership with University of Edinburgh offering programs costing $25,995-$48,295.
• King's College LondonmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK partnership with King's College London offering programs costing $29,675-$64,125, including premed program.
• University of SydneymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAustralia partnership with University of Sydney offering programs costing $24,795-$25,795.
• London School of Economics (LSE)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrestigious UK partnership with LSE offering semester and summer programs costing up to $60,575.
• Dublin Area Sustainability OrganizationsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Dublin-area organizations for the IFSA Extracurricular Sustainability Certificate program, including visits to sustainability partners and capstone projects.

Scale indicators6 records

Regional players

• SAI (Study Abroad Italy): SAI specializes in Italy- and Europe-based study abroad programs with university partnerships in Milan, Florence, Rome, and Paris. Comparable to IFSA's Partnership Programs but with narrower geographic focus.

Direct peers

• IES Abroad: IES Abroad is a nonprofit study abroad provider operating in 30+ cities with semester and summer programs. Directly comparable to IFSA in mission, customer base (U.S. undergraduates), and university partnership model.
• CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange): CIEE is the largest U.S. nonprofit study abroad organization, offering programs in 40+ countries with strong university partnerships and similar operational structure to IFSA. Directly comparable as both serve U.S. undergraduates with semester, summer, and January programs.
• ISA (International Studies Abroad): ISA provides study abroad programs across 30+ countries with a mix of direct-enrollment and designed programs. Comparable to IFSA on program structure, geographic breadth, and customer base.
• CAPA (The Global Education Network): CAPA (formerly CEA) is a study abroad provider offering programs in multiple cities with a focus on city-based experiential learning. Directly comparable to IFSA-Designed Programs in structure and customer segment.
• CIS Abroad: CIS Abroad offers study abroad programs across Europe, Asia, Latin America, and the South Pacific with university partnerships. Comparable to IFSA in customer base (U.S. undergraduates) and program model.
• API (Academic Programs International): API is a study abroad provider offering programs in Europe, Latin America, Asia, and Africa with a similar university-partnership and direct-enrollment model. Closely comparable to IFSA's Partnership Programs portfolio.
• SIT Study Abroad / World Learning: SIT Study Abroad, part of World Learning, is a nonprofit provider focused on experiential, field-based programs with an explicit experiential and cross-cultural learning model. Comparable to IFSA in mission-driven positioning and undergraduate target market.
• USAC (University Studies Abroad Consortium): USAC is a nonprofit study abroad consortium based at the University of Nevada, Reno offering programs in 30+ countries. Comparable to IFSA in mission and university-affiliated model, with broader geographic reach.

Others

• CIEE Global Navigator (high school programs): CIEE's high school study abroad programs are thematically adjacent to IFSA's undergraduate offerings, sharing operational infrastructure and university partnerships. Relevant for understanding adjacent market segments and competitive dynamics in education abroad.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/ifsabutler
• Facebookfacebook.com/IFSAStudyAbroad
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/the-institute-for-study-abroad
• Instagraminstagram.com/ifsastudyabroad
• Xx.com/IFSAStudyAbroad

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 IFSA