National Student Exchange

What National Student Exchange does

National Student Exchange (NSE) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit collegiate exchange consortium founded in 1968 and headquartered in Ames, Iowa. The organization operates a network of 200+ member colleges and universities across the United States, Canada, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, enabling approximately 1,200 undergraduate students per year to spend a semester or academic year at another member campus while paying either home campus tuition or resident-rate tuition at the host campus (never both). Since founding, more than 128,000 students have completed NSE exchanges. The core product is a semester/year-long campus exchange, supplemented by Special Programs (AlaskaMester, SCSU Castle Campus at Alnwick, George Washington Carver Research Internship, AESP, Cycle the Rockies, and others), international Study Abroad pathways across 18+ countries, and a Guest Student program for students at non-member institutions.

NSE's underlying technology is a web-based platform consisting of the public nse.org site (campus search, program discovery, application initiation) and a student portal at student.nse.org (application submission, placement tracking). Placement operates through two seasonal cycles — Priority Placement (December 1 to March 1) and Direct Placement (March 15 to November 30) — managed by designated campus NSE coordinators at each member institution. There is no public API or developer-facing integration layer; the platform is coordinator-mediated rather than algorithm-driven.

NSE's revenue model is multi-stream and characteristic of a nonprofit consortium: (1) recurring annual membership dues from member institutions, the primary revenue source; (2) student application fees of $150 for students at member institutions and $500 plus a placement fee for Guest Students from non-member institutions; and (3) conference registration fees of $425 per attendee for the annual NSE conference. The go-to-market model is community-led and event-driven: campus coordinators at member institutions serve as the primary touchpoint for student recruitment, while the annual conference functions as a governance and enablement event. The organization is governed collectively by its member institutions through a council structure, with no parent company, VC backing, or external equity ownership. Leadership comprises a President (Debra Sanborn, PhD), Vice President (David Holliday), and Program Coordinator (Leah Holmberg), supported by a headquarters staff of 51-100.

Name

National Student Exchange

Legal name

National Student Exchange

Website

https://nse.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1968

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

National Student Exchange is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit consortium founded in 1968 that enables approximately 1,200 undergraduate students annually at 200+ member colleges and universities to study away at other member campuses across the U.S., Canada, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, paying home or resident tuition while preserving financial aid.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Exchange Services

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Bilateral Exchange Agreements (Reciprocal Student Mobility) (EDAIABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Inbound Exchange Hosting & Visiting Student Administration (EDAIABAK), Short-Term Exchange & Visiting Student Programs (EDAIABAG)

Keywords

• Student exchange program
• Study away programs
• Campus consortium exchange
• Higher education mobility
• Experiential learning programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Ames

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, Others

Revenue model

1. Member Institution Fees: NSE is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit consortium. Member institutions pay membership fees to participate in the exchange program, which funds NSE operations including the annual conference, staff, and student support services.
2. Student Application Fees: Students at member institutions pay a $150 non-refundable NSE application fee. Guest students (from non-member institutions) pay a $500 non-refundable application fee plus placement fees.
3. Conference Registration: Annual conference registration fees ($425 per attendee) from member campus representatives attending the NSE conference, covering event costs and programming.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

National Student Exchange is a non-profit consortium that facilitates affordable semester or academic-year study away for undergraduate students at more than 200 member colleges and universities across the U.S., Canada, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Through a student portal and campus coordinator network, NSE matches applicants to host campuses via Priority Placement (December 1 to March 1) and Direct Placement (March 15 to November 30) cycles, with students paying either home-campus tuition or host-campus resident tuition. The core service is supplemented by Special Programs (research, internships, field study), Study Abroad pathways, a Guest Student Exchange for non-members, and an annual coordinator conference.

Product overview

National Student Exchange (NSE) is a single, unified platform for collegiate study away exchange programs. The core service is facilitating undergraduate student exchanges among member colleges and universities across the United States, Canada, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. NSE offers a student-facing web portal for applications and placement management, complemented by a consortium of member campus profiles. The offering includes: (1) Standard semester/year-long campus exchanges via Priority and Direct Placement processes; (2) Special Programs — experiential learning opportunities such as the George Washington Carver Research Internship, AlaskaMester, SCSU Castle Campus @Alnwick, Applied Environmental Science Program (AESP), and field institute programs through Wild Rockies Field Institute; (3) Study Abroad pathways through partner international institutions; and (4) Guest Student Exchange for students at non-member institutions. Students pay either Home or Away tuition plans and access exchange through campus coordinators.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• National Student Exchange Core Program Primary semester or academic-year collegiate exchange service enabling undergraduate students at member colleges and universities to study at another member campus in the U.S., Canada, Guam, Puerto Rico, or U.S. Virgin Islands. Placement is managed via Priority Placement (December 1 to March 1) and Direct Placement (March 15 to November 30), with students paying either home-campus tuition or host-campus resident tuition.
• Student Application Portal

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 128,000 students have completed NSE exchanges since 1968
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Member Colleges and Universities ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1968NSE operates as a consortium of 200+ member colleges and universities across the United States, Canada, Guam, Puerto Rico, and U.S. Virgin Islands. Member institutions include University of Alabama, University of Montana, Illinois State University (charter members), and hundreds of other institutions. Each member campus has a designated NSE coordinator who manages student exchanges. The consortium model enables students to pay home or resident tuition rather than full out-of-state tuition when exchanging.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• NAFSA: Association of International Educators: NAFSA is a professional membership association supporting international educators and study abroad offices. Ecosystem-adjacent rather than a direct competitor, but represents the institutional buyer environment NSE sells into.

Broad incumbents

• EF Education First: EF Education First is a global education company offering study abroad, language schools, and cultural exchange. Overlaps with NSE in undergraduate exchange and credit-bearing programs at much larger scale.
• WorldStrides: WorldStrides is a broader educational travel provider spanning K-12, college, and sports travel. Operates adjacent to NSE in experiential learning and travel-based education at scale.

Direct peers

• API (Academic Programs International): API offers study abroad and international internships across Europe, Latin America, and Asia for US undergraduates. Comparable student-facing exchange model and target demographic.
• IFSA (Institute for Study Abroad, Butler University): IFSA provides study abroad programs for US undergraduates across multiple countries. Comparable service model targeting college-level experiential learning and credit transfer.
• CEA Study Abroad: CEA Study Abroad offers credit-bearing study abroad and internship programs in 20+ cities. Comparable in serving the undergraduate exchange market with semester-based programs.
• CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange): CIEE is one of the largest US-based study abroad and exchange organizations, offering semester, summer, and short-term programs globally. Comparable to NSE in facilitating college-level student exchange, but with a stronger international focus.
• USAC (University Studies Abroad Consortium): USAC is a consortium of US universities offering study abroad programs in 50+ locations. Closely comparable consortium-of-universities structure to NSE, focused on affordable study abroad.
• IES Abroad: IES Abroad provides study abroad programs for US college students across 30+ global locations. Directly comparable in serving the undergraduate study-away market with credit-bearing semester programs.
• ISEP (International Student Exchange Programs): ISEP operates a reciprocal student exchange network across 300+ universities globally. Directly comparable consortium model to NSE, with bilateral reciprocal placement and tuition reciprocity, though with heavier international scope.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/playlist?list=PLRW9HYdlPT6alcQ8jjfPBI_YwWCwYi3tD
• Xx.com/nse_exchange
• Facebookfacebook.com/NationalStudentExchange

Compliance1 record

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 National Student Exchange