International Students
International Students Inc. is a 501(c)(3) Christian nonprofit that mobilizes thousands of volunteers and local U.S. churches to share its faith with the ~1.3 million international students studying at American universities, via campus programs, conferences, a mobile app, and training resources.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1953
- HeadquartersColorado Springs, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What International Students does
International Students Inc. (ISI) is a 501(c)(3) Christian nonprofit headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, founded to share Christ's love with international students studying in the United States. The organization operates as a volunteer-and-church-driven ministry: it mobilizes thousands of volunteers and official staff members, partners with local churches as cross-cultural outreach channels, and reaches ~1.3 million international students on U.S. campuses through campus programs, the REACH International Students module curriculum, the annual World Changers Conference, and the God's Story mobile app (available on Apple App Store and Google Play Store). ISI reports that 35,677 international students were introduced to its ministry in Academic Year 2022, with 614 accepting Christ and 1,108 beginning to share their faith.
ISI's revenue model is primarily donation-driven, with a stated approximate cost of $200 per student reached (donor tiers of $4/week, $16/month, or $200/year). It runs a secondary e-commerce channel — a BigCommerce-powered online store at store.internationalstudents.org — selling Bible studies (Discovering God series, I AM series), witnessing tools (Knowing God Personally), people-group-specific booklets (Reaching Muslim / Hindu International Students), cultural guides (How To Survive In The U.S.), training manuals (Church Team Leader Manual, City Mobilizer Manual), and promotional merchandise. Donors can direct contributions to staff, specific projects (World Changers, National Ministry, Benevolence Fund), or general operations. The organization is accredited by the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability (ECFA) and the Better Business Bureau Wise Giving Alliance.
ISI's strategic direction under President Dr. See Seng Tan (since 2019) emphasizes multi-geography expansion — establishing regional branches in Singapore, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Congo — alongside new initiatives such as NGO Go (entrepreneurship/social enterprise for international students), M28 Global Discipleship Translation Projects, and the Plant Japan church-planting initiative. The board-of-trustees-led nonprofit is led alongside Director of Operations Alex Tovar, with a stated headcount band of 251–500 supplemented by a global volunteer workforce; total revenue is not publicly disclosed.
International Students firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- International Students
- Legal name
- International Students, Inc.
- Website
- https://internationalstudents.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1953
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- International Students Inc. is a 501(c)(3) Christian nonprofit that mobilizes thousands of volunteers and local U.S. churches to share its faith with the ~1.3 million international students studying at American universities, via campus programs, conferences, a mobile app, and training resources.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
International Students industry classification
Industry- Product category
- International Student Ministry
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Support Services (6117)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- International Student Orientation & Transition Programs (EDALANAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- International Student Academic & Personal Support (case management, referrals) (EDALANAE), Academic & Classroom Integration Support (Study Skills, Academic Norms, Integrity) (EDAIAKAG)
Keywords
Where International Students is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Colorado Springs
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
International Students business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Contributions: ISI operates as a nonprofit ministry funded primarily through donations from individuals and churches. Donors can give to staff members, specific projects (World Changers, National Ministry, Benevolence Fund, etc.), or general operations.
- Product Sales: ISI sells books, booklets, Bible studies, brochures, training resources, and promotional materials through their online store. Products range from free PDF downloads to physical items priced from $1.20 to $14.00+.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Annual | Student Support Donation |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Online Store Products |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
International Students product offering
Product offeringCore offering
International Students Inc. (ISI) is a Christian nonprofit ministry that shares Christ's love with international students studying in the United States through campus outreach, church partnerships, conferences, and an online store selling Bible studies, witnessing tools, cultural guides, and training manuals. The organization operates the REACH International Students program, the World Changers Conference, and the God's Story mobile app, while distributing resources to a network of thousands of volunteers and local church partners across the country.
Product overview
International Students Inc. (ISI) is a Christian ministry organization that operates as a platform-plus-modules architecture consisting of core ministry programs, an e-commerce store, and multiple resource products. The core offerings include the REACH International Students program, World Changers Conference, and God's Story mobile app for sharing Christ's love with international students. ISI also operates a comprehensive online store (International Students Inc. Store) selling Bible studies (Discovering God series, I AM series), witnessing tools (Knowing God Personally, How To Share The Good News booklet series), cultural guides (How To Survive In The U.S.), and training resources (Church Team manuals, Development Council guides). The organization supports its ministry through initiatives like NGO Go, M28 Translation Projects, Plant Japan, and Global Expansion, while offering donor services through Virtuous for recurring donations. The portfolio is distributed through the main ISI website for ministry programs and the BigCommerce-powered store for physical and digital products.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- World Changers Conference: Annual conference for believing, teachable students who have a heart for God to be equipped as disciples who make disciples.
- Benevolence Fund
- God's Story App
- M28 Global Discipleship Translation Projects
- NGO Go
Products and services
- World Changers Conference
Quantifiable outcome
- 35,677 international students introduced to ISI ministry in Academic Year 2022
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use International Students
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
International Students technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
International Students partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- National Conference AttendeescoreISI holds its annual National Conference (June 22-25, 2025 in Colorado Springs, CO) for staff and volunteers to encourage fellowship and provide teaching and skill development opportunities.
- Local ChurchescoreISI partners with diverse local churches across America to mobilize them as cross-cultural witnesses to international students. ISI provides training and equipping for churches to reach international students in their own communities without traveling overseas.
- World Changers Conference AttendeescoreISI's World Changers Conferences are for believing, teachable students who have a heart for God and want to be equipped to be disciples who make new disciples, especially in 7 spheres of influence: religion, family, business, science/industry, art/entertainment, government and education.
- ISI Regional BranchescoreISI is establishing regional branches in Singapore, Japan, Malaysia, Indonesia, Congo and more countries as part of global expansion efforts. These branches enable localized campus outreach and continued discipleship for returnees in prime locations.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights6 records
International Students competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Cru (formerly Campus Crusade for Christ): Cru is a direct peer in campus ministry with explicit international student outreach programs and global follow-up infrastructure. It competes with ISI for the same donor base (U.S. evangelical Christians), volunteer pool, and beneficiary population, but operates at substantially larger scale with a broader evangelical identity.
- InterVarsity Christian Fellowship: InterVarsity is a direct peer, operating as a campus-based Christian ministry with dedicated international student ministry programs across U.S. universities. It shares ISI's target audience (international and domestic students), volunteer-led model, and orientation toward discipleship and mission mobilization.
- Chi Alpha (Assemblies of God): Chi Alpha is the Assemblies of God campus ministry, with missions-focused outreach including international student engagement. It is comparable as a denomination-anchored campus ministry with international student ministry tracks, competing for both volunteer chaplains and mission donors.
- Greater Europe Mission: Greater Europe Mission plants churches and disciple-makers among unreached European populations, sharing ISI's 'returnee' missional strategy of discipling diaspora students during their time abroad. Comparable as a faith-based organization with a strategic missions focus on unreached people groups.
- The Navigators: The Navigators is a direct peer in faith-based discipleship and leadership development among college students and young professionals, with a strong international footprint. Its 'focused discipleship' model parallels ISI's REACH modules and World Changers Conference approach.
- BCM International: BCM International focuses on discipleship movements among international students on North American campuses, nearly identical in mission and beneficiary profile to ISI. It is one of the closest peer mission comparisons for ISI's specific niche of international student ministry.
Others
- Wycliffe Global Alliance: Wycliffe is the leading Bible translation organization and parallels ISI's M28 Translation Projects initiative. Comparable as a faith-based nonprofit that translates disciple-making content for global use, though its primary deliverable is full Bible translation rather than focused discipleship resources.
Emerging players
- Pioneers International: Pioneers focuses on church planting among least-reached people groups globally, with overlap to ISI's translation (M28) and Global Expansion initiatives. Adjacent rather than direct, since Pioneers targets unreached populations outside of U.S. campuses.
- Frontiers USA: Frontiers sends missionaries to least-reached people groups, with overlap to ISI's work reaching Muslim, Hindu, and other diaspora student populations in the U.S. Comparable in mission mobilization philosophy, with a more global geographic focus than ISI's campus-centric approach.
Broad incumbents
- EF Education First: EF is a broad incumbent in international education and student support, providing language training, cultural exchange, and international student services to millions worldwide. It overlaps with ISI on serving international students seeking cross-cultural support, but operates as a for-profit incumbent rather than a faith-based nonprofit.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
International Students social profiles
Digital presenceInternational Students compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
International Students financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
International Students leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
International Students funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
International Students M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about International Students
What does International Students do?
International Students Inc. (ISI) is a Christian nonprofit ministry that shares Christ's love with international students studying in the United States through campus outreach, church partnerships, conferences, and an online store selling Bible studies, witnessing tools, cultural guides, and training manuals. The organization operates the REACH International Students program, the World Changers Conference, and the God's Story mobile app, while distributing resources to a network of thousands of volunteers and local church partners across the country.
Is International Students a public or private company?
International Students is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was International Students founded?
International Students was founded in 1953. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is International Students based?
International Students is headquartered in Colorado Springs, United States, in the North America region.
How does International Students make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Donations and Contributions are the primary driver. The others are product Sales.
Who are International Students's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Cru (formerly Campus Crusade for Christ), InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, Chi Alpha (Assemblies of God), Greater Europe Mission, The Navigators and BCM International. Wycliffe Global Alliance is listed as an others. Emerging players are Pioneers International and Frontiers USA. EF Education First is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does International Students have an API?
No public API is recorded for International Students.
What industry is International Students in?
International Students's product category is International Student Ministry. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDALANAC, International Student Orientation & Transition Programs, with a secondary code of EDALANAE, International Student Academic & Personal Support (case management, referrals). Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8200.