Student Exchange
Student Exchange places international middle and high school students (ages 13–18) in SEVP-approved US public and private schools on F-1 visas, complemented by summer cultural immersion programs and host family and school matching services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersSan Clemente, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Student Exchange does
Student Exchange (also referred to as SE) is a San Clemente, California-based international student exchange organization founded in 2013 that places international middle and high school students (ages 13–18) into SEVP-approved US public and private high schools under the F-1 student visa. The company operates a single core program — the F-1 High School Exchange Program — and complements it with two short-term summer offerings: a 3-week California Vacation & Volunteer program and an Individual Immersion homestay. Supporting services include host family matching, host school partnerships, a Local Coordinator support network, and an Exlink web portal for account access and program management.
The business is built on a three-sided marketplace: international students (demand), American host families (housing supply), and American host schools (academic placement). Student acquisition is run through overseas partner agents in source countries, while domestic supply (families and schools) is built and maintained through a distributed Local Coordinator field force. The underlying technology is non-proprietary — a Wix-hosted marketing site with inquiry forms and a standard Exlink login portal — with no disclosed AI, ML, or data platform capabilities.
Revenue is generated through program fees paid by international students participating in F-1 placements; pricing is not publicly disclosed and varies by program duration (semester versus full year) and school type (public versus private). The company is privately held, bootstrapped, operates with 1–10 employees, has no institutional investors or disclosed funding, and is led by a six-person executive team including a President, President of Global Partnerships, two Vice Presidents, a Placement Director, and a Support Administrator.
Student Exchange firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Student Exchange
- Legal name
- Student Exchange
- Website
- https://studentexchange.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Student Exchange places international middle and high school students (ages 13–18) in SEVP-approved US public and private schools on F-1 visas, complemented by summer cultural immersion programs and host family and school matching services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Student Exchange industry classification
Industry- Product category
- International Student Exchange Services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Secondary School Exchange Programs (Academic Year/Semester) (EDAIAHAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Short-Term Secondary Immersion & Cultural Exchange Trips (EDAIAHAD), Overseas Summer School Programs (Secondary) (EDAIAHAC), Inbound Exchange Hosting & Visiting Student Administration (EDAIABAK), On-Ground Orientation, Travel, Transfers & Logistics Support (EDAIAHAL), International Student Travel, Re-entry & Document Services (travel signatures, re-entry guidance) (EDALANAG)
Keywords
Where Student Exchange is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Clemente
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Student Exchange business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Exchange Program Fees: Student Exchange generates revenue through program fees charged to international students participating in their F-1 visa high school exchange programs. The programs include academic placement, host family matching, visa support, and ongoing coordination services. Fees are likely structured by program duration (semester or full year).
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Student Exchange product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Student Exchange places international middle and high school students (ages 13-18) at SEVP-approved US public and private high schools on F-1 student visas, providing host family matching, academic placement, visa support, and ongoing coordination through a network of Local Coordinators. The organization also offers short-term summer programs in California and an Individual Immersion homestay experience.
Product overview
Student Exchange is an educational exchange organization that operates primarily as a single unified program—the F-1 High School Exchange Program—supplemented by short-term summer options and support services. The core product is the High School Program (F-1 Visa), which places international students in SEVP-approved US public and private high schools with carefully screened host families, supported by Local Coordinators. The summer offerings include the 3-Week California Vacation & Volunteer Program (group activities with volunteer work) and Individual Immersion (homestay-based cultural experience). Supporting services include Host Family Matching, Host School Partnerships, Local Coordinator Support, the Exlink Student Portal for account access, and referral to Convalidation Services for document legalization.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- High School Program (F-1 Visa) Core academic exchange program placing international middle and high school students (ages 13-18) at SEVP-approved US public and private high schools on the F-1 student visa. Includes host family matching, Local Coordinator support, and is positioned as a lower-cost, multi-year alternative to J-1 programs.
- 3-Week California Vacation & Volunteer Program Short-term summer program for international students combining English lessons with visits to California beaches, Disneyland, Universal Studios, Hollywood, and Santa Monica, plus 2-3 days per week of volunteer activities such as beach clean-ups, meal deliveries, and toy drives; participants stay in dormitories.
- Individual Immersion Summer Program Short-term summer program where international students live with an American host family without planned activities, immersing them in daily American life through shared meals, conversations, and family outings to experience authentic American culture.
- Exlink Student Portal Online portal at se.exlink.us for students and participants to log in, access program information, and manage their exchange accounts throughout their program.
Companies that use Student Exchange
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Student Exchange technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Student Exchange partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Student Exchange competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange): One of the largest US-based international exchange organizations operating F-1 and J-1 high school programs with global reach; directly comparable to Student Exchange's core F-1 visa placement model but with materially greater scale and brand recognition.
- AFS Intercultural Programs: Major non-profit international exchange organization offering high school study abroad programs in the US and abroad; overlaps with Student Exchange's secondary exchange segment but typically operates through a network model with deeper volunteer infrastructure.
- Education First (EF) High School Exchange Year: Global education company running the EF High School Exchange Year program placing international students in US host families and schools; overlaps directly with Student Exchange's core offering but backed by EF's significantly larger marketing and global agency infrastructure.
Direct peers
- Greenheart Exchange: US-based F-1 and J-1 high school student exchange organization that recruits international students and hosts them with vetted American families; competes in the same F-1 SEVP-approved placement space with a similar small-team operating model.
- Aspect Foundation: Designated sponsor administering F-1 and J-1 high school exchange programs with local coordinator networks nationwide; closest in regulatory status and program structure to Student Exchange's SEVP-approved placement model.
- International Student Exchange (ISE): US non-profit that places international secondary students with American host families and schools; directly comparable F-1/J-1 program delivery and field coordinator structure, similar in operating philosophy to Student Exchange.
- ASSE International Student Exchange Programs (now merged): Legacy F-1 secondary exchange organization with established local coordinator network in the US; directly competes for both incoming international students and host family volunteers in overlapping geographic territories.
- Nacel Open Door: Operates F-1 high school exchange programs placing international students with vetted American host families; competes head-to-head with Student Exchange in the F-1 SEVP-approved placement segment.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Student Exchange social profiles
Digital presenceStudent Exchange financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Student Exchange leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Student Exchange funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Student Exchange 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 Student Exchange
What does Student Exchange do?
Student Exchange places international middle and high school students (ages 13-18) at SEVP-approved US public and private high schools on F-1 student visas, providing host family matching, academic placement, visa support, and ongoing coordination through a network of Local Coordinators. The organization also offers short-term summer programs in California and an Individual Immersion homestay experience.
Is Student Exchange a public or private company?
Student Exchange is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Student Exchange founded?
Student Exchange was founded in 2013. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Student Exchange based?
Student Exchange is headquartered in San Clemente, United States, in the North America region.
How does Student Exchange make money?
One revenue line is on record: exchange Program Fees.
Who are Student Exchange's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange), AFS Intercultural Programs and Education First (EF) High School Exchange Year. Direct peers are Greenheart Exchange, Aspect Foundation, International Student Exchange (ISE), ASSE International Student Exchange Programs (now merged) and Nacel Open Door.
Does Student Exchange have an API?
No public API is recorded for Student Exchange.
What industry is Student Exchange in?
Student Exchange's product category is International Student Exchange Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAIAHAB, Secondary School Exchange Programs (Academic Year/Semester), with a secondary code of EDAIAHAD, Short-Term Secondary Immersion & Cultural Exchange Trips. Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8200.