Student Exchange

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.

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

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

• International student exchange
• F-1 visa programs
• High school exchange
• Cultural exchange programs
• Host family matching

Headquarters

HQ city

San Clemente

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. 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

Core 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.

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad 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

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCGjAVx7j9yt-0LUbMUq9oAA
• Facebookfacebook.com/studentexchangeusa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/studentexchangeusa
• Instagraminstagram.com/studentexchangeusa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 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 Student Exchange