EF High School Exchange Year

What EF High School Exchange Year does

EF High School Exchange Year is a non-profit cultural exchange program operated by EF Educational Foundation for Foreign Study, a Massachusetts non-profit corporation that is part of the broader EF Education First group (the world's largest private education company, with 52,000+ staff and operations in 50+ countries). Founded in 1979 and headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the program has facilitated more than 100,000 student placements over 45+ years and is officially designated by the US Department of State to sponsor J-1 visas under the BridgeUSA initiative. Its core function is to match international high school students (ages 15-17) from 15 origin countries across Europe, Asia, and South America with vetted American host families for semester or full-academic-year stays, while placing those students in 1,200+ partner US high schools.

The operating model rests on a web-based matching platform at my.efexchangeyear.org where prospective host families browse student profiles filtered by country, age, gender, and interests, and on a distributed network of International Exchange Coordinators (IECs) who recruit families, perform in-person screening, and provide year-round supervision. EF supplies the supporting infrastructure: J-1 visa sponsorship, 24/7 support, child-protection training via Darkness to Light, CSIET-standard compliance, and a Contact Center at 1-800-447-4273. Adjacent products include the Welcome Family Program (a 2-3 month short-term hosting option), a School Partnership Program targeting US high schools, and a referral program paying $500 per successful host-family or coordinator referral.

Revenue is generated from program fees paid by exchange students covering flights, health insurance, school fees, visa sponsorship, and personal expenses, while host families volunteer (US Department of State rules prohibit payment to host families). The go-to-market is community-led: IECs recruit locally through events, social media, and personal networks; supplemented by direct-to-consumer digital acquisition (website, SEO, info meetings, contact center) and referral channels. The program earns additional support from the parent EF group's brand, school network, and global infrastructure.

Name

EF High School Exchange Year

Legal name

EF Educational Foundation for Foreign Study

Website

https://efexchangeyear.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

EF High School Exchange Year, operated by EF Educational Foundation for Foreign Study, matches international high school students from 15 countries with vetted American host families for semester or full-year J-1 visa exchange placements at 1,200+ US partner schools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Cultural Exchange Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (6117)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Secondary School Exchange Programs (Academic Year/Semester) (EDAIAHAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Inbound Exchange Hosting & Visiting Student Administration (EDAIABAK), University/School Admissions Outsourcing & Enrollment Management (EOM) (EDAIACAC)

Keywords

• Student exchange program
• Cultural exchange services
• High school exchange
• International student hosting
• J-1 visa sponsorship

Headquarters

HQ city

Cambridge

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. Exchange Program Fees: Exchange students pay for their participation in the program, covering costs such as flights, health insurance, school fees, visa sponsorship (J-1 visa), and cell phone costs. Host families are volunteers and do not receive payment for hosting.
2. Coordinator Compensation: International Exchange Coordinators (IECs) receive compensation for each student they match with a host family and for supervising students throughout the year. This creates a distributed revenue model where coordinators are incentivized to grow their local networks.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

EF High School Exchange Year runs a cultural exchange program that matches international high school students aged 15-17 from 15 countries with screened American host families for either one semester or a full academic year. The organization handles J-1 visa sponsorship through its US Department of State designation, recruits and screens students, places them in US high schools, and provides ongoing 24/7 support through a distributed network of trained local International Exchange Coordinators (IECs). The web-based my.efexchangeyear.org platform allows prospective host families to browse student profiles, filter by country, age, gender, and interests, and initiate the hosting process.

Product overview

EF High School Exchange Year is a single, unified cultural exchange program operated by EF Educational Foundation for Foreign Study (a Massachusetts non-profit). The core offering consists of the EF High School Exchange Year Program itself, which facilitates J-1 visa sponsorship for international students to live with American host families while attending high school. This is supported by the my.efexchangeyear.org matching platform where families browse and select students, the School Partnership Program for enrolling students in American high schools, and the International Exchange Coordinator (IEC) Program which trains local volunteers to recruit families, match students, and provide ongoing support. Additional offerings include the Welcome Family Program (short-term hosting) and Host Family Referral Program (incentive-based referrals). The organization connects students from 15 countries across Europe, Asia, and South America with host families for semester or full-year exchanges.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• EF High School Exchange Year Program A cultural exchange program that matches international high school students aged 15-17 from 15 countries with screened American host families for one semester or a full academic year. Includes J-1 visa sponsorship, student recruitment and screening, host family vetting, school placement, and 24/7 ongoing support via local International Exchange Coordinators (IECs). Intended for international student applicants and American host family households.
• EF Exchange Student Matching Platform (my.efexchangeyear.org) Web-based platform where prospective American host families can browse international student profiles, filter by country, age, gender, and interests, and submit interest forms to connect with students for hosting. Available as a self-serve portal.
• School Partnership Program Program partnering with accredited American high schools to enroll international exchange students, providing schools with cultural diversity, global classroom perspectives, and infrastructure support for hosting J-1 visa exchange students.
• International Exchange Coordinator (IEC) Program Volunteer/part-time local coordinator network where individuals recruit host families, match students with families, support participants throughout the exchange year, and work with local high schools. Coordinators are screened, trained, and supervised by EF offices and receive per-placement compensation, travel rewards, and access to EF's global network.
• Welcome Family Program Short-term hosting option where American families host an exchange student for the first 2-3 months to help them settle into the community before transitioning the student to a permanent host family placement.
• Host Family Referral Program Referral incentive program offering $500 rewards to individuals who refer a new host family that successfully joins the program and places a student. Schools can also refer families and earn grant money for their organization.

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• US Department of StatecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEF High School Exchange Year is officially designated by the US Department of State to sponsor students on J-1 visas. The organization works alongside the State Department in promoting public diplomacy and adheres to all applicable regulations governing exchange programs.
• BridgeUSAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBridgeUSA is a US Department of State initiative that promotes cultural exchange. EF is a vetted BridgeUSA sponsor organization authorized to place exchange visitors in American homes and schools.
• Council on Standards for International Educational Travel (CSIET)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSIET sets standards for international youth exchange programs. EF adheres to CSIET standards and promotes quality in the exchange program industry.
• Alliance for International ExchangeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Alliance for International Exchange is a membership organization working to advance international exchange and cultural understanding. EF participates in the exchange community through this alliance.
• Darkness to Light (D2L)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerD2L provides child protection training and resources. EF has partnered with D2L to implement their Student Protection Policy and Code of Conduct for exchange participants.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• AFS Intercultural Programs: AFS Intercultural Programs is one of the largest and oldest international high school exchange organizations, sponsoring students on J-1 visas to live with American host families. It competes head-to-head with EF High School Exchange Year for host families, students, and US high school partnerships.
• Cultural Homestay International (CHI): CHI is a nonprofit organization designated by the US Department of State to sponsor J-1 high school exchange programs with host families. It is a direct competitor in the CSIET-listed high school exchange category.
• ASSE International Student Exchange Programs: ASSE is a CSIET-listed, US Department of State-designated sponsor of secondary school student exchange programs. It operates a parallel J-1 homestay model targeting similar host families and international high school students.
• Greenheart Exchange: Greenheart Exchange is a CSIET-listed Department of State-designated sponsor running high school semester/year J-1 homestay programs. It competes in the same primary market as EF High School Exchange Year, targeting US host families and inbound high school students.
• CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange): CIEE is a major nonprofit exchange organization operating high school foreign exchange programs under CSIET and US Department of State designation. It is a direct competitor in J-1 sponsored semester and year-long homestay exchanges for international high schoolers.
• Youth For Understanding (YFU): YFU is a long-standing nonprofit international student exchange organization offering semester and year-long high school programs with host families. It directly competes for host families and CSIET-eligible international high school students.
• International Cultural Exchange Services (ICES): ICES is a smaller Department of State-designated sponsor focused on international high school student homestay exchanges in the US. It operates a similar model to EF High School Exchange Year, competing for the same pool of host families and CSIET-vetted students.
• International Student Exchange (ISE): ISE is a Department of State-designated sponsor that places international high school students with American host families for semester or year-long programs. It competes directly with EF High School Exchange Year for both host families and school partners.
• Nacel Open Door: Nacel Open Door is a CSIET-listed sponsor offering J-1 high school exchange semester and year programs with host families. It is a comparable secondary school exchange peer with similar regulatory credentials and target customer base.

Emerging players

• STS Student Travel Schools: STS is a Europe-rooted education organization running short-term high school exchange and language programs (some shorter in duration than EF's full-year program). It overlaps with EF in international high school student mobility but focuses more on short-stay language immersion.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@EFHighSchoolYear
• Facebookfacebook.com/efexchangeyear
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/efexchangeyear
• Instagraminstagram.com/efexchangeyear

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 EF High School Exchange Year