EF High School Exchange Year
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.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1979
- HeadquartersCambridge, United States
- Headcount501–1,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
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.
EF High School Exchange Year firmographics
Firmographics- 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
EF High School Exchange Year industry classification
Industry- 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
Where EF High School Exchange Year is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cambridge
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
EF High School Exchange Year business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- 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.
- 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
EF High School Exchange Year product offering
Product offeringCore 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.
Companies that use EF High School Exchange Year
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
EF High School Exchange Year technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
EF High School Exchange Year partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- US Department of StatecoreEF 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.
- BridgeUSAcoreBridgeUSA 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)coreCSIET sets standards for international youth exchange programs. EF adheres to CSIET standards and promotes quality in the exchange program industry.
- Alliance for International ExchangeminorThe 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)minorD2L 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
EF High School Exchange Year competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect 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
EF High School Exchange Year social profiles
Digital presenceEF High School Exchange Year financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
EF High School Exchange Year leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
EF High School Exchange Year funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
EF High School Exchange Year 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 EF High School Exchange Year
What does EF High School Exchange Year do?
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.
Is EF High School Exchange Year a public or private company?
EF High School Exchange Year is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was EF High School Exchange Year founded?
EF High School Exchange Year was founded in 1979. It employs 501 to 1,000 people.
Where is EF High School Exchange Year based?
EF High School Exchange Year is headquartered in Cambridge, United States, in the North America region.
How does EF High School Exchange Year make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Exchange Program Fees are the primary driver. The others are coordinator Compensation.
Who are EF High School Exchange Year's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are AFS Intercultural Programs, Cultural Homestay International (CHI), ASSE International Student Exchange Programs, Greenheart Exchange, CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange), Youth For Understanding (YFU), International Cultural Exchange Services (ICES), International Student Exchange (ISE) and Nacel Open Door. STS Student Travel Schools is listed as an emerging player.
Does EF High School Exchange Year have an API?
No public API is recorded for EF High School Exchange Year.
What industry is EF High School Exchange Year in?
EF High School Exchange Year's product category is International Cultural Exchange Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAIAHAB, Secondary School Exchange Programs (Academic Year/Semester), with a secondary code of EDAIABAK, Inbound Exchange Hosting & Visiting Student Administration. Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8200.