NAFSA

What NAFSA does

NAFSA: Association of International Educators is a Washington, D.C.-headquartered nonprofit professional association founded in 1948 that serves international education practitioners and the institutions that employ them. It claims membership of more than 10,000 individuals across 3,500+ institutions in 150+ countries, and operates an event-driven go-to-market anchored on the Annual Conference & Expo (10,000+ attendees, 100+ countries, 200+ sessions, 400+ exhibitors), supplemented by regional conferences, workshops, webinars, and member-only online communities (Network.NAFSA). Its core products and content assets include the Adviser's Manual 360 (a searchable compliance knowledge center for U.S. visa and immigration regulations), the International Educator (IE) magazine (published since 1990, reaching nearly 90% of surveyed senior international officers), NAFSA.news (weekly e-newsletter to ~10,000 decisionmakers), and a stack of professional development programs such as the Academy for International Education, the International Education Professional Certificate, Leadership e-Institute, NAFSA RISE Fellowship, and F-1 Student Advising workshops.

The organization does not operate as a technology company; its platforms (nafsa.org, account.nafsa.org/Network.NAFSA, Adviser's Manual 360, event registration systems) are member-services infrastructure rather than proprietary technology products. Revenue mechanics span four streams: membership dues (new individual membership at $199/year), conference and event fees (regional conferences $27.50-$50, virtual F-1 workshops $233-$485), publications and advertising (IE magazine display ads $2,600-$3,040/month, NAFSA.news newsletter units $840-$1,575), and professional services and training (workshops, certificate programs, Adviser's Manual 360 licenses). NAFSA also runs a significant advocacy function, publishing economic impact data (in partnership with JB International: $42.9 billion and 355,736 jobs supported in 2024-2025), coordinating coalitions (U.S. for Success Coalition, amicus briefs with 118 institutions), and awarding the Senator Paul Simon Award for Campus Internationalization. Customer segments include individual international education professionals (primary), higher education institutions (primary), and policymakers/government agencies (secondary).

Name

NAFSA

Legal name

NAFSA: Association of International Educators

Website

https://nafsa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1948

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

NAFSA is a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit professional association founded in 1948 that serves more than 10,000 international education professionals at 3,500+ institutions across 150+ countries through memberships, conferences, training, publications, and policy advocacy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Professional Association Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Study Abroad Program Management & Administration (for Institutions) (EDAIAAAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

International Student Academic & Personal Support (case management, referrals) (EDALANAE)

Keywords

• International education association
• Professional development training
• Higher education advocacy
• Immigration compliance resources
• Membership association services

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees provide access to programs, conferences, publications, and professional resources. New membership is available for $199/year.
2. Conference and Event Fees: Revenue from annual conferences, regional conferences, workshops, and webinars. Registration fees vary by membership status and event type.
3. Publications and Advertising: International Educator (IE) magazine subscriptions and advertising sales across multiple formats (digital display, sponsored content, newsletter placements). IE reaches nearly 90% of senior international officers surveyed.
4. Professional Services and Training: Revenue from training programs, workshops, the Adviser's Manual 360 license fees, and professional development offerings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

NAFSA is a nonprofit professional association that serves international educators through individual and institutional memberships, flagship conferences, professional development programs (workshops, certificate programs, academies), compliance resources (Adviser's Manual 360), and the International Educator magazine. The organization also leads policy advocacy for U.S. higher education institutions on international student and scholar immigration issues.

Product overview

NAFSA: Association of International Educators is the world's largest nonprofit association dedicated to international education and exchange, serving more than 11,000 members at institutions worldwide. The organization operates as a platform-plus-modules architecture centered around its Annual Conference & Expo—the world's largest gathering of international education professionals—alongside core resources including Adviser's Manual 360 (a searchable immigration knowledge center), International Educator (IE) Magazine (its flagship publication since 1990), and NAFSA.news (a weekly e-newsletter reaching 10,000 decisionmakers). Professional development offerings include the Academy for International Education, International Education Professional Certificate, F-1 Student Advising workshops, Leadership e-Institute, and NAFSA RISE Fellowship. Additional modules include the International Student Economic Value Tool for economic impact analysis, the Career Center job board, Network.NAFSA for member networking, the Senator Paul Simon Award program for campus internationalization excellence, Regional Conferences, Advocacy Day, Research Symposium, and Global Summit. The organization also coordinates International Education Week celebrations and provides policy resources and regulatory information to members.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• International Educator (IE): NAFSA's flagship magazine published since 1990, covering international education topics, trends, and issues.
• NAFSA.news
• Adviser's Manual 360

Products and services

• NAFSA Annual Conference & Expo

Quantifiable outcome

• $42.9 billion economic contribution from international students supported by NAFSA's advocacy and data
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• The Forum on Education Abroad and Association of International Education Administrators (AIEA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 September 2025Partnership to uphold the annual tradition of celebrating International Education Week (IEW) in November. Combined effort of national international education organizations.
• Gateway International GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 September 2025Partnership to provide scholarships for professionals working in international education at Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) to participate in NAFSA's professional development programs. This partnership expands opportunities for practitioners at MSIs nationwide.
• U.S. for Success CoalitioncoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 16 September 2025Coalition working to press Congress to address policies threatening U.S. ability to attract and retain global talent, including Duration of Status changes and Optional Practical Training restrictions.
• JB InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Ongoing partnership for economic analysis of international students' contribution to the U.S. economy. Jointly publishes data showing international students contributed $42.9 billion and supported 355,736 jobs in 2024-2025 academic year.
• Presidents' Alliance on Higher Education and ImmigrationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 November 2019Coordinated amicus brief (with Jenner & Block as counsel) with 118 colleges and universities to defend Optional Practical Training (OPT) program in Washington Alliance of Technology Workers Union vs. DHS litigation.
• United States Institute of Peace (USIP)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 18 November 2019Co-hosted event on peacebuilding and higher education during International Education Week 2019. Event explored best practices in peacebuilding shared by peacebuilding and international education communities.
• British CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 May 2019Released collaborative 'Shape of Global Higher Education' report focusing on the Americas. Joint research initiative on global higher education trends.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Association of International Education Administrators (AIEA): Closest direct peer: a U.S.-based professional association serving senior international education administrators at colleges and universities, with overlapping advocacy, conferences, and member training offerings.
• Forum on Education Abroad: U.S. professional association focused on education abroad, with shared mission around quality standards, advocacy, and professional development for international education practitioners.
• Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE): Nonprofit operating study abroad and exchange programs with deep ties to international educators and institutions; shares NAFSA's mission of advancing international education and engages many of the same professionals.
• IES Abroad: Nonprofit study abroad provider closely tied to U.S. higher education institutions and the international education professional community, sharing overlapping conferences and constituency with NAFSA.
• AFS Intercultural Programs: Global nonprofit focused on intercultural learning and international exchange programs; overlaps with NAFSA's mission of advancing international education and serves a related constituency of practitioners.

Others

• EducationUSA: U.S. Department of State network supporting international student recruitment to U.S. institutions; an adjacent ecosystem participant rather than a direct association competitor, but works on overlapping advocacy and data.
• Going Global (by ETS): Subscription database and career resources platform for international students and professionals; overlaps with NAFSA's resource/membership offerings but is a for-profit data and tools provider rather than an association.

Broad incumbents

• American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (AACRAO): Long-established higher-education administration association serving registrars, admissions officers, and international educators; operates with a similar association revenue model (membership, conferences, publications).
• Institute of International Education (IIE): Larger, broader-mission organization also working in international education exchange and advocacy (Fulbright, Open Doors, IIENetwork); overlaps NAFSA's constituency and policy voice but operates programs directly rather than serving members only.

Regional players

• European Association for International Education (EAIE): The leading international-education professional association in Europe, hosting the largest European conference in the field; mirrors NAFSA's association model but is regionally focused.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nafsa
• Facebookfacebook.com/nafsa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/nafsa-association-of-international-educators
• Instagraminstagram.com/nafsagram
• TikToktiktok.com/@nafsa.org

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 NAFSA