International Friendships

What International Friendships does

International Friendships, Inc. (IFI) is a Christian nonprofit organization founded in 1979 and headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, that provides hospitality, friendship, and cross-cultural support services to international students studying in the United States. The organization operates 60 campus chapters across 38 cities in 16 states, with additional international presence in Daejeon, South Korea and Taipei, Taiwan. IFI's service portfolio includes airport pickup and temporary housing for arriving students, Bible discussion groups, English conversation clubs, American friendship partner matching, holiday hosting with American families, cultural celebrations, and a digital support ecosystem comprising a blog, email newsletter, and WhatsApp community. Its sub-brand ISEED offers a 10-12 month discipleship internship for recently graduated international students working under OPT visa authorization.

IFI's technology stack is intentionally lightweight: the organization does not disclose any proprietary platform and instead relies on WordPress for its 60 campus-specific websites, mainstream social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, WhatsApp), and email newsletters to deliver content and community. No mobile applications, AI/ML capabilities, APIs, or data infrastructure are documented. This positions IFI as a human-relationship-driven ministry rather than a technology platform.

IFI's business model is donation-funded rather than transaction-based. All services are provided free of charge to international students, including airport pickup, temporary housing, conversation clubs, friendship matching, and event hosting. Revenue is generated entirely through charitable contributions from donors who support the organization's mission. The go-to-market motion is community-led and event-driven, relying on partnerships with local churches (which supply volunteer hosts and meeting space), universities, and individual American host families. With 11-50 paid employees, the organization depends heavily on volunteer labor to scale service delivery across its national footprint.

Name

International Friendships

Legal name

International Friendships, Inc.

Website

https://ifiusa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1979

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

International Friendships (IFI) is a Columbus, Ohio-based Christian nonprofit founded in 1979 that provides free hospitality, friendship, and cross-cultural support services to international students across 60 US campuses in 16 states, funded entirely by donor contributions and delivered through a volunteer network of local churches and American host families.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Student Ministry Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Engagement & Social Integration Programs (Clubs, Events, Volunteering) (EDAIAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Peer Mentorship, Buddy & Host-Family Matching Programs (EDAIAKAD), International Student Orientation & Transition Programs (EDALANAC), Cultural Adjustment & Integration Services (intercultural programs, community connection) (EDALANAD), Student Wellbeing & Counseling for International Students (Non-Clinical Support) (EDAIAKAF)

Keywords

• International student services
• Cross-cultural ministry
• Hospitality services
• Discipleship training
• Nonprofit student support

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donor Contributions: IFI is a Christian nonprofit organization financially supported by generous donors who believe in befriending international students. Most activities are provided free to students by volunteers, with the organization funded entirely through charitable contributions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

International Friendships (IFI) is a Christian nonprofit organization that provides free hospitality and friendship services to international students studying at US universities. The organization operates through a nationwide network of 60 campus chapters across 38 cities in 16 states, delivered by volunteer American hosts via partnerships with local churches and universities. Core offerings include airport pickup, temporary housing, Bible discussion groups, English conversation clubs, American friendship partnerships, holiday hosting, cultural celebrations, and a 10-12 month ISEED discipleship internship for graduated Christian international students.

Product overview

International Friendships, Inc. (IFI) is a national ministry organization that provides hospitality and friendship services to international students in the United States. The organization offers a coordinated portfolio of programs including the ISEED Discipleship Training (a 10-12 month internship for OPT students), Airport Pickup & Temporary Housing, Bible Discussion Groups, American Friendship Partner matching, English Conversation Partners, and the International Moms Group. These programs are supported by digital resources including a Student Blog, WhatsApp Online Community, and Student Newsletter. IFI operates through a network of 60 campus chapters across 38 locations in 16 states, with its National Office in Columbus, Ohio.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ISEED Discipleship Training: A 10-12 month hands-on discipleship internship program for international students that prepares them to share God's love globally while working part-time using their OPT visa status.

Products and services

• ISEED Discipleship Training

Quantifiable outcome

• 60 campuses served across the US
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Global Connections (University of Florida)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIFI partners with Global Connections at the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida to provide international student services. This is a local campus partnership arrangement rather than a formal national partnership agreement.
• Local ChurchescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIFI partners with local churches across the US to provide volunteer hosts, meeting spaces, and support for international student activities. Churches provide the volunteer base and hospitality infrastructure for the organization.
• Universities and University International Student OfficescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIFI partners with universities across the US, operating on 60 campuses. The relationship varies by campus, with IFI respecting the role of university officials serving international students. IFI adheres to NAFSA: Association of International Educators Statement of Ethical Principles.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• InterVarsity Christian Fellowship: Large US campus ministry operating across hundreds of universities with international student outreach as one of several ministry lines. Comparable faith-based approach and audience but broader scope than IFI.
• The Navigators: Established discipleship-focused organization with campus and international student ministry programs. Comparable faith-based approach but significantly broader scope than IFI's international student focus.
• Cru (formerly Campus Crusade for Christ): One of the largest US campus ministries with a dedicated international student ministry line. Offers broader Christian programming and significantly greater resources than IFI; overlaps in target audience but is not specialized in international students.
• Chi Alpha (Assemblies of God): Campus ministry of the Assemblies of God denomination serving students at hundreds of US universities, with international student outreach as part of a broader campus program. Comparable in faith-based framing and campus-based delivery.

Direct peers

• Bridges International: Faith-based nonprofit focused on befriending and serving international students in North America. Closely comparable to IFI in mission, volunteer-driven hospitality model, and church/university partnership structure.
• Agape International Students Ministry: Christian nonprofit serving international students with hospitality, friendship partnerships, and English conversation programs — closely comparable in target audience, faith-based framing, and service mix.
• International Students Inc. (ISI): Colorado Springs-based nonprofit dedicated to extending 'love and friendship' to international students across North America through hospitality, friendship, and Christian witness — the closest direct analog to IFI's mission and operating model.
• Friends International: Network of ministries focused on international student outreach and friendship across multiple US campuses with a similar faith-based befriending and hospitality approach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/IntlFriendships/videos
• Facebookfacebook.com/ifiusa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-friendships
• Instagraminstagram.com/internationalfriendships.ifi
• Xx.com/intlfriendships

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 International Friendships