Universidad Francisco Gavidia

What Universidad Francisco Gavidia does

Universidad Francisco Gavidia (UFG) is a private, nonprofit-of-public-utility higher education institution founded in 1981 and headquartered in San Salvador, El Salvador, with a regional campus in Santa Ana (Centro Regional de Occidente). It serves more than 13,000 students across undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education programs in technology, business, law, engineering, social sciences, design, arts, and tourism. UFG operates three delivery modalities—on-site at its main campus, semi-presential (hybrid), and fully online—supported by proprietary platforms including the UVirtual learning management system, WebDesktop integrated academic/administrative portal, BIBLIOWEB Koha library system, JoinWork internship and employment matching platform, and the SASS automated social service system. The institution holds triple international and national accreditation (QS Stars 4 Stars, HCÉRES from France, CdA from MINEDUCYT) and operates under ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001 certifications.

UFG generates revenue primarily through semester-based tuition and academic fees charged across two cycles per year, with pricing varying by program (e.g., Systems and Cybersecurity Engineering at $758 per cycle vs. Data Science Engineering with ASU double degree at $1,645 per cycle). The 2022 strategic partnership with Arizona State University via CINTANA Education introduced premium double-degree pathways and over 500 ASU-enriched courses, with separate admission costs totaling approximately $1,615. Supplementary revenue streams include continuing education programs (Master's, doctorates, short courses, diplomas, seminars), ancillary student services (medical clinic, psychological clinic, legal practice center, library, copy center, student clubs at $4/month), and corporate-sponsored discounts (10% on academic quotas for employees of partner companies including Atento, Concentrix, Teleperformance, Telus, Foundever, and Banco Promerica). The institution maintains research and innovation subsidiaries (Germina Incubadora de Empresas, CDMYPE-UFG in joint venture with CONAMYPE, UFG Editores publishing) and pursues financial partnerships with Banco Agrícola, Banco Davivienda, and Banco Hipotecario for student credit programs.

The go-to-market approach combines direct-to-consumer student recruitment via online application portal and high school outreach, event-driven engagement through career orientation events and ASU Summer Experience programs, and channel partnerships through the ASU/CINTANA international alliance. UFG markets to recent high school graduates, working professionals, students seeking international credentials, and graduate-level learners across El Salvador, with 13,000+ students enrolled and a graduate base spanning 45 years of operation.

Name

Universidad Francisco Gavidia

Legal name

Universidad Francisco Gavidia

Website

https://ufg.edu.sv

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Universidad Francisco Gavidia (UFG) is a private El Salvadoran higher education institution founded in 1981, serving 13,000+ students across undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education programs in technology, business, law, and engineering. It operates in-person, hybrid, and online modalities and is the only university in El Salvador partnered with Arizona State University via CINTANA Education.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Comprehensive Doctoral Research Universities (Multi-Disciplinary) (EDAHABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Dual/Joint Degree Programs (International) (EDAIABAD), Research & Lab-Based Short-Term Programs (Undergraduate/Graduate) (EDAIAIAF)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Graduate education programs
• Online learning platforms
• Continuing education courses

Headquarters

HQ city

San Salvador

HQ country

El Salvador

HQ region

Latin America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Academic Fees: Semester-based tuition fees charged per academic cycle, including registration fees, administrative costs, course fees, and laboratory fees. Payment can be made in installments (5 installments per cycle) or as a global cycle payment with discount.
2. Continuing Education Programs: Revenue from short courses, diplomas, and seminars for professional updating without granting academic degrees.
3. Double Degree Program Fees: Additional fees for ASU double degree programs including propaedeutic course, enrollment costs, and international program fees.
4. Student Services: Fees for student services including clinics, printing center, library services, and student clubs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels12 records

Core offering

Universidad Francisco Gavidia is a private university in El Salvador offering undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education programs across engineering, technology, business, law, social sciences, design, and health disciplines. The university delivers education through in-person, semi-presential, and fully online modalities, with a strategic alliance with Arizona State University enabling double-degree programs and ASU-enriched courses. It also provides student support services including medical, psychological, and legal clinics, plus internship and employment placement through its JoinWork platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Undergraduate Degree Programs
• Graduate Programs (Master's and Doctorates)
• UFG-ASU Double Degree Programs
• Continuing Education Programs
• Online Education (UVirtual Platform)
• Student Support Clinics (Medical, Psychological, Legal)

Quantifiable outcome

• First and only university in El Salvador with 4 QS Stars rating
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature8 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core, standard and minor.

• Arizona State University (ASU)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Strategic alliance through CINTANA Education making UFG the only university in El Salvador 'Powered by ASU.' ASU ranks #1 in innovation in the USA for 11 consecutive years and is in the top 1% of world universities. Partnership enables double-degree programs (3+1 model), 500+ ASU-enriched courses, Global Signature Courses, Master Classes, ASU Summer Experience, and global innovation competitions. Students can earn both UFG and ASU bachelor degrees.
• Cisco (CISCO Networking Academy)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2018Networking Academy providing industry-standard networking certifications and training for students in technology programs, enhancing career readiness.
• Adobe (Adobe Training Center)standardTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2013Adobe training center for graphic design students providing access to professional creative software and certifications.
• Corte Suprema de Justicia de El SalvadorcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Cooperation agreement establishing Centro de Práctica Jurídica providing free legal assistance to low-income populations and practical training for law students.
• FUNDEMÁSstandardStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Social responsibility alliance through IndicaRSE system for measuring corporate social responsibility aligned with ISO 26000 standards.
• AMCHAM (American Chamber of Commerce El Salvador)standardGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2012Partnership for business connections and student employment opportunities through chamber of commerce network.
• CCAD (Centro de Coordinación de Accueil des Réfugiés)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Regional alliance for social responsibility initiatives and sustainable development projects.
• Observatorio Regional de RSEminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Regional corporate social responsibility observatory supporting sustainable business practices.
• AutodeskstandardTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2010Education Master Suite subscription for engineering and design students providing professional CAD and design software.
• CONAMYPEcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2010CDMYPE-UFG business incubator supporting entrepreneurs and small business development through coaching, mentoring, and access to resources.
• RAICES (Red Avanzada de Investigación, Ciencia y Educación Salvadoreña)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2005Advanced research network connecting Salvadoran universities for scientific collaboration, video conferencing, and global research partnerships.
• MicrosoftcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2001Longstanding technology partnership including Campus Agreement for software, Microsoft IT Academy certification, Azure and cloud services integration, Office 365 deployment, and Live@Edu platform implementation for the university community.
• RedClaracoreTechnology or IntegrationLatin American research network for international academic collaboration and scientific data exchange.
• ISSS (Instituto Salvadoreño del Seguro Social)standardStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedical clinic partnership providing healthcare services to students, faculty, and staff on campus.
• Ministerio de Educación de El SalvadorcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlexible Education Modalities program and national accreditation coordination.
• Corporate Partners (Atento, Bandesal, Concentrix, Hotel Sheraton Presidente, Premium Restaurants of America, Foundever, Teleperformance, Telus, The Office Gurus, Banco Promerica)standardGTM or Marketing Partner10% discount on academic quotas for employees of partner companies, with Banco Promerica offering 50% matriculation discount for new students.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves18 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• INCAE Business School: Top-tier Central American graduate business school with campuses in Nicaragua and Costa Rica. Competes with UFG's graduate and continuing-education programs for the regional premium-student segment.
• Laureate International Universities (Latin America network): Global for-profit higher-education network with multiple Latin American university brands. Operates competing private universities across Central and South America targeting similar student demographics.
• Arizona State University (ASU): UFG's strategic partner through CINTANA Education; ASU's online programs and global brand both enable UFG's differentiation and compete directly for the same international-student pool.
• Tecnológico de Monterrey: Large Mexican private university with extensive online programs targeting Latin America. Increasingly competes with UFG for online and international students across Central America via digital modalities.

Direct peers

• Universidad Don Bosco (UDB): Salesian private university in San Salvador with strong engineering, architecture, and social sciences programs. Directly competes with UFG for Salvadoran students across modalities.
• Universidad Tecnológica de El Salvador (UTEC): El Salvador private university with technology and engineering focus and multiple modalities. Direct peer to UFG in STEM and engineering undergraduate offerings for the Salvadoran student market.
• Universidad Dr. José Matías Delgado: Major El Salvador private university offering undergraduate and graduate programs across multiple modalities. Directly competes with UFG in the same Salvadoran market for the same high-school-graduate and continuing-education student segments.
• Universidad Centroamericana José Simeón Cañas (UCA): Jesuit private university in San Salvador with strong research output and graduate programs. Direct competitor to UFG in private higher education, particularly for humanities, social sciences, and graduate degrees in El Salvador.

Regional players

• Universidad de Oriente (UNIVO): Private university based in San Salvador with regional campuses across El Salvador. Comparable multi-campus private university model competing in similar student segments.
• Universidad Galileo (Guatemala): Large Guatemalan private university with online programs and international partnerships. Central American regional peer competing for the same cross-border online student pool UFG is targeting.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UFGOficial
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/redsocialufg
• Facebookfacebook.com/ufgoficial
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/ufgoficial/posts/?feedView=all
• Instagraminstagram.com/ufg.oficial
• TikToktiktok.com/@ufg.oficial

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries4 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 Universidad Francisco Gavidia