Universidad Grupo Cultural Icel

What Universidad Grupo Cultural Icel does

Universidad Grupo Cultural ICEL, S.C. (Universidad ICEL) is a private Mexican higher education institution founded in 1989 and headquartered in Coyoacán, Mexico City. The institution offers a multi-level academic portfolio spanning one Bachillerato (high school) program, 19 Licenciaturas (undergraduate degrees), 13 Maestrías (master's programs), and 2 Especialidades (nursing specialties), with all programs validated by SEP-issued RVOE accreditations. Programs are organized into specialized divisions including Ciencias de la Salud (Health Sciences), División de Ciencias Digitales (launched 2023), and Hospitalidad (Hospitality).

The institution's delivery model is built on its proprietary Live Digital Education platform (Tecnología y Educación LiveStreaming), which combines in-person classrooms equipped with laptops, high-speed internet, and three cameras for real-time streaming via Google Meet, with asynchronous 24/7 access via a Moodle-based LMS. Programs are offered across four modalities: Presencial (weekday mornings), Ejecutiva (Saturday/modular), Online (24/7), and Flex (hybrid), with the Flex program featuring a 50% permanent scholarship and frozen tuition. The institution operates 10 physical campuses across Estado de México, Ciudad de México, and Morelos, plus a fully online campus, with each campus staffed by a designated commercial coordinator and academic advisors.

Universidad ICEL generates revenue primarily through recurring tuition payments (colegiaturas) billed monthly per partialidad (installment), with pricing ranging from approximately MX$2,200 per month for Bachillerato to MX$4,230–MX$5,190 per month for Maestría programs. The customer model is direct-to-consumer: prospective students are acquired through digital marketing, WhatsApp-based advisor contact, on-campus recruitment, and a tuition calculator tool embedded across program pages. The institution serves recent high school graduates, working adults seeking flexible scheduling, and professionals pursuing graduate credentials, with 100,000+ graduates claimed across its 35+ year history.

Name

Universidad Grupo Cultural Icel

Legal name

Universidad Grupo Cultural ICEL, S.C.

Website

https://icel.edu.mx

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Universidad ICEL is a private Mexican higher education institution operating 10 physical campuses across Greater Mexico City and Morelos plus an online campus, offering RVOE-accredited Bachillerato, 19 undergraduate, 13 master's, and 2 nursing specialty programs delivered via a proprietary Live Digital Education streaming platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

University-Affiliated Pathway & Foundation Programs (EDAIAJAA)

Keywords

• Private higher education
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Graduate degree programs
• Bachelor's high school program
• Online university platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Coyoacan

HQ country

Mexico

HQ region

Latin America

Offices11 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Fees (Colegiatura): Recurring tuition payments charged per partialidad (installment) per academic period. Pricing varies by modality (Presencial, Ejecutiva, Online) and program level (Bachillerato, Licenciatura, Maestría). Payment is made in monthly or per-partialidad installments throughout each term.
2. Specialty and Certification Programs: Short-duration specialty programs (e.g., Especialidad en Enfermería Quirúrgica, Especialidad en Enfermería en Cuidados Críticos) generate additional per-enrollment revenue, with distinct pricing from regular degree programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Universidad Grupo Cultural Icel is a private Mexican higher-education institution that delivers Bachillerato (high school), 19 Licenciaturas (undergraduate degrees), 13 Maestrías (master's degrees), and 2 Especialidades (specialty credentials) across 10 physical campuses and one online campus. Programs are offered in presencial, ejecutiva (Saturday), and online modalities delivered through its proprietary Live Digital Education live-streaming platform, Google Meet, and Moodle LMS. Students enroll individually and pay recurring tuition installments (partialidades), with scholarships of 35% and 50% available.

Product overview

Universidad ICEL is a Mexican private university offering a multi-level educational platform spanning high school (Bachillerato), 19 undergraduate degrees (Licenciaturas), 13 master's programs (Maestrías), and 2 nursing specialties. The institution is structured into specialized divisions including Ciencias de la Salud (Health Sciences), División de Ciencias Digitales (Digital Sciences Division launched 2023), and Hospitalidad (Hospitality). Core delivery is through three modalities: Presencial (weekday mornings), Ejecutiva (Saturday/modular), and Online. The institution's flagship technology platform is Tecnología y Educación LiveStreaming, combining technology-equipped classrooms with real-time streaming and digital interaction tools. Additionally, the newer División de Ciencias Digitales offers four technology-focused bachelor's programs in Cybersecurity, Software Development, Digital Business, and Digital Marketing. The institution operates 10 physical campuses across Mexico (State of Mexico, Mexico City, and Morelos) plus a full online campus.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Live Digital Education: Technology and education streaming platform enabling real-time classes from anywhere
• Prepa ICEL
• Licenciaturas Flex
• Ciencias Digitales

Quantifiable outcome

• 127% salary increase with a master's degree
• +4 more outcomes

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

AI capability6 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• QuickLearningminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerQuickLearning is a partner referenced in the Hospitalidad programs (Administración del Turismo) as a language certification/training convenant, allowing students to obtain recognized language credentials alongside their degree. The partnership is advertised as a student benefit for tourism and hospitality students.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• UNIVA (Universidad del Valle de Atemajac): Private Catholic-affiliated university network with multiple campuses across Mexico, offering programs in business, engineering, health, and social sciences. Comparable to ICEL in multi-campus model and broad program portfolio, with similar mid-tier price positioning.
• Universidad Insurgentes: Mid-tier Mexican private university chain focused on accessible undergraduate and graduate programs with strong presence in Estado de México and CDMX. Closely comparable to ICEL in geographic concentration, price tier, and target student segment (working adults seeking flexible scheduling).
• Universidad Panamericana (UP): Private Catholic university with campuses in CDMX, Guadalajara, and Aguascalientes offering programs across business, law, engineering, and health. Comparable to ICEL in multi-campus structure and RVOE-accredited programs, though UP operates at a higher price tier with stronger academic reputation.
• Universidad Latinoamericana (ULA): Mid-tier Mexican private university offering undergraduate and graduate programs across health sciences, business, and engineering with campuses in multiple states. Comparable to ICEL in accessible price tier, RVOE-accredited health sciences programs, and target student segment.
• Universidad del Valle de México (UVM): One of Mexico's largest for-profit private university chains with multiple campuses across the country, offering undergraduate and graduate programs across business, health, engineering, and social sciences. Comparable to ICEL in multi-campus delivery model, RVOE-accredited portfolio, and mid-tier price positioning, though UVM operates at significantly larger national scale.
• Universidad Anáhuac: Major Mexican private university network with multiple campuses nationwide, offering programs in business, health, engineering, law, and social sciences. Comparable to ICEL in RVOE-accredited multi-campus delivery model, though Anáhuac operates at a more premium price tier with stronger national brand.
• Universidad Iberoamericana (IBERO): Major private Jesuit university in Mexico City offering undergraduate and graduate programs across business, engineering, social sciences, and health. Comparable to ICEL in CDMX presence, RVOE-accredited portfolio, and multi-modality offerings, though positioned at a more premium tier.
• UNITEC (Universidad Tecnológica de México): Large Mexican for-profit private university chain offering technical and professional programs across multiple campuses, including online. Directly comparable to ICEL in flexible modality offerings (presencial, ejecutiva, online), broad program portfolio, and accessible price tier targeted at working adults.
• Universidad La Salle: Multi-campus private university network in Mexico operated by the De La Salle order, offering undergraduate and graduate programs across business, engineering, health, and social sciences. Comparable to ICEL in multi-campus distribution and broad program portfolio, though positioned at a higher price tier with stronger brand recognition.

Broad incumbents

• Tecnológico de Monterrey (Tec de Monterrey): Mexico's premier private university with nationwide campus network and online platform, offering programs across all major disciplines including strong digital/tech offerings. Comparable to ICEL in multi-modality, multi-campus, and RVOE-accredited delivery, but operates as the dominant premium incumbent at significantly higher price points and brand prestige.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/universidadicel
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/universidad-icel

Compliance16 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Grupo Cultural Icel