Academic Studies Abroad

What Academic Studies Abroad does

Academic Studies Abroad (ASA) is a privately held, family-owned study abroad provider founded in 1999 and headquartered in Needham Heights, Massachusetts. The company serves undergraduate and graduate students enrolled at U.S. and Canadian colleges and universities, offering semester, summer, academic year, January term, and short-term traveling seminar programs in 14+ destinations across Europe and Latin America — including Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, England, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Scotland, and Spain. ASA's core product is academic-credit-bearing study abroad delivered in partnership with host universities such as Universidad de Belgrano, Universidad Veritas, University of Roehampton, Cologne Business School, and the American College of Greece.

ASA generates revenue primarily through one-time program fees charged per term, with pricing ranging from approximately $4,495 (a short summer module in Cologne) to $22,595 (a deluxe-housing London semester at the University of Roehampton), varying by destination, term length, credit load, and housing type. Supporting services include scholarships/Jetsetter Grants, internships, early-start intensive language add-ons, and the 'A World of Care' support suite bundling Safeture (mobile safety), Mindhamok (mental health), and 24/7 on-site directors in each city. GTM is direct-to-consumer through ASA's website (academicstudies.com) and the Embark application portal, supplemented by referral relationships with study abroad offices at hundreds of U.S. and Canadian universities including Harvard, NYU, and UCLA. Underlying technology is largely off-the-shelf — HubSpot CMS, Embark for admissions, Safeture/Mindhamok for safety and wellness — with no disclosed proprietary platform, AI capability, or data flywheel.

Name

Academic Studies Abroad

Legal name

Academic Studies Abroad

Website

https://academicstudies.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Academic Studies Abroad is a family-owned study abroad provider founded in 1999, serving undergraduate and graduate students from U.S. and Canadian universities with semester, summer, January, and academic-year programs across 14+ destinations in Europe and Latin America, delivered in partnership with host universities and booked through its direct-to-consumer website.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Study Abroad / International Education Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (6117), Educational Services (61)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Direct Enrollment & Third-Party University Study Abroad Programs (EDAIAAAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Study Abroad Program Management & Administration (for Institutions) (EDAIAAAJ), Hybrid, Multi-Location & Multi-Country Study Abroad Programs (EDAIAAAE), Short-Term & Summer/Winter Multi-Country Study Abroad Programs (EDAIAAAF), Faculty-Led Study Tours & Embedded Short Programs (Home Institution-Led) (EDAIAIAJ)

Keywords

• Study abroad programs
• International education services
• Academic credit transfer
• Cultural immersion programs
• Overseas student exchange

Headquarters

HQ city

Needham Heights

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Study Abroad Program Fees: ASA generates revenue through tuition and program fees charged to students for study abroad experiences. Program fees vary by location, term length (summer, semester, academic year), and credit load, ranging from approximately $4,495 (summer business programs in Cologne) to $22,595 (deluxe housing semester programs in London). Fees are one-time charges per program term and include tuition, housing, excursions, insurance, and airport transfers. Returning student credits ($150 for summer, $350 for semester) encourage repeat participation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Academic Studies Abroad (ASA) designs and delivers study abroad experiences for U.S. and Canadian university students through semester, summer, academic year, January term, and internship programs at partner universities in 14 European and Latin American destinations. Programs bundle tuition, housing, excursions, insurance, and airport transfers into a single per-term fee, supported by on-site directors and a centralized student support suite.

Product overview

Academic Studies Abroad (ASA) is a family-owned study abroad provider offering semester, summer, academic year, and short-term programs across 14 European and Latin American destinations. The core product portfolio includes Study Abroad Programs at partner universities (Buenos Aires, Vina del Mar, San Jose, London, Aix-en-Provence, Cologne, Athens, Paros Island, Dublin, Florence, Italian Riviera, Rome, Sorrento, Aberdeen, Barcelona, Madrid, Sevilla, and Maastricht), January Term Traveling Seminars (with themed tracks like Diplomacy & Human Rights, Europe & the Islamic World, Great Cities of Europe, The Mediterranean Basin, Theatre Alive, and Wine, Gastronomy & Sustainability), and Internship Programs in multiple cities. Supporting services include Scholarships & Financial Aid, the A World of Care Student Support Suite (featuring Safeture and Mindhamok subscriptions), and digital tools (Course Finder and Program Finder). Early Start Programs offer intensive language preparation before standard semester dates.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Study Abroad Programs (Semester, Summer, Academic Year) Credit-bearing study abroad experiences for U.S. and Canadian university students at partner universities in 14 European and Latin American destinations, available in semester, summer, and academic year formats. Program fees bundle tuition, housing, excursions, insurance, and airport transfers.
• January Term Traveling Seminars Short-term intensive multi-city traveling seminars offered during the January academic term, each focused on a themed track across multiple European cities for credit-seeking students.
• Internship Programs Professional internship placements in multiple program cities such as Barcelona and Florence, providing experiential learning opportunities integrated with study abroad study.
• Early Start Programs Early-arrival add-on modules allowing students to begin intensive language study before the standard semester start date at select ASA program locations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Small group sizes under 150 students per program
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Universidad de BelgranocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary university partner in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Founded in 1964, enrolls over 13,500 students including 2,000 international students. ASA students take Spanish language and elective courses in English and Spanish across 13 schools offering 33 undergraduate and 20 graduate majors.
• Universidad de Viña del Mar (UVM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrivate university in Viña del Mar, Chile, founded in 1988 with approximately 5,000 enrolled students. Pioneer in promoting new fields of study in Chile such as Environmental Engineering, Natural Resources, and Architecture. Offers modern, centrally located campuses with homestays within walking distance.
• Universidad VeritascoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner in San José, Costa Rica, offering immersive academic experience with electives in English and Spanish. Courses available in Arts, Business, Communication, Conservation, Environmental Sciences, Health Sciences, Latin American Studies, Marine Biology, Psychology, Spanish Language, Sustainability, and Veterinary Sciences.
• University of RoehamptoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner in London, England, founded in 1975 with a 54-acre parkland campus in southwest London. Offers modules in humanities and social sciences on a beautiful historic campus with modern facilities and one of London's best university libraries.
• Cologne Business School (CBS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBusiness school partner in Cologne, Germany. First German university to introduce the American bachelor's degree model. IACBE accredited (International Accreditation Council for Business Education). Has approximately 1,300 corporate partners and offers practice-oriented teaching with certificate programs in International Business, Consulting, Digital Technology, AI & E-Commerce, and more.
• The American College of Greece (ACG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLargest U.S.-accredited university in Europe, located in Athens, Greece. Accredited by NECHE. 64-acre campus in Agia Paraskevi suburb. Features Olympic Training Center, state-of-the-art facilities, comprehensive student services including tutoring, wellness coaching, and counseling.
• Hellenic International Studies in the Arts (HISA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerArt school partner located in Paros Island, Greece, founded in 2000. Set in the historic Azari Merchant House (17th century building) with painting and print studios. Beach apartments a 10-minute walk along the sea. Focus on experiential immersion into Greek and Cycladic cultural and artistic legacy.
• Diversity AbroadminorOthersIndustry membership organization focused on promoting diversity and inclusion in education abroad. ASA is a member, indicating commitment to serving underrepresented student populations.
• Forum on Education AbroadminorOthersProfessional organization setting standards and best practices for the education abroad industry. ASA is a member organization.
• CANIE (Consortium for North American Higher Education Collaboration)minorOthersInternational education collaboration consortium. ASA is a signatory to the CANIE Accord.
• Hundreds of U.S. and Canadian Colleges and UniversitiescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorASA works with hundreds of accredited U.S. and Canadian colleges and universities whose study abroad advisors recommend and facilitate student enrollment. Partner institutions include major universities such as Harvard, NYU, UCLA, Boston College, Georgetown, and many others.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• WorldStrides: WorldStrides is a large, diversified education travel provider encompassing K-12 student travel, collegiate study abroad (via ISA), and sports-related travel. A broader incumbent whose ISA division directly overlaps with ASA's offerings.
• EF Education First: EF Education First is a global education company offering study abroad, language learning, and cultural exchange programs with a much larger scale and broader geographic footprint. Competes for institutional partnerships and student enrollment, particularly in Europe.

Emerging players

• SAI (Study Abroad Italy): SAI specializes in study abroad programs across Italy with a similar direct-enrollment and small-group model. Comparable to ASA in target demographic (U.S. undergraduates) and program structure, though narrower geographic focus.

Direct peers

• CEA Study Abroad: CEA offers study abroad programs in 14+ cities across Europe, Latin America, and Asia, with a similar multi-country, multi-discipline model and direct enrollment at partner universities. Closely comparable scale and product offering to ASA.
• ISA (International Studies Abroad): ISA by WorldStrides provides study abroad, intern, and service-learning programs across more than 30 countries. Direct peer competing for the same U.S. undergraduate student segment with overlapping European and Latin American destinations.
• IES Abroad: IES Abroad operates study abroad programs in over 20 cities across Europe, Asia, Africa, and Latin America, partnering with U.S. colleges and universities. Closely comparable to ASA in business model (direct enrollment at foreign universities), customer base (U.S. undergraduates), and program structure.
• USAC (University Studies Abroad Consortium): USAC is a nonprofit study abroad consortium affiliated with the University of Nevada, Reno, offering programs in 50+ locations. Competes with ASA for sending-university referrals and student enrollment, particularly in European destinations.
• SIT Study Abroad (World Learning): SIT offers experiential, field-based study abroad programs with a thematic focus on global issues. Competes with ASA in the experiential and field-based segment of the study abroad market, though with more developing-country focus.
• API (Academic Programs International): API provides study abroad and intern programs across Europe, Latin America, Asia, and Africa with a similar direct-enrollment-at-foreign-universities model. Competes head-to-head with ASA in many of the same European destinations and shares the U.S. sending-institution channel.
• CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange): CIEE is one of the largest U.S.-based study abroad program providers offering semester, summer, and short-term programs across dozens of countries. Directly competes with ASA for sending-university partnerships and student enrollment, with overlapping destination footprint in Europe and Latin America.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ASAstudyabroad
• Facebookfacebook.com/ASAstudyabroad

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 Academic Studies Abroad