Universidad Mesoamericana

What Universidad Mesoamericana does

Universidad Mesoamericana (legal name: Universidad Mesoamericana de Guatemala) is a private non-profit Salesian higher education institution founded on October 22, 1999, operating under the educational charism of the Salesianos de Don Bosco network. The institution delivers undergraduate, graduate, and technical programs through eight faculties — Communication, Economics, Humanities and Social Sciences, Engineering, Law and Social Sciences, Architecture, Medicine, and Dentistry — plus the Instituto Salesiano de Educación en L\u00ednea (ISEL), a wholly-owned subsidiary that offers fully online master's programs in business, marketing, fintech, education innovation, and human resources. It serves prospective undergraduates, working professionals, and students from socioeconomic backgrounds requiring financial assistance, with primary geographic concentration in Guatemala served through four physical campuses: central headquarters at zona 8 in Guatemala City, a zona 11 campus for theological/seminary studies, a regional campus in Quetzaltenango, and an extension campus in San Pedro Carch\u00e1 (Alta Verapaz).

The institution's technology stack is built on commodity third-party platforms rather than proprietary infrastructure: Canvas LMS for online instruction (ISEL and blended learning), Microsoft 365 for productivity and cloud applications, Turnitin for academic integrity, vLex for legal research, and Glifos for library catalog management. The Dr. F\u00e9lix Serrano Library holds 9,100+ books and specialized collections (Estudios Mesoamericanos, Miguel \u00c1ngel Asturias, and a cinematographic videotheque). Supporting the academic platform are separate virtual classroom portals and academic management systems for each campus (aulavirtual.umes.edu.gt and academico.umes.edu.gt). In March 2026, the university inaugurated new engineering laboratories — chemistry, physics, computing, and prototyping — at the central campus, along with a coworking space, expanding practical training capacity for Engineering and Nursing students.

The business model is tuition-driven across both on-campus programs and online master's degrees, supplemented by transaction fees for admissions examinations and scholarship applications (Q. 50.00). Six named scholarship programs — San Juan Bosco, Beata Mar\u00eda Romero, Santo Domingo Savio, Mons. Juan Cagliero, Margarita Occhiena, and San Art\u00e9mides Zatti — provide 25–50% tuition discounts in exchange for service hours, with the 2026 cohort delivering 51 new scholarships and 212 renewals to 263 students. Go-to-market relies on the Salesian religious network for student recruitment, EXPO UMES open-house events at Guatemala City and Quetzaltenango campuses, a broad organic social media footprint (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, TikTok, X), and direct sales-led admission interviews and examinations. Tuition amounts are not publicly disclosed, and the institution has no venture capital or private equity backing.

Name

Universidad Mesoamericana

Legal name

Universidad Mesoamericana de Guatemala

Website

https://umes.edu.gt

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Universidad Mesoamericana is a private non-profit Salesian university in Guatemala offering undergraduate and graduate programs across eight faculties and an online institute (ISEL), serving students through four campuses in Guatemala City, Quetzaltenango, and San Pedro Carch\u00e1.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (61131)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Online Nonprofit Universities (EDAHALAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

University/Institutional Scholarships & Tuition Waivers (EDAIAOAG), Institutional Financial Aid Offices (Schools/Colleges/Universities) (EDADAHAB)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Graduate online learning
• Professional health sciences
• Engineering and architecture

Headquarters

HQ city

Oaxaca

HQ country

Mexico

HQ region

Latin America

Offices4 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 Educational Services: The university generates revenue primarily through tuition payments for undergraduate and graduate programs across its eight faculties and ISEL online institute.
2. Scholarship Program Administration: Students apply for various scholarship programs (Beca San Juan Bosco, Beata María Romero, Santo Domingo Savio, Mons. Juan Cagliero, Margarita Occhiena, San Artémides Zatti) with application fees of Q. 50.00. Scholarship recipients receive partial tuition discounts of 25-50% but must complete service hours.
3. Admission and Examination Fees: Revenue generated from admission interviews (free) and admission examinations for specific programs including Medicine and Engineering. Scholarship application processing fees of Q. 50.00.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Universidad Mesoamericana is a private Salesian higher education institution founded in 1999 that delivers undergraduate, graduate, and technical degree programs across eight faculties (Communication, Economics, Humanities, Engineering, Law, Architecture, Medicine, Dentistry) plus the ISEL online institute for master's degrees. It operates four campuses across Guatemala and supports its academic programs with modern laboratories, the Biblioteca Dr. Félix Serrano library, the Aula Virtual learning platform, and a scholarship program providing partial tuition discounts.

Product overview

Universidad Mesoamericana is a Salesian university in Guatemala operating as a comprehensive higher education institution with eight faculties: Communications, Economics, Humanities and Social Sciences, Engineering, Law and Social Sciences, Architecture, Medicine, and Dentistry. The institution also includes ISEL (Salesian Institute of Online Education) offering virtual master's programs. Supporting platforms include the Aula Virtual for online learning, an Academic Management System, the Dr. Félix Serrano library with 9,100+ books and digital collections, and Editorial Mesoamericana for academic publications. The university operates four campuses across Guatemala (Central Guatemala, Quetzaltenango, and San Pedro Carchá) with a scholarship program providing financial aid to students. The institution uses Turnitin for academic integrity and Microsoft 365 for technology resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Facultad de Ciencias de la Comunicación Social Faculty offering careers in communication, including Social Communication and Audiovisual Production, Advertising with Graphic Design specialization, and Audiovisual Production and Cinematographic Arts. Targets students seeking professional degrees in communication fields.
• Facultad de Ciencias Económicas Faculty offering business-related programs including Business Administration with Digital Business specialization, Marketing and Business Analytics, Public Accounting and Auditing, International Trade, and Informatics and Business Intelligence. Targets students pursuing business and economics professional degrees.
• Facultad de Ciencias Humanas y Sociales Faculty offering programs in Education, Psychology, Humanities, and Theology, providing critical perspectives for understanding and transforming society. Targets students interested in education, social sciences, humanities, and theology careers.
• Facultad de Ingeniería Faculty offering technology-focused careers including Systems Engineering, Computer Science, Industrial Engineering, Electronics Engineering, and Civil Engineering. Targets students pursuing engineering and technology professional degrees.
• Facultad de Ciencias Jurídicas y Sociales Faculty offering Legal Studies programs including the Law (Abogado y Notario) degree focused on studying law and its applications in society. Targets students pursuing legal professional careers.
• Facultad de Arquitectura Faculty offering the Architecture program focused on transforming the world through design, combining creativity, technology, and sustainability. Targets students pursuing architecture professional degrees.
• Facultad de Medicina Faculty offering health programs including Nursing (Technician and Bachelor), Medicine and Surgery, Nutrition, Diagnostic Radiology, Applied Sports Sciences, and Bioimaging Production, plus a Master's in Hand and Elbow Surgery. Targets students pursuing health sciences professional degrees.
• Facultad de Odontología Faculty offering Dental Laboratory Technician and Dentistry programs focused on oral health professional training. Targets students pursuing dental professional careers.
• Instituto Salesiano de Educación en Línea (ISEL) Salesian Institute for Online Education offering virtual master's programs including Innovation in Higher Education Learning, Business Administration and Business Intelligence, Digital Marketing and E-Commerce, Finance and Fintech, Strategic Human Talent Management, and Performance Auditing. Targets working professionals seeking flexible online graduate degrees.
• Programa de Becas (Scholarship Program) Scholarship program offering various types of financial aid including San Juan Bosco Scholarship (academic performance), Beata María Romero Scholarship (socioeconomic level), Santo Domingo Savio Scholarship (Salesian institutions graduates), Mons. Juan Cagliero Scholarship (cultural/sports/religious merit), Margarita Occhiena Scholarship (employees), and San Artémides Zatti Scholarship (professional development). Provides 25-50% partial tuition discounts requiring service hours.

Quantifiable outcome

• 263 students received scholarship support in 2026
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Comité de Cooperación entre Bibliotecas Universitarias (CCBU)coreOthersThe Biblioteca Dr. Félix Serrano of Universidad Mesoamericana is a member of CCBU, a consortium promoting collaboration, resource sharing, and knowledge exchange among university libraries in Guatemala. This membership enables the university library to participate in inter-library cooperation initiatives and access broader academic resources.
• Universidad Francisco MarroquínminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistorical partnership from the university's founding period (1980s-1990s). Universidad Francisco Marroquín provided guidance to the Dr. Félix Serrano library in identifying suppliers, equipment, and best practices for establishing the library collection.
• CFP P. Bartolomé Ambrosio SDBminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSalesian educational institution with which Universidad Mesoamericana signed an academic cooperation agreement for collaboration in educational initiatives.

Scale indicators5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Universidad Don Bosco: Salesian private university in El Salvador, an explicit member of the same Don Bosco educational network. Highly comparable on Salesian educational model, faculty mix, and regional Central America student base.
• Universidad Tecnológica Centroamericana (UNITEC Honduras): Major private university in Honduras with multi-faculty offerings and online/campus hybrid programs. Comparable multi-faculty private higher education institution serving the Central American student market.
• Universidad Centroamericana José Simeón Cañas (UCA): Jesuit private university in El Salvador with similar faculty structure and values-based educational identity. Comparable faith-rooted Central American private university with overlapping programs and regional student recruitment dynamics.
• Universidad Galileo: Large Guatemalan private university offering undergraduate, graduate, and online programs across multiple faculties including engineering, business, health, and education. Direct competitor for in-person and online degree-seeking students in Guatemala.
• Universidad Rafael Landívar: Guatemalan private university, Jesuit-affiliated, offering undergraduate and graduate programs across multiple faculties. Directly comparable as a faith-rooted, multi-faculty private university serving a similar Guatemalan student base.
• Universidad Americana (Guatemala): Guatemalan private university with multiple programs across business, engineering, and health sciences. Comparable private multi-faculty institution competing for the same price-sensitive domestic student segments.
• Universidad Francisco Marroquín: Guatemalan private university with a Catholic foundation and emphasis on liberal arts, business, and sciences. Comparable faith-rooted private multi-faculty university with overlapping programs in law, economics, and engineering.
• Universidad Panamericana de Guatemala: Guatemalan private university with multi-faculty structure and online programs. Comparable private higher education provider competing for similar undergraduate and graduate student segments.
• Universidad del Valle de Guatemala: Leading Guatemalan private university known for STEM and health sciences, with multiple campuses and research orientation. Comparable multi-faculty private higher education institution competing for the same Guatemalan student pool.

Broad incumbents

• Universidad San Carlos de Guatemala (USAC): Guatemala's oldest and largest public university, offering an extensive set of faculties and degree programs nationwide. As the dominant higher-education incumbent, it sets the competitive baseline for program breadth and pricing pressure on private peers.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/LaMesoOax
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@UniversidadMesoamericana
• Facebookfacebook.com/UniversidadMesoamericanaOaxaca
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/universidad-mesoamericana
• Instagraminstagram.com/mesoamericana
• TikToktiktok.com/@umesguatemala

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries1 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 Universidad Mesoamericana