What International Students House does

International Students House (ISH) is a UK-registered charity founded in 1965 that operates as a residential, social, and cultural center for international and UK students in London. The organization provides long-stay, short-stay, and summer school accommodation across two central London properties — 229 Great Portland Street in Marylebone and the newer 238 Kennington Lane in Vauxhall — with applications processed through the third-party StarRez housing portal. Beyond housing, ISH runs an integrated suite of student services including scholarship programs co-funded with 13 university and academic partners (who cover tuition costs), the Goats Ambassadors alumni network, the Travel Club, the Davis Peace Prize grant program, cultural activities, and an annual ISH Magazine.

ISH monetizes its real estate and community through multiple revenue streams: recurring accommodation fees (long-stay, short-stay, summer schools), corporate venue hire via ISH Venues, live entertainment at the 229 Live Music Venue, and food and beverage at The Thirsty Scholar cafe/bar. Distribution is direct-to-consumer via the ISH website and StarRez portal, supplemented by referral relationships with 13 universities that promote ISH to their international student populations. Marketing is content-driven across a blog, social media channels (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube), and the annual ISH Magazine.

Operationally, the organization employs 101-250 staff and is governed by a Board of Governors. In February 2020 ISH completed the sale of its York Terrace East building and appointed a new Chair, signaling a recapitalization and governance refresh. The organization celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2025 and holds a Greengage ECOsmart Gold Award (2024) for sustainability. As a nonprofit, ISH is supported by donations in addition to earned income from accommodation and hospitality services.

Name

International Students House

Legal name

International Students House

Website

https://ish.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1965

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

London-based nonprofit charity founded in 1965 providing residential, cultural, and scholarship services for international and UK students across two central London properties, with affiliated venue hire, cafe, and live music operations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Student Accommodation Services

NAICS

Rooming and Boarding Houses, Dormitories, and Workers' Camps (72131), Rooming and Boarding Houses, Dormitories, and Workers' Camps (7213), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Facilities Support Management Services (8744)

akta.pro primary industry

Student Residence Halls & Dormitory Management (On-/Near-Campus) (EDAIALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

International Student Housing Placement & Management (BPAJAJAL), Academic Program Housing (Study Abroad, Language Schools, Field Schools) (THAMAGAE), Temporary Arrival Housing (Hotels/Hostels/Serviced Apartments for Students) (EDAIALAG), Student/Academic Serviced Residences (THAGAEAF), International Student Academic & Personal Support (case management, referrals) (EDALANAE)

Keywords

• Student accommodation services
• Student housing
• Residential hospitality
• International student support
• Cultural exchange programs

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Student Accommodation: ISH provides long-stay and short-stay accommodation for students. Long stay options include ISH Great Portland Street and 238 Kennington Lane. Short stay options are available at both locations. Students apply through the StarRez accommodation portal.
2. ISH Venues: 229 Great Portland Street and 238 Kennington Lane venues are available for hire through ISH Venues. The 229 Live Music Venue at Great Portland Street hosts events and performances.
3. The Thirsty Scholar Cafe/Bar: On-site cafe and bar services operated at the accommodation facilities, serving residents and visitors.
4. Summer Schools Accommodation: ISH provides accommodation services for summer school programs, offering rooms to visiting student groups.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

International Students House is a registered charity that provides safe, central-London student accommodation at two residences (229 Great Portland Street in Marylebone and 238 Kennington Lane in Vauxhall) in long-stay, short-stay, and summer-school formats, alongside a residential social and cultural programme built to foster international friendship. Ancillary paid offerings include corporate venue hire (ISH Venues), a live music venue (229), and an on-site cafe/bar (The Thirsty Scholar).

Product overview

International Students House operates as a London-based charity providing student accommodation and support services. The organization offers a unified accommodation platform spanning multiple properties (Great Portland Street and Kennington Lane) for long-stay, short-stay, and summer school needs, supported by the StarRez booking portal. Beyond housing, ISH provides an integrated suite of student services including scholarship programs partnered with 13 universities, cultural activities, the Travel Club, Davis Peace Prize grants, and the annual ISH Magazine. The venue operations (ISH Venues, 229 Live Music Venue, The Thirsty Scholar cafe/bar) operate as affiliated hospitality services within the same organizational ecosystem.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ISH Venues: Venue hire services for events and conferences
• 229 Live Music Venue
• The Thirsty Scholar

Products and services

• ISH Accommodation Services (Long Stay) Long-stay student housing for international and UK students at ISH's two London residences, with on-site social and cultural programming and access to scholarships.
• ISH Short Stay Accommodation Temporary student housing available at 229 Great Portland Street and 238 Kennington Lane for short visits, group stays, and transitional needs.
• Summer Schools Accommodation Group summer accommodation for students attending London-based summer school programs, with rooms available at both ISH residences.
• ISH Great Portland Street Residence Long-stay student residence in central London Marylebone (229 Great Portland Street, W1W 5PN), within five minutes of Regent's Park, housing students throughout the academic year.
• 238 Kennington Lane Residence Modern long-stay student residence in Vauxhall, London, offering contemporary accommodation with modern amenities; applications open as a brand-new ISH property.
• ISH Venues (Venue Hire) Corporate and event venue hire service offering event spaces for conferences, meetings, performances, and functions at both ISH London locations.
• 229 Live Music Venue Live music venue at 229 Great Portland Street hosting concerts and performances for students and the public.
• The Thirsty Scholar Cafe/Bar On-site cafe and bar operated at ISH facilities, serving residents and visitors.
• ISH Scholarships Programme Charitable scholarship and bursary programme offering free or discounted accommodation, with tuition costs underwritten by 13 university and academic partners.
• ISH Travel Club Organised travel programme enabling residents to explore the UK and beyond with fellow students from different universities, building friendships across borders.
• Davis Peace Prize Annual grant programme for ISH residents engaged in peace-building projects, awarded to student-led peace initiatives.
• ISH Accommodation Portal (StarRez) Online booking and management portal used for student accommodation applications, reservations, and room assignments across long-stay, short-stay, and summer school offerings.

Quantifiable outcome

• Gold Award for Sustainability from Greengage ECOsmart Hotels and Venue accreditation in 2024
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• 13 Universities and Academic PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThese 13 university and academic partners support ISH's scholarship mission by covering tuition costs for scholarship recipients. They also promote ISH accommodation to their international student populations. Partners include institutions whose students stay at ISH.
• Toyota Shi Trevelyan Trust (TSTT)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTSTT provides scholarships and bursaries enabling students from the United Kingdom and Japan to engage in exchange programmes. ISH residents have benefited from these scholarships, with two ISH residents going to Japan in summer 2024.
• Davis Peace PrizeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual grant program for ISH residents engaged in peace-building projects. Recipients of the 2026 Projects for Peace grants were announced in April 2026.
• London Film SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGonzalo Maza studied at London Film School for a Master in Screenwriting while residing at ISH. Represents educational institution whose students benefit from ISH accommodation.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• CRM Students: UK student accommodation management company operating multiple PBSA assets including in London. Comparable in managing purpose-built student housing for university students, including significant international student populations.
• Scape Student Living: London-based premium student accommodation provider serving the international student segment at central London locations. Comparable target customer (international students) and central London focus to ISH, with a similarly amenity-led offering.
• Host Students: UK student accommodation operator focused on city-center university locations including London. Comparable student housing product and customer demographic (university and international students), competing for the same London demand pool as ISH.
• Chapter London: London-focused student accommodation operator offering purpose-built studio and shared student housing. Directly comparable central London student housing product and target market to ISH's Great Portland Street and Kennington Lane residences.
• Nido Student Living: London PBSA operator with multiple central London residences catering primarily to international and university students. Closely comparable product offering, customer demographic, and central London geographic focus to ISH.
• Downing Students: UK student accommodation developer and operator with multiple university-city assets including in London. Comparable PBSA offering, university partnership model, and target demographic to ISH.
• iQ Student Accommodation: Major UK PBSA operator with significant London portfolio serving university students. Comparable product offering (purpose-built student housing) targeting the same customer base as ISH, including international students at London universities.
• Unite Students: UK's largest Purpose-Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) operator with extensive London presence and tens of thousands of beds. Most directly comparable operator in the London student housing market, competing for the same international student demographic but at significantly greater scale and with a commercial funding model.
• Urbanest: Premium student accommodation provider operating several central London residences. Directly comparable in serving the international student segment in central London with a modern, amenity-rich product offering.

Emerging players

• The Student Hotel: Hybrid student accommodation and short-stay hotel operator with London presence, blending co-living, study spaces, and short-stay rooms. Comparable in offering flexible stay durations (long/short/summer) and central London positioning to ISH's multi-tier accommodation model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCeVi7tCzZnVJijKCmZsY6rg
• Facebookfacebook.com/InternationalStudentsHouse
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/1244201/admin
• Instagraminstagram.com/ishlondon
• Xx.com/ISHLondon_229

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries3 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 International Students House