ISIC España

What ISIC España does

ISIC España is the exclusive Spanish representative of the ISIC Association (International Student Identity Card Association), founded in 1953 and headquartered in Madrid. The company operates a B2B2C model, providing educational institutions across Spain — universities, business schools, and vocational training centers — with customized student and faculty credential services, issuing both physical plastic cards and digital cards via a mobile application. As of the latest data, it serves more than 110 academic institutions in Spain, and its ISIC credential is recognized in 130+ countries with access to 150,000+ global discounts and benefits, underpinned by UNESCO endorsement as the only internationally recognized student accreditation.

The underlying technology stack centers on a credential management platform that supports custom card design, data processing, rapid issuance (digital cards in under 48 hours, plastic cards in under 14 days), and integration with institutional systems such as door access, library, and printing services. Distribution occurs through direct enterprise sales to institutions, complemented by a self-serve individual ordering channel via the ISIC website. The company also operates the ISIC App for mobile credential access and, as of late 2024, the ISIC Talent program for student leadership and employability development.

ISIC España generates revenue through subscription-style, quote-based institutional contracts for credential issuance and management services, with pricing varying by institution size, card format, and volume. The entity operates as a private representative office of the ISIC Association, a Denmark-registered non-profit, and has 17 employees. No venture capital, private equity, or public-market ownership structure is indicated.

Name

ISIC España

Legal name

ISIC España

Website

https://academicos.isic.es

Company type

Private

Founded year

1953

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ISIC España is the exclusive Spanish representative of the UNESCO-endorsed ISIC Association, providing educational institutions with customized physical and digital student credentials recognized in 130+ countries and offering access to 150,000+ global discounts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Student Credential Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611)

akta.pro primary industry

Travel Documentation Support (Non-Visa: Passports, ISIC, Notarization) (EDAIANAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Institutional Compliance & Sponsorship Management (SEVIS/CAS/CoE & equivalents) (EDAIADAC), Card Issuing Platforms (Issuer Processing) (FSAGABAD)

Keywords

• Student credential services
• International student ID
• Academic identity cards
• Educational credential platform
• Student benefits network

Headquarters

HQ city

Madrid

HQ country

Spain

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Credential Issuance Services: ISIC España provides educational institutions with customized student ID cards (physical and digital) that include the ISIC international accreditation. Institutions pay for the credential issuance and management services, which include data processing, card production, and delivery.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ISIC España issues customized ISIC (International Student Identity Card) credentials in both physical plastic and digital mobile-app formats for educational institutions in Spain. The company manages the full credential lifecycle including design with institutional branding, data processing, production (digital cards in under 48 hours, plastic cards in under 14 days), and multi-channel distribution (email, postal, SMS). The ISIC card is the only student credential endorsed by UNESCO and is recognized in 130+ countries with access to 150,000+ global discounts and benefits.

Product overview

ISIC España offers a unified credential ecosystem centered on the Carné Internacional de Estudiante (ISIC), the internationally recognized student ID card available in both physical (plastic) and digital formats. The core offering is complemented by the ISIC App for mobile credential access and the global benefits platform providing 150,000+ discounts worldwide. Additional services include end-to-end credential management (design, data processing, production, and distribution) and the ISIC Talent program for student leadership development. All products are designed for educational institutions to issue to students, professors, and staff, with validity across 130+ countries and UNESCO endorsement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ISIC Talent: A student leadership and employability development program launched in late 2024 to support centers in developing integral student skills.

Products and services

• Carné Internacional de Estudiante (ISIC Card)
• ISIC App
• ISIC Talent
• Plataforma Global de Beneficios ISIC
• Gestión y Emisión de Credenciales

Quantifiable outcome

• Digital cards produced in under 48 hours; plastic cards in under 14 days
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• UNESCOcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1953UNESCO officially endorses ISIC as the only internationally recognized student accreditation. This endorsement provides ISIC with unique global credibility and regulatory legitimacy, making it the standard for student identification worldwide.
• UNWTO (United Nations World Tourism Organization)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of ISIC's strategic network supporting international student mobility and tourism. UNWTO collaborates with ISIC on initiatives related to student travel and international exchange programs.
• European CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEU institutions recognize and support the ISIC program as part of European student mobility initiatives and cross-border education initiatives.
• IAU (International Association of Universities)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIAU collaborates with ISIC on international higher education initiatives and student mobility programs, supporting the global academic community.
• ESU (European Students' Union)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerESU works with ISIC to represent and support student interests across Europe, promoting student rights and international exchange opportunities.
• MastercardflagshipTechnology or IntegrationMastercard partners with ISIC to provide payment and financial benefit solutions for students globally, enabling exclusive offers and discounts through the ISIC card network.
• GEANTcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean research and education network collaborates with ISIC to support academic mobility and digital infrastructure for educational institutions.
• AIESECcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal youth-led organization focused on leadership development partners with ISIC to support young people in gaining international experience and accessing student benefits.
• WYSE (World Youth Student and Educational Travel Confederation)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational organization dedicated to youth and student travel collaborates with ISIC to promote and facilitate educational travel experiences worldwide.
• ECCA (European Council for Automotive)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerECCA partners with ISIC to provide automotive-related benefits and discounts to students through the ISIC network.
• KaatchflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerHR innovation startup partnered with ISIC España to create #StartonMonday movement and ISIC Talent platform, combating youth unemployment in Spain by connecting students with internship and job opportunities.
• AEALCEE (Asociación de Estudiantes de Ciencias Económicas y Empresariales de España)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpanish association of economics and business students partners with ISIC for student representation events and talent development initiatives like ISIC Talent.
• FEDELE (Federación Española de Escuelas de Español como Lengua Extranjera)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerFEDELE collaborates with ISIC to promote language tourism in Spain, participating together at FITUR Lingua to support international students learning Spanish.
• EDU HOMEflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerEuropean platform for student accommodation in exchange programs. ISIC is a strategic partner, contributing its global network and experience in student benefit programs to improve mobility access.
• STUCOMcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVocational training center that distributes ISIC cards to its students, using the international credential to support its 200+ annual mobility programs and internationalization efforts.
• LaLiga Business SchoolcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSports business school distributes ISIC cards to its 150+ students across 5 programs, enabling international recognition and access to global student benefits as part of their internationalization strategy.
• IGEMA Business SchoolcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBusiness school partners with ISIC since 2024, providing international student credentials to support their focus on leadership, innovation, and internationalization.
• Universidad Europea del Atlántico (UNEATLANTICO)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUniversity distributes ISIC cards to students, with both digital and physical formats, enabling international recognition and access to discounts with partner brands.
• ESDESIGNcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDesign business school provides ISIC credentials to students, enhancing educational experience with exclusive international discounts and benefits.
• CESURcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVocational training provider with 20+ years experience and 80+ qualifications distributes ISIC cards with custom web service integration since 2018.
• SEAS Estudios AbiertoscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorOpen studies institution distributes ISIC cards to thousands of alumni over a 7+ year partnership, enabling global discount access and international identification.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• UNiDAYS: Student verification and discounts platform with a large global merchant network — competes with ISIC for both student attention and merchant partnerships in the same international student-discount category.
• Student Beans: Global student verification and discount platform offering exclusive student offers and digital ID — directly comparable to ISIC's core student-discount and credentialing value proposition, particularly in international markets.

Emerging players

• Yoti: Digital identity platform with age/identity verification used in education and youth contexts — comparable as a technology-forward identity provider that could compete for institutional student credentialing budgets.
• Studyportals: International study choice platform with broad global program listings and student-facing tools — overlaps with ISIC's international-student value proposition, though focused on program discovery rather than credential issuance.
• ApplyBoard: International student recruitment platform connecting students with global education programs — overlaps with ISIC's international-student ecosystem, particularly in mobility and cross-border education services.

Regional players

• Study.eu: European-focused international education platform serving prospective international students with program discovery and mobility information — comparable to ISIC's international-study focus, though centered on program search rather than credentials.
• National Student Clearinghouse: U.S. nonprofit providing student enrollment and degree verification services to institutions — comparable as an education-sector credentialing infrastructure provider, though U.S.-only and not student-facing like ISIC.

Broad incumbents

• Parchment (Instructure): Digital credential management platform for higher education, including student ID, transcripts, and verification — comparable as an enterprise credentialing platform serving educational institutions, though broader in scope than ISIC.
• ID.me: Digital identity verification platform serving both consumers and institutions — comparable as a credentialing/identity layer that universities could adopt, representing a competitive threat to ISIC's institutional positioning.
• ISIC Association (parent): The Denmark-based nonprofit parent of ISIC España that owns the global ISIC brand, UNESCO relationship, and international network — comparable as the broader incumbent controlling the same credentialing system that ISIC España distributes locally.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/isic
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/isic-espa%C3%B1a

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 ISIC España