AFS Mezikulturní programy, o.p.s.

What AFS Mezikulturní programy, o.p.s. does

AFS Mezikulturní programy, o.p.s. is a Czech public benefit corporation (obecně prospěšná společnost) and the Czech national chapter of the global AFS Intercultural Programs network. It operates secondary-school student exchange programs, sending Czech students (ages 15-18) to study abroad in more than 99 destinations and hosting foreign students in Czech host families for periods of 3, 5, or 10 months. The organization also runs a host family program, a volunteer coordination program, and an education-and-schools program partnering with over 70 Czech gymnasiums and secondary schools for recruitment, hosting, and teacher training.

The organization is supported by a small professional staff of approximately 10-15 employees led by Director Klára Kutišová, with coordinators covering study abroad, host programs, school partnerships, organizational development, and social media. Operational delivery relies heavily on a volunteer network organized into regional groups (Dobrovolnické skupiny) and is enabled by digital infrastructure including the afs.cz website, the application.afs.org application portal, role-segmented Online Centers for host families/students/volunteers/teachers, and the AFS Global volunteer database. The organization does not operate a public API or proprietary technology platform; technology functions as a coordination and enrollment utility rather than a productized offering.

AFS generates revenue through one-time program fees for outbound and inbound exchanges, supplemented by scholarship administration (notably the Jaroslava Moserová scholarship fund) and partnership support from EFIL, the European Youth Foundation, the Czech Ministry of Education, and the European Social Fund via the SMOK project. The o.p.s. entity is not VAT-registered. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, anchored by word-of-mouth referrals from alumni participants, host families, and partner schools, with supplemental earned media on Czech television and radio and an annual educator conference ("Vzdělání pro život") now in its 10th edition.

Name

AFS Mezikulturní programy, o.p.s.

Legal name

AFS Mezikulturní programy, o.p.s.

Website

https://afs.cz

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

AFS Mezikulturní programy, o.p.s. is a Czech nonprofit public benefit corporation that runs secondary-school intercultural exchange programs, sending Czech students to 99+ countries and hosting foreign students in Czech families, delivered through volunteer networks and 70+ partner schools.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Intercultural Student Exchange Programs

NAICS

Educational Services (611), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Secondary School Exchange Programs (Academic Year/Semester) (EDAIAHAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Short-Term Secondary Immersion & Cultural Exchange Trips (EDAIAHAD)

Keywords

• Student exchange programs
• Intercultural education
• High school study abroad
• Host family programs
• Volunteer coordination

Headquarters

HQ city

Prague

HQ country

Czechia

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Exchange Program Fees: AFS charges fees for organizing exchange programs for Czech students studying abroad and hosting foreign students in Czech Republic. These fees cover program coordination, support services, insurance, and organizational costs. The organization is not VAT registered (nejsme plátci DPH).
2. Scholarship Programs: AFS administers scholarship programs including the Jaroslava Moserová scholarship collection and partnerships with other organizations to provide partial scholarships to students for specific countries.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

AFS Mezikulturní programy, o.p.s. organizes intercultural high school exchange programs in the Czech Republic as the Czech national partner of the global AFS network. The organization runs three core programs: sending Czech secondary school students (ages 15-18) to study abroad for 3 to 10 months in more than 99 destinations, hosting foreign secondary school students in Czech families and schools, and coordinating a national volunteer network that supports the exchanges. It also collaborates with more than 70 Czech secondary schools on intercultural education initiatives and hosts an annual educator conference.

Product overview

AFS Mezikulturní programy, o.p.s. is a non-profit intercultural exchange organization operating in the Czech Republic as part of the global AFS network. The organization offers a portfolio of programs centered around three core pillars: study abroad opportunities for Czech students (Studium v zahraničí), hosting foreign students in Czech families (Hostitelský program), and volunteer coordination (Dobrovolnictví). Additional offerings include specialized programs for schools (AFS pro školy), an online portal (Online centrum), annual conferences, and media engagement. The organization collaborates with over 70 high schools across the Czech Republic and sends students to more than 99 destinations worldwide. AFS operates primarily through volunteer networks and does not appear to offer a technology platform or API-based services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Studium v zahraničí (Study Abroad Programs) Exchange programs for Czech secondary school students (ages 15-18) to study abroad in more than 99 destinations worldwide for 3, 5, or 10 months, with placement in host families and local schools. The program covers program coordination, support services, insurance, and organizational costs.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 12,000 young people participate in AFS exchanges annually across 100+ countries
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and major.

• EFIL (European Federation for Intercultural Learning)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017EFIL is the European umbrella organization for AFS. It coordinates European-level activities, organizes events like the Volunteer Summer Summit, and advocates for intercultural education at the European level. Czech AFS participates in EFIL training programs and European initiatives.
• SMOK - Síť multikulturních otevřených klubůminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017AFS participates in the SMOK project (Network of Multicultural Open Clubs), an initiative financed by the European Social Fund and Czech state budget. The project supports multicultural clubs in schools to promote intercultural learning.
• AFS International (Global Parent Organization)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1947AFS Czech Republic is part of the global AFS network founded in 1914. The organization operates through the international system of 54 national partner organizations, sharing resources, best practices, and enabling bilateral student exchanges worldwide. AFS International provides the global framework, standards, and coordination for all national organizations.
• UNESCOmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAFS participates in UNESCO-related activities and conferences on intercultural learning. UNESCO recognizes intercultural learning as one of the fundamental pillars of contemporary education, and AFS contributes to this discourse.
• Czech Secondary Schools (70+ institutions)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAFS cooperates with more than 70 Czech gymnasiums and secondary schools for hosting foreign students and sending Czech students abroad. Schools provide educational placement for exchange students and participate in AFS educational programs and conferences.
• Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports (Czech Republic)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Ministry of Education supports AFS educational activities. AFS programs are recognized as valid educational experiences, and ministry representatives have participated in AFS conferences. Students on AFS programs receive appropriate funding norms from the state education budget.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• EF Education First: Large commercial education company offering language travel, academic year abroad, and high school exchange programs with extensive marketing and digital booking infrastructure. Competes with AFS in the Czech outbound market but as a broader, multi-product commercial player rather than a specialist nonprofit.

Direct peers

• Youth For Understanding (YFU): One of the largest nonprofit secondary school exchange organizations globally, with near-identical programs (academic year, semester, summer) and a comparable volunteer-based delivery model. Operates in many of the same host countries as AFS and is the closest nonprofit competitor.
• AFS Intercultural Programs: Global parent and sister organization of AFS Czech Republic; operates the same secondary school exchange model in 54+ countries and is the structural counterparty for all Czech outbound and inbound placements. Directly comparable in program design, volunteer-driven GTM, and scholarship structure.
• ISA (International Studies Abroad): US-headquartered study abroad provider running high school and university programs globally. Overlaps with AFS in destination countries and target segment, though typically with more commercial pricing models and university-focused mix.
• InterExchange: Nonprofit organization running au pair, work travel, and high school cultural exchange programs in dozens of countries. Closely comparable volunteer-coordinated exchange model and destination footprint to AFS.
• Rotary Youth Exchange: Rotary International's long-running secondary school exchange program operates in many of the same countries as AFS, using a similar volunteer-club-based model. It is one of AFS's most direct competitors for both outbound and inbound students, particularly in Europe.
• CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange): Major nonprofit exchange organization offering secondary school and university-level study abroad programs. Competes with AFS for outbound student applicants and operates similar bilateral exchange infrastructure globally.
• World Learning (Experiment in International Living): Long-running nonprofit (founded 1932) running the Experiment in International Living high school exchange program; directly competes with AFS for students, host families, and global destination slots. Strong overlap in secondary school semester/year and short-term immersion offerings.
• Nacel Open Door: Nonprofit international student exchange organization offering academic year, semester, and short-term high school programs in similar destination countries. Comparable product portfolio and target demographic to AFS Czech Republic.

Emerging players

• Global Citizen Year: Nonprofit running gap-year and bridge-year programs for high school graduates that overlap thematically with AFS's mission of intercultural competence, though focused on post-secondary participants rather than in-school exchanges.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/AFSCZE
• Facebookfacebook.com/afscze
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/afs-cze
• Instagraminstagram.com/afscze

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles14 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 AFS Mezikulturní programy, o.p.s.