Amity Institute

What Amity Institute does

Amity Institute is a San Diego-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1962 by Dr. Ernest and Emily Stowell to facilitate cultural exchange through teaching programs. The organization operates as a U.S. Department of State designated BridgeUSA J-1 program sponsor, running two core programs: an Intern Program placing roughly 400 international university students and recent graduates in U.S. K-12 classrooms for a minimum of 32 hours per week, and a Teacher Program placing approximately 300 certified international educators in U.S. schools for up to five years. Host schools and host families serve as the domestic infrastructure, with placements spanning over half of U.S. states and participants recruited from 25 countries.

The core technology stack is non-proprietary: the public site runs on WordPress and participant applications are processed through a third-party Hanover CRM system (amity.hanovercrm.com). There is no public API, no proprietary software product, and no AI/ML capability; the organization is structured as a program administrator rather than a technology platform.

Revenue is generated through administrative fees rather than profit-driven pricing. Teachers pay annual administrative fees that step down by year of participation (Year 1: $1,500/$1,650 for schools/teachers; Year 2: $1,000/$1,100; Year 3: $750/$825). Interns pay a $200 non-refundable application fee plus pass-through costs (SEVIS $220, visa ~$185, health insurance ~$97/month). All revenue is reinvested in the cultural-exchange mission. Go-to-market relies on affiliate partnerships (EducationUSA, NAIS, Fulbright, Alliance for International Exchange), organic social channels, alumni ambassadors, and direct outreach to K-12 schools.

Name

Amity Institute

Legal name

Amity Institute

Website

https://amity.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1962

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Amity Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and U.S. State Department BridgeUSA J-1 sponsor, placing roughly 400 international interns and 300 certified teachers annually in accredited U.S. K-12 schools across more than 25 sending countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Exchange Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Inbound Exchange Hosting & Visiting Student Administration (EDAIABAK)

Keywords

• Cultural exchange programs
• J-1 visa sponsorship
• International teaching exchange
• Teacher placement services
• Host school coordination

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Program Administrative Fees: Amity charges administrative fees for both Intern and Teacher programs. For teachers, fees range from $825-$1650 per school year depending on participation year. For interns, there is a $200 non-refundable application fee plus SEVIS fees and visa costs.
2. Program Fees from Participants: Fees from participants including application fees, visa fees, SEVIS fees, and health insurance contributions. The organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that uses all financial gains to further support their mission of cultural exchange.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Amity Institute operates two cultural exchange programs under U.S. State Department BridgeUSA J-1 sponsorship: the Intern Program places international university students and recent graduates in U.S. K-12 classrooms for cultural exchange and teaching experience, and the Teacher Program sponsors certified international teachers for assignments of up to five years in accredited U.S. schools. The organization also coordinates host schools and host families to receive these international participants and charges administrative fees for placement coordination and visa sponsorship.

Product overview

Amity Institute operates as a single unified offering—a cultural exchange program structured around two primary program tracks (Intern Program and Teacher Program), supported by host family and host school placement services. The Intern Program serves university students and recent graduates seeking teaching experience, while the Teacher Program places certified international educators in U.S. K-12 schools for up to five years. Both programs are tied to J-1 visa sponsorship under the BridgeUSA framework, with administrative fees structured per school year. Supplementary offerings include an alumni ambassador network, the Emily Stowell scholarship for outstanding interns, and video newsletter content. The organization functions as a nonprofit exchange sponsor rather than a software platform, with no modular product architecture.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Intern Program Provides international university students and recent graduates the opportunity to live in the United States, gain teaching experience, and serve as cultural ambassadors in U.S. K-12 classrooms. Interns assist for a minimum of 32 hours per week and typically reside with American host families.
• Teacher Program Arranges for certified, experienced teachers from other countries to serve as faculty at primary and secondary levels in U.S. schools. Teachers can be assigned for up to three years with possibility to extend for two additional years (maximum five years) and are compensated at rates similar to American colleagues.
• Host Schools Program connecting accredited U.S. K-12 schools with international interns or teachers. Schools receive support with recruitment, screening, and placement coordination through Amity's infrastructure.
• Host Families Coordinates American volunteer families who host international interns during their cultural exchange assignment. Host families provide room, board, and cultural exchange opportunities to participants.

Named customers8 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Alliance for International ExchangecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliate partner organization. Alliance is a membership organization for exchange visitor programs in the United States, working to promote and support international exchange.
• NAIS (National Association of Independent Schools)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAffiliate partner. NAIS is a membership organization for independent schools, providing resources and connections for schools interested in international exchange programs.
• BridgeUSAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAmity is a designated BridgeUSA J-1 program sponsor. BridgeUSA is the U.S. State Department's brand identity for the Exchange Visitor Program, facilitating cultural exchange through various program categories.
• EducationUSAcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorEducationUSA is a U.S. Department of State network of international student advising centers. Partnership helps Amity reach prospective international participants interested in U.S. exchange opportunities.
• Fulbright ProgramminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFulbright France partnership noted on website. The Fulbright Program is an international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• EducoUSA / Educo International Cultural Exchange: EducoUSA is a nonprofit J-1 visa sponsor focused on placing international teachers in U.S. schools. It competes directly with Amity for school partnerships and teacher candidates in K-12 settings.
• International Cultural Exchange Services (ICES): ICES is a BridgeUSA J-1 sponsor placing international teachers in U.S. K-12 schools, with a similar fee structure and three-year placement model. It is a direct competitor to Amity's Teacher Program for host school contracts.
• AFS Intercultural Programs: AFS is a long-established international exchange organization running teacher, intern, and high school exchange programs through J-1 sponsorship. Like Amity, AFS relies on host families and U.S. schools to place international participants on cultural exchange assignments.
• Greenheart Exchange: Greenheart Exchange is a designated J-1 visa sponsor offering high school, teacher, and intern exchange programs in the U.S. It directly overlaps with Amity's BridgeUSA intern and teacher offerings and competes for similar participants and host schools.
• CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange): CIEE is one of the largest U.S.-based nonprofit sponsors of J-1 exchange programs, operating teach abroad, work abroad, and high school exchange programs. It directly competes with Amity for host schools, international teacher candidates, and J-1 sponsored slots.
• CCI Greenheart / Center for Cultural Interchange: CCI Greenheart is a BridgeUSA sponsor administering high school, teacher, and intern exchange programs. It is comparable in mission and program structure to Amity and competes in the same schools and host family pool.
• VIF (Visiting International Faculty) Program: VIF is a well-known BridgeUSA sponsor specializing in placing international educators in U.S. K-12 schools, with a strong footprint in language immersion and hard-to-staff subject areas. It competes with Amity for both host schools and international teacher pipelines.
• Intrax (Cultural Exchange / Global Internships): Intrax operates J-1 intern and teacher exchange programs through its Cultural Exchange division. Its intern program closely mirrors Amity's offering, including host family placement and classroom-based cultural exchange roles.

Others

• Alliance for International Exchange: Alliance is a membership association of U.S.-based J-1 exchange visitor programs that includes Amity as an affiliate partner. It is not a competitor but an industry body that supports and advocates for the regulatory environment in which Amity operates.

Broad incumbents

• World Learning (The Experiment in International Living / SIT): World Learning is a larger nonprofit operating study abroad, exchange, and teacher training programs with strong State Department and Fulbright ties. It overlaps with Amity on teacher exchange and international education programming at greater scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Amity-Institute-1131261956986435
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/amity-institute2019
• Instagraminstagram.com/amityinstitute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 Amity Institute