Boston International Academy

What Boston International Academy does

Boston International Academy (BIA) is a privately held, founder-led English language school founded in 2007 by Dr. Jeff Lee and headquartered at 1642 Commonwealth Avenue, Brighton, Massachusetts. The school delivers three core full-time programs — Premium ESL 24 (general English, 8 levels), Premium TOEFL 32 (TOEFL iBT preparation, 576 clock hours), and Career Business English (professional English) — each structured as 18 hours per week of instruction over 8-week sessions with a maximum 17:1 student-teacher ratio. BIA is accredited by the Commission on English Language Program Accreditation (CEA) since 2024 (previously ACCET from 2014) and is authorized under federal law to enroll nonimmigrant students, supporting a primary customer base of F-1 visa international students alongside permanent residents, U.S. citizens, and working professionals.

The technology stack is light and entirely third-party: curriculum is delivered via Google Classroom and Google Drive, online synchronous classes run on Zoom, applications are processed through Jotform, and a web-based English proficiency placement test handles intake. There is no proprietary platform, no native mobile application, and no disclosed AI or machine-learning capabilities. Instruction follows a communicative language teaching methodology using established publisher content (American English File, Barron's, Keynote).

The business model is tuition-driven, with revenue from program fees ($1,260 per 8-week session, payable per session or in 4-week installments), one-time application and processing fees ($200 application, $250 change of status, $300 reinstatement, $120 document mailing), and ancillary textbook sales ($25-$90). Go-to-market is direct-to-consumer via a school website, online application portal, Google reviews, testimonials, and university pathway partnerships with Shorelight, Emmanuel College, Fisher College, and Lasell University that offer conditional admission and TOEFL waivers. The school also provides free college counseling, personalized study plans, and F-1 visa assistance, functioning as a full-service onboarding funnel from international student arrival through university placement.

Name

Boston International Academy

Legal name

Boston International Academy

Website

https://bia.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Boston International Academy is a private, CEA-accredited English language school in Brighton, MA, founded in 2007, offering full-time ESL, TOEFL prep, and Business English programs primarily to F-1 visa international students seeking U.S. university admission.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Language Schools and ESL Instruction

NAICS

Language Schools (611630)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

English Language Schools (ESL/EFL) (EDAIAEAB)

Keywords

• English language school
• ESL programs
• TOEFL preparation
• International student education
• University pathway programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Brighton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Full-Time ESL Program Tuition: Tuition-based revenue from Premium ESL 24, Premium TOEFL 32, and Career Business English programs. Students pay per 8-week session or 4-week installment.
2. Application and Processing Fees: Non-refundable fees including $200 application fee, $250 processing fee for change of status, $300 reinstatement fee, $120 document mailing fee.
3. Textbook Sales: Textbooks and workbooks sold at start of class, ranging from $25 to $90 depending on program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Boston International Academy is a private English language school in Boston, Massachusetts, founded in 2007, that provides English-language instruction to international students. Its core offerings include multi-level ESL courses, TOEFL and standardized-test preparation, and Career/Business English, delivered through intensive and semi-intensive class formats with rolling monthly start dates. The school supports F-1 visa students with college counseling, visa assistance, and pathway partnerships with U.S. colleges and universities.

Product overview

Boston International Academy offers a unified portfolio of English language education programs centered around three core full-time products: Premium ESL 24 (general English), Premium TOEFL 32 (test preparation), and Career Business English. All programs share consistent scheduling options (morning, evening, weekend), 18 hours per week of instruction, 8-week sessions, and a maximum 17:1 student-teacher ratio. These core programs are supported by supplementary services including free college counseling, personalized study plans, visa assistance, and university pathway partnerships. The school follows communicative language teaching methodology and provides online classes via Zoom alongside in-person instruction.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Premium ESL 24 An intensive English-as-a-Second-Language course offered to international students at Boston International Academy, designed to accelerate English proficiency through immersive classroom instruction.
• Premium ESL 20 A semi-intensive ESL program for international students seeking structured English-language study at Boston International Academy.
• Premium TOEFL 32 A focused TOEFL iBT test-preparation course offered to international students at Boston International Academy to support college admissions.
• Career Business English A Business English course designed for international students and professionals to develop workplace English skills at Boston International Academy.
• Free College Counseling Advisory service provided to Boston International Academy students to support university admissions decisions and applications.
• Online Courses Remote-delivery English-language courses offered by Boston International Academy for students who cannot attend in person.

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• ShorelightcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 June 2025Shorelight helps international students find their ideal U.S. school and assists throughout the education journey. BIA partners with Shorelight to provide pathway options for students seeking to continue their studies.
• Emmanuel CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 June 2025Located in Boston's Fenway area near Fenway Park and Museum of Fine Arts. Emmanuel College offers education, business, and nursing programs. BIA graduates may receive conditional admission pending ESL completion.
• Fisher CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 June 2025Located in Boston's historic Back Bay neighborhood with over 100 years of welcoming students. Provides pathway opportunities for BIA graduates.
• Lasell UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 June 2025Newton, MA university offering undergraduate and graduate degrees in liberal arts and professional fields. Provides pathway programs for BIA graduates.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Stafford House International (Cambridge/Boston): Stafford House offers intensive English and TOEFL preparation in the Cambridge/Boston area serving international students with similar pathway-style university progression — directly comparable ESL provider in the same metro.
• ILSC Education Group (Boston): ILSC operates an English language school in Boston offering general ESL, TOEFL preparation, and Business English — overlapping core programs and target customer with BIA.
• LSI (Language Studies International): LSI runs intensive English and university pathway programs in the US and globally for F-1 international students — directly comparable in curriculum structure and visa-support services.
• ELS Language Schools (Boston): ELS operates one of the largest US-based intensive English programs with a Boston campus serving F-1 visa international students preparing for university admission — directly overlapping with BIA's core ESL and university pathway offerings.
• Cambridge Academy of English: Cambridge Academy offers ESL and test preparation in the Boston area for international students preparing for US university admission — a direct peer in geography, product, and customer segment.
• Embassy English (defunct, brand acquired by EC): Embassy was a major Boston ESL provider (now under EC English) that historically served the same F-1 visa international student segment with comparable tuition and pathway offerings.
• EC English Language Centres: EC English runs an intensive English program in Boston targeting international students seeking university preparation — a direct peer with similar full-time ESL curricula, small class sizes, and pathway marketing.

Broad incumbents

• EF Education First (Boston): EF is the world's largest private education company with English programs in Boston and aggressive pathway partnerships to US universities — a broader incumbent with significant overlap in target customer (international students).
• Kaplan International Languages: Kaplan is a global incumbent offering English language programs plus TOEFL/IELTS prep in Boston, with similar F-1 visa services and pathway partnerships — comparable in product and customer base but operating at significantly greater scale.

Regional players

• Boston Education Group: A Boston-area ESL and TOEFL prep provider serving F-1 international students with similar small-class instruction — a regional player directly competing in the same metro.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/boston-international-academy

Compliance2 records

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 Boston International Academy