California Language Academy

What California Language Academy does

California Language Academy (CLA) is a family-owned and operated private language school founded in July 2010 and headquartered in Los Angeles, California. The company operates four campuses across the United States: two in Los Angeles (LAX and Hollywood), one in San Diego, one in San Francisco, and one in Falls Church, Virginia (Washington D.C. area). CLA serves international students from over 45 countries, primarily offering English language programs including General English (at intensities ranging from 3 to 27 hours per week), Business English, Exam Preparation (TOEFL, IELTS, CAE/FCE, TOEIC), and Pathway to College programs. The school is SEVP-certified, allowing it to issue I-20 forms for F-1 student visas, and holds ACCET accreditation recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

The business operates a hybrid revenue model combining weekly tuition subscriptions (tiered by intensity and enrollment length, with long-term discounts), private and semi-private lessons at fixed hourly rates, all-inclusive Junior Study Tour packages for youth ages 11-19 ($2,500-$6,300), and ancillary services including application fees, I-20 processing, homestay placement, and shared accommodation arrangements. Corporate on-site training represents a secondary B2B vertical. The core technology stack includes a level assessment system (grammar tests, writing samples, interviews), progress tracking with weekly unit tests and monthly presentations, and a student management portal for enrollment. Distribution combines direct-to-consumer enrollment via the CLA website with a global agent partner network offering commission-based recruitment, supplemented by 20+ Pathway to College partnerships with universities and colleges that enable TOEFL-free conditional admission.

CLA is led by President Hasan Altuntas and Co-founder Alissa Olgun, with a 40-person team supported by a VP for Academic Affairs and Director of Recruitment and Sales. The company has expanded its geographic footprint from a single Los Angeles location to four campuses over approximately 14 years, with the most recent campuses in San Francisco (2023) and Virginia (2024). Average class sizes are 4-6 students with a maximum of 10, supporting a personalized learning model.

Name

California Language Academy

Legal name

California Language Academy

Website

https://cla.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

California Language Academy is a family-owned, SEVP-certified language school operating four U.S. campuses in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, and Virginia. It serves international students from over 45 countries with English language programs, exam preparation, and university pathway partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Language Education Services

NAICS

Language Schools (611630), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

General Language Schools (Multi-Language) (EDAIAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

General Language Schools & Institutes (EDAMAFAA), University-Affiliated Pathway & Foundation Programs (EDAIAJAA), ESL Literacy & Foundational English (Pre-beginner/Alphabetics) (EDAAACAB)

Keywords

• Language education services
• English language training
• Foreign language instruction
• Corporate language training
• University pathway programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Los Angeles

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition - English Language Programs: Weekly tuition fees for General English, Business English, Exam Preparation, and Pathway to College programs. Priced per week with tiered pricing based on program intensity (hours per week) and enrollment length (1-4, 5-11, 12-23, 24+ weeks). Longer enrollments receive discounted rates.
2. Junior Study Tour Programs: All-inclusive packages combining English classes, homestay accommodation, activities, and airport transfers. Offered as week-based bundles for summer and winter programs targeting youth (11-19 years old).
3. Private and Semi-Private Lessons: One-on-one instruction at $75/hour with material fees varying. Semi-private lessons (2-3 students) at $50/person/hour with minimum 4-hour commitment.
4. Foreign Language Programs: Group classes for Spanish at $249 for 6-week program (min 3 students, max 10). Private lessons in Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Russian at $75/hour (min 4 hours).
5. Accommodation Services: Homestay placement (with American host families), shared apartments, and student residences. Revenue from homestay matching fees ($125), weekly accommodation charges, and residence bookings.
6. Corporate On-Site Training: Customized workplace language training delivered at company locations. Programs in English, Spanish, French, Russian, Italian and other languages for employee groups.
7. Application and Processing Fees: Non-refundable application fees ($150-$200), I-20 processing fees ($150-$200), placement fees ($75), and material fees supporting enrollment operations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

California Language Academy is a family-owned language school delivering English and foreign language instruction (Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, Italian) across four U.S. campuses. Core programs include General English at multiple intensities, Business English, Exam Preparation (TOEFL/IELTS/CAE/FCE/TOEIC), Private Lessons, Junior Study Tour, Foreign Language group classes, and Pathway to College partnerships. The school is SEVP-certified to issue I-20s for F-1 student visas and ACCET accredited.

Product overview

California Language Academy is a family-owned and operated language school offering a comprehensive portfolio of English and foreign language programs across four U.S. campuses (Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, and Virginia). The core offerings include General English, Business English, Exam Preparation (TOEFL, IELTS, CAE/FCE, TOEIC), and Pathway to College programs. Additional programs include Junior Study Tour (summer/winter programs for ages 11-19), Foreign Language instruction (Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, Italian), Private Lessons, and Corporate On-Site training. Programs range from part-time (3 hours/week) to full-time intensive (27 hours/week) with class sizes capped at 10 students for personalized attention.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• General English A comprehensive English language program taught in small classes with student-centered learning, offering multiple intensity levels from Standard 12 to Super Intensive 27 hours per week. Available across all four CLA campuses with weekly tuition billed.
• Junior Study Tour A summer and winter program combining part-time English classes with cultural activities and American homestay accommodations for students aged 11-19. Packages are all-inclusive and run in 1-4 week durations.
• Foreign Language Group and private foreign language instruction in Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Russian, and Italian with beginner to advanced levels. Group classes typically meet 1.5 hours/week for 6 weeks.
• Private Lessons One-on-one personalized language instruction with flexible scheduling and per-hour pricing. Semi-private lessons (2-3 students) also available at per-person hourly rates with minimum 4-hour commitment.
• Business English English language program focused on workplace communication skills including resume writing, business vocabulary, interview skills, and email etiquette. Available as a premium elective upgrade to General English.
• Corporate On-Site Customized language training delivered at company locations, tailored to specific business needs in English, Spanish, French, Russian, Italian and other languages. Programs include company-specific materials.
• Exam Preparation Test preparation programs for TOEFL iBT, IELTS, CAE/FCE, and TOEIC exams with focus on test-taking strategies and overall English skill improvement. Available as a premium elective upgrade.
• Pathway to College University preparation program with conditional acceptance partnerships allowing students to enroll without TOEFL scores at partner institutions including 20+ universities and community colleges such as Full Sail University, Westcliff University, Bellevue University, LA City College, NY Film Academy, Santa Monica College, CSU Monterey Bay, De Anza, Foothill College, and Academy of Art University.

Named customers10 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

15 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Quality EnglishminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMember of Quality English network, an organization connecting quality language schools with international recruitment partners worldwide.
• ACCETcoreOthersAccrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training - CLA is officially ACCET accredited, meeting standards for educational quality and institutional credibility.
• SEVPcoreOthersStudent and Exchange Visitor Program - CLA is SEVP-certified, allowing them to issue I-20 forms for F-1 student visa holders.
• US Department of Homeland SecuritycoreOthersCLA is approved by the US Department of Homeland Security for student visa sponsorship and SEVP certification.
• Full Sail UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPathway to College partner issuing conditional letters of acceptance. Students can enroll without taking the TOEFL test upon successful completion of CLA programs.
• Westcliff UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPathway to College partner issuing conditional letters of acceptance. Students can enroll without taking the TOEFL test upon successful completion of CLA programs.
• Bellevue UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPathway to College partner issuing conditional letters of acceptance. Students can enroll without taking the TOEFL test upon successful completion of CLA programs.
• Los Angeles City CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPathway to College partner issuing conditional letters of acceptance. Students can enroll without taking the TOEFL test upon successful completion of CLA programs.
• New York Film AcademycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPathway to College partner issuing conditional letters of acceptance. Students can enroll without taking the TOEFL test upon successful completion of CLA programs.
• The Chicago School of Professional PsychologycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPathway to College partner issuing conditional letters of acceptance. Students can enroll without taking the TOEFL test upon successful completion of CLA programs.
• California State University Monterey BaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPathway to College partner issuing conditional letters of acceptance. Students can enroll without taking the TOEFL test upon successful completion of CLA programs.
• De Anza CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPathway to College partner issuing conditional letters of acceptance. Students can enroll without taking the TOEFL test upon successful completion of CLA programs.
• Foothill College ISPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPathway to College ISP partner issuing conditional letters of acceptance. Students can enroll without taking the TOEFL test upon successful completion of CLA programs.
• Academy of Art UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPathway to College partner issuing conditional letters of acceptance. Students can enroll without taking the TOEFL test upon successful completion of CLA programs.
• Agent Partners WorldwideminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorGlobal network of commission-based partner agents recruiting international students for CLA locations in Los Angeles and San Diego. Agents receive clear communication, transparency, and professional support.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• EF Education First: Large global education company operating English language schools worldwide. A broader incumbent with deeper marketing, agent network, and capital resources than CLA, but less specialized in the U.S. pathway niche.
• Berlitz Corporation: Global language instruction provider with both English and foreign language programs in the U.S. Overlaps with CLA's Corporate On-Site and foreign language offerings, though Berlitz operates at a much larger scale and broader portfolio.

Direct peers

• International House San Francisco: Established San Francisco-based ESL school with intensive English and pathway programs. Direct competitor in one of CLA's four campus markets.
• ELS Educational Services: Largest U.S.-based ESL provider with intensive English programs and university pathway partnerships. Operates dozens of campuses on U.S. university campuses, directly competing with CLA for international students seeking conditional college admission.
• Rennert International: New York-based English language school offering intensive English, business English, and teacher training programs with a similar small-class, personalized-attention positioning.
• FLS International: U.S.-based ESL provider with multiple campuses (including Las Vegas and Boston), offering SEVP-certified intensive English programs and university pathway partnerships analogous to CLA's model.
• Converse International School of Languages: California-based intensive English program with locations in San Diego and San Francisco, directly overlapping with CLA's geographic footprint and target international student market.
• Kaplan International Languages: Global English-language school operator with multiple U.S. campuses, similar SEVP-certified F-1 visa programs, and university pathway partnerships. Closely comparable business model and international student mix.
• EC English Language Centres: International chain of English language schools with U.S. locations (including Los Angeles and San Francisco) serving international students with similar General English, exam prep, and pathway programs.

Regional players

• University of California San Diego English Language Institute: University-affiliated ESL program in San Diego, one of CLA's core markets. Competes for international students seeking conditional university admission but is embedded in a UC campus.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/california-language-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 California Language Academy