ESN Switzerland (Erasmus Student Network)

What ESN Switzerland (Erasmus Student Network) does

ESN Switzerland is the Swiss national affiliate of the Erasmus Student Network (ESN International, headquartered in Brussels and founded in 1989), operating as a non-profit student association since 2001. It supports international student mobility through 15 local sections embedded in Swiss universities, with the Zürich chapter alone sustaining more than 87 active volunteers. The organisation serves three primary constituencies: incoming exchange students arriving in Switzerland, outgoing Swiss students studying abroad, and a broader volunteer and alumni community. Its flagship product is the ESNcard, a membership card priced at €5–€15 that grants access to more than 2,000 discounts across 40 countries and is held by 140,000+ students Europe-wide.

The product portfolio beyond the ESNcard includes ESNapp (a mobile application launched April 2016), ESN Satellite (a Drupal-based coordination platform, with version 4.5 released January 2016), ESNcard.org (a cross-border discount portal), the ExchangeAbility inclusion programme, the International Erasmus Games, Swiss Guide, ESN Galaxy, and ESN Alumni Switzerland. Revenue mechanics are diffuse: ESNcard sales at the section level generate per-member fees in the low single-digit to mid-teen euro range, corporate partnerships with brands such as Ryanair, EF Education First, FlixBus, Hostelling International, Lebara, Eurosender, Hoodspring, and Yes-Trips contribute sponsorship and discount inventory, and institutional backing comes from Movetia, the Swiss national agency for exchange and mobility. ESN Switzerland employs six staff at the national level and relies on a volunteer base distributed across its 15 local sections to deliver events and member services.

Name

ESN Switzerland (Erasmus Student Network)

Legal name

Erasmus Student Network Switzerland

Website

https://esn.ch

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

ESN Switzerland is the Swiss national affiliate of the Erasmus Student Network, a non-profit supporting exchange and Swiss students through 15 university-based sections, the ESNcard membership programme with 2,000+ discounts in 40 countries, integration events, and a volunteer network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Student Exchange Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Inbound Exchange Hosting & Visiting Student Administration (EDAIABAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Study Abroad Provider Networks, Consortia & Membership Organizations (EDAIAAAK), International Student Academic & Personal Support (case management, referrals) (EDALANAE)

Keywords

• Student exchange programs
• International student services
• Student membership cards
• Cultural integration support
• Volunteer student network

Headquarters

HQ city

Liebefeld

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. ESNcard Membership Fees: The ESNcard is sold by local ESN sections at prices set by each section, typically between 5€ and 15€. Revenue is collected at the section level. The ESNcard provides access to over 2,000 discounts across 40 countries and is used by over 140,000 people. The organization is described as a non-profit international student organisation.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

ESN Switzerland is a non-profit student association that supports international exchange students through 15 local sections at universities across Switzerland. It sells the ESNcard membership card (140,000+ holders) providing discounts at partner brands, runs cultural and integration programs (ExchangeAbility, International Erasmus Games, Swiss Guide), and operates an alumni network. The organization is funded by Movetia grants and corporate sponsors and is supported by a small staff of six across offices in Lausanne and Zurich.

Product overview

ESN Switzerland is a non-profit international student organization that supports exchange students in Switzerland through a portfolio of products and services. The core offering is the ESNcard, a membership card providing access to over 2,000 discounts across Europe. Supporting products include ESNapp (mobile application for accessing section content), ESN Satellite (Drupal-based website template for sections), ESN Galaxy (member management platform), and the Swiss Guide (comprehensive guidebook). Additional programs include ExchangeAbility (accessibility for disabled students), International Erasmus Games (sports events), and ESN Alumni Switzerland (alumni network). The ESNcard.org platform serves as a discount search engine and membership database.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ESNcard: The membership card of ESN which provides access to over 2,000 discounts and benefits in 40 countries across Europe. Used by over 140,000 people.
• Swiss Guide (ESN Guide)
• ExchangeAbility
• International Erasmus Games (IEG)

Products and services

• ESNcard Annual membership card sold to international exchange students in Switzerland that unlocks discounts at partner brands including Ryanair, FlixBus and Booking.com.
• ESNapp Mobile application for ESN Switzerland members providing access to events, discounts and member services.
• Swiss Guide Free guidebook distributed to international exchange students in Switzerland, covering practical information for the exchange.
• ExchangeAbility Program supporting the inclusion of exchange students with disabilities across ESN Switzerland activities.
• International Erasmus Games Multi-sport event bringing together international exchange students in Switzerland for sporting competition.
• ESN Alumni Switzerland Alumni network engaging former exchange students who passed through ESN Switzerland's programs.

Quantifiable outcome

• 140,000+ ESNcards distributed across Europe
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• RyanairminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 15 August 2017Starting 15 August 2017, ESNcard holders benefit from 15% discount plus one free 15kg checked-in luggage on 8 single flights (or 4 return flights). Valid for flights booked at least 28 days in advance from September 2017 until 15 June 2018. Must register on esncard.org to access the discount.
• EF Education FirstcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEF Education First is a global education company that arranges language travel and language courses. It has operated in Switzerland since 1965 and sends thousands of students abroad each year. It is listed as a key partner of ESN Switzerland.
• ESN InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerESN International is the parent organisation of ESN Switzerland. It coordinates the ESN network across 40 countries through its office in Brussels (Rue Hydraulique 15). The International Board (5 members) is elected annually at the AGM and represents ESN towards external stakeholders.
• EurosenderminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEurosender is a digital platform providing door-to-door shipping services. ESNcard holders receive a 10% discount using code ESNSWISS10. Eurosender serves students studying abroad, expats relocating, and businesses with foreign partners.
• FlixBusminorGTM or Marketing PartnerFlixBus offers 250,000 daily connections to 1,700 destinations in 27 countries. ESN Switzerland has a partnership providing 10% discount on vouchers per semester per student through ESNcard. Additionally, 5 free rides are provided for the National Board and National Coordinators.
• HoodspringminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHoodspring is a partner listed on the ESN Switzerland website, offering services to ESNcard holders.
• Hostelling InternationalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHostelling International offers access to over 4,000 hostels in 91 countries. ESNcard holders receive a free one-year HI membership and 10% discount at HI hostels worldwide.
• LebaraminorGTM or Marketing PartnerLebara is a mobile operator offering SIM cards with 10 CHF balance to students through ESN sections. ESNcard holders also receive 50% discount on the first month of Lebara Data or Lebara Europe options.
• MovetiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMovetia is the Swiss agency for exchange and mobility, sponsored by the Swiss Foundation for the Promotion of Exchanges and Mobility (SFAM). It officially supports ESN Switzerland, providing funding and institutional backing for the organisation's activities.
• Yes-TripsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerYes-Trips organises full-package trips to bucket list events and European destinations for students. It works closely with student organisations including ESN Switzerland, handling transport and accommodation for trips such as Oktoberfest in Munich, King's Day in Amsterdam, and Carnival in Cologne.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• IAESTE (International Association for the Exchange of Students for Technical Experience): Non-profit association facilitating paid technical internships for students across 80+ countries. Directly comparable mission and structure: student-run local committees supporting inbound/outbound international student mobility.
• BEST (Board of European Students of Technology): European volunteer-based student organisation running local committees at technical universities to support student mobility. Closely mirrors ESN's volunteer-section model and is often a co-organiser of student events.
• AIESEC: Global youth-led non-profit operating exchange and leadership programmes in 100+ countries. Highly comparable as a volunteer-driven international student/youth exchange network with a membership-and-events model.
• Erasmus Student Network Germany: Largest national chapter of ESN, operating across German universities. Same product (ESNcard), same volunteer structure, and same Erasmus+ anchoring — making it the most operationally comparable peer at greater scale.
• ESN International (Erasmus Student Network AISBL): The Brussels-headquartered parent non-profit that coordinates the ESN network across 40 countries. ESN Switzerland is a direct national chapter of this same organisation, sharing the mission, brand, ESNcard system, and partnership portfolio.
• ISIC (International Student Identity Card): Global student discount/identity card operating in 130+ countries. Directly comparable product layer: a paid membership card that unlocks 150,000+ student discounts worldwide, serving a similar student-mobility customer base.

Broad incumbents

• EF Education First: Global for-profit education company (language travel, study abroad) that is itself an ESN strategic partner. Comparable because it serves the same international-student mobility market with paid programmes at much larger scale.

Emerging players

• Hostelling International: Global hostel network offering discounted accommodation and a paid membership programme (HI membership) to student/youth travellers. Comparable as a discounted-membership product that pairs with ESNcard benefits.
• Eurail / Interrail: European rail pass products targeting international and exchange students as a core demographic. Comparable customer base and adjacent partnership play (similar to FlixBus/Ryanair deals with ESN) but focused on a single transport vertical.

Regional players

• Movetia: Swiss federal agency promoting exchange and mobility, providing institutional backing to ESN Switzerland. Comparable as a Swiss-anchored, publicly-funded body serving the same exchange-student constituency.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ESN_CH
• Facebookfacebook.com/ESNSwitzerland
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/esnswitzerland
• Instagraminstagram.com/esn_ch

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries12 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 ESN Switzerland (Erasmus Student Network)