Universidad Domínico Americano

What Universidad Domínico Americano does

Universidad Domínico Americano (UNICDA) is a private Dominican higher education institution operating as the university division of the Instituto Cultural Domínico Americano (ICDA), authorized by Presidential Decree No. 389-01 on March 20, 2001. Headquartered at Av. Abraham Lincoln #21 in Santo Domingo, UNICDA delivers undergraduate, graduate, technical, and continuing education programs with a bicultural Dominican-American orientation, emphasizing English-language instruction aligned with CEFR standards. Core academic offerings include bachelor's degrees in Business Administration, Tourism and Hotel Business Administration, and English-Oriented Teaching; master's programs in Business Administration and Teaching English as a Foreign Language; and specializations in Finance, Information Systems Administration, and Teacher Qualification for Foreign Languages. The institution is differentiated by several specialized units: the Teacher Development Center (TDC), which has trained over 1,500 English teachers across 20+ locations via partnerships with MINERD, MESCYT, INAFOCAM, ISFODOSU, SIT World Learning, and UMBC; an official Prometric/ETS testing center administering 150+ standardized exams; an EducationUSA advising center hosted within the U.S. Department of State's global network; and UNICDA Alumni with a job board platform (UNICDA Conecta). The underlying technology stack is conventional for higher education: a Moodle-based virtual learning environment (eva.unicda.edu.do), a Probus academic information system (academy.icda.edu.do), EBSCO and Britannica library databases, and standard digital admissions/registration portals. UNICDA monetizes primarily through tuition (RD$980 per credit undergraduate; RD$2,500-3,000 per credit postgraduate), per-cycle registration fees (RD$3,000-6,500), admission applications (RD$1,500-2,500), graduation fees (RD$10,000 ordinary, RD$16,000 extraordinary), continuing education diplomas (36-88 hours each), and ancillary revenue from testing center services, alumni programs, and the broader ICDA ecosystem (Preschool, K-12 School, Language School, Arts and Culture School, Culinary Space). Go-to-market is hybrid: direct admissions with evening and Saturday scheduling to accommodate working professionals, plus channel partnerships with ITLA (credit transfers), MESCyT/INAFOCAM (scholarships), Hodelpa Hospitality (internship-to-employment), and ManpowerGroup (technology scholarships). With 44 reported employees and operating history spanning 25 years and 22 graduating cohorts, UNICDA is a small, stable, regionally positioned private university whose strategic emphasis is on credentialed English-language education, teacher training, and institutional bridges to U.S. educational and certification ecosystems.

Name

Universidad Domínico Americano

Legal name

Instituto Cultural Domínico Americano

Website

https://unicda.edu.do

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

UNICDA is a private Dominican university offering undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education programs in Santo Domingo, with a distinctive focus on English-language instruction, teacher training, and U.S. educational pathway services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (611310), Educational Services (611), Technical and Trade Schools (6115)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Fully Online Universities (Online-First, Degree-Granting) (EDAHALAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

University/College Continuing Education (Extension) Programs (EDAAAEAA), University-Affiliated Pathway & Foundation Programs (EDAIAJAA)

Keywords

• Higher education services
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Graduate business education
• English teacher training
• Standardized certification testing

Headquarters

HQ city

Santo Domingo

HQ country

Dominican Republic

HQ region

Latin America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Undergraduate Tuition and Fees: Revenue from undergraduate degree programs including per-credit fees (RD$980 per credit for business and education areas), admission applications (RD$1,500), registration payments (RD$3,000 per cycle), laboratory fees (RD$600), and graduation fees (RD$10,000 ordinary, RD$16,000 extraordinary).
2. Postgraduate Tuition and Fees: Revenue from graduate programs including specializations (RD$2,500 per credit) and master's degrees (RD$2,500-3,000 per credit), with admission fees ranging from RD$2,000-2,500 and registration payments of RD$4,500-6,500.
3. Continuing Education Programs: Diploma courses and specialized training programs in areas including Occupational Health and Safety, Power BI, Software Architecture, Insurance and Risk Management, Event Management, Big Data, Social Media, and others, ranging from 36-88 hours each.
4. Teacher Development Center Services: Professional development programs for educators including workshops, diplomas, and certifications in teaching methodologies, leadership, technology integration, and TESOL approaches.
5. Alumni Services: UNICDA ALUMNI card providing exclusive discounts (10-15%) on continuing education, postgraduate programs, and ICDA community establishments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

UNICDA is a private bicultural higher education institution delivering bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, specializations, upper technical programs, and continuing education diplomas in business, education, tourism/hospitality, finance, and information systems. Course delivery combines evening and Saturday on-campus instruction at the Santo Domingo campus with a Moodle-based virtual learning environment. Complementary offerings include a Teacher Development Center for English educator training, a Prometric/ETS certified testing center, and an EducationUSA advising center hosted on campus.

Product overview

Universidad Domínico Americano (UNICDA) is a bicultural higher education institution offering a portfolio of academic programs across undergraduate, graduate, and technical levels, supplemented by continuing education services. The core academic offerings include undergraduate degrees in Business Administration, Tourism and Hotel Business Administration, and English-Oriented Teaching; postgraduate programs including MBAs, Master's in TESOL, and specializations in Finance and Information Systems Administration; and technical programs. The institution differentiates through specialized units: the Teacher Development Center (TDC) providing English teacher training with over 1,500 teachers trained; the Prometric Testing Center administering 150+ standardized exams; the Lincoln Library with electronic database access; EducationUSA advising for U.S. study; and UNICDA Alumni network with professional development benefits. Programs are delivered through Probus academic system and Moodle-based virtual learning environment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• UNICDA ALUMNI: Alumni engagement unit that maintains ties between the university and its graduates, promoting collaboration and professional networking through the UNICDA Conecta platform.
• UNICDA Conecta
• EducationUSA UNICDA
• Centro de Pruebas Prometric UNICDA
• Teacher Development Center (TDC)
• Biblioteca Lincoln

Products and services

• Undergraduate Programs (Grado) Bachelor's degree programs including Business Administration, Tourism and Hotel Business Administration, English-Oriented Teaching, Systems Engineering, and Software Engineering; typically completed in approximately 3.5 years with evening (Monday–Friday 3:00–10:00 PM) schedules aimed at working students.
• Master in Business Administration (MBA) Graduate-level MBA program for working professionals, delivered with evening (Monday/Wednesday 6:30–9:30 PM) and Saturday class schedules to accommodate employment obligations.
• Master's Degree in Teaching English as a Foreign Language Postgraduate program focused on TESOL/TEFL pedagogy for in-service and aspiring English teachers; aligned with CEFR proficiency standards.
• Specialization in Teacher Qualification for Foreign Languages (English) Graduate specialization qualifying secondary-level English language teachers, available at evening and Saturday schedules.
• Specialty in Information Systems Administration Graduate specialization in managing organizational information systems and technology, priced per credit at RD$2,500.
• Specialty in Finances Graduate specialization in financial management and analysis for professionals seeking finance credentials.
• Technical Programs (Técnico Superior) Upper technical programs providing specialized vocational training at the associate level, serving as a pathway into UNICDA bachelor's degrees (e.g., via ITLA credit transfers).
• Continuing Education Diplomas Professional diploma programs in areas including Cybersecurity, Big Data, Insurance and Risk Management, Power BI, Software Architecture, Event Management, Social Media, and Occupational Health and Safety, ranging from 40 to 88 hours.
• Continuing Education Courses Short-term professional courses designed for skill development and continuing education credits in multiple topic areas.
• Teacher Development Center (TDC) Programs Professional development diplomas, workshops, coaching, and international certifications (including with SIT World Learning and UMBC) for English language teachers, delivered in partnership with MINERD, MESCyT, INAFOCAM, and ISFODOSU.
• Prometric and ETS Testing Center Services Official Prometric and ETS on-site testing center administering over 150 standardized exams including TOEFL-IBT, GRE, USMLE, PMI, ICMA, ARRT, PRMIA, AFP, AAMC, IEEE, ECFVG, AWS, ASQ, TOEIC, and EXADEP for university admission and professional certification.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,500 teachers trained through Teacher Development Center in over 20 locations nationwide
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Hodelpa HospitalitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 July 2026Strategic partnership providing internship program for UNICDA Tourism and Hotel Business Administration students at Hodelpa hotel properties across multiple Dominican provinces. Students gain practical experience in various operational areas of the hospitality sector, with potential for post-graduation employment.
• EducationUSA (U.S. Department of State)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost institution for EducationUSA advising center in the Dominican Republic. Provides free educational advising on U.S. study opportunities, coordinates education fairs, and promotes American educational system through workshops and online resources. Network includes 430+ centers globally.
• SIT World Learning / Centro Espiral ManácoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational certification partner for Teacher Development Center. Provided international certifications for over 200 professors from various Dominican institutions in collaboration with the U.S. Embassy.
• University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for teacher and coach training programs delivered through Teacher Development Center. Collaboration supported by U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo.
• U.S. Embassy in Santo DomingocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey institutional partner supporting cultural and educational initiatives including American Film Festival, English Teacher Conference, and Teacher Development Center programs. Shared vision of synergy between Dominican and American educational systems.
• ITLA (Instituto Tecnológico de las Américas)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCredit transfer agreement enabling ITLA Tecnólogos graduates to complete bachelor's degrees in Systems Engineering or Software Engineering at UNICDA in approximately 2 years.
• MINERD (Ministerio de Educación)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMinistry partnership for Teacher Development Center training programs and curriculum alignment for education degrees.
• MESCyT (Ministerio de Educación Superior, Ciencia y Tecnología)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment ministry partnership for scholarship programs (110 national scholarships for STEM careers) and academic program authorization.
• INAFOCAM (Instituto Nacional de Formación y Capacitación del Magisterio)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTeacher training partnership supporting English teacher development through scholarships and professional recognition programs.
• ISFODOSU (Instituto Superior de Formación Docente Salome Ureña)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTeacher education institution partnership for English teacher training through Teacher Development Center.
• ManpowerGroupminorStrategic or Co-development Partner2026 scholarship program to boost technological talent development in partnership with UNICDA.
• Dominican Republic Air ForceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration agreement for academic cooperation and professional development.
• CODOPYME (Dominican Confederation of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperation agreement aimed at promoting training, innovation, and competitiveness in the MSME sector.
• Bellas Artes (National Theater of the Dominican Republic)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCultural and educational alliance between ICDA and Bellas Artes for arts and culture programming.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM): Dominican Republic's largest private university with undergraduate, graduate, and continuing education programs across multiple campuses. Directly competes with UNICDA for the same private-university student pool in Santo Domingo, with comparable tuition positioning and English-bilingual program offerings.
• Universidad Nacional Pedro Henríquez Ureña (UNPHU): Private Dominican university in Santo Domingo with broad undergraduate and graduate offerings, including architecture, engineering, health sciences, and business. Overlaps with UNICDA in business and education programs and the working-professional student segment.
• Universidad del Caribe (UNICARIBE): Private Dominican university offering undergraduate and graduate programs with flexible scheduling for working adults. Operates in the same tuition tier and evening-weekend format as UNICDA, targeting similar student personas.
• Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (INTEC): Private non-profit Dominican university with a strong emphasis on engineering, technology, and business. Comparable to UNICDA in serving working professionals via evening schedules and offering credit-transfer pathways; directly competes in systems/software engineering programs.
• Universidad Iberoamericana (UNIBE): Private Dominican university in Santo Domingo offering undergraduate and graduate programs in business, education, health, and engineering. Competes head-to-head with UNICDA for working-adult evening and weekend students, with similar tuition tier and continuing education portfolio.
• Barna Management School: Dominican private business school focused on MBAs, specializations, and executive education. Directly competes with UNICDA's MBA and business specializations for the same graduate working-professional segment in Santo Domingo.

Others

• EducationUSA (U.S. Department of State): U.S. Department of State network of 430+ advising centers that UNICDA hosts in the Dominican Republic. Ecosystem partner rather than competitor, but central to UNICDA's value proposition for students seeking U.S. study pathways.
• Prometric: Global standardized testing platform that supplies the test infrastructure UNICDA hosts in its Prometric center. Relevant as an ecosystem partner and as a benchmark for understanding the test-center economics that contribute to UNICDA's revenue and traffic.

Broad incumbents

• Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo (UASD): The Dominican Republic's public flagship university, dominant by enrollment and program breadth. Sets a price anchor well below UNICDA and competes for the same working-adult students, particularly via its distance-learning extension (UASD Virtual).
• Universidad Tecnológica de Santiago (UTESA): Large private Dominican university with multiple campuses and a broad portfolio of undergraduate and graduate programs. Larger scale than UNICDA but overlaps in business, education, and engineering offerings for working adults.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/unicdard
• YouTubeicda.edu.do/podcast
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/universidad-dom%C3%ADnico-americano

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Subsidiaries11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Universidad Domínico Americano