YFU Bruxelles-Wallonnie

What YFU Bruxelles-Wallonnie does

YFU Bruxelles-Wallonie is a Belgian non-profit association (asbl) founded in 1953 as the Brussels-Wallonia branch of the international Youth For Understanding (YFU) network. The organization facilitates international youth exchange programs, sending Belgian secondary and higher education students abroad to study in 50+ destinations across five continents, and hosting international students with Belgian families in Wallonia and Brussels. Core program offerings include the Programme secondaire, Programme supérieur, Programme été, Programme ECO-GREEN, Programme EXPEDIS, Programme Combi, Programme COMBO, Programme thématique, and Programme volontariat, with prices ranging from €3,950 (Thailand summer) to €22,750 (Canada 10-month). Supporting products include educational tools (Coloured Glasses, Play for Understanding, Guess Who) for schools and the annual YES (Youth Empowerment Seminar) intercultural event.

The organization's business model is a non-profit, fee-for-service model. Revenue is generated primarily through program fees charged to participating students, with supplementary revenue from donations (Coloured Glasses workshops are free but donation-supported) and volunteer host family contributions. There are no disclosed external funding rounds, no venture capital, and no public ownership. YFU is supported by 100+ volunteers, and the annual YES event brings together over 100 volunteers and 400+ European exchange students.

YFU reaches customers through direct-to-consumer channels: in-person information sessions at its Ans office and at schools, online registration via subdomain websites (echange.yfu-belgique.be, accueillir.yfu-belgique.be, ecole.yfu-belgique.be), school outreach, TikTok (@yfubelgique), the YFU News newsletter, and word-of-mouth from alumni and host families. In February 2026, YFU became a founding member of Confluence, a coalition of 12 Belgian non-profits promoting international youth mobility, formalizing collective advocacy and credibility in the sector. The organization also uses destination-specific quality-controlled partners (Travel Active for Netherlands, Interstudies for Ireland, FLAG for USA, Juventud Y Cultura for Spain) to extend its geographic reach.

Name

YFU Bruxelles-Wallonnie

Legal name

YFU Bruxelles-Wallonie asbl

Website

https://yfu-belgique.be

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

YFU Bruxelles-Wallonie is a Belgian non-profit association that organizes international youth exchange programs for Belgian secondary and higher education students, placing them in host families and schools across 50+ destinations, while hosting international students in Wallonia and Brussels families.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Exchange & International Education Services

NAICS

Educational Services (61), Educational Support Services (611710), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Secondary School Exchange Programs (Academic Year/Semester) (EDAIAHAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Overseas Summer School Programs (Secondary) (EDAIAHAC), Study Abroad Provider Networks, Consortia & Membership Organizations (EDAIAAAK), Work Exchange & Farmstay Programs (WWOOF/HelpX-Style) (EDAIAGAK)

Keywords

• Youth exchange programs
• Student mobility services
• Intercultural education
• Host family placement
• Study abroad programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Ans

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Program Fees: YFU generates revenue through program fees charged to students participating in exchange programs. These fees vary by destination, program duration, and program type (ranging from €3,950 for summer programs to €22,750 for Canada year programs). The organization is an ASBL (non-profit association), so revenue supports operational costs, volunteer training, and program delivery rather than profit distribution.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

YFU Bruxelles-Wallonie is a non-profit association that organizes international youth exchange programs for Belgian students (ages 12-25) and facilitates hosting of international students in Belgian host families. The core offering includes secondary school, thematic, summer, higher education, volunteer, eco-friendly (ECO-GREEN), and combined-country exchange programs to 50+ destinations, complemented by intercultural pedagogical tools for schools and a YES annual European seminar for participants.

Product overview

YFU Bruxelles-Wallonnie operates a portfolio of youth exchange programs centered around international student mobility. The core offering consists of exchange programs (secondaire, thématique, EXPEDIS, supérieur, Combi, été, volontariat, ECO-GREEN, COMBO) that enable Belgian students to study abroad and international students to study in Belgium through host family placement and school enrollment. Supporting services include YES (Youth Empowerment Seminar), educational tools (Coloured Glasses, Play For Understanding, Guess Who) for schools, and Club Alumni for former participants. The organization functions as a non-profit youth association without a technical product platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Coloured Glasses: Intercultural sensitivity and global citizenship awareness workshops for young people aged 10 to 18
• Play for Understanding (PFU)
• Guess Who?
• Club Alumni YFU Belgique

Products and services

• Programme secondaire (Secondary School Exchange) Core high school exchange program allowing Belgian secondary students to spend a trimester, semester, or full academic year abroad living with a host family and attending a local secondary school, with departures in summer 2026 and January 2027 depending on destination.
• Programme thématique (Thematic Exchange Program) Exchange program with thematic orientations including arts, basketball, dance, cinema, music, nature, sport, theater, and tourism, often requiring prerequisites in the relevant field.
• Programme EXPEDIS Coordinated exchange program lasting 3 to 10 months for fourth, fifth, and sixth secondary students that can be homologated by the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles.
• Programme supérieur (Higher Education Exchange) Higher education exchange program for students 17+ combining host family integration, school attendance, and foreign language practice for one semester or academic year.
• Programme Combi (Two-Country Exchange) Two-semester exchange program in two different countries with a return home between semesters for visa or administrative formalities.
• Programme été (Summer Exchange) Summer exchange program lasting 4 to 8 weeks for students aged 15-19, based on host family living, cultural discovery, and language immersion.
• Programme volontariat (Volunteer Program) Volunteer programs in various domains including child welfare, education, biology, health, and community services across different destinations for students aged 17-25.
• Programme ECO-GREEN Eco-friendly exchange program allowing students to travel by train or low-carbon airlines to surprise destinations in Europe, with accommodation in host families.
• Programme COMBO Full academic year program combining one semester in a secondary school and one semester in volunteer work or university, exclusively in Argentina or Paraguay.
• YES (Youth Empowerment Seminar) Annual intercultural event gathering over 100 YFU volunteers and 400 students from across Europe to deepen intercultural learning themes and support participants transitioning from exchange to returning home.
• Coloured Glasses Workshops Intercultural learning and global citizenship sensitization workshops for young people aged 10-18, delivered by trained volunteer facilitators to promote dialogue on discrimination, prejudice, and cultural stereotypes in schools (free of charge, donation-supported).
• Play For Understanding (PFU) Educational board game for students 15+ with existing language bases, played entirely in the target language (English, Dutch, or German) to practice language skills and learn about EU countries.
• Guess Who English language learning game where participants learn simple vocabulary and sentence structures to describe people, designed for primary school level students.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100 volunteers and 400+ students participate annually in the YES (Youth Empowerment Seminar) European event
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ConfluencecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerConfluence is a coalition of 12 Belgian non-profit organizations (ASBL) focused on international youth mobility. YFU Bruxelles-Wallonie is a founding member of Confluence, which brings together Organisations de Jeunesse (OJ), Aide à la Jeunesse (AAJ), and Organisations Non Gouvernementales (ONG) to collectively promote accessible, quality youth exchange programs. The coalition aims to create dialogue, foster intercultural understanding, and support young people in becoming engaged citizens.
• Travel ActiveminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTravel Active is a carefully selected partner for Netherlands exchange programs. The support provided to participants remains fundamentally the same as with YFU Netherlands partners, with Travel Active handling specific travel and logistics services.
• InterstudiesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorInterstudies is a partner for Ireland exchange programs, carefully selected according to YFU quality criteria. The support offered to participants remains fundamentally the same as with YFU Ireland partners, with the difference that families selected by Interstudies receive compensation for hosting.
• FLAGminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFLAG is a partner for USA exchange programs, carefully selected according to YFU quality criteria. The support offered to participants remains fundamentally the same as with YFU USA.
• Juventud Y CulturaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJuventud Y Cultura is a partner for Spain exchange programs, carefully selected according to YFU quality criteria. The support offered to participants remains fundamentally the same as with YFU Spain partners.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• EF Education First: EF is a global for-profit education company offering language travel, study abroad, and exchange-style programs. Broader portfolio including degree programs and language schools, but competes for Belgian families seeking high-school-age immersion experiences.
• CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange): CIEE is a major nonprofit offering secondary school, semester, and short-term programs with similar host-family placements. Operates at much larger scale across many more program types but competes for the same Belgian 14-18 segment.
• Rotary Youth Exchange: Rotary's youth exchange program sends 14-18 year-olds abroad for full academic year stays with host families. Comparable program structure but operated as a service of the much larger Rotary International network rather than a dedicated specialist.

Direct peers

• AFS Intercultural Programs: AFS is the largest global youth exchange nonprofit, directly competing with YFU on long-term secondary school and family-stay exchange programs across 50+ countries. Same target segment (14-18 students), same host-family model, and same non-profit governance structure.
• Greenheart Travel: Greenheart Travel is a nonprofit offering high school study abroad, language immersion, and volunteer programs. Comparable program mix and 15-18 student segment, with overlap on the eco/sustainability positioning that YFU's ECO-GREEN targets.
• WEP (World Education Program): WEP is a Belgium-based youth exchange organization operating since 2005 with programs in 30+ destinations. Direct competitor in the same Belgian market, offering similar trimester/semester/year secondary exchange options.
• Cultural Homestay International (CHI): CHI is a nonprofit specializing in homestay programs for high school students, offering J-1 visa inbound exchange to the US and outbound from multiple countries. Directly comparable host-family exchange model and student demographic.
• Aspect Foundation: Aspect Foundation is a nonprofit youth exchange organization running secondary school programs between the US, Europe, Latin America, and Asia. Overlapping product offering, customer segment, and non-profit operating model.
• Nacel International: Nacel operates youth exchange and study abroad programs with strong overlap in secondary school host-family placements in the US and Europe. Comparable program duration mix and pricing tiers targeting the same 14-18 segment.

Regional players

• STS Student Travel Schools: STS is an Austrian-based youth exchange provider focused on German-speaking markets with programs across Europe, the Americas, and Oceania. Comparable secondary school exchange offerings but operating in a different primary geography than YFU's Belgian franchise.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• TikToktiktok.com/@yfubelgique
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/yfu-bruxelles-wallonnie-echanges-ducatifs-internationaux

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries1 record

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 YFU Bruxelles-Wallonnie