London International Academy

What London International Academy does

London International Academy (LIA) is a private, for-profit secondary school founded in 2002 and headquartered in London, Ontario, Canada. It is certified by the Ontario Ministry of Education to deliver the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) for Grades 9–12 and is the only authorized IB World School in London, Ontario offering the two-year International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme for Grades 11–12. The school operates from a ~60,000 sq. ft. downtown campus at 361-365 Richmond St. that combines classroom space and on-campus student residence, enrolling approximately 150–200 students from 25 nationalities, supported by 60 faculty at a 14:1 teacher-to-student ratio.

LIA's core technology is the DreamApply student admission platform, which supports a direct-to-consumer online application workflow supplemented by an international agent network and regional recruitment managers across Vietnam, Southeast Asia, East Asia, Africa, Europe, and LATAM. Curricula are differentiated by the STEM-focused program track, the proprietary STEP (Steps to English Proficiency) ESL program developed for the Ontario Ministry of Education, and university placement services. The product portfolio is anchored by the OSSD and IB Diploma programmes, with ancillary summer programs (Summer Adventure 2 weeks and Summer High School 6 weeks), a distance-learning University Pathway Program for Grade 12 students in Kazakhstan, and on-campus accommodation with meal plans.

LIA's revenue model is recurring tuition- and accommodation-driven: OSSD tuition is CA$30,000/year and IB tuition is CA$35,000/year, with registration fees of CA$900–CA$1,200 and a one-time CA$10,000 refundable deposit; on-campus accommodation adds CA$2,100/month (shared) or CA$2,350/month (single). One-time application fees (CA$300) and summer program fees provide supplementary income. The school is privately held with no external investment disclosed and is led by an Executive Director (Holly Zou) and Principal (Linda Thomas).

Name

London International Academy

Legal name

London International Academy

Website

https://lia-edu.ca

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

London International Academy is a private secondary school in London, Ontario that delivers the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (Grades 9–12) and IB Diploma Programme (Grades 11–12) to roughly 150–200 international and domestic students, supported by global recruitment and on-campus residence.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Secondary Education

NAICS

Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

International/Global Curriculum Schools (IB, Cambridge, etc.) (EDAJABAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Overseas Boarding School Enrollment & Placement (EDAIAHAA), Overseas Summer School Programs (Secondary) (EDAIAHAC), On-Ground Orientation, Travel, Transfers & Logistics Support (EDAIAHAL)

Keywords

• Private secondary education
• International baccalaureate program
• OSSD diploma program
• ESL pathway programs
• Boarding school services

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition Fees: Annual tuition for OSSD program at CA$30,000 and IB program at CA$35,000. Revenue is recurring annually per student enrolled.
2. Accommodation Services: Monthly accommodation fees at CA$2,100 per month including shared room and meals. Single rooms available for additional CA$250 per month.
3. Application and Registration Fees: One-time application fee of CA$300 and annual registration fees of CA$900 (OSSD) or CA$1,200 (IB).
4. Summer Programs: Summer camp programs including 2-week and 3-week options, and 6-week Summer High School immersion program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

London International Academy operates a private secondary day and boarding school delivering the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (Grades 9-12) and the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme (Grades 11-12). It supplements these core academic credentials with ESL support through the proprietary STEP program, summer immersion camps, a Kazakhstan-based University Pathway distance-learning program, on-campus residence and homestay accommodation, and dedicated university placement services for international and domestic students.

Product overview

London International Academy offers a portfolio of educational programs anchored by two core credentials: the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD) for Grades 9-12 and the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Programme for Grades 11-12. The school supplements these with summer programming (Summer Adventure 2-week camps and 6-week Summer High School immersion), a Kazakhstan-based University Pathway Program, and information sessions for prospective students. ESL support is provided through the STEP (Steps to English Proficiency) program integrated with OSSD coursework. Accommodation options include on-campus residence with meal services and homestay arrangements.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• OSSD (Ontario Secondary School Diploma) Program Full-time Ontario secondary school diploma program for Grades 9-12, certified by the Ontario Ministry of Education. Most courses are taught at university preparation level, with the STEP program integrated to support ESL students through systematic English proficiency development.
• IB (International Baccalaureate Diploma Program) Two-year full-time IB Diploma Programme for Grades 11-12, authorized by IB World School. London International Academy is the only private boarding school in London, Ontario to offer this program.
• University Pathway Program (Kazakhstan) Distance learning program for Grade 12 students in Kazakhstan, providing a pathway to higher education with a CA$300 application fee.
• Summer Adventure (2 weeks) Two-week summer camp program for international students aged 10-17, combining academic activities with excursions to Canadian destinations.
• Summer High School Program (6 weeks) Six-week immersive high school program for students aged 14-17 with 220 hours of coursework, accommodation, day trips to Niagara Falls and Toronto, and university visits including University of Toronto, McMaster, Waterloo, Western, McGill, and Ottawa.
• Information Session Online meeting sessions with LIA representatives for prospective students to learn about academic programs and admissions requirements.
• Student Accommodation (Residence & Homestay) On-campus residence with shared rooms, meals at six international cuisine restaurants via meal card, and homestay options for international students at CA$2,100/month (shared) or CA$2,350/month (single).

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• MySCUcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 April 2026AI-powered global student mobility platform partnership. Inaugural Global Scholars Program awarded over CA$300,000 in scholarships to African students for LIA's Ontario Secondary School Diploma program. Five students received fully funded scholarships worth CA$60,000 each covering tuition, accommodation, travel, and living expenses. Additional 55 students received partial scholarships.
• Community Organizations (London, Ontario)minorOthersPartnerships with local non-profit organizations for student community service requirements (20-40 hours mandatory for OSSD). Partners include Bank of Montreal, Mission Services of London, Central Library, Terry Fox Organization, Reforest London, Centre Branch YMCA, BGC London, London Multicultural Community Association, Salvation Army.
• EQAO (Education Quality and Accountability Office)coreTechnology or IntegrationOntario government body that creates and assesses the Ontario Secondary School Literacy Test (OSSLT). LIA holds mock literacy tests prior to the OSSLT to ensure students are prepared.
• DreamApplycoreTechnology or IntegrationStudent admission software platform provider. DreamApply OÜ provides the application management system for LIA's online application process.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• United World Colleges (UWC): Network of international boarding schools offering the IB Diploma to students from diverse national backgrounds, primarily through scholarship programs. Comparable model combining IB, residential life, and global student recruitment with strong university placement outcomes.
• Ridley College: St. Catharines, Ontario private boarding school (Grades 5-12/PG) offering IB Diploma alongside OSSD-equivalent curriculum and on-campus residence. Closely mirrors LIA's boarding-plus-IB model and serves a comparable international student mix.
• Havergal College: Toronto independent girls' day and boarding school (JK-Grade 12) with IB Diploma and residential program. Comparable as a premium Canadian private boarding school offering IB and university preparation for fee-paying students.
• Branksome Hall: Toronto independent girls' day and boarding school (Grades 1-12) offering IB Diploma with on-campus residence. Comparable to LIA's IB/boarding combination and competes for similar international student pipeline.
• Upper Canada College: Toronto-based private boys' day and boarding school (Grades 3-12) with the IB Diploma Programme and a significant international student population. Directly comparable to LIA as a Canadian private K-12 offering IB and competing for fee-paying international families seeking top-tier university placement.
• Appleby College: Oakville, Ontario private day and boarding school (Grades 7-12) with on-campus residence and a strong university placement track record. Comparable as a Canadian private boarding school competing for the same international fee-paying families that LIA targets.
• Toronto French School: Toronto independent school (Pre-K to Grade 12) offering both French Baccalauréat and IB Diploma. Comparable Canadian private K-12 offering IB and competing in the same Toronto-area feeder market for international fee-paying families.
• Bishop Strachan School: Toronto independent girls' school (JK-Grade 12) with boarding and IB Diploma Programme. Comparable IB + boarding offering and competes with LIA for international secondary-school families in the Ontario market.
• TASIS The American School in Switzerland: International boarding school in Lugano, Switzerland offering American curriculum plus IB Diploma for Grades 9-12. Comparable international boarding + IB model serving globally mobile families seeking university preparation outside their home country, in direct competition for the same international student demographic.
• Trinity College School: Port Hope, Ontario private co-ed boarding and day school (Grades 5-12) with both AP and IB pathways and a residential program. Comparable boarding-plus-IB secondary offering targeting international students seeking Canadian university preparation.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/LIACanada
• Instagraminstagram.com/london.international.academy
• Xx.com/LIACanada
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/london-international-academy

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 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 London International Academy