SAF - The Study Abroad Foundation
SAF is a US 501(c)(3) non-profit facilitating study abroad programs for ~10,000 students annually from Asian universities to 60+ host universities across 25+ countries, operated as a division of IES Global following its 2017 merger with IES Abroad.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersChicago, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What SAF - The Study Abroad Foundation does
SAF - The Study Abroad Foundation is a US 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization that administers study abroad and internship programs for students from Asian universities. It operates as a program division of IES Global, a structure that took shape in 2017 when SAF merged with IES Abroad (founded in 1950). SAF serves as an intermediary between roughly 150 sending universities in China, Japan, and Korea and a network of more than 60 host universities across 25+ countries and 75+ cities, including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand. Combined IES Global throughput is approximately 10,000 students per year.
The product portfolio centers on seven program types — Academic, Concurrent (academic plus language), Language, Summer, Research, Internship, and Study Tours — supplemented by Customized Programs for faculty-led groups. Underlying service infrastructure includes a proprietary Student Portal for applications and status tracking, an Emergency Alert System with 24/7 notifications, and a Course Preference and Enrollment System for credit-transfer matching. On-the-ground delivery is supported by in-country offices in China, Japan, and Korea and 30+ IES Abroad teaching centers across Europe, Africa, Oceania, and South America.
SAF monetizes through program fees (e.g., UC Berkeley Fall 2026 Academic at $28,205 per semester; Full Year at $53,020), separate housing fees, application and processing fees, and supplemental fees; as a non-profit, all revenues are reinvested. The go-to-market is sales-led and partner-driven: students are recruited through in-country offices and Asian university partnerships, while SAF functions as a channel partner for 60+ host universities, providing enrollment management, housing placement, and health and safety services. Long-standing membership in NAFSA, APAIE, EAIE, and the Forum on Education Abroad anchors its institutional relationships.
SAF - The Study Abroad Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- SAF - The Study Abroad Foundation
- Legal name
- The Study Abroad Foundation
- Website
- https://studyabroadfoundation.org
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- SAF is a US 501(c)(3) non-profit facilitating study abroad programs for ~10,000 students annually from Asian universities to 60+ host universities across 25+ countries, operated as a division of IES Global following its 2017 merger with IES Abroad.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
SAF - The Study Abroad Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Study Abroad and International Education Services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (611710)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Direct Enrollment & Third-Party University Study Abroad Programs (EDAIAAAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Faculty-Led & Custom Group Study Abroad Programs (EDAIAAAA), Study Abroad Program Management & Administration (for Institutions) (EDAIAAAJ), Research Grants, Fellowships & Stipends (International) (EDAIAOAJ)
Keywords
Where SAF - The Study Abroad Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Chicago
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
SAF - The Study Abroad Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Program Fees: SAF charges program fees that include tuition, housing, compulsory host university fees, health and emergency travel insurance, and SAF support. Fees vary by program and destination.
- Application and Processing Fees: Fees for application processing, housing reservation, and service coordination
- Housing Fees: Separate housing fees not included in base program fees, charged based on accommodation type selected
- Supplemental Fees: Additional costs including room upgrades, additional credit hours, meal plans, and optional extras
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | UC Berkeley Fall 2026 Academic (Multidisciplinary) |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | UC Berkeley Spring 2026 Academic (Multidisciplinary) |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | UC Berkeley Full Year (Fall + Spring) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | IES Abroad Sydney Study Tour (Business Administration) |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Scholarships Available |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
SAF - The Study Abroad Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
SAF administers study abroad and internship programs for students from Asian universities (primarily China, Japan, and Korea), placing them at 60+ partner host universities across the US, UK, Europe, Canada, and Australia/New Zealand. The organization delivers seven core program types — Academic, Concurrent, Language, Summer, Research, Internship, and Study Tours — bundled with end-to-end student support including application processing, credit transfer matching, guaranteed housing, visa support, mandatory health insurance, and 24/7 emergency safety services.
Product overview
SAF (The Study Abroad Foundation) is a not-for-profit study abroad organization that operates as a platform connecting students from Asian universities with over 300 partner universities worldwide. The core product portfolio centers on seven program types: Academic Programs (full-time university coursework), Concurrent Programs (academic plus language study), Language Programs (standalone and pathway), Summer Programs, Research Programs, Internship Programs, and Study Tours. Additional offerings include Customized Programs for faculty-led group experiences and IES Abroad Centers (operated by parent company IES Abroad) providing physical teaching facilities in 30+ global cities. The organization also provides essential support services including a Student Portal for application tracking, Health & Safety Services with 24/7 emergency support, Housing Services with guaranteed accommodation, and Visa Support Services. The company facilitates approximately 10,000 students annually across 150+ programs at 60+ host universities in 25+ countries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Academic Programs
- Concurrent Programs
- Language Programs
- Summer Programs
- Research Programs
- Internship Programs
- Study Tours
- Customized Programs
- Health & Safety Services
- Housing Services
- Visa Support Services
Quantifiable outcome
- SAF facilitates study abroad for nearly 10,000 students annually
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use SAF - The Study Abroad Foundation
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
SAF - The Study Abroad Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
SAF - The Study Abroad Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.
- NAFSAcoreSAF and IES Abroad are members of NAFSA (US National Association of International Educators), attending the annual NAFSA conference in May. NAFSA is a non-profit organization for professionals in international education.
- APAIEcoreSAF is a member of the Asia-Pacific Association for International Education (APAIE), attending the annual APAIE conference in March to advance education through cooperation between institutions.
- EAIEcoreSAF is a member of the European Association for International Education (EAIE), attending the annual EAIE conference in September for networking and resources in international higher education.
- Forum on Education AbroadcoreSAF and IES Abroad are members of the Forum on Education Abroad, a non-profit association recognized as the standards development organization for the field of education abroad. IES Abroad attends the annual Forum conference in March.
- IES AbroadflagshipSAF is part of IES Abroad/IES Global, a registered 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization. SAF merged with IES Abroad in 2017. IES Abroad was founded in 1950 and facilitates study abroad for nearly 10,000 students annually. SAF operates as IES Global's division for Asian students, with shared resources, teaching centers (30+), and governance.
- Asian Universities (300+ sending partners)flagshipSAF partners with over 150 universities across Asia (China, Japan, Korea) that send students abroad through SAF. Partner benefits include access to 500+ study abroad opportunities, customized group programming, and professional development. Students from these universities work with SAF student counselors to choose programs.
- Host Universities (60+ receiving partners)flagshipSAF partners with 60+ universities worldwide in US, UK, Canada, Europe, Australia as receiving partners. Services include specialized recruitment, enrollment management, housing placement, health/safety support, and market intelligence. Students enroll in academic, language, internship, and research programs.
- IES Abroad Teaching Centers (30+)coreSAF has access to 30+ IES Abroad teaching centers across Europe, Africa, Oceania, and South America. These centers provide academic instruction, student facilities, and support for customized programs and study tours.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
SAF - The Study Abroad Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- GlobalEd (formerly GlobaLinks Learning Abroad): GlobalEd offers study abroad programs in Australia, New Zealand, and the Asia-Pacific region with a smaller portfolio. Comparable in regional focus on Asia-Pacific destinations but smaller scale than SAF's network.
- SAI (Study Abroad Italy): SAI specializes in study abroad programs across Italy and Europe with direct-enrollment and custom program offerings. Comparable to SAF in product type but with narrower geographic focus and smaller scale.
Direct peers
- USAC (University Studies Abroad Consortium): USAC is a non-profit consortium of US universities offering study abroad programs in 50+ locations, with a similar credit-transfer and direct-enrollment focus. Operates as a university-affiliated non-profit like SAF, with comparable semester, summer, and short-term program offerings.
- API (Academic Programs International): API provides study abroad programs in Europe, Latin America, and Asia with a similar direct-enrollment and credit-transfer model. Comparable to SAF in product structure (academic, language, internship, customized) and target customer (university-referred students).
- CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange): CIEE is one of the largest US-based non-profit study abroad organizations, offering semester, summer, and custom programs across 40+ countries. Directly comparable to SAF in mission, non-profit structure, and university partnership model, though broader geographically beyond Asia.
- CIS Abroad: CIS Abroad is a study abroad provider offering semester, summer, and internship programs across multiple continents. Comparable to SAF in direct-enrollment model, university partner network, and bundled housing/insurance/credit-transfer services.
- Arcadia University - The College of Global Studies: Arcadia's College of Global Studies operates study abroad programs across 20+ countries with academic-credit and internship offerings. Comparable to SAF in program structure, university partnerships, and emphasis on academic integration and credit transfer.
- ISA (International Studies Abroad) by WorldStrides: ISA is a major study abroad provider offering programs in 30+ countries with strong university partnerships and a similar semester/summer/internship product mix. Now part of WorldStrides, ISA is a direct competitor for sending university relationships and student recruitment.
Broad incumbents
- WorldStrides: WorldStrides is a large, for-profit education travel provider with K-12, university, and sports programs. Through its ownership of ISA, it directly competes with SAF in the university study abroad segment while also operating adjacent educational travel verticals.
- AIFS (American Institute For Foreign Study): AIFS is a larger, established for-profit education and cultural exchange provider with broader portfolio (study abroad, cultural exchange, au pair, educational travel). Direct overlap with SAF on study abroad programs but operates at greater scale and broader scope.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
SAF - The Study Abroad Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceSAF - The Study Abroad Foundation compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
SAF - The Study Abroad Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
SAF - The Study Abroad Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles13 records
SAF - The Study Abroad Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
SAF - The Study Abroad Foundation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about SAF - The Study Abroad Foundation
What does SAF - The Study Abroad Foundation do?
SAF administers study abroad and internship programs for students from Asian universities (primarily China, Japan, and Korea), placing them at 60+ partner host universities across the US, UK, Europe, Canada, and Australia/New Zealand. The organization delivers seven core program types — Academic, Concurrent, Language, Summer, Research, Internship, and Study Tours — bundled with end-to-end student support including application processing, credit transfer matching, guaranteed housing, visa support, mandatory health insurance, and 24/7 emergency safety services.
Is SAF - The Study Abroad Foundation a public or private company?
SAF - The Study Abroad Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was SAF - The Study Abroad Foundation founded?
SAF - The Study Abroad Foundation was founded in -1.
Where is SAF - The Study Abroad Foundation based?
SAF - The Study Abroad Foundation is headquartered in Chicago, United States, in the North America region.
How does SAF - The Study Abroad Foundation make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Program Fees are the primary driver. The others are application and Processing Fees, housing Fees and supplemental Fees.
Who are SAF - The Study Abroad Foundation's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are GlobalEd (formerly GlobaLinks Learning Abroad) and SAI (Study Abroad Italy). Direct peers are USAC (University Studies Abroad Consortium), API (Academic Programs International), CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange), CIS Abroad, Arcadia University - The College of Global Studies and ISA (International Studies Abroad) by WorldStrides. Broad incumbents are WorldStrides and AIFS (American Institute For Foreign Study).
Does SAF - The Study Abroad Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for SAF - The Study Abroad Foundation.
What industry is SAF - The Study Abroad Foundation in?
SAF - The Study Abroad Foundation's product category is Study Abroad and International Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAIAAAB, Direct Enrollment & Third-Party University Study Abroad Programs, with a secondary code of EDAIAAAA, Faculty-Led & Custom Group Study Abroad Programs. Its NAICS code is 611710 and its SIC code is 8200.