The Umbra Institute

What The Umbra Institute does

The Umbra Institute, founded in Fall 2000, is a private study abroad provider headquartered in a 15th-century palazzo on Piazza IV Novembre in the historic center of Perugia, Italy. It operates as part of ISI Abroad (The International Studies Institute LLC), a Delaware-incorporated parent entity that also runs the sister institute ISI Florence, and maintains a US admissions/support office in Orlando, Florida. The institute serves approximately 100 American students per semester through semester, summer, year-long, and custom faculty-led programs taught in English, with US academic credit transferred through Arcadia University, an AACUPI member institution accredited by the Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges. Course delivery is supported by a Moodle-based learning management system, complemented by a proprietary ISI Abroad smartphone application (iOS and Android) that handles student services, forms, and events calendars.

The institute generates revenue primarily through tuition and program fees, supplemented by transaction-based transcript services ($5 unofficial, $15 official transcripts, $50 rush delivery) and unit-priced field trip lab fees ranging from €20 for half-day excursions to €160 for overnight trips. Its go-to-market combines direct-to-consumer admissions via the ISI Abroad online portal with a channel-partner motion through 40+ formal US institutional partnerships (including University of Connecticut, Villanova University, Bryn Mawr College, Arcadia University, and University of Maryland) and over 200 US colleges that have historically placed students. The customer base is primarily US undergraduate students from accredited colleges; a secondary segment consists of Italian university students from the University of Perugia, Università per Stranieri di Perugia, and Accademia delle Belle Arti di Perugia participating through cooperative agreements.

The company's competitive positioning rests on more than 20 years of continuous operation, year-round status as the only independent American university institute in Perugia, deep integration into the local community through partnerships with UNICEF Perugia, Comune di Perugia, Caritas di Perugia, Eataly, and the Galleria Nazionale dell'Umbria, and a multi-channel marketing presence spanning website content, social media across five platforms, virtual information sessions, on-campus recruitment fairs, and a Spotify podcast. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; prospective students must contact the admissions office for current tuition and fees.

Name

The Umbra Institute

Legal name

The International Studies Institute LLC

Website

https://umbra.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2000

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Umbra Institute is a private study abroad provider in Perugia, Italy, offering English-taught semester, summer, year-long, and faculty-led programs to approximately 100 US students per semester through partnerships with 200+ American colleges and Arcadia University accreditation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Study Abroad & International Education Services

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYEDAIAAAE

Hybrid, Multi-Location & Multi-Country Study Abroad Programs

Education/International Education & Study Abroad/Study Abroad Program Providers (Multi-Country & Multi-Discipline)

SECONDARYEDAIAAAJ

Study Abroad Program Management & Administration (for Institutions)

Education/International Education & Study Abroad/Study Abroad Program Providers (Multi-Country & Multi-Discipline)

SECONDARYEDAIAAAA

Faculty-Led & Custom Group Study Abroad Programs

Education/International Education & Study Abroad/Study Abroad Program Providers (Multi-Country & Multi-Discipline)

SECONDARYEDAIAIAG

Field Schools & Experiential Academic Programs (Archaeology, Ecology, etc.)

Education/International Education & Study Abroad/International Summer/Winter Schools & Short-Term Academic Programs

Keywords

• Study abroad programs
• Italian language immersion
• Academic exchange programs
• International education services
• Cultural immersion programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Perugia

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Program Fees: Umbra Institute generates revenue through tuition and fees charged to students for semester, year-long, summer, and custom study abroad programs. Students pay for academic courses, housing assistance, and various program services. Additional fees include lab fees for field trips ranging from €20 for half-day excursions to €160 for overnight trips.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Umbra Institute delivers English-taught study abroad programs in Perugia, Italy, including semester, summer, full academic year, and custom faculty-led programs across disciplines such as general studies, food sustainability, multicultural psychology, Italian language and culture, and STEM. It bundles academic coursework with housing assistance, visa support, cultural activities, community engagement, and accredited US credit transfer via its Arcadia University affiliation.

Product overview

The Umbra Institute is the only independent American university institution operating year-round in Perugia, Italy, offering semester, annual, and summer study abroad programs with a wide range of academic courses. The portfolio includes core academic programs (Semester Programs, Summer Programs, Academic Year Abroad), custom/faculty-led programs, the ISI Abroad mobile application for student services, the Tandem Linguistico language exchange, the Umbra Reps student ambassador program, Community Engagement experiential learning, and the Anna Girolimetti Scholarship. Supporting infrastructure includes the ISI Abroad Online Application portal and Accepted Students Portal for pre-departure preparation. Students can enroll directly or through partner institutions, with courses also open to Italian students from local universities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ISI Abroad: The parent organization managing The Umbra Institute and ISI Florence, handling US offices and admissions

Products and services

• Semester Programs Semester-long English-taught study abroad programs in Perugia, Italy, covering General Studies, Food Sustainability & Environment, Multi-Cultural Psychology, Italian Language & Culture, and STEM, with US credit transfer through Arcadia University.
• Summer Programs Short-term summer study abroad programs including Summer Session I, Summer Session II, Summer Italian Language & Culture, and the Archaeology Field School, designed for US undergraduate students seeking intensive summer international study.
• Academic Year Abroad Full-year English-taught study abroad program offering comprehensive immersion in Italian academic, cultural, and community life with US credit transfer through Arcadia University.
• Custom & Faculty-Led Programs Tailored study abroad programs designed for specific US university groups or faculty-led trips, offering customizable curriculum, scheduling, housing, and field-trip components.

Named customers5 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Arcadia University College of Global StudiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUmbra courses are subscribed through Arcadia University, which is a member recognized by AACUPI (American Association of College and University Programs in Italy) and accredited by the Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges. Arcadia provides institutional accreditation and transcript services.
• Università degli Studi di PerugiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe University of Perugia is the third oldest university in Italy, founded in 1308. Umbra Institute is an accredited partner, and some Umbra courses are recognized as valid for obtaining bachelor's or graduate degrees at the university.
• Università per Stranieri di PerugiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe oldest and most prestigious Italian institution for teaching the Italian language. Umbra Institute collaborates with this university to provide Italian Language and Culture programs.
• Accademia di Belle Arti di PerugiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of the oldest and most prestigious art education institutions in central Italy, located in an ancient monumental complex in Perugia's historic center. Umbra offers direct enrollment options at this academy.
• ISI Florence (International Studies Institute)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorA sister institute of Umbra located in Florence's historic center that welcomes students from prestigious US colleges and universities for academic programs.
• AACUPI (American Association of College and University Programs in Italy)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUmbra Institute operates under Arcadia University's AACUPI membership, aligning with standards for American study abroad programs in Italy.
• NAFSA (Association of International Educators)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional association membership supporting international education best practices and networking.
• Forum on Education AbroadminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional organization membership for education abroad professionals.
• EatalyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Eataly for food studies and culinary-related educational experiences.
• Galleria Nazionale dell'UmbriaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with the National Gallery of Umbria for art history and cultural studies programs.
• UNICEF PerugiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for volunteer initiatives and community engagement programs.
• Comune di PerugiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal government partnership for community integration and local initiatives.
• Caritas di PerugiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with local charitable organization for volunteer and community service opportunities.
• Perugia Sister Cities FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister city relationships with Perugia, Seattle, and Grand Rapids supporting cultural exchange.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Università per Stranieri di Perugia: Italian institution focused on teaching Italian language and culture to international students. Partners with Umbra but also competes for international students seeking Perugia-based academic immersion.

Regional players

• Accademia Italiana: Italy-based art and design school in Florence that also hosts international study-abroad students, comparable in serving US students seeking Italy-based academic programs though focused on creative disciplines.

Direct peers

• Arcadia University – College of Global Studies: Arcadia is both Umbra's accreditation partner and itself a major US study-abroad provider running programs across multiple European destinations. Directly comparable in offering US-credit, AACUPI-affiliated programs in Italy.
• Syracuse University – Florence Program: University-run study-abroad program in Florence for Syracuse and visiting students, comparable academic structure and US-credit model, though operating as an internal university program rather than an independent provider.
• ISI Florence (International Studies Institute): Umbra's sister institute under the same ISI Abroad parent, offering comparable English-taught semester, summer, and custom programs in Florence. Most direct operational peer given shared brand, staff infrastructure, and admissions platform.
• CET Academic Programs: US study-abroad provider with programs in Italy and other destinations, focused on language acquisition and experiential learning — directly comparable niche and student profile to Umbra.
• API (Academic Programs International): Mid-sized US study-abroad provider with multi-city Italy programs (Florence, Rome, Tuscania) and a similar model of US-credit-bearing semester and summer programs with institutional partnerships.
• SAI Programs (SAI Education): US-based study-abroad provider with strong Italy presence (Florence, Rome, Sorrento), offering semester and summer programs with US credit transfer. Competes for the same US institutional partners and student pool as Umbra.

Broad incumbents

• CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange): Largest US study-abroad organization with programs in dozens of countries including Italy. Operates as a broader incumbent across many destinations; competes for institutional partnership dollars and student applications.
• IES Abroad: Major US study-abroad provider with established centers across Europe including Italy (Rome, Milan, Siena, Venice). Comparable academic and cultural-immersion offerings and US-credit model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/umbrapg
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@umbraviews
• Facebookfacebook.com/umbrainstitute
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/the-umbra-institute
• Instagraminstagram.com/umbrainstitute
• TikToktiktok.com/@umbrainstitute

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

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 The Umbra Institute