universidad santander

What universidad santander does

Universidad Santander (UNISANT) is a private for-profit higher education institution founded in 2013 and operated by Grupo Educativo Santander S.C., a Mexican company registered in Tampico, Tamaulipas. The university delivers undergraduate (licenciatura), graduate (maestría), and doctoral programs primarily through asynchronous online modalities, with a flagship 10-month accelerated bachelor's pathway built on a Problem-Based Learning (ABP) methodology and a 28-day modular course structure. All programs carry official SEP RVOE recognition, making credentials government-valid in Mexico, and the institution offers 14 different graduation pathways including thesis, tesina, publication, and practical projects.

The business model is direct-to-consumer tuition-driven, with revenue from per-module fees, monthly subscription plans, and one-time diplomado purchases priced at $3,800 MXN per course. Students access content through the proprietary Plataforma Virtual UNISANT (desk.unisant.edu.mx), with enrollment handled via the inscripciones.unisant.edu.mx portal and supported by WhatsApp-based advisor communication. Distribution combines a self-serve digital funnel with 13 physical campuses across 11 Mexican states and 7 international representation offices in Ecuador, Peru, Chile, the United States, Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, and Spain. The institution operates three dedicated sub-brands — Escuela de Imagen Personal y Cosmiatría, Escuela de Política y Gobierno, and research center CICIP — and pursues an institutional partnership channel with entities such as SEDENA, SNTE, and multiple state governments for bulk enrollment of unionized and public-sector employees. Customer base consists of 5,000+ active students and 19,000+ alumni, primarily working adults and mid-career professionals seeking flexible, SEP-recognized credentials.

Name

universidad santander

Legal name

Grupo Educativo Santander S.C.

Website

https://unisan.edu.mx

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Universidad Santander (UNISANT) is a private Mexican online and hybrid university founded in 2013, offering SEP-credentialed undergraduate, master's, and doctoral programs to working adults across 13 domestic campuses and 7 international offices.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Higher Education Services

NAICS

Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Online Divisions of Traditional Universities (Hybrid/Extension) (EDAHALAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Intensive Bootcamps & Accelerated ASE Programs (EDAAABAH), University/College Continuing Education (Extension) Programs (EDAAAEAA)

Keywords

• Online higher education
• Undergraduate degree programs
• Graduate degree programs
• Professional diploma programs
• Distance learning university

Headquarters

HQ city

Ciudad de México

HQ country

Mexico

HQ region

Latin America

Offices19 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Registration Fees: Primary revenue from tuition payments for bachelor's degrees (licenciaturas), master's degrees (maestrías), doctorates (doctorados), and specialized diplomas. Students pay per module/course or through monthly subscription plans with multi-payment options including bank deposits, online payments, and credit card installments.
2. Diplomado Course Fees: Individual diplomado courses priced at $3,800 MXN per course. Students can purchase single modules or enroll in complete diploma programs across multiple disciplines.
3. Specialty Program Fees: 8-month specialty programs in Ethics in Organizations priced at $5,000 MXN inscription fee plus $2,500 MXN per subject plus $2,500 MXN thesis seminar and $10,000 MXN graduation fee.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Universidad Santander delivers officially SEP-validated (RVOE) higher education programs — undergraduate (licenciaturas), master's (maestrías), doctoral (doctorados), specialties, and professional diplomas — primarily through asynchronous online delivery and a network of 13 Mexican campuses plus 7 international offices. Programs are sold directly to individual students via self-serve web enrollment and WhatsApp-based advisor support, with modular per-course and monthly installment pricing. The accelerated 10-month bachelor's program and up to 100% course revalidation policy serve as key acquisition drivers for working adults and career changers.

Product overview

Universidad Santander (UNISANT) operates as a multi-modal higher education institution offering a comprehensive portfolio of academic programs through a platform-plus-modules architecture. The core offering consists of undergraduate (Licenciatura), master's (Maestrías), and doctoral (Doctorados) degree programs with official SEP RVOE recognition, supplemented by specialized schools (Escuela de Imagen Personal y Cosmiatría, Escuela de Política y Gobierno, CICIP) and a 10-month accelerated degree program. Programs use a Problem-Based Learning (ABP) methodology delivered through the Plataforma Virtual UNISANT, enabling asynchronous study at students' own pace. Additional offerings include diploma programs (Diplomados) across education, marketing, administration, and research disciplines, plus a specialty in Organizational Ethics. The institution emphasizes flexible, accessible education for working professionals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Escuela de Imagen Personal y Cosmiatría: School specializing in cosmiatry and personal image education with dedicated website at cosmiatria.unisant.edu.mx
• Escuela de Política y Gobierno
• CICIP

Products and services

• Licenciaturas (Undergraduate Degree Programs) RVOE-accredited online undergraduate degree programs covering administration, accounting, law, education, computer science, marketing, tourism, environmental projects, coaching, neuroeducation, public security, and cosmetology — designed for working adults who need flexible scheduling and official Mexican credentialing.
• Maestrías (Master's Degree Programs) RVOE-accredited graduate master's programs in Education (Teaching & Research, Childhood Education, Statistics), Administration & Business Direction, and Political Consulting, plus combined Master + Doctoral combos — offered as 12-24 month online programs with monthly or per-module billing.
• Doctorados (Doctoral Programs) RVOE-accredited online doctoral programs in Education Sciences, Education & Statistics, and Administration & Business Sciences — billed monthly per academic period with payment compliance required for exam eligibility.
• Diplomados (Professional Diploma Programs) Professional diploma modules across education, marketing, business administration, tourism, and research disciplines priced individually at $3,800 MXN per course — students may purchase single modules or complete diploma programs.
• Licenciatura Acelerada en 10 Meses (Accelerated 10-Month Bachelor's Program) Accelerated bachelor's degree program that compresses undergraduate completion into 10 months via 28-day modular courses (4 courses per cycle) using Problem-Based Learning (ABP) methodology — the flagship acquisition program for working adults and career changers.
• Especialidad en Ética en las Organizaciones (Specialty in Organizational Ethics) 8-month specialty program in Organizational Ethics with RVOE recognition (state key 20180331), comprising 8 professional subjects (46 credits total), priced at $5,000 MXN inscription plus $2,500 MXN per subject, $2,500 MXN thesis seminar, and $10,000 MXN graduation fee.

Quantifiable outcome

• Licenciatura (Bachelor's) degree completion in 10 months by taking 4 courses per cycle
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 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

Feature3 records

Partnerships

35 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core, standard, flagship and minor.

• SEDENA (Secretaría de la Defensa Nacional)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational partnership with Mexico's National Defense Secretariat enabling military personnel and their families to pursue officially recognized university degrees through UNISANT's flexible online programs.
• SNTE (Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la Educación)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Mexico's largest teachers' union providing educational access for educators seeking degree completion, master's, and doctoral programs with union member benefits.
• SINADEPcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducational alliance with SINADEP supporting professional development and degree completion for affiliated education workers.
• COBAO (Colegio de Bachilleres del Estado de Oaxaca)standardChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorArticulation partnership with COBAO enabling high school graduates to seamlessly transition into UNISANT's university programs.
• Universidad de SalamancaflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrestigious Spanish university partnership for potential academic exchange, joint programs, and international credential recognition.
• Universidad de AlcaláflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with historic Spanish university enabling international academic collaboration and potential credential recognition.
• Lamar UniversityflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational partnership with U.S. university enabling cross-border academic collaboration and potential credit transfer arrangements.
• Universidad Autónoma de ColombiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLatin American partnership enabling regional academic recognition and potential student exchange with Colombian public university.
• Universidad Continental (Peru)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Peruvian private university supporting regional Latin American academic collaboration.
• Universidad de Costa RicacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Central America's leading public university enabling regional academic exchange.
• Universidad Isabel I (Spain)standardStrategic or Co-development PartnerSpanish online university partnership supporting European academic collaboration.
• Universidad Popular de Tamaulipas (UPT)standardChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional Mexican university partnership for student articulation and credit recognition.
• UNE GuayasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEcuadorian university partnership supporting regional Latin American collaboration.
• UNA (Universidad Nacional de Agricultura)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNicaraguan agricultural university partnership for regional academic exchange.
• SNTFGRstandardStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with regional teachers' union supporting professional development programs.
• Gremio Nacional de TrabajadoresstandardStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational workers' union partnership for member educational benefits and degree programs.
• Magisterio Unido CoahuilastandardStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoahuila teachers' union partnership for educator professional development.
• Sindicato de TelefonistasstandardStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnion partnership offering educational programs for telecommunications workers.
• SUTGCDMXstandardStrategic or Co-development PartnerMexico City public sector workers union partnership for employee education.
• Facultad de Ciencias Económicas (UNAM)standardStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with UNAM's Faculty of Economic Sciences for academic collaboration.
• RedilatminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLatin American higher education network for regional academic collaboration.
• Ciencia LatinaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic publisher and research organization partnership for scientific publication support.
• AMERXMEminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional academic alliance member supporting hemispheric educational collaboration.
• ALACminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLatin American academic consortium member for regional educational initiatives.
• MBIT SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology and business school partnership for specialized professional training.
• Prime ProfessionalsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerProfessional services network partnership for referral and student recruitment.
• Ruta 5minorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional business network partnership for student referral and career services.
• Mexicana de BecasstandardGTM or Marketing PartnerScholarship organization partnership for student financial aid and grant programs.
• JMMminorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional business partner for student recruitment and institutional marketing.
• Estado de Tlaxcala (Government)standardStrategic or Co-development PartnerState government partnership for public employee professional development programs.
• Campeche.gob municipalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMunicipal government partnership for local public servant education.
• SNTREstandardStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional teachers' union (SNTRE) partnership for educator professional development.
• Universidad GermánAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGerman university partnership for potential international academic exchange.
• British SchoolminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBilingual education institution partnership for specialized training programs.
• ComitéminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional committee partnership for professional development initiatives.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• Universidad UNAD (Colombia): Colombia's largest public distance-learning university offering asynchronous virtual programs — a regional comparable to UNISANT's online-first model in a Spanish-speaking Latin American market.
• Universidad Iberoamericana (IBERO): Jesuit private Mexican university with continuing-education and online extensions targeting professionals, comparable on segment and Mexico-based credentials but anchored in a traditional on-campus model.

Broad incumbents

• Universidad Anáhuac: Large private Mexican university network offering both on-campus and online programs across bachelor's, master's and doctoral levels with SEP recognition, competing for the same Mexican higher-education student with a stronger traditional brand.
• UOC - Universitat Oberta de Catalunya: Spain-based fully online public-equivalent university extending into Latin America, with comparable online-first delivery, multi-country presence and focus on working-professional credentials relevant to UNISANT's international positioning.
• Tecnológico de Monterrey: Mexico's flagship private university with growing online and continuing-education offerings, competing for working-adult and graduate segments with stronger brand equity and broader resource base than UNISANT.

Emerging players

• AIU (American Intercontinental University): U.S.-based for-profit online university with Latin American student enrollment and asynchronous delivery, comparable to UNISANT on online model, target working-adult segment and cross-border enrollment posture.

Direct peers

• Universidad Cuauhtémoc: Mexican private university with hybrid online and in-person delivery, SEP-validated programs and cross-border extension, a domestic comparable of similar size and segment focus to UNISANT.
• Universidad del Valle de México (UVM): Laureate International Universities-owned private Mexican university with multiple campuses and online programs, targeting similar working-adult and undergraduate segments in Mexico with SEP-recognized credentials.
• UTEL - Universidad Tecnológica Latinoamericana: Mexico-based private online university offering SEP RVOE-accredited online degrees (licenciatura, maestría, doctorado) targeted at working adults, sharing UNISANT's delivery model, target segment and Mexican regulatory framework.
• UNIR - Universidad Internacional de La Rioja: Spain-based fully online university with significant Latin American operations offering licensed bachelor's, master's and doctoral programs via asynchronous delivery, most directly comparable to UNISANT on online delivery model, multi-country presence and segment focus on working professionals.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/unisant
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCsGeaU2JWnxsJ8geXxYnByw
• Facebookfacebook.com/unisant
• Instagraminstagram.com/unisant

Compliance13 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries3 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 universidad santander