NAFSA 2025 Recap
A new era for free mover students
Andrea Pellini – Co-founder & CEO at wearefreemovers | June 12, 2025
If you think NAFSA is just another international education fair, you’re in for a surprise.
NAFSA 2025 in San Diego wasn’t simply the biggest international education event of the year. For us, it was a turning point. It marked our very first appearance on the global stage as a startup, and we didn’t hold back. We showed up with passion, purpose, and enough adrenaline to launch a rocket. 🚀
We had no idea what to expect.
Would anyone know who we are?
Would they care about our platform?
Would anyone even come?
They did. In fact, they didn’t just show up: they filled every available slot on both our calendars, booking 120 meetings in just 3 and half days, and they did it days in advance. Some already knew us. Some had heard whispers in the hallway. Others came purely out of curiosity. But they all came.
And the conversations didn’t stop when the meetings ended, we even heard that a few universities started recommending us to others between sessions. That might just be the best compliment we’ve ever received.
Our team was constantly on the move, bouncing from one meeting to the next, jumping into spontaneous conversations, and only catching our breath when the conference center finally closed for the night. Sleep wasn’t really part of the plan, and honestly, we didn’t mind.
What we felt went far beyond excitement, it was a sense of clarity.
Something is shifting in the world of international student mobility, and we are right in the middle of it. The traditional system is ready for change, and the free mover model is the fresh breeze that’s starting to blow through.
Table of contents
1. Why we joined NAFSA
Giving free movers the seat they've long deserved
For those unfamiliar, NAFSA: Association of International Educators hosts the world’s largest annual conference dedicated to international education and student mobility. Every year, thousands of institutions, universities, organizations, and edtech companies from across the globe come together to exchange ideas, form new partnerships, and shape the future of how students move, learn, and grow across borders.
We joined NAFSA 2025 because we believe international education is at a turning point, and the future needs fresh voices, brave innovation, and student-centered solutions.
Particularly for free mover students, those independent, self-driven students who apply directly to universities abroad without relying on structured exchange programs like Erasmus or bilateral agreements.
At wearefreemovers, we’ve always believed in giving these students the visibility, tools, and support they deserve, and it turns out we weren’t the only ones thinking that way.
Our calendars were fully booked within a few days of being published, with universities from every continent reaching out to meet us.
Many had already heard of our platform: some through colleagues, others through previous student referrals, and came with one goal: to better understand how we’re solving one of their most urgent needs.
That kind of energy, curiosity, and recognition?
Let’s just say: it confirmed we’re building something the world truly needs.
2. The rise of free movers
When freedom becomes the new standard
One thing became crystal clear at NAFSA 2025: free mover mobility is rapidly evolving from a niche topic to a strategic priority for universities around the world.
Traditional exchange programs like Erasmus or bilateral agreements still have value, of course. But they only serve a fraction of students. The majority are looking for something more flexible, more personal, more empowering.
They want the freedom to choose where, when, and how to study abroad. And universities? They’re beginning to realize they need a smarter way to welcome these students and manage this growing flow.
That’s exactly where wearefreemovers comes in.
We’ve built a global platform that works for both sides:
◇ For students: a fast, transparent, and fully guided way to apply to universities abroad, with real, human support at every step. No more navigating scattered websites, unresponsive offices, or confusing admissions processes. We simplify it all, from first click to final acceptance.
◇ For universities: a ready-made solution that replaces outdated brochures and endless email chains. Each partner gets listed on our platform (visited by over 20,000 students every month) and we manage the entire onboarding pipeline: from initial inquiries to document collection, and everything in between.
We’re not just another listing website.
No one else is doing what we do: a global platform built for free movers, tackling real challenges on both sides of the table.
Less bureaucracy. Fewer delays. More successful matches.
And above all, a better study abroad experience, for everyone involved.
3. New energy vs OId models
Less waiting, more doing
There was a noticeable shift in energy at NAFSA 2025.
While our team was running back and forth between meetings, answering questions, and shaking hands until our fingers hurt, we noticed something curious. Some of the bigger, more established companies (the ones with massive booths and million-dollar revenue streams) were sitting quietly, checking their phones, sipping coffee… waiting.
Meanwhile, we were sprinting (sometimes literally) between back-to-back sessions, chatting with universities that were genuinely excited to explore new ways of supporting free mover students.
Someone even told us:
“This is my 15th NAFSA. You guys bring a whole different vibe.”
And that vibe? The energy came from intent: showing up, tuning in, and solving what actually matters. It was never about selling. It was about building something that lasts.
We didn’t come to NAFSA as a traditional vendor.
We came as a new generation of problem-solvers, one that sees universities not as clients, but as partners.
And while the older institutions may have had more years behind them, we had the momentum, the drive, and the line at our table to prove it.
The future of international mobility is changing. And it’s getting younger, faster, and more collaborative.
4. From clients to partners
Real relationships, not just results
In the traditional world of international education, universities are often seen as clients to be acquired. A transactional relationship.
That’s never been our way.
We didn’t start with a product to sell. We started with a blog, created by students, for students, sharing advice, experiences, and a bit of survival wisdom from one free mover to another. No marketing plan. Just real stories, real needs, and a desire to help.
And that spirit still defines who we are today.
Now, as wearefreemovers evolves into a global platform, we’re building something even more powerful: a shared community between students and universities.
Not buyers and sellers. But partners, working side by side to make international education simpler, smarter, and more human.
We listen to universities, not just to “close deals,” but to understand their challenges, and build solutions together.
We work with them to streamline admissions, improve outreach, and support students more effectively, because when they grow, we grow.
And perhaps most importantly: we’re not just advocating for free mover students. We’ve been those students.
We know the confusion, the excitement, the frustration, and the dream. That’s why we built this. That’s why we care.
We imagine a world where studying abroad means being part of something bigger: a global, connected community built on collaboration, purpose, and freedom of choice.
5. A platform without borders
Because opportunity shouldn't have a passport
NAFSA was a crossroads.
We met with universities from every corner of the world: Europe, Asia, Africa, North and South America, Oceania. Different languages, different systems, different philosophies, but one common thread: a shared desire to improve the way students move, connect, and grow internationally.
That’s the essence of the free mover spirit.
The freedom to design your own path, to study anywhere, and to access opportunities that don’t depend on nationality, quotas, or rigid agreements.
Our users reflect that same spirit.
They come from over 50 countries, and visit our platform to explore study opportunities on all six continents. From Tokyo to Bogotá, from Lagos to Berlin, free movers are everywhere.
And so are our partners: a growing network of universities that believe in making education more open, flexible, and student-driven.
(And yes, we already have partners in all the six continents of the world. Penguins in Antarctica?🐧 Not yet. But never say never.)
Global student mobility is evolving. It’s becoming more fluid, more personalized, and more direct.
And our mission is to build the infrastructure that supports this new way of moving, for students from anywhere, heading to anywhere, without barriers.
Because international education shouldn’t be a privilege.
It should be a possibility for all.
6. Behind the scenes at NAFSA
Four days, zero filters
Between official meetings, spontaneous hallway chats, side events, university receptions, rooftop networking, and the occasional “very academic” cocktail.🍸
Let’s just say: we forgot what a full night’s sleep feels like.
We ran. We answered questions. We improvised. We smiled through 15-minute lunch breaks.
(We also developed an intimate relationship with the nearest coffee machine. Shoutout to espresso. You carried us.)🔋☕️
But despite the exhaustion and the sore feet, the energy was electric.
Every meeting, every conversation, every “Hey, I’ve heard of you guys!” confirmed what we suspected:
this sector is craving fresh air.
There’s a shift happening, and it’s generational.
Universities are tired of outdated processes, and students are overwhelmed by bureaucracy.
The ecosystem is finally looking at new players, younger teams with bold ideas and actual solutions, not just another glossy brochure or empty promise.
That’s what we brought to NAFSA 2025.
And we’re only getting started.
7. What's next?
The future of study abroad is being rewritten
After 120 meetings, countless coffees, and a whirlwind of connections, one thing is clear: the world of international education is changing, and it’s changing fast.
The free mover model, once seen as a fringe option, is now front and center. Universities are rethinking how they welcome students. Students are demanding more freedom, more clarity, and more support. The old systems (built around rigid agreements and outdated processes) are struggling to keep up.
But change doesn’t happen on its own.
It takes people. Conversations. Shared goals. New energy.
That’s why we were at NAFSA. That’s why we’re building wearefreemovers. And that’s why we’re so excited for what’s next.
Because we’re not just building a platform.
We’re building a movement: one that puts students first, empowers universities, and makes study abroad accessible, transparent, and human again.
If you’re a university that believes in creating smoother paths for international students, we’d love to talk.
If you’re a student dreaming of studying abroad, but not sure where to start, we’ve got your back.
And if you’re just curious about where this is all going, follow along. It’s going to be an exciting ride.
We’re here to reshape international mobility. Not alone, together.
From a simple blog to a global network, we’re just getting started. 🔥
