Academic Programs International Acquires The Intern Group

The acquisition folds the internship placement firm into API's international education offering, creating a combined pathway from study abroad to career readiness.

Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Internships

Academic Programs International Acquires The Intern Group

Academic Programs International, headquartered in Austin, Texas, has acquired The Intern Group, an internship placement organization. The Intern Group will become part of API's international education offering, and API established its API Intern Group division with David Lloyd as president.

Why it matters

The deal aims to link study abroad, international internships, and graduate career readiness into more connected pathways for students. Existing agreements with both organizations will remain unchanged.

The Intern Group has placed more than 15,000 students from over 150 nationalities and operates a network of thousands of host companies across nine global cities. API works with more than 800 member and affiliate institutions and offers programs in nearly 80 cities across 30 countries, though the deal's financial terms were not disclosed.

The players

Academic Programs International (API)

API is an Austin, Texas-based education organization founded in 1997 that works with more than 800 member and affiliate institutions to deliver study abroad and international education programs.

The Intern Group (TIG)

The Intern Group is an internship placement organization founded in 2011 that has placed more than 15,000 students into internships with host companies across nine global cities.

David Lloyd

David Lloyd is the president of the newly established API Intern Group division, which oversees the integration of The Intern Group into API.

The details

API has established the API Intern Group division, led by president David Lloyd, to house the acquired business. The Intern Group also offers remote internship opportunities and has partnerships with more than 150 universities worldwide, and approximately 35% of its internship students are from the United States.

The Intern Group was founded in 2011.
API was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Austin, Texas.
The acquisition was announced on November 5, 2026.
API approaches its 30th anniversary in 2027.

Market Landscape

The deal consolidates study abroad providers and internship placement firms, which have traditionally operated as separate services for university students. By pairing API's accredited program network with The Intern Group's placement reach, the combined company targets the gap between completing an overseas program and securing international work experience.

Students weighing study abroad may find that programs and internship placements are now easier to coordinate through a single provider. The combined offering is designed to address concerns about affordability, academic credit, safety, and graduation timelines.

The takeaway

Students planning an international career path can look for programs that connect study abroad with internship placement, since the combined model aims to reduce gaps between the two. Confirm how credit and timelines apply before committing to either.