What are the advantages of a homestay?

There are many benefits of a homestay. First of all, a homestay allows students to use English all the time. Students learn to communicate effectively with native speakers in a natural setting. Second, living with a family provides a quiet atmosphere for study and a greater sense of security for some students. Third, a homestay exposes students to a rich variety of cultural learning opportunities, such as family activities, holiday celebrations, religious practices, sporting events, etc. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, a homestay often results in students developing deep, lasting friendships with their families. Such a personal connection gives many students a real sense of stability in their lives here.

What do homestay families expect of students?

Like families all over the world, most American families are interdependent, which means that individuals often must give up some of their own independence in order to help family relationships run smoothly. Living with a family requires a kind of cooperation that sometimes involves some personal sacrifices. A student becomes like a member of the family, not a guest. As a result, families may have certain expectations of students such as participation in family activities, cleaning their rooms, keeping reasonable hours, communicating clearly with the family about their schedules, and occasionally helping with cooking or other household chores

Are there difficulties with a homestay?

The major difficulty is a practical one—transportation. Students without cars sometimes find homestays to be inconvenient and isolating. Homestay families sometimes do not live very close to the school, and they are usually unable to provide transportation on a regular basis. Students who do not live close enough to school to walk or ride a bicycle use public transportation, or get a car, or arrange to ride to school with another student who has a car.

For Families: To apply to become a Homestay Family click here

For International Students: Apply to live with a homestay family