We only place within the academic year for five or ten months and continued stays up to several years. Students will pay monthly rates.
Extra fees cannot be charged to students without prior approval from the International Programs Department. Most included items are outlined in the Homestay Participation Agreement. There may be cases where extra fees are required, such as when special dietary needs are identified (e.g. gluten-free), and the International Programs Department can negotiate these fees with the student’s natural parents.
There are two main methods for payment
Direct Payment: The homestay family is paid directly by the student. Please remind the student if you have not received payment before the hosting month begins. We highly recommend the usage of the Payment Record Template.
Direct Deposit: The homestay family is paid by the International Programs Department. Standard payment procedure is by direct deposit on the last business day before the hosting month begins.
We expect a two-way commitment for the academic year. Because we spend a lot of time and effort to choose only the finest homestay families, we expect every student, once they’ve paid for enrollment, to stay in our homestay program for the entire length of our academic program.
We encourage students to fill out their homestay application form as thoroughly as possible to ensure a good match with a family. The more specifics we receive, such as interests, dislikes, allergies and so on, the better the fit we can make.
However, personalities sometimes just don’t work. In this case, we ask that the student or homestay family let us know. Often, it’s just a result of miscommunication and the situation will be resolved quickly. But if things still aren’t working, even after sincere effort and the passage of time and mediation, we will offer one new alternative homestay family within our program.
Please note that we cannot offer multiple alternatives because of the matching required and homestay family availability. If mediation unsuccessful or a change may be in the best interest of both parties, host families will be informed and receive a two – week termination notice by our homestay team staff only. In some circumstances, the two weeks’ notice may be waived at the discretion of the Homestay Manager. If the student is not willing or able to stay the two weeks, we expect payment in lieu.
This responsibility is shared by the homestay family. When requesting a student to move, due process with the Homestay Manager and Homestay Coordinator is required. If mediation is unsuccessful, two week’s notice can be given to the student.