About Hosting
About Hosting
There are many reasons why people enjoy hosting overseas students. It may be because it offers your family the opportunity to learn about different traditions, lifestyles, and cultures. Or perhaps the motivating factor is the satisfaction gained from seeing the overseas students relax and interact with you at the same as earning a little extra tax-free income (Rent a Room Scheme). For some people, it is the fact that they now have a new circle of like-minded friends amongst their local group of host families.
Who can host
It is impossible to describe a typical host family. They may be grandparents, single parents or young couples. Their houses may be big or small, luxurious, or comfortable. We can only describe the one attribute that unifies them all: “The desire, time, and ability to give a warm welcome to students from other nations.” As long as families have this requisite, are aged 25 or over, and have passed our recruitment process then we welcome them as host families.
The daily routine
You may be hosting students on either of our two programmes. The daily routine differs on each and also depends on where you live. On both programmes, students will be out of the house every weekday from about 08.00 to at least 18.00/19.00 and are then in for the rest of the evening. If the students are staying longer than a week, one of the weekend days will be a full day excursion with their group. They all require breakfast, an evening meal and most require a packed lunch. Most groups can be accommodated 2,3,or 4 per family. Please see below for details.
The recruitment process
Once you have had a chance to look around our website, read the testimonials from other families, drop us a line. We will phone you back and tell you more. This would be followed up with a visit to your house when we would go through the whole process of what it entails. This visit normally takes one hour. We can answer any questions and leave you a handbook. If possible, we would like to meet all members of your family on that occasion, but if not, we can pop back for 5 minutes to say hello at a later date. Once you have had time to digest the information, and both parties are willing to proceed, we will contact you again to carry out DBS checks on all members of your household over the age of 16.
What support is available
We are available by mobile phone 24/7 to deal with any emergencies (hopefully none will arise) and are always more than willing to answer any questions you may have no matter how small. Each centre has an organiser who probably lives round the corner to you who will help you with any day-to day queries. We organize host family social events so that families can share their experiences .
Our Programmes
Short stay
Students travel to the UK, usually by coach, for a short school trip generally between 3 – 6 nights. These students are predominantly French, but occasionally Czech, German or Polish. Mostly aged 14-16. The busy period for this programme is February to June.
- They usually arrive at a local meeting point at 19.00 on a Monday evening in time for their evening meal.
- They need to be taken back to the local meeting point the next morning for 08.00.
- They return to the meeting point again for collection at 19.00 that evening, The routine is the same for however many days they stay, until their last day when they leave at 08.00.
- They don’t require much wardrobe space, no desk required.
Depending on where you live, you can earn up to £74 a night (if you host 4 students). You could host 4 nights a week most weeks meaning £1184 per month.
Language students
These students are generally slightly older (15-17), same mix of nationalities as short stay plus Spanish and Italian and occasionally Chinese and Thai , and will be attending language classes in the morning before their daily excursions. They stay anywhere between 5 – 21 nights. The busy period for this programme is Easter to end of Summer.
- They arrive at a meeting point near you on various days of the week in the evenings.
- Chester students will make their own way to school in the morning at 08.00. London students will need to be taken to the local meeting point for 08.00.
- Chester students will return home under their own steam at around 18.00. London students will need to be collected from the meeting point at 19.00.
- Those staying more than 1 week will require a little extra wardrobe space and the use of a desk somewhere in the house.
The rate of pay for this programme is the same as short stay but there is a supplement of £1 per student per night where there is a request for a family to take fewer students (2) than normal. If you decided to host only 2 students for 3 weeks every month this would give you £819 per month or 3 students for the whole month is £1665.
Centres based in Chester, Wirral and South West London
Chester
Chester is our most popular centre with 300 families hosting regularly. We therefore have 10 pick-up points so that families don't have to travel too far. Three of these are in North Wales: Broughton Retail Park, Beaufort Park Hotel, and Asda Queensferry. The others are spread across Chester: Westminster Park, Vicars Cross, Mollington Banastre, Dorin Park School, Blacon. Language students normally arrive at Chester University Parkgate Road, Chester University Queen's Park, Chester University Riverside, Castle Drive and Eaton Road.
Wirral
We have two pick-up points on the Wirral with about 50 families:
Sainsbury's Prenton and Woodhey Hotel Little Sutton.
London
We have two pick-up points in South West London. Please contact us to find your nearest one.
This family talks about their really positive hosting experience
Trish D
Host Family
Hosting has become a way of life for us, my children welcome the students with open arms
Jane P
Host Family
A touching thank-you card from some of our former hosts
Lyn & Alan
Host Family
