Hosting Overseas Students – The Pros & Cons
So, you’re considering hosting students? You’re in the right place. Hosting can be an unforgettable experience but we understand it can be a little daunting for first timers. So, here is a little overview of what benefits and concerns you should take into account before making your decision to become a host family.
You’ve got the whole world in your home!
Did you know there are 192 countries in the world? Ryanair can only take us so far so why not bring a little bit of the world to your doorstep? We place students from Brazil, China, Paraguay, Switzerland, France, Thailand and even Belgium in our homestays across London. The students we connect have amazing stories to tell and great experiences to share. At a time when many people across the world are advocating segregation, we want to bring it a little bit closer together. By hosting you can help us to do this.
A cure for loneliness
Remember those days when you couldn’t wait for your kids to move out of the family home? Well now they’re off doing who knows what, do you pine for their return? Or have you simply exhausted all there is on Netflix? Maybe you just want some company but can’t stand furry things on 4 legs. Well hosting an international student is a rewarding experience that can fill your house with conversation, laughter and joy. (Plus you don’t have to pick up their litter)
FACT: It’s not Airbnb
Although we can offer hosts competitive rates, we are not airbnb. The rates we can pay depend very much on the exact location of the home. We cater for international students who, like their British counterparts, have limited financial resources. Therefore we can’t pay hosts what they would get for their properties on Airbnb. This is one of the biggest misconceptions prospective hosts have. If you are looking to host primarily for financial gain, then we don’t recommend you apply.
You must be prepared to sacrifice a bit of your privacy
If you’ve never hosted before and you live alone then you must be prepared for change. It may be that you receive frequent messages from us offering you a student to host. Whilst the incoming student may experience a pronounced culture shock on arrival, you as a host may also experience slight changes to your daily life. Being prepared for such changes will determine the success of a placement.
Sometimes it’s difficult to just let them go
On average our placements last between 4-6 weeks but some may last longer. During that time you may have developed strong connections with students we have placed with you and it may just be sad to see them leave. But don’t worry, unlike Jack in Titanic you may see them again. Who knows, maybe your student guest will invite you to their home in their country?
Interested in finding out more?
If you are considering hosting foreign students, we would love to hear from you. If you want us to call you back, fill out one of the enquiry forms on our website and we will call you to discuss how it all works. If you are not ready to speak now, free to get in touch when ready and we can discuss things at this point.
We look forward to hearing from you!
