When you sign on as a host family, we will work with you to determine the type of student you feel most comfortable hosting. International students also tell us a little about themselves and their ideal host family as part of their application to study. We then match this information against your family profile to create a great fit for you and the student.
International students generally study in New Zealand for two reasons:
- to experience a different culture and improve their English.
- to gain a New Zealand education and qualification.
Students who come for the experience, tend to come in Year 12 or 13 and stay on a short-term basis of 3-6 months. Students seeking a New Zealand education generally arrive to start Year 11 and stay long-term until the completion of their high school qualifications.
Our preferred maximum allocation is two students per host family. To preserve the student experience, we avoid placing students of the same ethnicity in the same home, and we also work to avoid placing male and female students together.
What if an allocation doesn’t work?
Our Homestay Coordinators are in close contact with you and our students during their stay. If you are concerned for any reason, please let us know as early as possible. We find that if issues are addressed while they are small, relationships can get back on track. If the problem can’t be resolved, we will work to relocate the student to another homestay.
