Homestay Students

About Homestay Hosts/Families 

School of English homestay hosts are people who are interested in learning about other cultures and who enjoy sharing their homes with international students. They represent a variety of cultural, racial, language, and religious backgrounds. Homestay hosts include single people, couples, a parent or parents with children, and people whose children are adults and are living away from home.

Many homestay hosts share their homes with more than one student. In this case, every effort is made to place students from different language backgrounds in the same home.

Living in homestay means that the student is treated as a member of the family. Homestay students must be prepared to accept the homestay host’s routines and ways of doing things. Students who prefer a more independent lifestyle should consider living in residence or shared accommodation with other students.

What's Included in Homestay

Each homestay student has a fully furnished private bedroom and shares the other parts of the house with the homestay hosts, and possibly with other students. Most homestays do not provide private bathrooms. Food for all meals is included in homestay.

Some homestay homes are located within 20 minutes walking distance of the university, but many are located up to 9 or 10 kilometres away and would require the use of public transportation. Most homestay hosts have one or more pets, usually a cat or dog. It may not be possible to place a student with a homestay host who does not have a pet.

Smoking is not permitted in most homestay homes. When homestay hosts accept a student who smokes, the student will be asked to smoke outside.

If arriving individually, homestay hosts try to meet the student at the Kingston airport or train or bus station, provided the student arrives between 8 am and midnight. There is no charge for this service. The student must contact the host directly to arrange to be met when the student arrives in Kingston. Homestay fees and policies are available to read before choosing a Homestay.