Living with a host family is the perfect way to become part of everyday life in your host country. Your host family will share their traditions, introduce you to their community and support you throughout your student exchange year.
Your home away from home
The best way to become familiar with a new culture is to live with a host family. As you share your everyday activities together, such as meals or family traditions, you and your host family will get to know each other better. Together, you might get the chance to travel, celebrate holidays or experience unique cultural events. Most important, your host family will provide you with a home away from home.
Who are our host families?
All our host families are unique, just like your family at home is unique. Some families may consist of one or two parents with children, others might not have children at home. Your host family might be involved in local community activities, which you will be invited to join. As you get to know your host family better, you will try new things, have lots of fun and grow as a person.
Voluntary hosting
In most of our destination countries, our host families are volunteers. This means they are not paid to host. Host families in the UK, Ireland and New Zealand receive a small stipend to cover additional meal costs and other shared household costs. Our host families are all genuinely interested in opening their homes to exchange students from different countries. They want to teach you about their culture and get to know you as a person.
Rigorous screening process
All our host families are thoroughly screened before they are accepted to the program. This is to ensure they are suitable for the exchange program and able to provide a good home. They must go through the following steps before they are accepted to the program.
- Application process
Potential host families are required to submit an application with detailed information and why they are interested in hosting an EF exchange student.
- Reference check
All our host families must provide at least two references, which are used to confirm that the applying family is of good character and suitable for hosting students. In the USA, host parents and all other family members over the age of 18 are required to submit to a criminal background check.
- Personal interview and home visit
Host families are interviewed at their home. All family members are required to attend the interview.
- Preparing the host family for your arrival
All host families are provided with preparation material, and they participate in an orientation program where they learn in detail about their responsibilities as a host family.
I know a family that wants to host me, is that possible?
Yes. If EF has a local representative living not too far away from this family and we can secure a school slot for you where they live, this is possible. The family will go through the same screening process all our host families go through. EF needs to be notified about your potential host family before your application is sent to your host country. In the USA, the family cannot be a relative of yours, due to visa regulations.
