5 Things to Know About Hosting an International Student (Homestay)
Homestay offers international students a “real-life” experience of living in Australia. It’s also a unique opportunity for students to share their culture with the locals they live with, known as homestay hosts.
Whether you’re looking to sign up as a homestay host now, or you need more info about hosting international students, the Australian Homestay Network (AHN) is the place to start. Since 2008, AHN has placed more than 80,000 students in homestays across Australia.
In this blog post…
Can you earn money from hosting international students?
What to consider before hosting an international student
Who are the students looking for homestay?
There are great benefits to being a homestay host
What’s involved in becoming a homestay host?
AHN host reimbursement rates
Become an AHN host today!
1) Can you earn money from hosting international students?
This is one of the most commonly asked questions we get from people interested in homestay hosting. If you’re wondering if you get paid to host international students – the answer is yes. You can definitely turn your spare room into an asset. We like to make it clear that homestay is more than a room for rent though.
When you share your home with an international student, they often become part of the family. While a typical AHN homestay lasts for three months, students often extend their stay if they find they enjoy the environment and have a good connection with their hosts (our longest placement on record is almost eight years!).
How much do host families get paid in Australia?
We know that household costs can rise as a result of welcoming a temporary member into your family, which is why we provide a host reimbursement for each homestay placement.
The amounts vary based on:
- The age of the student
- What meals you provide
- Whether you offer a private or shared room
- If you cater to special requests (e.g. dietary requirements or transport)
- Your location
On average, AHN homestay hosts earn around $223 per week for an over 18 student on a No Meals package. Hosting an under 18 student on the Complete Homestay package (i.e. three meals a day, seven days a week) pays between $285 and $370 per week.*
Visit our How Host Are Paid page for host reimbursement rates* and other payment information.
Ready to get started?
2) What to consider before hosting an international student
There is no specific “type” of host.
Many different kinds of people are homestay hosts. Our hosts come from a variety of backgrounds and have their own hobbies and interests. Some live in houses with a backyard, while other live in a townhouse or apartment.
We do not place bias on household make up, religion or culture. We focus on the host’s ability to provide a positive homestay experience for their guests and pay particular attention to matching the right guest to the right host.
A homestay family could be made up of:
- Parents with children
- A young couple
- A single person
- Grandparents
- Retired individuals
- A single parent and their children
Before you contact an Australian homestay company or fill out a host application, it’s also important to make sure you and your family / housemates are ready to host an international student in your home. Ask yourself these questions to determine if homestay hosting is for you.
Does everyone in your home like the idea of homestay?
It is important that all of the host “family” are on board with having someone else living in your home. You will be sharing your space with another person, there may be changes to household routines or schedules, and it is important that everyone is comfortable interacting with new people (some of whom may not be very fluent in English). Don’t forget to consider your pets – will they enjoy the extra company?
Who do you want to host?
You can specify the type of student you would like to host. The broader your acceptance criteria, the higher the likelihood of a match and more you’re assured an ongoing stream of international visitors into your home. We place students of all different cultural and religious backgrounds and encourage all homestay participants – hosts and students – to be accepting of peoples’ diversity.
We understand you may have preferences based on gender and age. Are you prepared to host students under the age of 18 or only over 18s? Students may be in primary school, high school or university/college and each comes with differing levels of responsibility and needs, experiences and challenges.
You may also be required to prepare meals as a host for international students (either lunch and dinner or three meals a day). Is that something you’re willing to do?
Is your home suitable for homestay hosting?
This is a basic checklist of what we look for when inspecting a residence.
Safety – The home is clean, safe, secure, in good repair, compliant with building codes, and not under renovation.
Furnished private room – You must have a clean, comfortable room with a bed (no inflatables or fold-outs) and bedding (clean sheets, extra blankets), desk, chair, appropriate lighting, dresser, and closet space. The room should be comfortably cool/warm depending on the season with a fan/air conditioning or heating available if required.
Bathroom – The bathroom may be private or shared with the family, but the door needs to be lockable. Towels, toilet paper, cleaning products and other amenities should be available. Guests are responsible for their own personal toiletries.
Shared spaces and amenities – The home is equipped with kitchen/laundry facilities and adequate supplies for reasonable use. Reliable internet access is also required. Guests should have full access to common family areas like the living room and yard.
Location and Transport – Are you within 50 minutes’ travel time to major education hubs? It must be easy to access to public transport from your home.
Keep in mind that some areas are more popular than others. Demand for homestay placements will depend on international student enrolments at educational institutions in your city.
Can you meet the expectations of being a homestay host?
AHN hosts are expected to:
- provide secure, private, clean, and safe accommodation
- provide the guest with support and orientation including basic security, self-awareness and an understanding of local law and culture
- dedicate time and effort to assist your guest while they adjust to a foreign country
- speak fluent conversational English (while hosting students, English must be spoken at all times in the home by all residents)
- provide healthy nutritious meals in line with the packaged booked.
Hosting under 18 students also comes with additional responsibilities as they require extra support and care compared to older guests.
How do I make a foreign student comfortable in my home?
Giving students a warm welcome and being patient, flexible and caring are key to being a good homestay host.
You can also get an idea of how to get the most out of a homestay by checking out these host family tips for a great student exchange experience from our friends at StudentRoomStay (part of the Global Homestay Alliance).
Think homestay hosting is for you?
3) Who are the students looking for homestay?
International students who choose to study in Australia may be here to experience the local culture and improve their English speaking skills, or they may be pursuing a specific program of study from an Australian educational provider.
AHN regularly caters to high school students as well as foreign students undertaking undergraduate and postgraduate studies. We also coordinate homestays for study tours where students of all ages visit Australia to get a taste of what it would be like to study here in the future.
The majority of AHN homestay students are aged between 16 – 25 years of age
(we do place students that are both younger and older).
The split between gender is approximately 50% females, and 50% males.
Where do homestay students come from?
Students come from all over the world to study in Australia. The majority of students come from Asia, with the largest number coming from China. Large numbers of students from South America and the Middle East are also choosing Australia as their destination for overseas study.
Will they speak English?
Yes. Students all speak some level of English. Students who are accepted into university courses need to meet a minimum standard of English proficiency. Other students are here specifically to learn English and immerse themselves in the language to improve their skills. Many students find that staying in a welcoming Australian home is the best way to do that.
Length of Stay
In general, most homestay placements are for a period of 28 nights. After the initial placement period students can easily extend, often for 28 nights at a time, as long as the host family is available and the student wishes to continue living in homestay accommodation.
As a host you can specify your preferred duration and availability. Let us know if you have a preference for a short or long-term homestay placement.
Do you want to host with AHN?
4) There are great benefits to being a homestay host
You choose when you host. Your local AHN office will contact you with any prospective placements which you can accept or decline. Hosts can also update their availability at any time through the AHN host dashboard.
We handle the payments for you. As an AHN homestay host, you don’t have to chase up your guest for rent or pay commission to a real estate agent. We process host payments directly into your nominated bank account according to a schedule. AHN collects ongoing fees from your student and makes fortnightly payments to you for the duration of the placement.
Note: AHN cannot pay ongoing weekly fees to the host until we have received the funds from the student.
Insurance is included. AHN provides an exclusive insurance policy designed specifically for AHN hosts and AHN-managed guests in a homestay situation.
All approved hosts and guests are automatically covered under AHN’s insurance policy which offers liability protection as well as appropriate cover for students’ belongings.
AHN uses a unique host/student matching process to find the best fit. Both renting and hosting start with having a room available. But the next three steps – to find, select and manage the person sharing your home – are very different. A big part of our success comes from matching visiting international students with the host that’s right for them. We do this by pairing guests and hosts based on common interests and lifestyle factors. Having a good connection means we’ve established the foundation for a positive homestay.
24/7 support. Our professional management team monitors and manages each homestay. Your Host Manager and dedicated Customer Care Managers will actively support you every step of the way, from the matching process through to student departure and all times in between. We also have a 24/7 contact centre so you can call us anytime – day or night – if you need assistance.
Get to know new people and learn about different cultures from the comfort of your own home. One of the great experiences offered by providing accommodation for international students is learning about another culture as you get to share your own. Whether you share culture through food, or discussing each other’s traditions and beliefs during the weekends, you’ll learn something new every day.
Rediscover your own country. We consider our hosts to be ambassadors for Australia, which means helping your international guests learn about the local culture, understand our lingo and encouraging them to see as much of the country as possible. This process gives you the chance to get in touch with your local community, explore Australia and appreciate what being a real Aussie is all about.
Make lifetime relationships. Many students stay in touch with their hosts long after they have finished their study. We’ve even had host parents visit homestay students in their home country, attend weddings, and become part of their guest’s extended family.
Read the experience of AHN host Prabhakar from Sydney.
Want to sign up today?
5) What’s involved in becoming a homestay host?
The application process to become a homestay host is thorough, but pretty simple. You just need to complete these steps:
- Fill in the host application.
- Complete your AHN profile (we use your profile to match students to your home / family).
- Background checks and interviews are conducted.
- Complete host training.
- If you fulfil all of these steps and meet our hosting criteria you will be added to our host pool.
Hosting a Student with the Australian Homestay Network (AHN)
You now have an idea of what it’s like to be a homestay host. We’re always on the lookout for new host families in key student locations across Australia. If you’re ready to provide a caring home for a short or long-term guest – or even a study tour – we would love you to join the AHN community.
Become an AHN host today!
* Host reimbursement amounts quoted are based on 2023 rates.
AHN host reimbursement rates
View AHN rates for each region below – there are no host fees to participate in our program.
Homestay Adelaide
Homestay Brisbane
Homestay Canberra
Homestay Coffs Harbour
Homestay Darwin
Homestay Gold Coast
Homestay Hobart
Homestay Lismore
Homestay Melbourne
Homestay Newcastle
Homestay North Queensland (Bundaberg, Cairns, Rockhampton and Townsville)
Homestay Perth
Homestay Sydney
Homestay Sunshine Coast
Homestay Toowoomba
Homestay Wollongong
