When would I host?
Our students generally go to host families during their half term holidays, which are usually 1 – 2 weeks depending on the school. Some schools also have exeat weekends, where students are required to leave school from Friday after lessons finish, and return on Sunday at around teatime.
Can I host over the Christmas and Summer holidays?
All our students return home for the Christmas and the Summer holidays, however there can be short period where the student has finished school but needs to stay in the UK prior to returning home.
Do I have to collect them from school?
The answer is, if you want to then you can collect them and we will pay to you for it, but if you don’t want to do it we can organize a transfer for a student to your home.
Does the student have to have their own bedroom?
Yes they do.
Are bunk beds or double beds acceptable for your students?
We do prefer to offer a full size single for each student, however other style beds such as bunk beds will be considered. One student is acceptable per double bed, but they are not able to share this bed with another student.
Will you want us as a host family as we have no children/are retired?
Yes you can, some of our students specifically want to go to a family with no children – they may want a quiet home where they can study and there will not be much background noise.
I work full time – can I still become a host family?
Not usually, we do require the host family be at home while students are staying with you.
What nationality will the students be?
We look after students from all over the world, but mostly from Russia, Ukraine, and Kazakhstan.
How old will the students be?
We look after students from the age of 8 to 18.
Will I definitely have students coming to stay with me?
We need more host families so it’s very likely you will get students.
We do organise host family stays in advance, however there can be some times when plans change near to the event date. We will try to give you as much notice as possible if this happens.
I became a host family a while ago and haven’t yet had students to stay?
While we do try to place students with host families in advance, there may be times when we don’t have any students in your area who require a host family. You will still be on our records as available to host, and if we receive a host family request form a student near to you we will give you a call.
How much do I get paid?
You will receive payment for hosting, plus good expenses. More details on how much will be given to you during the interview stage.
Can I use this income as replacement for working?
Unfortunately this is not advisable. Although being a host family does provide a valuable source of extra income and could be regular, the stays are not guaranteed and students can cancel from time to time.
Am I the students guardian?
No, London International Agency will remain the child’s guardian even while they are staying with you.
Will I have to pay for trips out during the holidays?
You will not be expected to be out of pocket for hosting students, although if you want to organise trips and are concerned that you might not receive the money back, please call us and we will confirm with the parents that they are happy to cover the costs.
When will I receive payment for hosting?
You will usually receive payment on the Monday after the start of the event either by cheque or by online transfer. There may be occasions where there is a delay, and we will advise you of this wherever possible.
Will I be asked to host at short notice?
On occasions we do have students who require a host family at short notice, and we may call you to ask your availability. However we understand that not everybody will be available at short notice, and will understand if you are not able to help.