How to become a homestay family

Homestay is about more than just providing a student with meals and somewhere to sleep. As a host you will play an important role in welcoming our students to Australia. And you will be significant in their lasting impression of their time here.

You will also be part of a cultural exchange – you will share your culture with your homestay student, and they will share theirs with you.

In your home, a student will get a first-hand experience of the Australian way of life. They will also be surrounded by authentic English every day, which is extremely valuable for their learning. Many hosts develop lifelong friendships with their homestay students and visit them in their home countries all over the world.

Types of homestay

Navitas English offers its students three homestay options.

Standard homestay

  • No more than 60 minutes' travel time to school
  • Furnished private room with a bed, wardrobe, desk and reading light
  • Half board: breakfast and dinner Monday to Friday; breakfast, lunch, and dinner on weekends
  • Other boarders are allowed
  • Suitable for all ages
  • Wifi included

VIP homestay

Standard homestay plus:

  • Private bathroom

Self-catered homestay

Standard homestay with differences:

  • Students can use the kitchen
  • Furnished private room with a bed, wardrobe, desk and reading light
  • Limited interaction with homestay family
  • Not available to students under 18

How to become a Navitas English homestay family

Thank you for considering having one of our students in your home. We welcome all families to apply to become a Navitas English family.

To become a homestay family, you must be able to provide the minimum requirements in the table above – including living within 60 minutes (door to door) of one of our schools

We want all our students to have the best homestay experiences possible, so we like to be open with homestay families about our expectations.

How to apply

Further details on the application process is available by emailing:  
Alex Cadman 
Director 
Alex.Cadman@navitas.com

Homestay newsletters

Once we have approved your application, we will be in regular contact about student placements. We will also send you our regular newsletter which includes information such as:

  • updates on the homestay program
  • what’s on at Navitas English
  • updates on Navitas English staff
  • recipe ideas.

Homestay for under 18s

We often accept students who are under the age of 18 to study with us. These students usually stay with one of our homestay families.

All students under 18 who are living with a homestay family are appointed a carer to support them while they are in Australia. However, there are additional responsibilities for the homestay family. (You will be paid more accordingly.)