Host FAQ's
When are we going to be getting students?
We receive student applications for homestay on a regular basis. There are busier times of the year than others. Generally, January through to March and June through to August are the peak times of the year. Outside of these months, the number of students looking for Homestay is small. When we receive a request from a student for Homestay, they complete a form similar to your profile and list their preferences for the type of Home they would like to live in. As soon as we have a student application that is a close match to you, we will be in touch to see if you would like to look after the student. It is difficult to place a time frame on this as it does depend on finding a good match for both you and the student. It is helpful if you keep your "availability" in your AHN profile up to date.
When are we going to get another student?
We will hopefully be able to place another student as soon as we can.
I have a room vacant / how can I let you know when I available?
You can update the availability in your profile at any time. Simply logon to AHN, and in your profile menu, click on "Availability" on your profile menu. Here you can choose to be either always available, or only available at certain times. If you choose to be always available, you can select dates when you may not be available for a period of time (i.e. family holidays, etc). If you choose to be only available at certain times, you can then enter the dates when you are available to look after a student..
There is also a tick box on this page when you can say you are available now. If you are not available for any reason, you can untick this box.
Can I have more than one student at a time?
Yes, as long as you have the appropriate facilities for the students (i.e. rooms, beds, etc) you can host more than one student at a time. If your profile shows you can accommodate more than one student, as a general rule, we aim not to put 2 students of the same nationality in the same house (unless this is requested, 2 friends for example). The main reason behind this is that we want students to a) practice their English with you and your family while they are in Homestay and b) we want students to become part of the family. We don't want a situation to occur where students are keeping to themselves and only speaking in their native tongue as they will be missing out on the cultural exchange experience which is so unique to Homestay.
If you would like to take more than one student at a time, also keep in mind that if you have more than 2 students with you in Homestay on average over a year, the fees you receive may no longer be considered tax free. Our staff can send you a link to the ATO ruling on this if you like but it is always best to check with your accountant or financial advisor.
How do I apply for a blue card?
There are a number of ways we can assist you with your blue card application. An important point to keep in mind is that one of our staff members must site your identification. This is a requirement of the QLD Government and the Commission for Children & Young People & Child Guardian. With this in mind, we can look at a number of options. If you have not had a home interview as yet, we will bring the forms with us and complete the application form with you at the time of your home interview. Otherwise, feel free to drop into our office and we can complete with the form with you there. The third option which may be available is that if we are completing a home interview for a host who also lives in your area, we can call into your place either before or after the home interview and quickly complete the application form with you then.
Can 2 students stay in the same room?
We do offer a shared room Homestay option for students where 2 students will stay in the same room. The only time this can happen is if a student has requested it as there are slightly lower fees for students staying in a shared room. Often we have study tours where students may come for a short period of time and they often request shared room in this instance.
We will always let you know at the time of placing a student with you whether they would like a private or shared room.
Can I leave the student at home alone?
During the day there will be times a student may be at home alone however we don't like students to be left alone over night within the first 4 weeks of their Homestay. Part of the Homestay experience is the interaction with you and your family and the sharing of experiences and cultures. If you are going to be away during the student's first 4 weeks, there will need to be another person approved by AHN and holding a current blue card to look after the student in your absence. If you are ever caught in a situation where you need to be away for a night and you have a student with you, please always contact us so we can help find a solution for you.
What do I do if I have to go out at night?
If you won't be home for dinner, it is acceptable to pre cook a meal for your student. Generally, most students do not like fresh meals that have been frozen as they do not think that they are fresh. If you need to leave the student a pre-cooked meal, it is important that you explain to the student how to heat or cook the meal if you are not at home. Some students may not have used a microwave or an oven before so you must be comfortable that they understand how to use these appliances.
What do I do if the student gets sick or is hurt?
It is usually easiest to take them to your family doctor, they will need to pay for their visit as Medicare will not cover them, the student should have their own medical insurance but the doctor may need to be paid cash at the time of the visit.
If your student is on a student visa, they will have OSHC (Overseas Student Health Cover) and they will receive a membership card from their institution. There should be a contact number for their insurer on their membership card.
It is also good to phone AHN and let us know if your student is ever sick or hurt. This way we are always up to date and aware of how the student is going.
Do I need to contact the school if they are sick?
Yes, it is important you contact the institution where the student is studying to let them know if they are sick or can't attend classes for a day in the same way you would do this if it were your own child.
The reason this is important is because education institutions need to report to the Government on attendance for International students. If a student is away from class it will save a lot of worry and phone calls from the institution staff trying to find a student if you call them first. If you don't know who to contact at the student's institution, you can always call our office and we can pass the message onto the institution staff.
Do I have to let them use my internet?
No it is not mandatory to let your student use your Internet, however students will probably tell you they need it. Some hosts will charge the student a small additional fee for using the Internet at home (i.e. $10). This is up to you.
There is some really good information about student internet usage on the host discussion board on the AHN website. It would be very good to read this information so you can increase your knowledge about some of the potential issues such as managing the students usage. To access the discussion board from your profile, login to the AHN website and then click on "Discussion Board" in the menu on the left hand side.
What do I do about house rules?
It is a good idea to have some house rules to give to students when they first arrive at your home. If they are written down it makes it very clear and can be used to discuss at a later date. It is a good idea to have these printed and in a clear book file or a on the back of the student's bedroom door.
You can find some examples of house rules on our website
How do I find out about the Muslim culture?
We do some have fact sheets about different religions from around the world on our website. To access these fact sheets, go to our home page, www.homestaynetwork.org and click on hosts from the menu across the top of the page, You will then see a number of links on the left hand menu.
You can also do some further research on the Internet to learn more.
Can I get a long term student for homestay?
Yes, this option is definitely available. It is more common for students under the age of 18 to stay long term in Homestay as they are required to be in Homestay until they turn 18.
However there are also a number of students over the age of 18 who like to stay in Homestay long term. This is often determined by how comfortable they feel in your home and with you and your family. For over 18 students, we do not often know if their intention is to stay long term in Homestay. We initially receive an application for 4 weeks.
2 weeks before the end of the initial period, we will contact both you and the student to see if they want to stay on Homestay. We will always encourage students to stay on in Homestay. If the student would like to stay longer with you, we will invoice the student in 4 week periods until they or you advise us they are moving out. We will then also continue to pay you your weekly fees fortnightly in advance.
The reasons why we encourage students to stay longer in Homestay with you and why we continue to manage the payments include:
- Homestay is considered a much safer accommodation option for students
- Students can continue to immerse themselves in the Australian way of life and gain from the cultural experiences
- Often lifelong friendships can be developed between students and host families as well as the host family and the student's family
- Institutions have an expectation of AHN to monitor and manage the student's placement while they are in Homestay
- We continue to provide ongoing insurance and 24/7 support for both yourself and the student while we manage the homestay
We do not accept hosts and students going into private relationships as historically, this is where a number of problems occur in Homestay. Our institutions work with us because we monitor and manage the placement throughout the student's stay. If we do not do this and allow private relationships we will not be able to continue placing students for our institutions and this in turn means we may not be able to place students with you in the future.
We want the relationship between the host and student to stay as a cultural exchange and friendly relationship. We do not want the relationship to become about financial transactions.