Living with
a homestay family

Choosing to stay with a homestay family is a great way to extend your English learning experience beyond the classroom: you will be immersed in an English speaking environment all day, every day. You will enjoy your own single room and will share the house facilities with the rest of the family. Sharing meal times with your hosts is a great way to learn about Sydney’s way of life and learn about other cultures

Ideal for students who

  • Would like to experience cultural exchange
  • Would like to receive care and support from a host family
  • Want to maximize their studies and avoid having to shop for food and cook

Homestay
Your home away from home

Typical Homestay Features

Single or double bed

A wardrobe

A dressing table or chest of drawers

Adequate lighting

A desk

Breakfast and dinner on week days

Lunch included at the weekends.

Internet available at extra cost

Bed linen and towels provided

Close to public transport

Finding the right homestay
for you

Upon enrolment, our team will ask you about your homestay requirements and homestay preferences.

  • Homestay requirements: Essential before our team can make any homestay placements, we will ask you about your allergies and dietary requirements.
  • Homestay preferences: In addition, our team will also give you the opportunity to tell us about yourself and indicate homestay preferences, which we try to take into account as much as possible when finalising the match

Dedicated Homestay Coordinator – High Quality Standards

We have a dedicated Homestay Coordinator who ensures that our students are always well looked after. We regularly inspect homes to ensure that the high standards are maintained. We actively collect feedback from all students about their stay with their host family to ensure that they feel comfortable and welcome. In case students have questions or concerns, they can meet with our coordinator at school any day for advice, reassurance or resolution.

Further Details

Stay in suburbian Sydney

All homes are located in nice and safe neighbourhoods, close to public transport and usually 40 to 60 minutes travel time to the college. Your homestay profile with your host’s address will be sent to 2 to 4 weeks prior to your arrival.

Once you have received your homestay profile, you can plan your trip to school by public transport using the Transport NSW App and our direction guide.

Meals

Breakfast and dinner are included every day. Lunch is also included at the weekends.

Internet access will be made available to students at the homestay but usually at extra cost. All students will have free unlimited internet access from our computer lab and WiFi service at school.

Bed linen and towels are provided by the host family. Students usually wash their own personal clothing using the host’s appliances and with the host’s assistance. Ironing, handwashing or dry cleaning are in any case the responsibility of the student.

Many host families only accommodate one student but some families welcome 2 or more international students. When that’s the case, we will make sure that there are no other students of the same mother tongue in the household.

ELC may also be able to organise homestay placements for students with particular needs such as specific dietary requirements, executive homestay, or a room with a private bathroom, at extra costs. Please contact us to enquire.

Main Prices

2025 Fees

Homestay placement fee: $375

Single room weekly fee: $425/w

 

2026 Fees

Homestay placement fee: $375

Single room weekly fee: $430/w

 

Refer to our full price list and Terms and Conditions for full details.

 

  • Extra nights are charged at $75/n in 2025 and $80/n in 2026 (i.e. not weekly pro-rata).
  • A $110 surcharge applies for arrivals on Easter Friday, Easter Monday, Christmas day and New Year’s day.
  • An internet surcharge of up to $10/w payable directly to the host may apply for internet access.

Refer to our full price list and Terms and Conditions for full details.

What our students say

Lola Consogni

Lola Consogni

France

I really like Sydney because it’s a very beautiful city with a lot of activities to do. You can catch the train and go to the beaches, chilling on the sand, playing volley ball or do surfing.

You can also see animals in zoo, in sanctuary and also in the wildlife.

I enjoy going to nightclubs, bars, festivals and eating in restaurants.

I live in a host family and I have to best experience because I hanging out with one of their kids. I discovered a lot of things because of them and I’m very grateful for that. 

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Amina Louki

Amina Louki

Saudi Arabia

I lived my experience in Australia in an extraordinary way. This is also thanks to my host family. They are very kind, precise and welcoming people. They took care of me, ensuring fresh and always good food respecting my limitations. That is, no pork meat, the food was always lactose-free. The house was always clean. I really have to thank them. This was my best experience.

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Sharon Keller

Sharon Keller

Switzerland

My Homestay mother achieved giving me a feeling of being welcome & home right from the first day of my stay here… which gave me a real insight in the “Aussie” life.

Read more