While studying at Stretton State College, students will be placed in one of our caring Stretton State College homestay families.
Host families are personally visited and screened by Stretton personnel to ensure that they are a suitable host family for our International Program. All household members who are over the age of 18 must hold a current blue card and undergo a police and criminal history check. Host families are visited regularly to ensure that they are skilled in dealing with International students.
Australia is a multicultural society and there is no "typical" Australian family. Your host family may have originally come from another country and now live in Australia and identify as being Australian. Australian families usually have a mother, father, children and pets, but it is also common to have a single parent family with either a mother or father and children.
Living with an Australian family will allow you to enhance your English skills and make lifelong friendships.
Your homestay parents will warmly welcome you into their home and will include you in the family activities. It is expected that you will be actively involved and communicate with members of the homestay and to also help keep the home clean and tidy.
All International students in the homestay program must abide by strict guidelines, as well as respecting the values and household rules of their host family.
Make the most of your Homestay experience
Staying in homestay gives you the opportunity to:
- Learn about Australian culture.
- Make friends with Australians.
- Improve your English language skills.
- Share information about your culture.
- Adjust to a new country while living in a safe and caring environment.
Becoming a Homestay Provider
At Stretton State College we are always looking for new host families to share in this beneficial program.
To be selected as an Educational Queensland International (EQI) approved Homestay Provider you must be able to meet the following criteria:
- Agree to host no more than 2 International students at any one time, either from Stretton State College or another provided.
- All members of the homestay over the age of 18 must have a current Blue Card – no cost involved.
- The homestay must be clean and tidy and relatively close to our school or near to suitable public transport routes. (Study Tour students must be escorted to school by the homestay parent)
- Provide a safe, secure, private bedroom with suitable storage space for clothes, personal effects and study material. (Study Tour students may share a bedroom with a child of the same gender)
- Access to kitchen, bathroom and laundry facilities.
- Suitable facilities for study, including a desk, chair and adequate lighting.
- Access to house hold items such as, towels, sheets, blanket, eating and cooking utensils.
- Available to provide a separate house key or alarm passwords (not required for short term study tour placements)
- Provide 3 healthy and sustaining meals a day plus snacks, 7 days a week.
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Have current and maintain home and contents insurance (home owners) or contents insurance (for renters) including legal liability insurance.
Homestay providers receive a tax free payment for hosting both short term study tour students and long term International students.
If you believe that you and your family would be suited to be a Host Family or would like future information on the homestay program please contact the International Student Coordinator. She will be able to provide you with application forms and explain the approval process.
Email: international@strettonsc.eq.edu.au