Homestay

​​​​​​​​​​​Living with an Australian host family is a great way to experience Australia’s fantastic lifestyle close to your school community. By living in a safe, caring and supportive home environment you can immerse yourself in your studies, practise your English skills and develop lasting friendships with your homestay family.

What​ is provided?

In addition to a safe, welcoming and friendly home, your homestay host will provide you with: 

• three nutritious meals a day, seven days a week
  
• a private bedroom with a bed, storage space and a desk for study
  
• assistance to access transport to and from school and to school activities. 
  

When you arrive in Queensland for the first time (to commence your study program) a representative from your school will meet you at the airport and arrange transport to your homestay accommodation or school, free of charge.

​“I would like to express my gratitude to the family who have treated me like one of their own – they have been beside me, supported me, brought me great joy during my stay​. I am honestly, truly, deeply thankful”.

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Quality and monitoring 

The accommodation, care and welfare of international students are primary priorities for EQI and our schools. Homestay families are carefully selected by the school homestay/international student coordinator, and screened via a police identity and criminal history check.  

Ongoi​​ng support

EQI schools are responsible for recruiting homestay families, managing the homestay program and the ongoing monitoring of homestay arrangements. 

When you request homestay accommodation your school will take care to match you to a host family that is compatible with your needs, based on the information you supply in your application. The school’s homestay or international coordinator is available to assist you should you have any problems settling in to your homestay placement.

All international students have 24 hour emergency assistance and multi-lingual support available. On arrival at school, students will be given relevant emergency contact details for urgent student welfare issues.

​​​EQI and our schools support the Australian Government Schools International homestay standards.​​​

Homestay costs

Please visit the EQI website for details of the current fees for EQI homestay​.

Live with a parent or close relative​

You can live with a parent or a close relative during your enrolment, if they'll also be living in Queensland. With this option, your parent or close relative has responsibility for your accommodation and welfare arrangements instead of the EQI.

The relative must be approved by the Department of Immigration and Border Protection (DI​BP) and must:

• be over 21 years of age
  
• be defined as a relative by DIBP (for example - brother, sister, aunt, uncle, grandparent).​