Why you should be a host family

Welcoming an exchange student from abroad doesn’t just give you a new family member. You will also learn about a different culture, and see your town, way of life, and values through new eyes. By becoming a host parent or host family for 3-10 months to an international exchange student between the ages of 14–18, your family will gain not just a friend and an extra international sibling; you will also create lots of wonderful memories together. For the student, staying in your home country will involve lots of different daily adventures and as a host family, you will be a big part of the student’s experience.

For many families, it’s also a wonderful opportunity to prepare for their child’s upcoming year abroad, and you will also have the chance to take advantage of our Host & Go discount. Enrich your daily life and open your home to one of our exchange students from all over the world!

6 reasons why your family should be a host family

1. You want to get to know a young person from another country
2. You want to learn more about other cultures
3. You want to learn more about the world and gain a new perspective
4. You are interested in other languages
5. You want to know more about what a year abroad entails
6. You want to help and see how another person grows as an individual during their year abroad

In both fall and spring, new students come to New Zealand from the US, Norway, Japan, Germany, Sweden, Italy and more. Of course, as a host family, you get to choose which student to invite into your home, so take the chance to read more and get to know the students to see if any of them might be a good fit for your family! You can also read our frequently asked questions and about our previous host families’ experiences of their year with an exchange student at home.