Being a host family means looking after overseas students who are coming to York to improve their English language skills. They study at one of the local language centres in York and stay with you to experience day-to-day English and British culture. As a host you provide them with their own bedroom, space for them to study, breakfast facilities, evening meal, and lunch on a weekend. Basic amenities also include bath/shower access, clothes, washing facilities and sometimes kitchen facilities if they want to do their own cooking.
You can introduce them to our beautiful city by showing them the sites and let them accompany you on your own family activities. But many will make new friends at language school and spend time with them outside of teaching hours.
Payments for providing the above range from around £115-£140 per week. You can earn up to £7,500 per annum tax-free, but there are some provisos – so do check this beforehand.
You also make potential new friends – who might just return the favour should you want to visit another part of the world! Not only that but you get the opportunity to broaden your own family’s exposure to different cultures and languages.
There’s no feeling quite as fulfilling as welcoming someone to our city and helping them develop their language skills, as well as teaching them about the wonders of British culture. It really does make for a more inclusive world.
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