Homestay
Living with an Aussie 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.
The accommodation, care and welfare of international students are key priorities for Education Queensland International and Cleveland District State High School. Homestay families are carefully selected and rigorously screened by the homestay Student Coordinator. A police identity and criminal history check are mandatory for all homestay families. When you request homestay accommodation, we take great care to match you to a homestay family compatible with your needs, based on the information you supply in your application. Our school Homestay Coordinator and International Student Program Coordinator are always available to assist international students should you have any problems settling in to your homestay placement and beyond.
International students can also live with a parent or a close relative whilst enrolled at Cleveland District State High School. With this option, your parent or close relative has responsibility for your accommodation and welfare arrangements.
Meet Homestay Mum, Jen:
As a host Mum, I really enjoy having another young person in our home and welcoming their friends. I am always very aware of the great trust placed in me and our family to provide a safe, secure and happy environment, and I enjoy the special bond that often comes with sharing such a significant adventure at an important time in their life.
I love that their presence encourages us to get out and about and enjoy our beautiful natural environment in South East Queensland and try to ensure that the student gets the most out of their adventure in Australia. We usually do a number of day trips – either to the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Northern New South Wales or inland. If we are going on holidays, we like to share that with our students as well.
I'm in awe of the courage and enthusiasm these students have in their journey half way around the globe; they bring a different and broader perspective into our family life and home; they introduce us to different cultures, habits and beliefs which has been good for my own children and we enjoy sharing a genuine Aussie life with them.
There is no doubt that this has provided us with life-long friends – not only the students but their families as well.
CDHS provides excellent support to both students and host families; the orientation sessions are good, information is clear and support is ongoing during the year for both the host family and the students.
This is definitely an experience I would recommend to anyone considering it.