Homestay

Homestay is a safe and affordable accommodation arrangement for students. Students stay with an Australian family or host who provide them with their own bedroom.
Accommodation in homestay is a wonderful opportunity to learn and practice English.

Breakfast and dinner are usually provided 7 days a week, and lunch only on Saturday and Sunday if you are at home.

Homestay is not a hotel. Your host will want to learn about you and your country. Homestay is a great way to get to know about daily Australian life.

Your internship location & interests will be considered when matching you with a suitable host family

The ‘homestay applicant’ acknowledges that Internships Down Under has acted to introduce the homestay applicant to the Homestay Partner Provider, but is not a party to any Homestay Placement Agreement.

Homestay provided by ‘Australian Homestay Network’ (AHN)

AHN will work with managers, hosts and guests to meet all stakeholder expectations and is committed to providing you and your host with a positive and safe Homestay experience.

By participating in AHN Homestay you, the guest, will be confirming that you understand and are happy to abide by the terms and conditions detailed below and those that relate to the operation and use of the Australian Homestay Network system.

The AHN community recognises that guests come from a variety of cultural backgrounds and composition and guests will be matched with families as per their personal requirements where this is possible.

AHN Homestay Insurance will cover all students registered with AHN whilst they are in an AHN Homestay placement, provided all monies are deposited and receipted through the AHN supervisor. For household insurance coverage see Website for policy: www.homestaynetwork.org/public/AHN-insurance.

AHN reserves the right to move you from a Homestay placement at any time. In this situation the balance of any Homestay monies will become due and you will be reimbursed any Homestay payment in circumstances where this is due to you or you may be required to pay further monies to your host if money is owing.

The AHN community is committed to supporting successful outcomes for all Homestay guests. This means that AHN has an obligation to maintain a reasonable standard of care in situations where a member’s action, or failure to act, could reasonably be expected to affect you as a Homestay guest.

This also relates to situations where someone else is likely to be affected by what you do or do not do and where it is reasonable to expect that the other person might suffer some harm.

Standard of care is the ‘reasonable’ standard expected so that your safety and wellbeing are not compromised.

A breach of duty of care is the failure to meet the relevant standard of care. This might happen through the failure to do something that should have been done. This does not mean that every mistake constitutes a breach of duty of care. This will depend on whether or not the mistake was reasonable in the circumstances.

While in a Homestay placement you will be expected to abide by the following policies:

Payment and Finances

– Pay your Homestay fee in advance before the end of your payment period through AHN

– Not pay any weekly Homestay fees directly to your host

– Understand that you will be required to give two weeks’ notice when you plan to leave your host’s home and pay the appropriate Homestay fee

– Understand that you will be charged for two weeks Homestay if you do not give the required notice

– Meet all personal expenses for travel, entertainment, telephone calls, internet, medical expenses and other personal, incidental costs

– Keep all valuables, money, passport and airline tickets in a safe place

Communication and AHN contact

– Maintain frequent and regular contact with AHN by logging in to your guest profile on the AHN website
– Answer all system communications, checklists and alerts as they appear in your guest profile, ensuring all communications are responded to or completed within the agreed time

Courtesy in the Homestay home

– Understand that hosts come from a variety of cultural backgrounds and composition and that this will not be the basis for acceptance or rejection

– Understand and accept your host’s house rules

– Understand that water is scarce in Australia and there may be water restrictions in place in your area, and respect these restrictions

– Communicate in a respectful way

– Ask permission of your host before inviting friends to their home

– Ask permission of your host before smoking (Must only ever be outside the home)

– Ask permission of your host before taking alcohol into their home

– Ask permission to use your host’s telephone and expect to pay the cost of your telephone calls

– Ask permission to use your host’s computer or internet access and expect to pay the cost of your usage (within reason)

Responsibilities

– Take responsibility for your own practices and needs

– Keep your bedroom clean, neat and tidy and assist with minor household chores

– Be considerate to your host’s household and keep noise to a minimum

– Pay for any damage you cause to host property – see AHN Insurance Policie for further details)

– Be aware of and respect the cultural differences and beliefs of the host and their family

– Communicate with your host every day and give adequate notice if you will not be home for meals or are staying overnight with friends (If you are under 18, you must inform your host where you are at all times and be home by any specified curfew).

– Attend meetings with AHN if or when required

– Advise your supervisor immediately of any concerns regarding your health or welfare

– Be aware of and abide by the national and state laws of Australia (for example, wear bicycle helmets, respect legal age of drinking, wear seat belts etc.) For further reference go to http://australia.gov.au/topics/law-and-justice.

While in a Homestay placement you can expect your Homestay Host to:

– Have a duty of care towards you, their Homestay guest (your host may ask you to let them know where you are going and the time you will be home)

– Support and assist you to live comfortably within your new environment

– Respect  your right to privacy

– Respect your culture, customs, language and beliefs

– Provide you with adequate, healthy meals prepared in a clean environment

– Provide you with a secure, private, clean and (warm in winter/ cool in summer) bedroom, good healthy food, laundry facilities and a supportive environment

– Ensure that you have your own room and not force you to share a room with other guests or a member of their family, unless you specifically request to do so

– Advise you of the route you will take to and from your education provider

– Provide an orientation within the family home (e.g. provide advice and safety instructions on the use of any pool area, household facilities and security.)

– Advise you of the household rules and practices (e.g. what time dinner is served, telephone protocols, rules regarding smoking, alcohol, guests visiting, curfews if you are under eighteen, household tasks and bathroom conduct)

– Allow you to use the facilities in the home and show you how to do so (e.g. laundry)

– Speak good English that you can understand

– Expect you to help with minor household chores e.g. help with the dishes and keeping your room clean and tidy

– Liaise with AHN regarding any concerns or difficulties

– Notify AHN as soon as there is any change of circumstances in the household

AHN Refund Policy

AHN is responsible for managing the expectations of the guest, host and other related parties with respect to maximising the opportunity for a successful homestay placement.

It is important that all parties are clear on the relevant refund and associated policies regarding these processes.

Homestay fees are generally made up of two types of payments:

1.      Homestay Matching Fee

This fee is paid to AHN to confirm that a placement is required. It covers the cost of host training and assessment, and the work associated with the matching process. The fee is generally paid in conjunction with a minimum period of weekly fees (usually 4 weeks).

On receipt of the initial payment AHN will review the guests profile and preferences and commence the work required to find a well matched and appropriately screened host for the guest.

The matching fee is not refundable once payment has been received.

1.      Homestay Weekly Fees

The weekly fees are paid to AHN to cover the payment to your host, insurance, support services and monitoring of the homestay placement. A minimum period of 4 weeks is usually required for new placements.

Weekly fees are refundable if the minimum notice period is met.

Pre-arrival Cancellations:

• If you cancel your placement and provide more than 10 days written notice prior to arrival your weekly fees will be refunded in full. The matching fee is not refundable.
• If you cancel your placement and provide less than 10 days written notice prior to arrival you will forfeit payment for 2 weeks plus the matching fee. Any additional weekly fees paid will be refunded.
• AHN will provide a full refund (upon receipt of the Australian High Commission / DIAC Visa Refusal Notification) for a cancelled placement if your Visa is denied and you have provided a minimum of 3 business days’ notice. If the required notice has not been provided AHN will retain the matching fee and 2 weeks’ payment. Any remaining funds will be refunded.

Pre-arrival changes or delays:       

• If a guest is unable to arrive by their intended start date due to a visa delay or course changes the guest may defer their placement until visa approval is granted, or the course is rescheduled.
• If AHN is advised in writing of these changes a minimum of 3 business days prior to arrival, there will be no charge for this change. All fees will be transferred to the new placement.
• If AHN are not advised in writing of these changes a minimum of 3 business days prior to arrival the guest may be required to pay another matching fee for a new placement to be made and up to 2 weeks of homestay weekly fees.
• All other changes or delays will be subject to the same notice periods and penalties as detailed in the cancellation policy. The guest will forfeit the matching fee and up to 2 weeks of homestay fees if adequate notice is not given.

Post Arrival Cancellations:

• Once a homestay placement has commenced we do not refund weekly fees for your initial period of homestay (usually 4 weeks). The matching fee is also not refundable.
• The guest is required to provide AHN and their homestay host with a minimum of 2 weeks written notice if they intend to move out of homestay.
• This notice period cannot commence during the first two weeks in homestay.
• There will be no refund if the guest chooses to leave without serving out the required notice period.
• If a guest gives less than two weeks’ notice of their intention to move out they will still be required to pay weekly fees for two weeks following the date on which they have given notice.

Post Arrival Changes:

• If a guest is unhappy with their chosen homestay family they should contact AHN to discuss.
• AHN will liaise with the guest and host to try to rectify any concerns and assist through the ‘settling in’ period
• If the guest wishes to change homestay families after the first 4 weeks, and there are not adequate grounds for the change, the guest may be charged another matching fee for AHN to find a new homestay
• The guest will still be required to provide the minimum of 2 weeks’ notice to AHN and the original host before moving out
• Weekly fees will need to be paid a minimum of 2 weeks in advance before the transfer date in order to cover the first payment to the new homestay family

Airport Pickup Refund Policy

• The guest is required to contact AHN as soon as they are aware of delays to their scheduled flight and/or their arrival information.
• The transport company tracks flights online: if they are made aware of a flight delay at least an hour before the original flight landing time, they will wait another two hours (or until the delayed plane lands at the airport.)
• If airport pickup has been booked and the guest has missed their flight or failed to provide updated arrival information then there will be no refund for the unused transportation. Afterhours this notice must be provided via phone and not email.
• There will be no charge for changes if notice is given at least an hour before the original flight landing time. Afterhours this notice must be provided via phone and not email.
• The guest will need to pay for a new booking if pick up is required at another time.
• The instructions for meeting your driver at the airport will be detailed on your arrival report. If you have not met the driver at the designated location within the expected time frame, the driver will leave the airport and the cost of your pre-paid APU will be non-refundable. A guest will be required to pay again if the driver needs to return to the airport to pick them up.
• If a guest cancels airport pickup 2 business days or less prior to arrival the student will forfeit all fees paid for the service.
• If the guest finds an alternate way to the homestay and the minimum notice period has not been given there will be no refund.
• If a guest cancels airport pickup more the 2 business days prior to arrival a full refund will be provided

Note: Business hours are between 9am and 5pm AEST.

Short Term Study Tours

Study Tours are generally paid in full prior to arrival and are arranged through a tour organiser for a set duration. Students can therefore not give notice to move out of homestay and a refund of homestay fees will not be permitted once the placement has commenced (normal pre-arrival policies around refunds will apply). Any changes should be requested through the tour organiser.

Approved Refunds:  

All approved refunds will be deposited into an Australian bank account.  No cash refunds will be processed.  If no Australian bank account is available we will refund via telegraphic transfer, an AU$30.00 service charge will be deducted from refund total. If the original payment was made by credit card we can refund back to the same card, a 3% service charge will be deducted from the refund total.

Refunds will be processed within 2 weeks after the guest has left homestay and appropriate bank details have been received.

AHN offers Guests the option to hold their room while they go on holiday. This means a Guest may keep their belongings in their designated room and pay 50% of the normal Homestay Fee. Room Holding guarantees no other Guests will stay in the room while the guest is away. The Host must agree to accept room holding rates while the guest is away.

The following rules apply to the Room Holding Policy:

1.    The Guest must be away for 7 nights or more. Full fees apply if the holiday is 6 days or less.

2. The Guest must notify AHN and their Host of their holiday plans at least 2 weeks prior to departure. Room holding fees will not be offered after the date of departure if notice has not been given.
3. The Guest must pay any applicable room holding fees plus 2 weeks of normal weekly Homestay Fees before the date of departure.
4. The Guest can leave their belongings in the room and it will not be used by the Host for other purposes.
5. The room will be held for the period agreed to prior to the Guest’s departure.
6. The Guest’s belongings will be covered by AHN insurance.
7. The Guest must notify AHN and the Host if there are any changes to their return date.

Complete AHN Terms & Conditions can be found here