Every young person in life deserves the opportunity for a wonderful and fulfilling education, and at The University of York, the thinking remains very much the same as they continue to support young adults from all over the world to be the best possible version of themselves through high-quality teaching, excellent facilities and outstanding pastoral care.

Located in the beautiful cathedral city of York, the university, which has built up quite the impressive reputation over the years and gained a whole array of admirers from the local community and further beyond, are currently running a campaign looking to recruit both individuals and families to provide a homestay for some of their international visiting students.

Matt Smelt-Webb, Head of York Courses at the university, spoke to us about why the campaign is simply a brilliant initiative to be part of.

"Hosting is not only a great way of making money from a spare room, it is also a fantastic opportunity to have an enriching international experience at home. As host, you learn about different cultures and lifestyles – and students may even offer to cook a traditional meal!

It’s also a great way to provide a warm welcome to often first-time visitors to York and the UK. Some hosts have developed lifelong connections with their students and have visited their students back in their home country and even attended weddings!"

We also sat down with Laura Seymour, a Facilities Manager for the NHS who spoke with immense pride about her experience of providing accommodation, what it involved and the underlying benefits that came with it.

“Six months before the covid pandemic, myself and my partner came across an advert on Facebook looking for host families and after a successful interview, we decided to go ahead with housing a student as we lived locally and had the extra space available.

Our first student stayed with us for six weeks from Japan. The first day they arrived it entailed picking them up from the university, making them feel comfortable and showing them round the house and helping them with things like arranging their bus pass, how to book trains and going over any protocols, but for the most part, they were highly independent and the only things you really have to do is make their meals throughout the day and do their washing.

I found it so refreshing to be in their company as you learn about different cultures and I enjoy meeting new people, as we’ve also had students from Hong Kong, The Netherlands and France and become good friends with them and kept in contact with them after their studies, along with earning some extra income which of course, is more valuable than ever with the current energy bills.

From a student point of view, it saves them having to go live in a hotel or halls and they get to experience English culture up close and personal in terms of how we live, what foods we eat, our home environment, our routines and when they leave, they often say the experience is very different to how they would learn about English people, which, in my eyes, is only beneficial for them both academically and personally.”

Not to mention that homestay partners are paid up to a lucrative £178 per week and courses can range from one week to four months, with a typical stay being four weeks.

So, if you are looking for a thoroughly rewarding change heading into 2023 and beyond, then look no further than becoming a host for an international student.

For more information on the requirements needed for providing a homestay or to fill out an application, visit: www.york.ac.uk/hosting

Phone: 01904 322846

Email: cgp-shortcourses@york.ac.uk

Address: Heslington, York, YO1O 5DD