Homestay

Waitakere College offers a unique homestay accommodation service to international students.

We appoint our own staff to look after your academic needs and also to take care of your homestay situation and help make your stay in New Zealand a happy time.

Waitakere College arranges all homestays for our students. We check personally and arrange police vetting of all homestay families before students are placed with them, so that you can be assured of a safe and happy learning environment. We provide students with excellent care throughout their time in New Zealand and help them to become a “member” of a New Zealand family.

In special circumstances, the College may approve a person nominated by the student's parents to provide homestay.

The host parents escort students to and from College on the first day. They provide a separate bedroom, fully furnished with bed, wardrobe, desk, chair and reading light. All meals are provided including a cut lunch on school days, and laundry is done. Toiletries such as toothpaste, soap, shampoo, fresh linen and towels are provided but this does not include perfume or after shave lotion. Homestay families also take the student to see a doctor if they are ill.

Students are expected to observe some simple guidelines established by the College and the homestay parents. These concern the wishes and rules of the host family about matters such as the use of the telephone, helping with minor chores ( doing the dishes), keeping your room tidy and late night restrictions.

Waitakere College also oversees the financial management of the student’s accounts. This can incluede payment of a weekly allowance if required by parents.

Waitakere College maintains close links with students and their parents, sending reports about the student’s academic progress to natural parents and homestay parents, seeing that the student has the necessary items for school, including uniform and checking regularly with host families. The College has ready access to translators to help with communication in a range of languages.
Assistance is given with visas, student permits, airport transfers and arranging flights, medical insurance and doctor visits. Extra tuition and activities can be arranged along with other programmes, music lessons and English language tutoring.