Student Exchange / Host Families

Study Abroad United Kingdom makes very careful checks when finding host families for exchange students.

We interview all host families in our student exchange program in their own home and make checks into their background, occupations and lifestyle.

Our interviews are comprehensive and thorough and host families have to complete a large amount of documentation.
Study Abroad United Kingdom makes careful checks to see that host families in the UK offer a friendly, safe and comfortable place to stay.

A lot of our host families in the United Kingdom (Great Britain) have hosted many times before. They have much experience of hosting and can offer help and support to exchange students.

Study Abroad United Kingdom employs a team of trained host family assessors to find a suitable host family for our exchange students.

What Are Host Families Like?

Study Abroad United Kingdom works hard to place exchange students with host families where we believe you will be happy and settled.

Study Abroad United Kingdom does everything possible to match students with families who have similar hobbies and interests, share the same outlook on life or offer a warm and supportive environment.

Study Abroad UK considers the preferences of students when selecting host families. Some students prefer to stay with an older family, other students prefer a younger family, or wish to join a family with children. Some students wish to live with a family which lives near to their school. Other students wish to live with a family with certain hobbies or interests, like sports or horse riding.

Study Abroad United Kingdom always take time and effort to find what we believe is the best host family for our students.

Study Abroad United Kingdom selects a wide range of host families - host families may live in houses, bungalows or apartments; host families may work or be retired; host families may have children and pet animals or they may not.

VIEW A HOST FAMILY PROFILE HERE

Host families may be different, but all our host families provide students with:
1. Full board accommodation (3 meals a day - breakfast, packed lunch and evening meal)
2. A clean and comfortable place to stay
3. Your own bed and storage space for personal items
4. Accommodation within proximity of school/college/work, etc

Many host families provide students with much more than the minimum, and treat students as part of their family!

Standard Of Living

Exchange students who study in the United Kingdom enjoy a good standard of living.

Great Britain is one of the richest and most prosperous countries in the world.

Host families in the United Kingdom have a number of domestic appliances in their home.

  • Nearly all host families have a television set
  • Over 90% of host families in the UK have a video recorder, DVD and/or CD player
  • Nearly 60% of host families in the UK have a personal computer (and the number is rising fast)
  • Over 70% of host families in the United Kingdom have a car
  • Over 20% of host families in the United Kingdom have two or more cars

Houses

Exchange students who study in the United Kingdom enjoy a high standard of host family accommodation.

Host family accommodation in the United Kingdom compares favourably with host family accommodation in the rest of Europe.

Most host families in the UK live in houses. In comparison, most host families in other countries in Europe live in flats or apartments.

  • 90% of host families in the UK live in towns and cities
  • Most host families in the UK live in suburbs only a short distance from city centres
  • 80% of host families in the UK live in houses
  • There are many different styles of house in the UK
  • - Modern, large detached and semi-detached houses
  • - Traditional terraced houses
  • - One storey houses, called bungalows
  • Whatever style of house, most have the following as a minimum:
  • - Living room
  • - Dining room
  • - Kitchen
  • - 2 or 3 Bedrooms
  • - 1 or 2 Bathrooms
  • - Small garden or courtyard

Food

Exchange students living with a host family in the United Kingdom receive three meals a day minimum - breakfast, packed lunch and evening meal.

Diet is changing in the Great Britain (United Kingdom).

Many host families in the United Kingdom prefer healthier options than traditional English food.

For breakfast, many host families in the United Kingdom prefer to eat toast or cereals with tea and coffee. Some host families occasionally eat a traditional English breakfast of fried bacon and eggs.

For lunch, host families in the United Kingdom provide exchange students with a packed lunch, which students have at lunchtime at school. The contents of a packed lunch vary, but usually include sandwiches, a packet of crisps, a piece of fruit or confectionary and a soft drink.

For evening meals, host families in the United Kingdom often serve a mixture of traditional English food and international cuisine. A traditional English meal includes meat and two vegetables, fish and chips or pie and chips. However, tastes are changing. Nowadays, many host families in the United Kingdom eat food from different countries. Spaghetti, pasta, rice, pizza, salads and Indian cuisine are just as likely to be served for evening meal as traditional foods. Curry is now the most popular food in the UK. Curry is an Indian dish of meat or vegetables cooked in a sauce of hot tasting spices, served with rice.

Family Life

Exchange students often find that family life in the United Kingdom is similar to their own country and way of life.

If an exchange student lives with a host family who work, it is often the case that the working day lasts from 9am to 5pm.
Students will usually have breakfast with the host family before they go to work, between 7am and 8am.

After breakfast, students will usually collect their packed lunch from the host family before they go to school.

Students usually have an evening meal with their host family after work, between 5pm and 7pm.

If an exchange student lives with a host family who have children, the children will attend school. School usually starts at 9am and lasts until around 4pm.

School is compulsory in the United Kingdom until 16 years old. However, teenagers in the United Kingdom often decide to study for a place at university and stay at school for another 2 years, until they are 18 years old. In recent years, the number of teenagers in the UK who study at university has increased very much. Nearly 33% of teenagers in the UK aged 18 years study at university.

Most young people in the United Kingdom walk to school or use public transport. This is less expensive than driving a car. Few teenagers in the United Kingdom own a car. In the UK, you need to be 16 years old to drive a motorcycle and 17 years old to drive a car.

Buses and trains in the United Kingdom are reliable, regular and cover all main local and national routes.
Most young people in the United Kingdom own a mobile phone to contact family and friends.

In the evening and weekends, teenagers in the UK enjoy music, television, cinema, theatre, surfing the Internet and shopping.

Some young people in the United Kingdom like to play sports and many teenagers in the United Kingdom watch football (or soccer) in public venues or on television at home.