Living Accommodations with an American Family
$925 for 4 weeks, placement fee $150
ILI's Homestay Program offers our F-1 visa students the opportunity to learn, first-hand, how Americans live and work. Often, the friendships which develop among students and their American host families last a lifetime. Homestay students live in comfortable houses in residential neighborhoods within normal commuting distance from ILI. Each host family has been carefully selected and interviewed by the Homestay Coordinator. All of our Homestay families live close to public transportation. A common commute door-to-door in the DC area can take between 30-75 minutes. If you arrive on the weekend (Saturday or Sunday before 9 pm), your host family may meet you at the airport and take you to their home. Otherwise, please arrange a time to meet your host family at their house. Homestay includes a private bedroom, breakfast every day and dinner five days per week.
To apply for Homestay, simply fill out the online Homestay Application below or download and print the paper Homestay application. Please remember to be very specific and thorough. Your answers will help us to find the most compatible host family for you.
Homestay Rules and Policies:
- Applicant must be 18 years of age or older.
- Applicant must be enrolled as an F-1 visa student in our Intensive English Program at ILI.
- Applicant is responsible for the cost of commuting on public transportation to and from school. Please note: commute to school can take anywhere from 30 minutes to 75 minutes door-to-door, which is a very common commute in the DC area.
- Applicant must be covered by health and accident insurance during Homestay. It is not our responsibility to provide such insurance. However, we do have application forms and information for our students. While we do not endorse the following health insurance company, we have been referring many international students to the Compass Benefit Group.
- Applicant gives permission to the Host Family to arrange for any emergency treatment if necessary and takes full responsibility for the cost of such care.
- Applicant agrees to arrange a time to meet the Host Family at their house.
- Applicant agrees not to remain with the Host Family if no longer enrolled at ILI.
- Applicants wishing to withdraw before the scheduled end date of Homestay are required to give ILI at least a one-week cancellation notice before their intended last day in Homestay. If the one-week cancellation notice is not given or the student does not start Homestay as scheduled, the charge of 1 week of Homestay at the current weekly rate is payable to ILI.
- Homestay includes breakfast every day and dinner five days per week.
- Homestay may not be provided for students with special problems or requirements, including but not limited to any medical, physical or dietary issues. Such problems or requirements must be indicated on the application; otherwise ILI reserves the right to terminate the applicant’s Homestay at any time.
- ILI does not honor requests for Host Families of a specific race, religion, or ethnic background. In addition to traditional two-parent families, Host Families may include single-parent families, couples without children and single adults.
- ILI is not responsible for any damage, illness, or injury incurred during the Homestay period.
- ILI can arrange airport pick-up and drop-off service if the applicant's flight information has been sent to ILI at least one week in advance. The cost of airport pick-up or drop-off is $100 (from Dulles-IAD and Reagan-DCA airport) or $125 (from Baltimore-BWI airport) payable by the applicant to ILI in advance. For a less costly solution, we recommend Supershuttle.
- The Homestay Placement fee of $150 is non-refundable, unless ILI is unable to place the student with a Homestay family in which case the fee will be refunded to the applicant.
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