Students will reside with the host family for an academic school year, approximately 10 months. Students entering the U.S. for the winter term will stay with the host for the remainder of the school year. Circumstances may arise where a new host will need to be selected. Example circumstances can be a student’s school transfer, host’s relocation, and a difference of personalities between student and host.

The host will need to be registered as the student’s guardian with the school in attendance. The school will notify the host with academic progress reports and forward permission slips (ex. field trip forms). The host would be required to attend parent/teacher conferences, and it is recommended that the host be present for student-involved activities.

Students contact HSF with a host request for a certain region. Compatible hosts are contacted by coordinators in order to exchange further details. Not all host candidates are guaranteed a homestay arrangement, however they are always eligible. A failed match does not hurt your chances of being considered for another student.

If a host is accepted by the student party, a future move-in date is arranged immediately, but the student may not move in until the start of the term. As the start of the term approaches, Heritage Student Foundation will contact the hosts with pick-up details (i.e. Airport arrangements).

Homestay-seeking students range from 13 to 18 years in age (7th to 12th grade).

Heritage Student Foundation prefers that a family does not host more than one student of the same nationality, with the exception of siblings and students from different countries.

The host is required to provide two daily meals, breakfast and dinner, during the school week, unless otherwise agreed upon. During the weekends and when school is not in session, three full meals must be provided.

Each student is required to have his/her own room furnished with a bed, linens, desk, chair, lamp, and closet or dresser. Host should provide essentials such as shampoo and conditioner, soap, toothpaste, and towels upon student’s arrival.

The majority of our students are from mainland China and South Korea.

An International student, who is not a US citizen or a permanent resident, is not eligible to attend public school in the US except several exceptions. Instead, the student can attend a private school which issues student visa to allow the student’s legitimate stay in the U.S.

Yes. In most cases, student wants to have his/her own room.
Host is required to provide basic furniture in the room including desk, chair, bed, bed sheet & blanket, drawer & coat closet, desk light.

The host family is compensated for the student’s room & board and transportation. With the addition of another member to the family, the cost of utilities will increase; the fee should cover these increases.

No. Nor is it likely that host applicants who have hosted before will be given preference over those who are hosting for the first time.

If school buses are not available to the school and host does not live within walking distance (15 min max), then host has to provide rides to/from the school. During weekend or even weekdays, student may need extra rides to attend school extracurricular activities, which must be pre-scheduled with the host. Estimated frequency of ride demands should be discussed with student and student’s parent(s) before homestay starts.

If you are selected to be a host for one of our student, Heritage Student Foundation will send you the student profile which includes any allergy or dietary restrictions information of the student. Most of our students do not have any dietary restrictions.

Most students under the program of Heritage Student Foundation come to the United States with the intention to graduate from an American high school. They are not exchange students who would stay in the United States for just one year.

The student mostly stays throughout the school years unless the student requests to transfer to another school in a different location or requests to move to another host family.

We introduce students to host families based on student’s requests through our student agency networks and our web site, so a certain time cannot be guaranteed. Heritage Student Foundation receives homestay requests through a large number of student agency network in Asia and our website.

Yes, you can. Each state has different curfew times for minors, but your curfew can be earlier than that. You may want to discuss with your student for the best curfew time for both.

Students are required to bring all their belongings back to their home countries in the summer. However, hosts are asked to keep their belongings for their short-term trips, especially in winter break or spring break.

No. The host candidate profile shows only the homestay description, all contact details are private and confidential and only disclosed after you have agreed to host a specific student. Other than the student party who may want to be hosted around your area, your information will be kept confidential and it will not be shared with any other parties.

Student is supposed to purchase own medical insurance thru his/her school or individually before the entry of US.