General Tips for Host Families

Most students will need a place to stay for anywhere from 3 to 6 days, depending on how early they arrive before the residence halls open (for undergraduate students) or how long it takes them to find an apartment (for graduate students). To protect families from students overstaying their welcome, I-Place policy limits the length of time a student can stay with a host family to a maximum of 5 nights (families who would like for their student to stay longer can contact I-Place to work out details).

While they stay in your home, I-Place staff and volunteers will be helping students with banking, social security cards, shopping, orientation sessions, and helping graduate students find permanent housing. However, those host families that are able to do so often enjoy assisting their student with these tasks, though I-Place does not expect families to do so. The amount of time your family spends with your student will depend on your own schedule and your family situation. While many host families spend a great deal of time with their student, some families are already very busy and have limited extra time.

General Expectations

• We request that hosts be prepared to provide at least bed and breakfast.
• If possible, we request that you drop your student off at I-Place in the morning, and then pick them up from I-Place at the end of the day. For those families that have scheduling or transportation difficulties, I-Place will be glad to help out.
• For undergraduate students moving into the residence halls, we request that you assist your student on move-in day.  For those families that are not able to assist their student on move-in day, I-Place will be glad to help out.
• We request that host families do not:
  • Loan their student money or make purchases on their student’s behalf
  • Allow their student to make direct long distance phone calls (students may need assistance using a calling card properly - calling cards are available at I-Place as well as any number of local stores)

First Contact

We encourage host families to send their student an e-mail of welcome. This provides our students with a level of comfort and allows host families and students to begin to get to know each other.

New Student Arrival

Most new students participating in our host family program also take advantage of our airport pickup service. While we send arrival information to host families ahead of time, we also need to be prepared for flight delays, traffic delays and the time it may take our driver to pick other new students who may be arriving the same day. Our airport pickup drivers will call host families with arrival updates. Generally, students arriving during office hours will come directly to I-Place where hosts can pick them up. Families that are unable to do that can contact I-Place to let us know and we’ll make arrangements to get them to you. For those students arriving after office hours, we usually take them directly to the host family unless the family prefers to meet them at I-Place.

Tips for the First Day

Some students are wide awake; others are exhausted. Some are hungry, some not. Stocking up on fruit and breads could satisfy a midnight hunger attack.

• Show the student around your house, explaining how things work such as faucets, gas stove, etc. Appliances, in particular, vary a lot around the world.
• Share your household rules (e.g. no smoking in the house). Many students are too polite to ask about basic things, so take time to talk about family patterns, such as if it’s OK for them to watch TV if the family isn’t, etc.
• Ask them if they have any particular dietary or other needs so you can accommodate them to the extent possible.