Prior to your Homestay visit
Selection / Offer
Application, assessment and formal offers.
Oxford Language Nest homestay places were originally designed and made available for our online English language students who wanted to practice their English language in real-life situations. Consequently, we designed an immersive and cultural homestay programme based in Oxfordshire, offering a week-long programme that combined formal English language tuition, which is interactive and fun, with a cultural experience in the UK, visiting some of the most interesting and popular places and attraction in a safe and secure environment living with the tutor in a family home.
These places have become increasingly in demand as there are limited spaces available each year. As a result, we have designed a process to receive, assess and offer places based on the information provided.
Priority is given to students who are:
- Registered as an Oxford Language Nest online English language student.
- Previously attended an Oxford Language Nest homestay programme.
- Sibling or friend of an existing Oxford Language Nest student.
- International schools and organisations partnered with Oxford Language Nest.
After receiving Homestay applications from students worldwide, the admissions team at Oxford Language Nest will review all of these applications. Based on factors such as English proficiency levels, ages, interests and overall compatibility, we select approximately four students to participate in a particular homestay programme on a specific date. Student/parents will be contacted with a formal offer of a place or places on a homestay programme, hopefully of their choice. If the place is suitable for the student and accepted, an invoice is sent to confirm the place, and a non-refundable deposit is requested to secure the place.
This enrollment process ensures that the homestay programmes are well-balanced and suitable for each student, allowing us to match the most compatible students on each programme.
Often, a group of friends or colleagues decide they would like to book an entire homestay programme; the team will review this, and wherever possible, we will strive to accommodate such requests if we have the availability.
Homestay communication group.
Before the Homestay begins, we create a WhatsApp group for the parents or those interested in students who have booked a place on a Homestay programme. This is a very popular free service which provides a simple and convenient way for groups of students or their parents to share information about the homestay. While personal information can still be shared via email, the WhatsApp group is particularly beneficial for those with busy lives and those who do not have the opportunity to check their emails frequently. Suppose students on a homestay programme are not previously known to each other. In that case, it may be more appropriate for pictures and progress updates to be sent individually to parents via WhatsApp.
Travel
Arrival and departure plans.
We will coordinate the collection and departure of all Homestay students to minimise travel to your Homestay. If you are travelling as an unaccompanied minor, as part of a group, or as a solo traveller, we will collect you in one of our comfortable vehicles. This is when the Homestay begins!
