Becoming a Homestay Host for NILE

NILE is always seeking friendly and reliable hosts to offer a warm welcome to our English language teachers, trainers and language professionals, and provide them with a 'home-from-home'. It is important that our hosts treat our clients as guests in their home and not as lodgers. Our clients choose homestay accommodation to experience British culture and to converse in English outside of the classroom.

A typical NILE participant is an adult professional with a good level of English, and stays in Norwich between 2 and 4 weeks.

NILE also organises a few longer-term homestays each year for INTO students at UEA doing preparation courses for further university studies in the UK. Occasionally, some NILE hosts also welcome younger teacher trainees and language learners.

Homestay in Norwich - Chinese teachers with host

As a NILE host, you will offer a comfortable study-bedroom, breakfast and dinner each day and a light lunch at weekends. You will need to provide weekly room cleaning, bed linen & towels. You should also live within walking distance of, or on a good bus route to, the city centre or UEA. In return, you will enjoy the full support of our experienced Accommodation Team and good rates of pay, as well as great company and a rewarding cultural exchange.

For more information, please email our Accommodation Team:


Email the accommodation team

What our hosts have to say:

Anna: "Hosting students from NILE has given me a second sense of purpose. Having students to host and share meals with has been really enjoyable for me as my husband works in the evenings. I have been to stay in Lyon with one of the French teachers we hosted. We also chat regularly by phone and she is planning on coming to stay with us next year. NILE also offers a fabulous social programme, so it isn’t our responsibility to take students on trips unless we want to. This makes it a perfect balance, so hosting is fun and not too arduous. It is also a useful second income stream."

Joan: "There are many benefits to hosting NILE guests, lovely conversations; humorous anecdotes. The sharing of culture recipes and local stories. Cultural exchange is a big one for me. How many individuals can learn about other cultures from the comfort of their own living room in real time? It is an added bonus keeping in touch, exchanging parcels and at times having visits as guests become friends.”

 

Download Host information   Download the HOST Questionnaire & Contract

NILE Host Terms & Conditions

 

FAQ's for Hosts

Absolutely! We believe all kinds of people can provide suitable homes for our visitors. As long as your home offers a safe, welcoming and warm environment then you can be a host, regardless as to whether you live alone, are a single parent or a couple with or without children.
 
  • A warm and welcoming home
  • A single bedroom with a comfortable bed, chair, a desk or table and somewhere to hang clothes
  • Breakfast and evening meal each day with a light or packed lunch on weekends
  • Clean towels and bed linen with laundry once a week
  • A door key for each student
  • Sensitivity to your guests' needs and culture with communication and encouragement to help them improve their English
Yes! You will receive £33 per guest per night directly into your bank account.
No. Most of our visitors will arrange their own transportation and are asked to contact their hosts before they arrive to introduce themselves and inform you of their arrival time. For those arriving in a group we will often help them with their transport for arrivals and departures. During their time here all visitors are expected to make their own way to and from their classes and social programme events.
If you are going somewhere you are able to invite your guest to then please do so. It is a lovely chance for them to integrate with your life and experience British culture. However, this is not an expectation as all our visitors are provided with a social programme of evening events and weekend visits. These may include afternoon tea, a boat trip on the Norfolk broads and even a visit to London or Cambridge.
Our application form is designed to enable you to clearly state your preferences, which will also be discussed during a visit from one of our Accommodation Team. Before each person is placed with you we will phone you to ask your availability and to tell you as much as we can about that person. We take great care in matching students with a host as it is crucial they get the most from their time in Norwich and that you enjoy having them to stay.
To meet current legislation we do need you to provide a gas certificate annually. This is a Landlord / Home owner gas safety certificate which is a legal requirement when you have paying guests. We will also require you to carry out a fire risk assessment. This is a very easy thing to do and we will provide you with an information pack with a simple and short guide on making your premises safe from fire.
This will be a requirement if you host students under the age of 18, but it is a simple process which we can help you with, if you do not already have one. NILE will carry out an initial check and recommend you then sign up to the updating services for £16.00 a year. We will also request two references. For more information visit the Gov.UK website.
You are given full support from our Welfare and Accommodation Teams so you are never alone. We are always here to help, offer advice and support. If you have a problem you cannot solve you can contact us anytime. We offer a 24-hour emergency service during courses.
All you need to do is complete and return our application form. Once we have received it a member of the Accommodation Team will contact you to arrange a mutually convenient time to visit you at home. During the visit we will talk more about hosting, have a look at the accommodation you can provide and answer any questions you may have. After that we will begin matching guests to you based on their needs and your preferences. If you have questions you want answers to before you return the form please do not hesitate to contact us.

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