Unlock the world from your own home
You don’t need a passport to experience the world – just a spare room and an open heart.
When you host an international high school student, you help make their dream come true. But the biggest surprise? How much they give back. The laughter. The late-night talks. The refreshed way you’ll see your own life and culture – through their eyes.
Why families host with Educatius
A Global Experience at Home
Every dinner conversation becomes a window into another country. Whether you have kids or not, it’s a meaningful way to learn, grow, and bond across cultures.
Support Your Local High School
Educatius students pay tuition to attend local public or private schools—bringing in funding that benefits classrooms and programs in your community.
Exceptional Support (Really)
You’re never on your own. Our local coordinators, full-time support staff, and multilingual student care team are here when you need us. Plus, our resilience training helps students and host families navigate challenges together.
Monthly Stipend
Because Educatius operates an F-1 visa program—not J-1 volunteer-based exchange—our host families receive a monthly stipend to help cover the cost of meals and housing.
Who can host?
Empty nester? Single parent? Retiree? Great.
Families come in all shapes and sizes – and so do our hosts. If you can provide a safe, welcoming home and genuine interest in a young person’s experience, we’d love to talk.
You can host for a semester, a school year, or even a few weeks as a welcome family.
Stories from our families
Meet the Students
Our students are 14–18 years old, speak English, and are carefully selected for their maturity and readiness. They’re curious, open-minded, and excited to be part of your life.
They come from 50+ countries -Italy, Thailand, Norway, Brazil, Vietnam, and beyond. Many become true members of the family for life.
Be a Local Coordinator
As a Local Coordinator, you will place international students with host families and be the backup support if the family is traveling without the student or if there is a crisis. These relationships have proven to be very rewarding for our Local Coordinators, who truly make a difference in these people’s lives.
Read moreFrequently asked questions
We welcome applications from all kinds of families—young kids; old kids; no kids; 2 parents, single parent. There is no ‘typical’ family!
To ensure the quality of the experience for both families and students, the household must be English-speaking. Families are required to offer the student a bedroom with their own bed and closet/dresser, as well as a quiet place to study and three meals a day. Students may share a bedroom but only if it is large enough to accommodate both comfortably.
Our application and interview process includes a criminal background check.
Yes! If your family can’t commit to hosting for a full year or semester, you can become a “Welcome Family” and host a student upon their arrival for 6-8 weeks while we work to secure a long-term home for the student in the same community!
Our students are between the ages of 14-18 years old, and they speak English. Before they’re accepted into one of our programs, they must submit comprehensive applications with personal, academic and health records. All students must be accepted into a school prior to being matched with a family. They are fully insured with medical and other liability policies. During their program, students are required to maintain good academic records and performance.
Yes, many families host two international students at a time. However, the students must speak different native languages to ensure they’ll only use English in your home. In the USA, UK and Ireland, students may share a bedroom but only if it is large enough to accommodate both comfortably.
We have a lot of experience in placing students with families, and we provide extensive support throughout the year, beginning with an orientation to prepare for the student’s arrival as well as 24/7 local and national support, with an emergency hotline. We will try and work through adjustment issues that can be common. However, if the placement does not work out satisfactorily, Educatius assumes responsibility to move the student to another family.
Unlike J-1 exchange organizations, we are allowed to provide our host families with a monthly stipend per student to help offset associated expenses.
Curious? Let’s Talk.
No pressure. No commitment. Just a friendly chat with someone who can answer any question you have.
