Living with a homestay family offers international students the opportunity to practice speaking the language every day and to immerse themselves in the local culture. Host families generally host 1 – 3 international students at a time, and are located within 30 minutes from the school by public transportation. Below you’ll find a list of frequently asked questions about homestays.

Will my homestay be near my school?

Most schools are located in the city center. Most host families live in the suburbs, further away from the schools. Expect to spend some time on public transport (tube, bus or train) to get to the school. The travel time depends on the city you choose. For example, in Edinburgh, you will get to the school within 30 minutes, but in Los Angeles, Dublin, and London, it may take up to an hour to get to school. In some locations, such as New York City, we have homestays closer to the school for which you pay a supplement. This option, however, is not guaranteed.

Will I get my own private room?

You can choose to book either a single room or a twin room in our host families or residence/apartments. If you book a twin room in a host family, you will be placed with another student of the same sex and of similar age. Each of you will have a single bed. We will always try and have you share the room/host family with students of other nationalities and different languages so that you can practice speaking the language you’re learning. We cannot, however, guarantee a nationality mix in our residence/apartments because of limited availability, especially during the peak summer months.

Is food included?

Most families offer meal plans. The most common option is “half board”, which means that you’ll get to to enjoy home-cooked breakfast and dinner at your host family. Different families offer different types of food. For example, in the United States, typical American diets consist of a light breakfast (juice and cereals) and a more substantial dinner (pizza, hamburger, meat and potatoes). If you have special dietary restrictions, please let us know in advance and we’ll let you know if your request can be accommodated. Most host families can accommodate kosher, halal and vegetarian diets, though some families charge a supplement for these special diets.

Can I change homestay if I don’t get along with my host family?

We work with our hosts all year round and we will try and match you up with the homestay best suited to you before your arrival. However, if you are unhappy at your homestay after arrival, we will look for another family for you if you have a valid reason. Please contact your accommodation coordinator at your school for housing issues.

Is accommodation included?

Accommodation is not included in the tuition fees. An accommodation placement fee may also be charged. We will let you know if this is the case when confirming your booking.

Can I take a language course without accommodation if I choose to stay with friends or family?

Yes, you may book a language course without housing. You will, however, need to supply us with the address where you will be staying and a contact number and address where you can be reached.

Can I live together with a friend in a host family?

You can request to stay together with a friend in the same host family, if your friend is studying at the same school. This request should be made at the time of booking.

Can my friend who is not studying at the same school stay with me in the same host family?

No. We can only arrange the same accommodation for students who are studying at the same school.

Can I stay in the homestay after I finish my course?

We can arrange an extra night if we have availability in our homestay or residence/apartments at the beginning of your stay or at the end. However, our accommodations are usually full and we can’t normally provide extended accommodation for students that aren’t currently studying with us at late notice.

Seattle Central Community College now offers an exciting new on-campus housing option for international students: The Studios on Broadway.

The Studios on Broadway are located directly across the street from Seattle Central Community College, only blocks away from shops, coffee shops, restaurants and movie theaters on Capitol Hill, one of Seattle’s most vibrant neighborhoods. This brand new, state of the art building offers 28 furnished apartments and houses up to 79 residents. Units come in a variety of sizes and floor plans, and can accommodate as few as two people, or as many as four. The building includes many great features, including laundry rooms on each floor, secured access, on-site maintenance, wireless internet access, views of beautiful Mt. Rainier and Cal Anderson Park, and optional parking or bike storage.

Starting Spring quarter 2010, the Studios on Broadway will provide short-term housing for new international students aged 18 or older when they first arrive in Seattle and enroll at Seattle Central. Students can live in The Studios on Broadway for a two quarter license period: Fall and Winter quarters or Spring and Summer quarters. Housing fees vary depending on the duration of the license period (5.5 months for the Spring/Summer or 6.5 months for the Fall/Winter) and the number of people per unit (2 to 4), and range from $4,385 to $5,515. Housing fees include utilities (electric, water, garbage, sewer, and high speed internet), as well as basic furniture and appliances (bed, desk, chair, clothes storage unit, stove and refrigerator). During each license period, information and resources are provided to residents to help them find and transition into permanent housing for the rest of their stay and studies at Seattle Central Community College.

Applying to live in the Studios on Broadway is easy! Once they have received their F-1 student visa, students can submit their Housing Preferences & Application Form. Applications for the Studios on Broadway are accepted each year starting April 15th for Fall/Winter quarters license periods or November 15th for Spring/Summer quarters license periods. Upon reception of a student’s housing application, our office will reply with a placement proposal and information on how students or parents can process payment by wire transfer to confirm and secure booking.

In order to help residents feel comfortable in their new environment, a mandatory orientation will be held after moving in. During this fun event, students will not only get a chance to meet other residents and develop a sense of community, but also review building rules and safety information, learn laundry and cooking tips, and receive valuable advice for living with roommates. Student residents will also be introduced to the staff of Community Assistants, a group of student workers who will be responsible for assisting them with getting used to living in the Studios on Broadway, check-in/check-out, and concerns. Detailed information about the new resident orientation will be provided to residents in their Acceptance Packet.

To learn more about The Studios On Broadway and Seattle Central Community College, please contact us.