Practical arrangements

How long should you book for?

We strongly advise you to book your accommodation for the whole of your course, unless you are certain that you only need it for part of your time with us. Homestay accommodation is normally only available for the duration of your course, so you should find alternative accommodation if you intend to arrive more than a day before your course start date or depart more than a day later than your course end date.

People sometimes book for just one month because they do not want to pay for the whole period in advance, or because they want to be able to leave if they are not happy. Since you can pay month by month, and can leave at any time with a full calendar week's notice, these are not reasons to book for a shorter period.

If you book your accommodation for only one month and then want to extend, it may not be possible for you to stay with the same family. This is another good reason for you to book your accommodation for the whole of your course.

Notification

We usually send accommodation details as soon as you book. This will include as short profile about your host family. When you arrive at the school you will be provided with a map showing the best way to reach your accommodation and the easiest route from your accommodation to the school.

If we have arranged for you to be collected from the airport we will tell your host family when you will be arriving you don't need to do anything. But if you are travelling independently please contact your host at least one week before arrival to confirm travel arrangements and planned arrival time. If you do not do so, they may not be at home when you arrive. If you have any problems doing so, please let us know and we will contact your host on your behalf. If you need help out of normal school hours please call us on the Accommodation 24 hour telephone number in your pack.

Paying for your accommodation

The school handles all payments to the host family. We will include your accommodation charges in the total fees quoted. You then make just one total payment to us and we do the rest we pay the family on your behalf, so you have nothing more to worry about.

Extending your stay

If you want to stay in your accommodation longer than you originally booked, it may be possible for you to do so. But this cannot be guaranteed, as it is possible that your room will be unavailable. If you do want to extend your stay, please come and tell us as early as possible