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Parent Nominated Homestay

A Parent-Nominated Homestay is a Homestay host family that is known to the parents of an underage student and that they want their child to live with. This Family could be friends or relatives of the parents.

Before the underage student is allowed to move in and live with a Parent-Nominated Homestay, they must first apply for approval from the school/university.

As part of this approval process, Study Vision will:

  • conduct a thorough home inspection 
  • confirm that all members of the Homestay who are over 18 years of age have a valid Working With Children Check
  • ensure that the host family is fully aware of their duties and responsibilities in hosting an underage student

Study Vision will then advise the school as to the suitability of the Parent-Nominated Homestay to host the underage student at their home.

The underage student can only move in to live with the Parent-Nominated Homestay once the school has approved.

Who should complete the Parent-Nominated Homestay form?

This form is to be completed and signed by the parents of the U18 student who wish to nominate a distant relative or close family friend as a “Parent-Nominated” Homestay. The form should also be signed by the Nominated Homestay. A copy of the completed and signed form should be sent to Study Vision to initiate the approval process.

What are the conditions for approval of a Parent-Nominated Homestay?

Parent-Nominated Homestays must:

  1. be well known to and trusted by the underage student and their parents.
  2. Be willing to take care of the student and be responsible for the welfare of the U18 student in their care.
  3. meet all Study Vision’s requirements and responsibilities outlined in this document for the duration of the student’s stay in the home
  4. successfully complete a home inspection by Study Vision

What are the Nominated Homestay’s responsibilities?

Nominated Homestays approved by Study Vision must:

  • maintain a paid employment Working With Children Check (WWCC) clearance and ensure that all adult individuals residing in or visiting the home for a week or longer, as well as all adult individuals that have regular contact with the student must have a current volunteer WWCC clearance and submit evidence to Study Vision within 7 days
  • welcome the student into the home and include the student in family activities
  • treat the student in the same manner as all other family members regarding access to food and provide meals as per Study Vision’s requirements.
  • familiarise the student with the local area upon arrival, and provide ample advice on safety awareness
  • provide the student with keys and any passcodes required to have free access to the home
  • ensure the student is cared for and supervised at all times by the approved Nominated Homestay, including holiday periods if the student does not return to their home country
  • continue to provide care to the student in the event of any changes to the student’s enrolment, until all new welfare arrangements are finalised
  • attend school/university meetings, including enrolment interviews, parent/teacher interviews, subject selection meetings and other compulsory school/university meetings
  • assist the student to settle into their school/university and understand and follow school/university rules, including meeting attendance and course progress requirements
  • assist the student to seek any necessary medical attention and ensure proper medical certification is provided to the school/university, including all necessary vaccination records
  • inform Study Vision and the school/university in the event of any problems or issues, including:
    • curfew breaches (Each school/university has their own curfews and leave approval procedures. These will be included in the Nominated Homestay training). Host families need to keenly remember the curfew hours and procedure to report breaches, as mandated by the school/university of the underage student. 
    • student misbehaviour
    • students not settling into their new environment or adjusting to life in Australia
    • illness or medical emergency, including positive COVID-19 test results, involving the student or Nominated Homestay members.
    • breaches of agreed house rules
    • student absence from the home
    • student plans for unsupervised travel or holidays that occur during school term. Note: Any travel plan by the student needs to be reported to Study Vision and the school before it takes place, and as soon as it is known.
  • provide four weeks’ notice to Study Vision before the Nominated Homestay is temporarily or permanently unable to care for the student, so that alternative living arrangements can be made for the student by Study Vision
  • notify Study Vision and the school/university of any:
    • change in people living in the home, including visitors who may be regular or staying for longer than a week
    • renovations affecting the number of rooms in the home or disrupting daily life
    • intention to change address or contact details, such as phone and email address
    • change to the family arrangements, for example, marriage breakdown or if additional people move into the home
    • event or incident that would potentially impact on the Nominated Homestay’s ability to meet all of Study Vision’s requirements
  • attend compulsory training provided by Study Vision.

What are the minimum standards that the home must meet?

The home of an approved Nominated Homestay must:

  • be clean, with appropriate living and dining areas, kitchen, bathroom and laundry facilities for the student’s use
  • provide a safe and secure bedroom, with a window to the outside, for the student’s sole use, and providing their own:
    • bed
    • adequate lighting for study
    • desk 
    • wardrobe
    • chair 
    • heating in winter and cooling in summer
  • have facilities and appliances that comply with government regulations regarding safety standards
  • provide wireless internet access for study purposes at no additional cost to the student
  • be available for school/university interviews, as required by the school/university
  • be available for home inspections on a 6-monthly or annual basis or at any time, as required by Study Vision, to ensure that the home continues to meet Study Vision’s requirements
  • not have more than three international students of any age in the home at the same time. All international students residing at the Nominated Homestay must be of the same gender.
  • not have more than two persons in the student’s room (same gender and only at the parents’ request); each person in this room must have a separate bed, desk, chair and wardrobe.
  • not have any boarders staying at the home.

Who can be approved?

Nominated Homestays must:

  • be 25 years of age or older
  • have an Australian residency status that will cover the duration of the student’s studies or until the student turns 18 – whichever comes first
  • be able to be at home every night and to prepare dinner and provide supervision and support to the student at night
  • be able to provide a supportive family environment
  • not be on a student visa
  • not be on a guardian visa

What are the fees?

Our Annual Inspection Fee is $365. This is not refundable once paid.

There is also a $40 per week Monitoring Fee. This will be invoiced every 4 weeks, and must be paid until the student turns 18 or moves out of the nominated homestay.

What is the process for approval?

In order to be approved as a Homestay Host for a student, Study Vision will need to conduct a Homestay Inspection & Interview, to determine if you will be a qualified host. 

  1. Complete our Parent-Nominated Homestay Application Form
  2. All family members aged 18 years or older will require valid Working With Children Checks from their state. For details on how to apply for a Working With Children Check in your state, please click here (please refer to the State and Territory Requirements section of this page relevant to your state/territory)
  3. The Nominated Homestay must have an up to date Insurance Policy with 20 million dollars Public Liability and Home Contents cover. The Policy must include the wordings that it “Covers Paying Guests”
  4. Study Vision will issue you an invoice for the Nominated Homestay Inspection Fee and first 6 months Weekly Monitoring Fee.
  5. Once the fee has been paid, complete Study Vision’s Homestay Application Form.
  6. Study Vision will then arrange a homestay inspection and interview. If all requirements are met, Study Vision will notify the school/university that the nominated homestay is approved. The school/university will then issue the documents necessary for the student to apply for their visa; or if the student is already in Australia, the school will provide approval for the student to move in with the Nominated host.
  7. If the homestay does not meet the requirements, they can request a new inspection and interview after making the necessary improvements. A second Nominated Homestay Inspection Fee will need to be paid.
  8. Continued approval requires:
    1. the home to be inspected by Study Vision on a 6-monthly or annual basis, or at any time as required by the school/university, to ensure the home continues to meet their requirements. An annual Nominated Homestay Inspection Fee applies, until the student reaches 18 years of age. If the nominated host changes address during a year, an inspection of the new property will need to be requested immediately, and an additional Nominated Homestay Inspection Fee will apply.
    2. the Nominated Homestay to fulfil their responsibilities and obligations.

Study Vision and the school/university reserve the right to remove students from the Parent Nominated Homestay if there are any breaches of Study Vision or the school/university’s requirements or concerns regarding the welfare or safety of a student.