How to Become a Homestay Host in Australia: Step-by-Step Application Guide
Becoming a homestay host in Australia means opening your home to a young person from the other side of the world: someone who is excited, perhaps a little nervous, and about to have one of the most formative experiences of their life. You provide a private bedroom, home-cooked meals, and a welcoming environment; in return, you receive a weekly hosting payment and something harder to quantify but consistently described as genuinely life-enriching. Global experience has been making these matches since 1999, and our application process is designed to be straightforward, transparent, and supported every step of the way.
Who Makes a Great Homestay Host?
There is no single profile for a great homestay host. Our network of more than 6,500 host families across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and the Gold Coast includes retired couples, young families, single professionals, multicultural households, empty nesters and grandparents.
What matters most is not family structure, location or income. Warmth, patience and a genuine interest in welcoming someone from another part of the world are what define great hosts. If that sounds like you, you may be an ideal homestay host.
Who Can Become a Homestay Host in Australia?
Great homestay hosts come from many different households. You do not need to have children at home, or fit a traditional family model, to welcome an international student.
Our host community includes:
- Families with children who would like to give their children an intercultural experience at home
- Empty nesters with spare bedrooms after their children have moved out
- Single professionals who enjoy companionship as well as the additional income
- Multicultural households that understand the experience of arriving in a new country
- Retirees with the time, space and life experience to support and guide students
What matters most is not your family structure. Successful hosts are warm, reliable, patient and genuinely interested in helping students feel at home in Australia.
What Is Required to Become a Homestay Host?
A suitable private bedroom
Your student needs their own private, furnished bedroom with adequate natural light, ventilation, a comfortable bed, storage space for their belongings, and a study area or desk. The room cannot be shared with another adult or child without the student's prior consent.
A safe and welcoming home environment
Your home must be clean, well-maintained, and safe. All smoke detectors must be working. The home must have a usable kitchen, at least one functional bathroom, and common areas accessible to the student.
Background and identity checks
All adults living in the property must complete identity verification and a police background check. For households hosting students under 18, all relevant adults must hold a current Working With Children Check (WWCC) or state equivalent. Specific requirements vary by state. These checks are non-negotiable and are part of our duty of care to the students in our programme.
In-home inspection
Before your first placement, a member of the Global experience team will visit your home to conduct an inspection. This is a practical check to confirm the room meets our standards, discuss house rules, and answer your questions about the hosting process.
Meals
Standard homestay includes breakfast and dinner each day, as well as a light lunch on weekends. Hosts are expected to provide nutritious, home-cooked meals that meet their student's dietary requirements. We will share any dietary needs with you before the student arrives.
Language
Your home must be an English-speaking environment. This is fundamental to the purpose of homestay: students are placed with Australian families specifically to develop their English through daily conversation. You do not need to be a teacher or have any formal language training; you just need to be willing to speak naturally and patiently with your student.
The Step-by-Step Host Application Process with Global experience
Step 1: Submit your application
Complete our online host family application form. You will be asked to provide details about your home, your household, your availability, any dietary restrictions you are unable to accommodate, and your preferences around student gender, age, and nationality.
Step 2: Background checks
All adults in your household will need to complete identity verification and a police check. Our team will guide you through the specific requirements for your state. If you plan to host students under 18, Working With Children Checks are also required at this stage.
Step 3: In-home inspection
A member of our team will contact you to arrange a convenient time for your home inspection. The visit typically takes 30–60 minutes. We will check the student bedroom, bathroom, common areas, and general home condition. We will also use this time to discuss your household rules, meal routines, and any questions you have about the process.
Step 4: Approval and orientation
Once your application, checks, and inspection are complete, you will receive written approval as a Global experience host family. We will provide you with an orientation guide covering your responsibilities as a host, how to handle common situations, and how to contact us if any issues arise.
Step 5: Your first placement
We will notify you when a student has been matched with your household. You will receive the student's profile (including their nationality, age, course details, dietary requirements, and arrival information) before they arrive. We encourage hosts to make first contact with the student before arrival day to introduce themselves and confirm arrival logistics.
What to Expect as a Homestay Host
Most host family experiences are positive: students are respectful, curious, and grateful. But it helps to go in with realistic expectations.
Communication takes effort: Students with lower English levels may struggle to express their needs clearly. Patience and simple, clear English help enormously. Encourage them to ask questions, even if it takes a few attempts to understand.
Cultural differences are normal: Your student may have different norms around noise, mealtimes, bathroom sharing, or privacy. These differences rarely reflect disrespect. Our orientation materials help you anticipate and navigate the most common differences.
Some adjustment is expected: The first week is the hardest for most students. A student who is quiet or withdrawn in the first few days is usually managing homesickness and language anxiety. Most students open up significantly within two to three weeks.
We are here to help: If something is not working, contact our team. We act quickly and are experienced in resolving the situations that commonly arise in homestay placements.
Operating in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Gold Coast
Global experience operates host family programmes across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Gold Coast. We are particularly looking for host families in suburbs with reasonable public transport access to language schools and university campuses in each city.
Frequently Asked Questions: Becoming a Homestay Host in Australia
What do you need to become a homestay host in Australia?
To become a homestay host in Australia, you generally need a private furnished bedroom available for your student, a background check, a Working With Children check (if hosting under-18s), a home inspection by the provider, and the ability to provide a safe, welcoming English-speaking environment.
Do I need to own my home to become a homestay host in Australia?
Not necessarily. You may be able to become a homestay host if you are a tenant, provided your lease permits subletting or hosting additional occupants. You will need to check your lease agreement and obtain written permission from your landlord where required.
How much do homestay hosts earn in Australia?
Homestay hosts in Australia receive a weekly payment from the homestay provider for each student they host. For more detail, see our article on how much homestay hosts earn in Australia.
Can a single person become a homestay host in Australia?
Yes. Single professionals, couples without children, and older individuals whose children have left home are all eligible to apply as homestay hosts, provided they meet the property and vetting requirements.
How long does the homestay host application process take in Australia?
The homestay host application process with Global experience typically takes two to four weeks from initial application to approval, including the in-home inspection and background checks.
Ready to Join Our Host Family Community?
Over 6,500 Australian families are already part of the Global experience host community, welcoming students from Japan, South Korea, China, Latin America, and around the world into their homes. If you have a spare bedroom, an English-speaking household, and a genuine interest in sharing your life with a young person from another culture, we would love to hear from you.