WHAT IS A HOST FAMILY?
WHAT IS A HOST FAMILY?
A host family offers more than just a bed and meals — they offer care, conversation, and a place where a student can truly feel at home.
When students come to the UK from overseas, it can be a big step. Our host families help make that transition smoother by providing a calm, welcoming space during weekends, holidays, and times when boarding houses are closed. They’re the steady presence students can count on — like having a trusted extended family nearby.
We take time to get to know all our host families and match each student thoughtfully, considering location, personality, and preferences. Every student has their own room, space to study, and is included in everyday family life.
Some of our hosts have worked in education, others simply enjoy offering a warm welcome to someone new. All of them share the same goal — to create a safe, happy environment where young people feel settled and supported.
Here’s how it all works — explained simply in our short video –
WHY DO GUARDIANS NEED HOST FAMILIES FOR THEIR STUDENTS?
In the UK, with students studying in Boarding Schools, it is often not known in the beginning that the schools actually close, and all the staff, and students go home. This is for exeat weekends (known as leave out weekends), usually one a month, and then the longer school holidays known to us as half terms, Easter, and Christmas.
This is where the VITAL part of the Guardianship chain comes in. The host family!
Whereas most UK students can go back home, or to family members. The vast majority of International Students do not have this option.
What do we need?
In this circumstance, where students cannot go home, we need a home from home, to hopefully visit in each school holiday and to build a strong relationship with. Particularly where it is too long to fly back overseas due to travel time or quarantine restrictions. We are fortunate that we have already found many, lovely host families we can rely on – however we are always needing more.
Kind, caring, welcoming environment and a good place to sleep/study
Overall, we need people who care for the student, and provide them with a comfortable environment to relax and study, to get to know the student, and make them feel at home.
Be prepared for an emergency
We understand that not all plans can be kept, and also things happen. We may need to place a student in an emergency – such as:
- a flight being delayed and it being too late for the school to accept them into house.
- a student feeling unwell and needing to move from the school temporarily
- a school dormitory needing to be closed
We have a selection of emergency hosts who are available at short notice for these very situations, but we don’t expect all hosts to take on this responsibility.
WHEN WILL A HOST FAMILY BE USED FOR MY CHILD?
In summary, they will be used in the following situations.
Exeat Weekends
Typically Friday afternoon until Sunday evening - it is a perfect opportunity for the student to relax, re-group or to catch up with some prep work. As Guardian, we will know already if your child's chosen school has exeat weekends, and will have planned this host family stay into the term.
Longer School Holidays
As mentioned in our guide on the British Education System. Schools in the UK have half terms, and then longer holidays at Easter and Christmas. These range between 8 and 16 nights. We will work with you to pick a suitable host family for these holidays.
Emergencies
As mentioned above - the unexpected may happen, and the student may need to stay with a host family in an emergency. We are fully prepared and contactable to make this arrangement if it is needed. This is part of the AEGIS accreditation we hold.
WHAT ARE OUR YES GUARDIANS FAMILIES LIKE?
Our host families offer a variety of accommodation styles. Some students prefer to share a twin room with another student, while others like their own space. Some request a private bathroom, and some are happy to share.
We understand that every student is different — and we wouldn’t be very good guardians if we didn’t! That’s exactly why we work with a diverse range of host families to suit a wide range of needs.
All of our hosts are genuine family homes, with someone living in situ. We never place a student on their own. Each student must have their own bedroom — or share with one other — and a quiet area to study, whether that’s a desk in the room or a dedicated space in the house.
We’re proud to be awarded Gold Standard accreditation from AEGIS — the highest benchmark for guardianship excellence in the UK. This reflects our commitment to safe, supportive, and outstanding care for every student we look after.
As a YES Guardians family, here’s what you can expect — not just a service, but a community. Our support spans every aspect of a student’s UK journey, and we’ve grouped our care into four key areas:
WHAT’S LIFE LIKE WITH A HOST FAMILY?
We encourage our host families to share mealtimes with students — it’s a chance to chat in English, connect, and learn more about each other’s cultures. When study allows, hosts may also invite students to join simple family activities like a walk or trip into town.
Some families go further, organising fun outings like bowling, badminton, horse riding, or even paddleboarding. Others involve students in cooking or playing games — and from feedback, these simple moments often make the biggest impact.
Our goal is always the same: to ensure a student’s time in a host home feels like an enriching extension of their UK experience, not a disruption.
All host homes must have good Wi-Fi, heating, and a welcoming space where students can relax and study. Clean, warm, and spacious homes are a given — and we love when hosts add personal touches, like snacks from the student’s home country or celebrating birthdays and cultural holidays.
Many homes also have pets, which is common in the UK — but we always match students based on preferences and allergies.
IS BEING A HOST FAMILY FOR ME?
Our host families come from all walks of life — from young professionals to retired couples, with or without children. What unites them is the care they show in welcoming students into their homes.
If you can offer a spare room, full board (breakfast, lunch and dinner), and a warm, supportive environment, then yes — becoming a host family could be a perfect fit for you.
It’s more than just offering a place to stay. It’s the chance to form lifelong connections, learn about new cultures, and support a young person through one of the most exciting and formative times of their life.
We’ve experienced it firsthand — having hosted students ourselves for over 10 years. And the feedback we receive from students speaks volumes about how much they value their host families.
We’re incredibly proud of our YES Family — a wonderful community of hosts and students alike.
OUR YES FAMILY
At YES Guardians, we see both our students and our host families as part of one big extended family — the YES Family.
We’re proud to support students and hosts from all across the UK, helping them thrive through our tailored Guardianship. While we don’t currently partner with schools in Ireland, it’s something we hope for in the future.
Our host families are at the heart of what we do. Without their warmth, support, and generosity, none of this would be possible — and we’re endlessly grateful for them.
Together, they form a strong, reliable network, ready to support schools and students in every situation.
