Hosting Tips/FAQs

Absolutely! If you have the space, hosting two can be a great arrangement for your family and for the guests.

Absolutely! You will learn so much more about the world when you host people from different cultures. Some TVS families have hosted 10+ times!

On school days, you will take your guest(s) (students and adults) to school with your child/ren. Student guests will go to classes with a TVS student close in age or participate in on- or off-campus activities organized by the Global Education Director (host students the same age as their guests will be invited to participate in some of these activities); International Assistant Teachers will observe or teach classes or do independent research on campus.

Generally, your guest(s) will return to TVS from off-campus activities by 4PM and be ready to return home with your family after school. Most evenings, you will be free to do whatever your family normally does (including afterschool activities/lessons/homework/etc.).

The benefits of hosting for 4 or more weeks is that you really get to know your guest well (they will not be a “guest” when it is time to leave), and it is more likely that you will become lifelong friends or “family.” Families looking to grow close to an international guest should consider hosting for longer periods, especially our full-time international students who need a home for 10 months each year (August - May).

For other families, just getting a “taste” of what hosting is like may be better. You can still form close bonds, but if your family schedule is incredibly tight or you are new to hosting, short visits might be just right.

Minor guests (ages 18 and younger) should always have an adult present at home (with the exception of short errands) and should not be dropped off places without a host adult nearby. However, adult guests (Assistant Teachers and Teachers) can be home alone (including overnight), if you are comfortable with that arrangement. Contact other host families or the Director of Global Education to make arrangements as needed.

Group student guest activities during the school day and school lunches are covered by TVS Global Education. Meals and other activities with your family will be covered by you (including meals at restaurants, if you choose to eat out).

Assistant Teachers have longer stays (4-6 weeks) and will offer stipends of approximately $100 per week. Optional activities that you decide to do with your guest(s) should be covered by you.

Most days, your guest(s) will need breakfast and dinner (prepared by you or someone else). TVS Global Education will cover their lunches on school days. If you take your guest(s) to dinner, it is best to pay for them (but you can limit what they buy—just as you might your own children).

Part of the experience for our guests is experiencing life in the US, and no two families or homes are identical. If you have an extra bed and your family is interested in hosting, give it a try!

No problem! Almost all of our guests are here (in part) to improve their English, but some of them are quite fluent already (including our guests from China, Denmark, Germany, Mexico, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Switzerland). Even if they don’t speak much English, your family will get good at charades (and at Google Translate).

With student guests, there might be activities planned with the group that are optional for your child/family. We also intentionally give “free time with host families,” and you are free to do what you want to do or “normally” do on weekends—just include your guest! Do not feel that you need to “entertain” your guests all the time, especially Assistant Teachers who are here for four weeks or longer and may have work to do on weekends.

Throughout the entire hosting experience and before their arrival, the Director of Global Education will be your support 24/7 for troubleshooting illnesses/injuries, conflicts at home or school, etc. In the case of students, their teacher-chaperones will also be a constant support for you and the guests.

Two TVS Alumni Parents have also offered their services as pediatricians and can support you with illnesses or injuries. Contact the Director of Global Education for those details.

If a host family or guest becomes very uncomfortable, we will work with the guest and family to find a new home for the guest in a way that is best for all involved.