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Host a Student

Meet our Students!

Jump straight to the Australia bound student profiles now!
Let's go!

Meet our Students!

Jump straight to the New Zealand bound student profiles now!
Let's go!

A Rewarding Experience for Everyone!

Hosting an exchange student can be one of the most memorable and rewarding experiences for your whole family. Being a host family means opening your home, hearts and minds to a young person from overseas.

YFU exchange students are eager to learn about Australia and improve their English language skills.

YFU exchange students are eager to learn about New Zealand and improve their English language skills.

Our host families are open minded, flexible, tolerant and have a sense of humour. They are keen to learn about another country and culture and share their own lives and experiences with their student. The most important requirements are to:

  • make their exchange student feel genuinely welcome
  • help the student become part of their family and local community
  • support the student on their exchange journey
  • immediately inform YFU Student Exchange of any issues affecting the safety and well-being of the student.
  • Adhere to the YFU Student Exchange Child Safety guidelines and policy and contribute to our continuously developing child-safe culture where children and their well-being are at the centre.

Mandatory training and support materials are provided by YFU via our online Volunteer Portal.

In accordance with Australian regulations, hosting an exchange student is voluntary. Host families provide meals and lodging without financial reimbursement, upholding the values of cultural exchange and mutual respect mandated by the Australian regulatory authorities.

Hosting Durations:

You can host a student for three, five, or ten months. Students arrive with at least basic English and are ready to become part of your family and your family life. They are encouraged to participate in daily chores and family activities, enhancing their understanding of Australian culture and contributing to household dynamics.

Student Preparedness:

Each student comes equipped with travel insurance and Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC), ensuring they are well-prepared for their stay in Australia. They also bring personal spending money for incidentals such as toiletries, school supplies, and personal outings.

Student Profiles:

On our website, you’ll find profiles of students arriving in 2025. These profiles offer a glimpse into the students’ diverse backgrounds and interests, helping you find a great match for your family.

YFU Support & Training:

Each host family and student is supported by a YFU Local Coordinator, who provides initial and ongoing assistance throughout the exchange. Our dedicated professional staff are always on hand to answer questions and support your hosting journey. We foster an open and continuous dialogue to ensure a positive and enriching experience for both the student and your family. A 24/7 emergency phone number is provided to students and host families in case of emergencies.

There is mandatory training for new host families, and we foster support from experienced host families through our host mentor program.

How to become a YFU Host Family

If your family would like to become a host family, please make sure you meet the following requirements:

  • The student must have their own bed but they can share a room with a host sibling of the same gender.
  • The student must be provided with a place to study (can be the kitchen table) and three meals a day.
  • All adult host family and household members (over 18 years) must have a Working with Children check, (known as a ‘Blue Card’ in QLD) sign a Code of Conduct, undergo a Criminal Record Check and be interviewed by YFU Student Exchange.
  • Be willing to attend YFU training and events such as online orientations, which are designed to equip you with the necessary knowledge and support for our exchange programs.
  • Ensure that the student adheres to the YFU rules and their visa regulations.

If you are keen to discover how you can open your family home and community to a secondary student from overseas please complete the following form and we will provide more information.

Apply Now!
YFU Host Family

Inbound Student Profiles

You can view our students' profiles below and there are more to come!
If you would like to host, please email us at info@yfu.au - we'd love to hear from you.

Marta

  • Country: Latvia
  • Duration: 3 Months
  • Dates: Arriving: August, Departing: October
  • Dietary: None; Mild allergy to oranges that doesn’t require any treatment
  • Languages: Native language is Latvian and learning English and Russian

About Marta:

Marta sees herself as a person, who enjoys other people’s presence and cares a lot about others. She tries to be kind and forgiving to everyone and helps where needed. She describes herself as active and ambitious in school, and is curious about other countries, which she gets to explore with her family.

While on exchange:

Marta believes that the exchange will open her eyes to new experiences and impressions about everyday life abroad and will help her grow and learn more about herself and others. She would love to try out new activities whilst being in Australia.

Marta's interests:

The big passion of Marta is contemporary dance which she has been doing for 12 years and hopes to continue whilst being in Australia. She likes to hang out with her friends and regularly goes to the gym to stay fit. Cooking, painting, riding her bike, hiking with her family, and especially reading are other interests of her.

Iris

  • Country: Belgium
  • Duration: 5 Months
  • Dates: Arriving: August, Departing: December
  • Dietary: None; Allergies: None; Afraid of big dogs
  • Languages: Native language is French, and learning English and Dutch

About Iris:

Iris sees herself as an independent and sociable girl, who has a great sense of humor and is friendly and understanding. She is close to her parents and her three sisters and enjoys spending time with them and her grandparents as well as traveling together where she acts as the photographer. She also likes going shopping with her friends or reading and watching movies at home.

While on exchange:

Iris enjoys discovering new countries and their people and is looking forward to getting to know the Australian ones while being here. She hopes that this exchange will get her out of her comfort zone and teach her how to live in a different culture.

Iris's interests:

Iris started playing rugby a year ago and hopes to continue this whilst on exchange. She has been part of the Youth Movement for 11 years and enjoys spending Sunday mornings with the group outdoors. At school, she is interested in social sciences and languages. She also likes to cook and try out new breakfast recipes.

Sara

  • Country: Netherlands
  • Duration: 10 Months
  • Dates: Arriving: August 2025, Departing: May 2026
  • Dietary: None; Allergies: None
  • Languages: Native language is Dutch and learning English, French, German and Mandarin

About Sara:

Sara, who is half Dutch, half Chinese, describes herself as a social and independent girl. She is very active and productive, loves music, (healthy) food, and spending time with her family.

While on exchange:

She is quite curious and likes to experience everything the world has to offer. She wants to use this exchange to discover herself and try new things. And she is looking forward to being in warmer country than the Netherlands since she doesn’t like the cold.

Sara's interests:

Sara dances almost every day. She is part of a crew and would love to continue dancing whilst on exchange. Her other hobbies include singing, acting, Pilates or stretching. She also likes cooking from scratch and with her mother as well as baking.

Giulia

  • Country: Switzerland
  • Duration: 10 Months
  • Dates: Arriving: August 2025, Departing: May 2026
  • Dietary: She doesn't eat fish; Allergies: Mild allergy to nickel that does not need treatment.
  • Languages: Native language is German and is learning French and English

About Giulia:

Giulia is an accepting person who is honest, self-confident and loving. She can be a bit quiet in the beginning but quickly opens up when she feels comfortable. Her friends describe her as funny and very supportive.

While on exchange:

Giulia is hoping to try new things that she cannot do in Switzerland and has chosen Australia for its uniqueness. She has never been here before but has heard so many wonderful things and cannot wait to experience life here.

Giulia's interests:

She is a very creative person and can let her creativity run wild when she draws. Music is important to her and she loves to sing. Giulia plays volleyball in a team and would like to continue while on exchange. She is also involved in the scouts and would love to experience scouting here in Australia if possible as she loves the outdoors.

Inbound Student Profiles

Profiles of students arriving in August 2025 are now available

View the profiles of the YFU exchange students looking for a host family in New Zealand.

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