HOMESTAY IN MILTON KEYNES
We plan to re-introduce homestay accommodation in 2026.
- Students who submit an application to stay in homestay are agreeing to our full "terms and conditions for students living in homestay".
- Students who want to stay in homestay accommodation must have the right to study in the UK.
- When students arrive to study at ELH and to move into their homestay they will need to show the ELH Office their passport with the correct visa which allows them to study.
- English Language House will only be able to offer homestay accommodation during the dates that a student is studying with us.
What is Homestay?
Homestay is accommodation for ELH students with an English family. Students sometimes like to stay with an English-speaking family when they study at ELH because they can practice their English every day at home after class.
Homestay is not a “hotel” and homestay host families are not “hotel staff”!
Homestay families agree to take ELH students into their home and they treat them like a friend or a member of their family. In the homestay family there may be children and/or pets (dog(s), cat(s), fish, etc).
Homestay families are interested in the ELH students who stay with them, and want to make them feel comfortable and welcome in their homes. ELH students who want to live in homestay accommodation must feel happy about being part of an English family during their stay and must make an effort to participate in their homestay family’s life. Homestay families like to find out about the student’s life and country and the student can find out more about their homestay family’s life and habits and about life in England.
ELH homestay hosts are flexible and understanding with ELH students, and we expect our students to be the same. Students behave with their hosts as they would within the homes of their own friends and families. This means they are polite (say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ – very important in English) and happily follow the rules of the family about meal times or using the kitchen for snacks, laundry (washing clothes), and watching television. So, for example, if you are not planning to eat with the family one evening, tell them.
Expect to spend at least 30 minutes or more each evening chatting to the family. They may like you to watch television with them and this is a good way to improve your English language skills. You could discuss the programme with them or ask them to explain things which you don’t understand.
The weather and living in the UK may seem a little strange to you at first. If you are cold, ask for extra blankets for your bed or heating in your room. Do not leave lights and electric heaters on when you are out. Do not hang clothes over electric heaters - this could be cause a fire. If the house has central heating, the radiators will come on and off automatically.
Be on time for meals. Do not use the kitchen, or take food from the kitchen, unless you have agreed this with the family. After meals, it is polite to offer to help with clearing the table and washing up.
Try to keep your room tidy and make your bed. Leave the bathroom clean and tidy after using it. If there is a shower over the bath with a shower curtain, please make sure you put this inside the bath before you have a shower. And it is polite to ask whether you can have a shower, as the water may need to be heated first.
We expect you to be careful with the furniture and property in the house. If an accident does occur please inform the school immediately and please let the family know. Be prepared to pay to replace anything you damage.
Your hosts will try to make your stay in England pleasant and enjoyable for you and they may become your friends. However, you should not make any private arrangements to stay with them. You should only stay with them through ELH. We can then help you, or them, if there are any problems.
Computers and the internet: Not all families have internet access and some only have a limited number of hours per month when they can use the internet. They may be concerned about internet security and may, or may not, limit your use of their computer connection. Please talk to the ELH office if you would like to use a computer at the homestay. Remember that you are at the homestay to help you learn English and, if you are able to use your computer in the homestay, you should minimise its use, and spend as much time as possible practicing your English!!
Applying for homestay at ELH
Please make sure you read and understand the following before you apply for homestay at ELH.
We need to have full payment in advance before we can place you in homestay accommodation. You need to pay both the Accommodation placement fee (£45) and the Weekly Charge for accommodation.
We then need about a week to arrange your homestay accommodation.
Until then you may like to consider staying in one of the many hotels in Central Milton Keynes close to the school. Look on www.mkweb.co.uk/accommodation for hotels, etc, or go to the Central Milton Keynes Library, 555 Silbury Boulevard, Central Milton Keynes. Tel: 01908 254050. The library has visitor information.
Agreeing to homestay accommodation
All homestay accommodation offered by ELH to its students has been checked as suitable.
Usually, only one student is accommodated in a homestay family. However, some families have a big house and can take more than one student. In this instance a maximum of two students may be accommodated in the same family; the students will each have their own bedroom and they will be different nationalities.
ELH recommends that students apply for ELH homestay accommodation for the maximum period of time they wish to live in homestay. We cannot guarantee that students will be able to extend their accommodation beyond their initial request dates and students who request less time in homestay than they intend to take up risk having no accommodation available after the end of their request dates.
Students can only book ELH homestay accommodation through ELH and are not allowed to make their own private arrangements with ELH homestay families.
Students who behave badly will be removed from their homestay accommodation:
Students who agree to ELH homestay accommodation agree to abide by the ELH terms and conditions governing homestay. This includes appropriate behaviour in homestay accommodation. ELH reserves the right to remove a student from homestay accommodation if the student behaves inappropriately or does not abide by the terms and conditions agreed. No refund will be available in this instance.
Sending students information about their host family:
Before we send you the homestay family’s name and address, you must make full payment of:
Once you have paid in full and we have sent you the name and address of the hosts, this means that you have agreed to stay with them during the dates you have selected. If you change your mind and decide you do not want to stay with your host family or if you leave early, you will still be charged.
If there are any problems please talk to Tatiana or Mihaela in the ELH Office. If there is an emergency, use the 24 hour telephone line for help. ELH wants to know about any problems.
Leaving the homestay early
We hope you will be happy in your homestay and we hope the hosts will be happy to have you to stay with them. In the exceptional situation that you want to leave early, you should give one week’s written notice to the hosts and to the ELH Office. If the hosts want you to leave early they too must usually give one week’s notice but, if there is an emergency they may have to ask you to leave immediately – in this case, please contact ELH for help.
Before arriving at your homestay
As soon as we have given you the details of your host family, contact the family by phone, letter or email to introduce yourself (say ‘hello’). Please don’t just go to the house without first contacting them.
When you contact the host family, ask what time and day/date would be convenient for you to arrive at their house and make sure you arrive at the agreed time.
Homestay is accommodation for ELH students with an English family. Students sometimes like to stay with an English-speaking family when they study at ELH because they can practice their English every day at home after class.
Homestay is not a “hotel” and homestay host families are not “hotel staff”!
Homestay families agree to take ELH students into their home and they treat them like a friend or a member of their family. In the homestay family there may be children and/or pets (dog(s), cat(s), fish, etc).
Homestay families are interested in the ELH students who stay with them, and want to make them feel comfortable and welcome in their homes. ELH students who want to live in homestay accommodation must feel happy about being part of an English family during their stay and must make an effort to participate in their homestay family’s life. Homestay families like to find out about the student’s life and country and the student can find out more about their homestay family’s life and habits and about life in England.
ELH homestay hosts are flexible and understanding with ELH students, and we expect our students to be the same. Students behave with their hosts as they would within the homes of their own friends and families. This means they are polite (say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ – very important in English) and happily follow the rules of the family about meal times or using the kitchen for snacks, laundry (washing clothes), and watching television. So, for example, if you are not planning to eat with the family one evening, tell them.
Expect to spend at least 30 minutes or more each evening chatting to the family. They may like you to watch television with them and this is a good way to improve your English language skills. You could discuss the programme with them or ask them to explain things which you don’t understand.
The weather and living in the UK may seem a little strange to you at first. If you are cold, ask for extra blankets for your bed or heating in your room. Do not leave lights and electric heaters on when you are out. Do not hang clothes over electric heaters - this could be cause a fire. If the house has central heating, the radiators will come on and off automatically.
Be on time for meals. Do not use the kitchen, or take food from the kitchen, unless you have agreed this with the family. After meals, it is polite to offer to help with clearing the table and washing up.
Try to keep your room tidy and make your bed. Leave the bathroom clean and tidy after using it. If there is a shower over the bath with a shower curtain, please make sure you put this inside the bath before you have a shower. And it is polite to ask whether you can have a shower, as the water may need to be heated first.
We expect you to be careful with the furniture and property in the house. If an accident does occur please inform the school immediately and please let the family know. Be prepared to pay to replace anything you damage.
Your hosts will try to make your stay in England pleasant and enjoyable for you and they may become your friends. However, you should not make any private arrangements to stay with them. You should only stay with them through ELH. We can then help you, or them, if there are any problems.
Computers and the internet: Not all families have internet access and some only have a limited number of hours per month when they can use the internet. They may be concerned about internet security and may, or may not, limit your use of their computer connection. Please talk to the ELH office if you would like to use a computer at the homestay. Remember that you are at the homestay to help you learn English and, if you are able to use your computer in the homestay, you should minimise its use, and spend as much time as possible practicing your English!!
Applying for homestay at ELH
Please make sure you read and understand the following before you apply for homestay at ELH.
We need to have full payment in advance before we can place you in homestay accommodation. You need to pay both the Accommodation placement fee (£45) and the Weekly Charge for accommodation.
We then need about a week to arrange your homestay accommodation.
Until then you may like to consider staying in one of the many hotels in Central Milton Keynes close to the school. Look on www.mkweb.co.uk/accommodation for hotels, etc, or go to the Central Milton Keynes Library, 555 Silbury Boulevard, Central Milton Keynes. Tel: 01908 254050. The library has visitor information.
Agreeing to homestay accommodation
All homestay accommodation offered by ELH to its students has been checked as suitable.
Usually, only one student is accommodated in a homestay family. However, some families have a big house and can take more than one student. In this instance a maximum of two students may be accommodated in the same family; the students will each have their own bedroom and they will be different nationalities.
ELH recommends that students apply for ELH homestay accommodation for the maximum period of time they wish to live in homestay. We cannot guarantee that students will be able to extend their accommodation beyond their initial request dates and students who request less time in homestay than they intend to take up risk having no accommodation available after the end of their request dates.
Students can only book ELH homestay accommodation through ELH and are not allowed to make their own private arrangements with ELH homestay families.
Students who behave badly will be removed from their homestay accommodation:
Students who agree to ELH homestay accommodation agree to abide by the ELH terms and conditions governing homestay. This includes appropriate behaviour in homestay accommodation. ELH reserves the right to remove a student from homestay accommodation if the student behaves inappropriately or does not abide by the terms and conditions agreed. No refund will be available in this instance.
Sending students information about their host family:
Before we send you the homestay family’s name and address, you must make full payment of:
- the “Accommodation Finding Fee” (£45) and
- the “Homestay Fee” (this is between £360 - £500 per week) for the full duration of your stay
Once you have paid in full and we have sent you the name and address of the hosts, this means that you have agreed to stay with them during the dates you have selected. If you change your mind and decide you do not want to stay with your host family or if you leave early, you will still be charged.
If there are any problems please talk to Tatiana or Mihaela in the ELH Office. If there is an emergency, use the 24 hour telephone line for help. ELH wants to know about any problems.
Leaving the homestay early
We hope you will be happy in your homestay and we hope the hosts will be happy to have you to stay with them. In the exceptional situation that you want to leave early, you should give one week’s written notice to the hosts and to the ELH Office. If the hosts want you to leave early they too must usually give one week’s notice but, if there is an emergency they may have to ask you to leave immediately – in this case, please contact ELH for help.
Before arriving at your homestay
As soon as we have given you the details of your host family, contact the family by phone, letter or email to introduce yourself (say ‘hello’). Please don’t just go to the house without first contacting them.
When you contact the host family, ask what time and day/date would be convenient for you to arrive at their house and make sure you arrive at the agreed time.
HOMESTAY - Important Information:
ELH can provide students with homestay accommodation if…
ELH recommends that students apply for ELH homestay accommodation for the maximum period of time they wish to live in homestay. We cannot guarantee that students will be able to extend their accommodation beyond their initial request dates and students who request less time in homestay than they intend to take up risk having no accommodation available after the end of their request dates.
Students can only book ELH homestay accommodation through ELH and are not allowed to make their own private arrangements with ELH homestay families.
Students who agree to ELH homestay accommodation agree to abide by the ELH terms and conditions for students living in homestay. This includes appropriate behaviour in homestay accommodation. ELH reserves the right to remove a student from homestay accommodation if the student behaves inappropriately or does not abide by the terms and conditions agreed. No refund will be available in this instance.
ELH can provide students with homestay accommodation if…
- The student is 18 years old or over and..
- The student is studying a full time programme at ELH
- The student wants the accommodation while they are studying. ELH cannot provide homestay accommodation during the holidays, or while the student is taking a break from their studies.
- The student can pay for their accommodation in full in advance.
ELH recommends that students apply for ELH homestay accommodation for the maximum period of time they wish to live in homestay. We cannot guarantee that students will be able to extend their accommodation beyond their initial request dates and students who request less time in homestay than they intend to take up risk having no accommodation available after the end of their request dates.
Students can only book ELH homestay accommodation through ELH and are not allowed to make their own private arrangements with ELH homestay families.
Students who agree to ELH homestay accommodation agree to abide by the ELH terms and conditions for students living in homestay. This includes appropriate behaviour in homestay accommodation. ELH reserves the right to remove a student from homestay accommodation if the student behaves inappropriately or does not abide by the terms and conditions agreed. No refund will be available in this instance.
HOW TO APPLY TO HOMESTAY ACCOMMODATION:
If you need ELH to help you find accommodation during your course you must:
If a suitable host family is available we will let you know.
We will only place students who are 16 or 17 years old in homestay if the host family has been DBS checked
Homestay accommodation for under 16s is not possible.
We reserve the right to change accommodation arrangements and prices without advance notice.
If you are a student who is under 18 years old your parents must:
After we receive all required documents we will email you to let you know if we can place you in homestay and ask you to
After we find homestay accommodation for you we will ask you to pay the fees of £360 per week for your accommodation.
HOW TO CONFIRM YOUR ACCOMMODATION BOOKING:
After you make the correct payment/s to book your homestay we will email you with details of your host family and confirmation of the day and time they expect you to arrive.
To guarantee your homestay reservation you must pay the fees shown on your invoice by the due date. (You will see the due date on the invoice we send you).
IMPORTANT: ELH cannot guarantee to hold your place if you do not pay your fees in full and on time. Students with unpaid homestay fees will not be able to move into or remain in their accommodation.
HOMESTAY BOOKINGS AND PAYMENTS:
You must apply 28 days or more before you intend to arrive in the UK in order than we can process your booking and payment for homestay.
If you need ELH to help you find accommodation during your course you must:
- Read the information about Accommodation in Milton Keynes
- Read the information about Homestay in Milton Keynes
- Read the information about Rules for students in homestay
- Read the T&CS for students living in homestay and agree to abide by these terms and conditions.
- Complete the Accommodation form
If a suitable host family is available we will let you know.
We will only place students who are 16 or 17 years old in homestay if the host family has been DBS checked
Homestay accommodation for under 16s is not possible.
We reserve the right to change accommodation arrangements and prices without advance notice.
If you are a student who is under 18 years old your parents must:
- Complete the parental consent form when you apply.
After we receive all required documents we will email you to let you know if we can place you in homestay and ask you to
- Pay the £45 Accommodation placement fee
After we find homestay accommodation for you we will ask you to pay the fees of £360 per week for your accommodation.
HOW TO CONFIRM YOUR ACCOMMODATION BOOKING:
After you make the correct payment/s to book your homestay we will email you with details of your host family and confirmation of the day and time they expect you to arrive.
To guarantee your homestay reservation you must pay the fees shown on your invoice by the due date. (You will see the due date on the invoice we send you).
IMPORTANT: ELH cannot guarantee to hold your place if you do not pay your fees in full and on time. Students with unpaid homestay fees will not be able to move into or remain in their accommodation.
HOMESTAY BOOKINGS AND PAYMENTS:
You must apply 28 days or more before you intend to arrive in the UK in order than we can process your booking and payment for homestay.
