International Student Hosting

1. Interest Review. International Programs will review your interest form to ensure you are within the required radius of TCC. We often prioritize response based on needs at that moment so we may not respond immediately, but we will be in touch to answer any questions you have and get your availability for an orientation session.
2. Attend a Future Host Orientation. We are currently holding multiple orientation sessions each month, both in-person and remote via Zoom. We are also alternating between daytime and evening/weekend sessions. Each session includes a 60-minute presentation and time for Q&A.
3. Submit Full Application. If you decide that hosting is for you, the Full Application is the next step. You'll be asked to provide detailed information to verify identity and help us achieve the best student match possible. Full Application. Note: The application is substantial and must be completed in a single session. To save time, you may want to have the following items ready before you start the Full Application:
   

   Images of government issued ID for all adults

   Commute to TCC campus information (length, bus #, etc.)

   Welcome letter to future students

   At least 3 photos: 1 family, 1 student room, and 1 exterior of home

   Provide 2 references

   Optional: a 30-second welcome video

4. Background Check. International Programs conducts background checks on all household members 18 and older. We will also contact your references. Please ask your references to watch for our email as it may get caught in a Spam or Junk mail filter.
5. Home Visit. Visits will be scheduled once everything is completed and are based on host availability. We are happy to visit outside of “normal” business hours or even on weekends as needed. We tour your home, give you a chance to ask any new questions, and look around the neighborhood for walking paths, bus stops, etc.
6. Student Match. Once the visit is complete, future hosts become current hosts! We may not immediately have a student for your home depending on the time of year and student demand, however.

Hosting an international student can be a wonderful experience that the whole family can enjoy. The opportunity to learn firsthand about another country and culture, while sharing yours can be very powerful and impactful. Many hosts have formed very special bonds with their students and remain in touch long after students return to their home country.  

Some COVID related updates include:

• Masks are recommended, but no longer required on campus.
• TCC staff and faculty are state employees thus are required to be vaccinated per state mandate.  
• TCC students are required to attest to their vaccination status, which can include approved exemptions.  
• Most international students are still subject to the stricter international travel requirements which have very few exemptions.

While host families have a contractual agreement with the college, they are not considered employees and are excluded from the state employee vaccination mandate. As such, host families are not required to be vaccinated or to disclose their vaccination status if they choose not too and the college will still keep those families active. HOWEVER, host placements are based on student requests and most students are requiring that all eligible members of their potential host family are vaccinated. Hosts who do not wish to disclose or who have unvaccinated family members will only be offered to students who indicate they do not have a preference and are comfortable in an unvaccinated home.  

For hosts who do disclose their status, we do not require copies of vaccination cards and will not store or record detailed information. We will simply record a simple "yes" or "no" response on your profile to provide to potential students.

There is no one-size fits all to describe a good hosts. Our hosts represent a wide variety of races, ethnicities, national origins, sexual orientations, political beliefs, religious practices, and socio-economic statuses.  We have retired host families whose kids are grown and young couples with young kids of their own. We have single host moms and single host dads. Although each home is different, all hosts are kind, generous and curious about people from other countries. They are looking to host international students to gain cultural experiences rather than additional income.

Specifics an be found in the section above called Basic Hosting Requirements.

YES! However, this is meant to cover costs with a little left over and should not be relied upon as regular income. Hosts are not guaranteed to have students so it is not a reliable source, but mostly because hosting is interactive and about culture sharing and supporting students. If you are looking for low demand tenants, hosting may not be a good fit for you.

Homestay rates are monthly and students pay the hosts directly on the 1st of each month. Students traditionally pay with cash, check or payment apps like Venmo or Paypal. The monthly rates are:

• $950/month Complete Homestay
• $700/month Partial Homestay
• Certain hosts with large sized rooms may be approved to offer a shared room option. This is 2 students in the same room, but who each have their own bed, desk, storage, etc. This option is $850 Complete or $600 Partial.

Complete Homestay

• Host provides food for three meals each day.  
• Students use the provided food to prepare their own breakfast and lunch each day.  
• Hosts will prepare at least 3 dinners each week (we ask that they invite students to eat with them and have a family meal together on those days). 

Partial Homestay

• Students are responsible for purchasing their own groceries and preparing all of their own meals.  
• Hosts will need to provide students access to the kitchen and space to store their groceries and prepared meals.  

Home ownership is not required. If you are a renter you should check with your landlord or property manager first.  We have had some renters become great hosts with no problems but have also had potential hosts unable to accept students due to provisions in their lease. In some cases, even owners living in high density buildings have had to work with their HOA first.

TCC does not conduct background checks on any students. However, all international students go through a rigorous process, including an in-person interview at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate, in order to receive a student visa from the U.S. government. This process is considerably more thorough than most standard background checks.

Both our host and student applications are pretty detailed which means it can take some time and effort to complete them. Some of the information is optional, but this information is what we use to make homestay matches so the more detail we have, the better matches we can make.  

When a student applies, we start with gender and meal plan to get a basic list of potential hosts. From there, we look for similar interests and hobbies as well as any special requests or preferences. For a student, these could include wanting a host family with younger children at home but no pets. For a host, it might be only accepting students in a specific age range. Once we have a list narrowed, we will send the host a profile of the potential student(s) for final approval.

Our staff is always available to support students and hosts and we never want a host or student to feel uncomfortable with their living situation. We know that even a good match on paper doesn’t always make a good match in person.  

We normally do not make any homestay changes in the first 2 weeks of each quarter as this is a period of adjustment for both student and host. We focus on mediation and, in most cases, any early tension works itself out in those first weeks. It is only in rare cases of extreme conflict that we would move a student earlier than planned. The most common reason for an early move is allergies as pet culture is very different around the world and some students like the idea of living with pets, but don’t know they have an allergy until they arrive.

If there is still any sort of discomfort or conflict after that adjustment period we always have the option of moving the student. There may not always be a new student available to take that spot until the next quarter.

No you are not. We do ask that you provide guidance and mentorship to your students and do what you can to provide for and ensure their safety; however, this confers no liability. Hosts are mentors and not guardians, regardless of the student’s age; although, younger students may require a bit more mentorship.

Yes. All international students at TCC are required to purchase medical insurance through our provider, Firebird Insurance. Students will receive a card and information at their Orientation.  This insurance is only medical, not dental or vision.

We have two types of homestay programs. Hosts can opt to host students from either, or both.

Ongoing Students (1 quarter renewable agreement): our regular, year-round students. Some will move out after completing their first quarter. Many will ask to stay with the same host for their entire time at TCC, which can be 2-3 years (often returning home for summer break).

Fixed Term Programs (1 week, 1 month, or 6 months, Complete Homestay only): these students come as a group from partner schools overseas and attend specialized classes and activities related to their studies at their home school. At the moment, we host Fixed Term students from:

• Denmark: One partner sends a group of students for 1 week in mid-Nov. Another sends a group for 3 weeks in February.
• Japan: We host student groups for a 6-month stay, from two different partners. Two groups come for Fall and Winter quarters (Sept-March). Another group comes for Spring and Summer (April-August).

Students are expected to commute and travel on their own and can obtain a Pierce Transit Orca card either for free or at a substantial discount. We expect hosts to help the students by teaching them the bus and/or bringing them to campus on the first day or two of orientation as they get comfortable, but we tell students that, “hosts are not your taxi service.”

The only exception to this is for hosts who do not live near a bus route. In order to be approved for students, these hosts must commit to driving students to and from school (or at least the nearest bus stop) as well as provide transportation (within reason) to visit friends, go shopping, etc.   

Students who live close may walk. Some hosts also provide access to bicycles for students to use, but this is not an expectation. In rare cases, students may purchase their own car while here.

Part of the host application process includes an orientation and training session as well as a one-on-one home visit. The Homestay Handbook (pdf) is also filled with valuable information about the technicalities of the program and ways we can help support students going through cultural adjustment. International Programs staff are always available to both students and hosts for anything that comes up, from casual questions to emergencies.

The focus now is restarting the homestay program after closing during COVID. Once we are back into a rhythm, we plan to set up an online forum or site where hosts can access information and connect with each other. We are also hoping to offer quarterly host gatherings and/or workshops.

TCC is on a rolling quarter system which means new Ongoing Term students arrive each Fall (mid-September), Winter (late-December), Spring (late-March), and Summer (mid-June). Fall is the start of the traditional school year so it the busiest, but students continue to arrive each quarter after. Our Fixed Term students from Japan align with this schedule, but the programs from Denmark arrive and depart mid-quarter.

Otherwise, it depends on how many applications we receive. A new host who applies during summer will almost always receive a student in Fall. A host who applies mid-year may not receive their 1st student for a quarter or two. Student placement is focused on finding the right match as opposed to a first come-first served basis.

International students come to the United States on a student visa and are required to meet specific immigration requirements to maintain their visa status. It is good for hosts to be aware of this, but hosts are not expected to monitor or enforce these requirements.

International students come from all parts of the world to pursue their education goals and dreams. Some come to the college with limited English while others come from English speaking countries. Some are here to complete high school first while others are college ready. Some have realistic expectations and understanding of the U.S. while others only know the U.S. they see on TV or in the movies.

TCC welcomes all students from all parts of the world regardless of age, English proficiency, race, culture, gender, religion etc. The average age is 18-22, but we have international students as young as 16 (the minimum age) and as old as 40. Therefore, international students bring a wide variety of diversity which enhances our campus and community.