Homelingua Frequently asked questions
Frequently asked questions
- Can I participate in Homelingua by myself?
- Can I choose the location where I stay?
- Why is Homelingua more expensive than a language school?
- How much information do I receive about my teacher?
- Can I choose my teacher?
- How long does it take to get my teacher’s details after applying?
- Can I stay with my teacher for over a month?
- Can I smoke inside the house?
- How much spending money should I bring?
- Will there be other students in the house?
- Will I have my own bedroom?
- Will I have my own bathroom?
- What should I do if I am not happy after arrival or if I have a complaint?
- Can I start my course on a weekday?
- Is it possible for parents and children to participate together?
- Can I attend if my English level is beginner?
- Does the Host Family take care of students outside lesson time?
- What shall I do on weekends and in my free time?
- Can I stay with a teacher of the same generation?
- Can I request a teacher or family who have young children, or no young children?
- Where are London home teachers located?
- Do I need any documents when I pass through immigration?
- Do you arrange hotel accommodation?
Can I participate in Homelingua by myself?
Yes, Homelingua is a course designed for individual participation. Most students join by themselves, although some students choose to study with a friend.
Can I choose the location where I stay?
On the application form we ask you to choose three locations. We will try to place you in your first choice of location but cannot guarantee to do so.
Why is Homelingua more expensive than language school tuition?
Home tuition is private one-to-one study in the home of a carefully selected host family and home teacher. You have personal attention and a tailor-made course. In a language school you are studying in a class of 10 students or more. Homelingua offers good value when compared to private tuition in a language school.
How much information do I receive about the teacher and host family before arrival?
After we have selected your teacher we will send you their 'profile'. This will have your teacher's name, interests, a description of their house and area and an introduction to their family.
Can I choose my teacher?
No, you cannot choose your own teacher. After receiving your application we will use our experience and judgment to select the most appropriate teacher for you. You do have opportunity to refuse our selection of teacher if you think the selection is not appropriate.
How long does it take to receive my teacher’s details after applying?
We aim to send details of your home teacher/host family within 14 working days. However, in our peak season (July-August) it may take longer. If your booking is received more than 8 weeks before arrival, we may wait before confirming your home tutor since home teacher's plans may change if booked too far in advance.
Can I stay with the same teacher for over one month?
Yes, it is possible to stay with the same tutor for four weeks. However, we may suggest splitting your stay between two different tutors during our peak season in July and August.
Can I smoke inside the house?
We have very few host families who accept smoking in their home. You will be allowed to smoke outside.
How much spending money should I bring with me?
Additional expenses will be required for meals taken outside the homestay, entrance fees to museums and attractions, public transport, personal shopping and souvenirs. We suggest that £50 - £70 per week should be allowed for additional expenses.
Will there be other students in the house?
Some of our host families have large houses and may have a long-term student staying who is attending a local language school. The other student will always be of a different nationality.
Will I have my own bedroom?
Yes, all students have their own furnished private bedroom with drawer and wardrobe space for clothes.
Will I have my own bathroom?
In most cases you will share the bathroom facilities of the house with the rest of the family. Some homes do have a private bathroom for the student's use. You can pay a supplementary fee to request a home with a private bathroom.
What should I do if I am not happy after arrival or if I have a complaint?
If you have any problems, complaints or questions after your arrival, it is important that you contact our office as soon as possible. We have very few complaints and our aim is for every student to enjoy their stay. We would hope to be able to resolve your problem quickly, sometimes by simply explaining something to you or to your host family.
If you have a more serious complaint and do not want to continue with your home teacher, we will normally arrange to place you with a different teacher as soon as possible. We cannot guarantee that this will be in the same area. Please be assured that this occurs very rarely.
Can I start my course on a weekday?
We normally expect students to arrive on Sunday and depart on Saturday. It is sometimes possible to start on other days, but please check with Homelingua when making your booking.
Is it possible for parents and children to attend together?
It maybe possible for parents and children to attend together. We can accept children over the age of 12 on Homelingua when accompanied by an adult.
Can I attend if my English level is beginner?
Homelingua courses are suitable for students from beginner level upwards. However, you will find the course more beneficial if you have mastered basic English grammar and have a basic vocabulary.
Does the host family take care of students outside of lesson time?
In addition to your tuition time you will be encouraged to participate in day-to-day family life. This may mean visits to the local shops, visiting friends and neighbours, meeting children from school, etc. However, you should not expect to be with your host family or teacher all of the time. You will have some independent time for sightseeing and excursions. Your teacher will help you plan these trips and explain how to use public transport.
What shall I do on weekends and in my free time?
If you are staying over a weekend, normally your host family will normally take you somewhere or do something with you on one day that weekend. You should also expect to have a free day for your own independent sightseeing or activity. Your teacher will help you plan these trips and explain how to use public transport.
Can I stay with a teacher of the same generation?
When making your booking, you can request to stay with a teacher of a similar age to yourself. Mature students often request to stay with a teacher of a similar generation. We will do our best to meet your request.
Can I request a teacher or family who have young children, or no young children?
You can request to stay with a family with no young children. We cannot always satisfy requests to stay with a family with young children, however, if you want to stay with a young family then request this at the time of booking.
Where are London home teachers located?
Most of our London teachers are located in the areas of Kent and Surrey or in towns such as Tunbridge Wells, Guildford and Farnham. All London area teachers are within one hour of central London. Some teachers may be in the countryside, but still just a few minutes from a local station with a direct London service.
Do I need any documents when I pass through immigration?
When you enter the UK you will enter as a tourist and do not require any special documents. However, you should always be able to show evidence of where you are staying in the UK, your return flight ticket and that you have sufficient money for your stay (eg. a credit card, cash or traveler's cheques).
When you pass through customs, you should have your confirmation of booking and placement details (with your host family's name and address) easily available to show, if requested.
Do you arrange hotel accommodation?
We can provide you with a list of hotels in London and other areas of the UK. If you ask us to make a booking we will require your credit card details to secure the booking with the hotel.
