IMMEDIATE HOST FAMILY PLACEMENTS REQUIRED FOR TERENURE / KIMMAGE / RATHGAR / TEMPLEOGUE / KNOCKLYON AREAS
About us
DCU Language School is the English language school of Dublin City University. Our school is part of Dublin City University and we have provided English language courses for international students for over 20 years. All of our students are international students (we do not offer courses for Irish students / native speakers of English). Our courses run throughout the year, and we have new students arriving to start courses at DCU each week (rolling admissions). We offer short and long-term courses, so students will attend course duration of between 1 week and 1 year.
New Host Families Required in Terenure and surrounding areas – February, March, April 2018
We will receive a number of student groups to DCU for short-term (1 week circa) programmes throughout spring 2018. These groups are from Spanish, Italian and Russian schools, and students are coming to DCU to improve their English and to learn about Irish culture. The typical age of students is 15-17 years.
We now require new Host Families to facilitate these students for their stay in Ireland, and are seeking expressions of interest from interested persons in the Terenure and surrounding areas to receive these students.
In particular, the period 26 February to 10 March is very busy, and we are seeking to add new families to our Host Family panel for this period.
How it works
DCU will place students in 2s and 3s to Host Families for the duration of the students’ programme (typically 1 week). Host Families are required to provide the following services to students:
– 1x single bed (shared bedroom is fine)
– breakfast, packed lunch and dinner daily
– to bring students / show students the way to DCU bus collection point each day (at St. Pius X School) and to collect or show students the way home from DCU bus collection point each evening.
– to allow students participate in family life (meals, family time etc)
Host Families are not required to bring students to DCU at any stage during the programme – merely to collect students from the Terenure collection point (St. Pius X School) on their first night and to drop back to the collection point on day of departure. DCU will run a return private bus each day between the meeting point (St Pius X School) and DCU – so transit will be easy between both locations each day.
Note: Students will be out of the house each day for the duration of their course (including weekends) from 7.45am (bus departs St. Pius X) to 6.30pm (bus returns to St. Pius).
Therefore, students will only be at your home in the evening time and overnight.
You are under no obligation to take students every week – some families receive students each week of the month while some families prefer to only receive students on 1 or 2 of 4 weeks per month.
Payment
We place students in 2s and 3s to Host Families. Our payment rates are as follows:
– €280 for 2 students for 7 nights
– €420 for 3 students for 7 nights
(Note: For these programmes, we do not place single students to host families)
*An additional payment of €25 per student will apply for students with special dietary or medical conditions – e.g. lactose intolerance.
It is also possible to receive a group leader to your home – i.e. a schoolteacher that travels with the group from their home country.
Note: for groups attending for less than 7 nights a pro-rata fee per night will apply per student.
(Payment is made by DCU to the Host Family – never from student to Host Family)
Interested in working with us? Complete our online application form now!
We invite persons interested in becoming a Host Family to complete our ‘Host Family Application Form’ online – click here to apply. Once we receive the application we will contact you to arrange a ‘Home Visit’ – which we can schedule at any time convenient to you – Monday to Sunday.
A ‘Home Visit’ is where one of our staff members calls to your home to speak to you about the host family process and to view the room(s) where students will stay. The visit will last about 30 minutes. The Home Visit is an opportunity for us to learn about you and an opportunity for you to ask questions about the Host Family process.
Once the Home Visit has been completed we will then add you to our panel of host families and immediate student placement can be arranged.
So waiting for – sign up now!
We are recruiting new families immediately and invite you to make an application to become a Host Family. It’s a great opportunity to welcome students of another culture into your home while gaining extra tax free* income.
*You can earn income of €14,000 per year tax-free under the rent-a-room scheme.
For further information see: www.irishtimes.com/looking-to-earn-14-000-tax-free-get-that-spare-room-ready-1.3190941
Further questions:
– Call us at 01 7005087 (Monday to Friday)
– Email us at english.courses@dcu.ie
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Who can host students? What types of people host students?
Anybody! Our hosts come from wide and varied backgrounds. Some hosts are young families, some are retired couples (where the children have left home), some hosts are single people and some hosts are same-sex couples. There is no barrier to becoming a host family – all we ask is that you can provide a welcoming, supportive and happy environment for your students for the duration of their stay.
2. I rent my home; does this preclude me from hosting students?
No, this does not preclude you. You should check that your lease permits this though.
3. What if a problem occurs while I am hosting the students?
On rare occasions, students or families may experience a problem. Please note that we provide a 24 hour support line to assist with any questions or issues that arise. Also, we will place group leaders to host families in your locality, so the leader will be available to assist if required.
4. How will I be paid?
DCU will make payment to you by bank transfer. Payments are made in arrears, around the 20th of the month.
5. Will I have to complete any forms to become a Host Family?
During the home visit we will ask you to complete some forms and to provide us with your bank details (for payment). We will also ask you to complete a Garda Vetting form.
6. I have friends or relatives who are interested in hosting students for DCU – what should I tell them?
We will be happy to hear from them – please tell them to get in touch!
7. Isn’t this area very far away from DCU?
Yes, this area is not next door to DCU! Due to the growth in student numbers attending DCU we are now expanding the number of host families we work with. In order to make transit between host family and DCU straightforward we will provide a private bus to bring students to DCU and back each day.
8. I have a question but it’s not answered here.
No problem – please email contact us and we will be happy to help.
– Call us at 01 7005087 (Monday to Friday)
– Email us at english.courses@dcu.ie
