FAQs

• When should I apply for a homestay?

Students normally apply at least 30-45 days in advance of their arrival in order to allot USH enough time to arrange the best possible homestay matching their needs.

• Can I still apply if I’m arriving very soon (less than 30 days in advance)?

Yes, USH will be glad to try to arrange your homestay even if you arriving in less than 30 days.  However, though we will still make every effort to match your homestay needs as closely as possible, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to do so in a short time span or that we will have a homestay available.

• Are the host families safe and dependable?

Yes! USH carefully selects its host families in order to ensure that we have the most caring and dependable hosts possible. In order to select a host family, USH reviews the family’s application, checks three references, and interviews the host in their own home. Therefore, we meet all of our families in person and check their homes so that we may assure our students that they are living in a safe and comfortable environment.

• How do I apply?

You simply need to fill out our online application form by clicking here. For more information on how to apply, please click here to go to our “how to apply” page.

• How do I pay my fees?

The fastest and most convenient way to pay your fees would be to use a credit card. You may also pay with check, traveler’s checks, cash, or a money order. Please remember that USH must receive your housing fee payment within the first 10 days of your arrival to the US in order to avoid a $50 late payment fee. For further details, please click here to go the Payments and Fees Information Page.

• Can I pay my host for my homestay?

No, please note that all payments for housing fee and all other payments must be paid directly to the USH office.

• Will my credit card be charged immediately upon submitting the homestay application even if you don’t have a host family for me?

No, USH will not charge your credit card until it begins the matching process and determines that it has a host family available for you.

• What if I want to cancel my homestay?

• Before you arrive in the US - If you wish to cancel your homestay before you arrive in the US, USH must receive a written notice from you at least 15 days prior to your arrival date in order to cancel the homestay without any penalty (except the non-refundable application fee and security deposit). If your cancellation notice is received within less than 15 days, you will be liable to pay for the first week of your housing fee. If your cancellation notice is received within less than 7 days or you simply do not move in to the homestay without giving USH notice that you are canceling, you will be held liable for the first 4 weeks payment of your housing fee. This is because your host would have the bedroom ready and be expecting you. Therefore, we must have enough time to warn the host of your cancellation.

• After you arrive - If you wish to cancel your homestay after you arrive, USH must receive a 30 day written notice from you. The notice must be in writing, reviewed, and determined a fair decision concerning all parties. Students may move out of their homestay 30 days after the termination notice has been submitted to the USH office and the remainder of the housing fee will be refunded for the time remaining after the 30 days. Students who move out of their homestay without giving a 30-day notice will not receive a refund.

• Are the application fee and security deposit refundable if I cancel my homestay before I arrive?

No, the application fee and security deposit are non-refundable once USH has begun the match process and are not refundable in case of cancellation.

• How long can I stay in my homestay?

You may apply to stay as long as you’d like in your homestay. There is no limit to how long you can stay in the homestay, but our minimum stay is 4 weeks. Please remember that the housing fee payment is due in full upon your arrival. If you are planning to stay for a long period of time, we may be able to break up your payments so that you don’t pay all at once. Please contact us if you have any questions about this.

• What is the minimum stay time?

Our minimum stay is 4 weeks.

• Can I extend my homestay?

Yes, we will be glad to help you extend your homestay. If you would like to extend, please contact us and let us know how many more weeks you would like to stay. If you are sending an e-mail regarding this, please make sure you tell us: your name, host’s name, current move out date, and how many more weeks you would like to stay. We will then confirm with your host that they will have the room available for you to stay longer and contact you to confirm the extension. Once we confirm the extension, we will also e-mail you your invoice for your next housing fee payment.

Please note that you are not permitted, under any circumstances, to deal directly with your host in regards to your extension. As per your homestay agreement, if you would like to extend, you must contact USH directly.

• Can I visit my host family before I move in to the homestay?

Because students apply for homestays in advance of their arrival (while they are still in their native countries) so that they may have a place to go upon arrival to the US, our students do not normally meet their host families before moving in. Instead, they move in to the homestay upon arrival as USH has matched them with the best host based on their preferences. Therefore, we do not set up appointments for students to meet their hosts before moving in, especially due to the very fact that students are not in the US when they apply. However, should the student be unhappy with their initial assignment, we can help him or her move to another homestay. 

• Can I move homestays if I am unhappy with my initial assignment?

USH uses a very efficient matching system to match you with the best possible host based on your application and preferences. Therefore, students are usually quite happy with their initial assignments. However, sometimes the student may not like their initial assignment due to personality problems between the host and student, etc. If, for any reason, you are unhappy with your initial homestay assignment, we ask that you contact the USH office within the first week of your arrival to request a homestay change. If you are e-mailing us with such a request, please make sure to include your name, host’s name, move-in date, and reason for your request. USH will then determine if the request is a valid one and if so, we will arrange another homestay for you as based on your request as possible. If you contact us after the first week of the homestay to request a change, you may need to finish your first 4 weeks in the homestay before we can move you to another homestay (unless you have an emergency situation). If you have already been in a homestay for longer than 4 weeks when you request a change, we will try to move you as soon as possible based on availability and based on when we paid your host for your stay until.

• Will I have internet access in my homestay?

Please note that internet access varies from host family to host family. While some families may be able to offer you internet service of their own, others may not have a current internet account. If a host does not offer you internet service, however, they will help you set up your own internet account so that you may have internet access.

• Can I apply if I am not an international student, but have an internship?

Yes! We will be glad to arrange your homestay if you are traveling to the USA for an internship. Please see our Groups and Internships page for more information about this.

• When and how do I get my security deposit back?

Your security deposit is refundable 30 days after your move out. Therefore, we ask that you e-mail us 30 days after you move out with your name, move out date, and credit card information. We will then refund your security deposit to the credit card number you provide us. It does not have to be the same card that you paid for the deposit with. If you are still in the US when you request your refund, you may also choose to provide us with your current address and we can mail you a check for the refund.