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"The cultural
and language experience of living in a homestay is invaluable when
international students first come to the United States. Fia makes
every possible effort to match the student with the most appropriate
family to maximize everyone's experience. Many students have told
me that their homestay is truly their 'home away from home'."
Suzanne
Stoddard, ESL Instructor
International Education Center at Diablo Valley College |
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Homestay
Placements |
Diablo Valley Homestay has hundreds of experienced, pre-screened families
in our program. All host families go through a double interview process,as
well as an onsite home inspection, prior to being accepted in to our
housing registry. Our host families are friendly, interested in cultural
exchange, and they look forward to welcoming an international student
in to their home. Living in a homestay offers the student the best
opportunity for academic success in their new country, and provides
them with a full-time English-speaking environment, as well as first-hand
exposure to the American culture. Homestay students are provided with:
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- A furnished, private bedroom, including all bedding linens and
towels
- Two meals per day (breakfast and dinner), Monday through Friday.
Three meals per day on Saturday and Sunday.
(If the family is not going to be home during mealtime, food will
be available in the home for the students to prepare themselves.
Students are responsible for purchasing their own lunch, Monday
through Friday.)
- A clean, comfortable, and safe living environment, and the added
security of being part of a family
- All household utilities are included in the monthly homestay
rate. Students must purchase their own cell phone. If students need to use the house telephone, they must ask permission and they must use a calling card for any calls made using the house telephone.
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Diablo Valley Homestay offers the best
homestay rates in Northern California. Students pay their host family
$750 per month,
and also pay a one-time $300 refundable security deposit to the host
family when they move in to the homestay. To apply for
a homestay placement, visit our Students
page, and select the appropriate homestay application for the school
you will attend.
A $350 homestay placement fee is required prior to securing a placement
for any student. Payment and mailing details are on
Page 2 of the homestay application. (Different rates and conditions apply for students attending Quarry Lane School. Please contact us at info@diablovalleyhomestay.com for more information.) |
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Airport
Pick-up Service |
Diablo Valley Homestay can arrange for a personal driver to meet you
in the Arrival Lobby after you exit Immigration and take
you directly to your host family's home. You will also be acquainted
to the area. The cost for this service is $85, per person
(cash or traveler's checks only), paid directly to the driver, at
the time of pick-up. Our students greatly prefer this option because
it is easier and much quicker than hiring a shuttle service to take
them to their homestay.
The difference in time is significant: When using a shuttle service,
you must make a reservation, contact the shuttle upon arrival,
find the shuttle stop, and wait for the shuttle to arrive. Most shuttles
can carry a maximum of 10-12 people, which means that you
may have a very long ride to your destination since you would need
to wait for the other people to be dropped off. It can sometimes
take several hours before you finally reach your homestay. When using
the personal driver service, the driver will be waiting for you
in the Arrival Lobby. After that, you will be taken directly to your
homestay. The entire process is usually completed in 45 minutes.
To request this service, please send an email to info@diablovalleyhomestay.com,
including your exact flight arrival information
(date, time, name of airlines, flight number, and arrival airport). |
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Set for School!
Welcome Assistance Package |
We are happy to help you get Set for School! Our Set for School! Welcome
Assistance Package is a service that offers the student several hours
of personaltime with a Diablo Valley Homestay staff member. During
the time spent together, the student will receive the following services:
- Assistance with opening up a bank account
- Assistance with purchasing a cell phone
- Learning his or her route to school, including familiarization
with the local bus and train system, including buying bus passes
and train tickets
- A free consultation with a technical professional to ensure
the student's computer will work in the homestay, including accessing
the Internet
- A necessities shopping trip for school items and/or personal
items
- Assistance with purchasing a bicycle and transporting it back
to the homestay (Note: Many students use bicycles to get around
the local area)
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The cost for the Set for School! Welcome Assistance Package is $180,
and does not need to be paid in advance. Payment is
due on the date of the personal appointment. You may request this
service anytime throughout the placement process, or
immediately after arriving in the United States. |
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Dormitory
Style Housing and Room Rentals |
Although dormitories do not exist for any of the schools we work with,
there are certain housing options available in the communities that
are similar to a traditional dormitory style housing arrangement.
Spaces in these facilities are limited, and are filled in the order
of applications received. Room rentals (not a homestay) can also be
secured for students who prefer a more independent living arrangement.
A room rental arrangement is sharing a home with someone who is too
busy to be a traditional host family, but has an available bedroom
in their home. When living in a room rental, the student is fully
responsible for buying and preparing his or
her own food, as well as sharing the cost of the basic household utilities.
Interaction with the homeowner may be very minimal.
Room rental rates range between $500 - $750 per month. Students who
are interested in living in a room rental situation should be comfortable
with living independently. |
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Short-Term
Housing for Visiting Interns and Working Professionals |
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Diablo Valley Homestay is happy to provide
visiting interns and working professionals with short-term housing
assistance. The needs of an intern or working professional are often
very different than the typical international student. Therefore,
we work with many families in the community to offer flexible living
arrangements for visiting interns and working professionals. We can
customize a specific living situation to meet your individual needs.
For more information about any of the services we offer, please contact
us at info@diablovallyhomestay.com |
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