Accommodation

Accommodation options

We have an Accommodation Co-ordinator dedicated to arranging safe and caring homestays for our students.

In keeping with the Code, international students enrolled in secondary institutions are not allowed to live in accommodation which has not been approved by the School, or without an adult who has been police vetted, even if they have turned 18. Flatting or living alone is not acceptable.

Homestay

We are able to organise enjoyable homestay accommodation to ensure our students’ wellbeing. We aim at placing students in homes which meet the following criteria:

• Within a reasonable distance of the school
• English is the main language spoken in the home
• The student has her own room
• The home provides a caring and welcoming environment
• The home supports and encourages an international student’s assimilation into a new environment.

The more you tell us about yourself the better equipped we are to place you in a home which meets your individual needs.

For more information please see the “International Student Accommodation Agreement - Living with a residential caregiver or designated caregiver” in our application form. If you have any other questions, feel free to contact us.

Designated Caregiver (DCG)

A DCG is defined as a person who is a close relative (e.g. aunt and uncle, older cousin, grandparents) or a close family friend (e.g. parents’ best friend). The DCG needs to meet the following criteria:

• A close relative or family friend
• Located within a reasonable distance to the school
• Over 25 years old
• Must be in a family setting (i.e. husband and wife), single female or an older (over 25 years old) brother. Houses without an adult female presence will not be considered
• Prepared to take responsibility for the student and her ongoing care (this may include picking her up from school when she is sick, attending student-led conferences, and making sure she gets to school on time)
• No teenage boys in the home who are not related to the student
• The student has her own room, three meals a day, access to snacks, bed and bedding, study desk and chair, adequate bedroom furniture and storage, adequate lighting and heating, and transport arrangements to and from school (this may be on public transport)
• Must be NZ citizens or permanent residents. Caregivers cannot be on a limited visa such as a work, guardian or visitor visa.

One of our Accommodation Co-ordinators will visit the home to make sure the environment fits the criteria. All occupants over 18 years old (who are not international students) will need to be police vetted.

For more information please see the “Delineation of Responsibilities” and “Living with a Designated Caregiver” contracts in our application form. If you have any other questions, feel free to contact us.

Parents

Students are able to live with one or both of their parents. The parent will need to be on a visitor visa, with the condition of being a guardian of an international student. We also need a copy of the parent’s visitor visa.

Boarding at Epsom House

International students need to be accepted first before their application can be processed for our boarding facility, Epsom House. Applications to Epsom House must be received before the closing date, which is usually in September, but please check the website for confirmation. Places in Epsom House are not guaranteed, so students need to have other accommodation arranged (either DCG or homestay).

Become an International Student Host Family

We like to hear from families who are interested in hosting an international student. Host families and students often form lifelong relationships, and girls feel like their homestay is their family whilst studying with us. We work really hard to form good relationships with our homestay families, and we provide support if our homestays need help or assistance with the day to day care of their student/s.

We are looking for welcoming, caring families who have a spare bedroom with a desk and heating. Your home should be roughly no more than five kilometres from the school. If you are interested, please call us on 09 970-6757.

In Term 3 and 4 in 2024, $380.00 per week will be paid to cover full board and internet. In 2025, $400 per week will be paid to cover full board and internet.

Note: we require anyone in the home 18 and over to complete a police check.