Home stay families provide international students with an introduction to American culture and family life. Opening your hearts and home to students from a different country grants you and your family the unique opportunity to meet new and interesting people and promote cultural understanding. Hosting also enables international students to build a foundation for understanding the American culture and to form lasting friendships with American families.

Who Qualifies?

If you:

• Are open to sharing everyday experiences like food shopping and family means with exchange students
• Have room for students to sleep
• Can transport students to and from Saint Martin’s University or live near a public transportation line
• Want to open doors to international experiences

What are the Benefits?

• Share your culture
• Learn about another culture
• Help build community at home by strengthening ties overseas
• Give exchange students the opportunity to experience American family life
• Make lifelong friends

Host Family Opportunities!

We are currently looking for host families for the following opportunities:

Thanksgiving- host families would invite international students to share in the American tradition of Thanksgiving dinner. This is not an overnight home stay. Families would pick up their student prior to the day’s festivities and return them back to Saint Martin’s after their holiday fun is over.

Winter Break- families would host international students for up to 30 days during the Saint Martin’s winter break. These dates run the last two weeks of December and the first two weeks of January. We realize this is a busy time for families, so home stays may be split between families.

Summer Programs- Families host visiting international students during their week-long summer program at Saint Martin’s. There are a variety of 2009 summer dates available:

If you are interested in becoming a host family, please contact the Office of International Programs and Development.

If this is your first time serving as a host family, you will need to fill out a (1) host family application, (2) family questionnaire, (3) weekend WSP agreement or long-term WSP agreement.  As part of the application process, host families will need to provide the required information on the WSP agreement form to complete a background check with the Washington State Patrol.

Once you have completed these forms you may return them by one of the following options:

Mail to:
Saint Martin's University
OIPD - Community Liaison
5300 Pacific Ave SE, Old Main 419
Lacey, WA 98503-7500
Fax: 360-438-4359

After your application has been approved, Mary will contact you for a home visit. 

For driving directions to the Saint Martin's University campus for home stay events and locations of buildings please click on campus map or driving directions.