We have answered the most frequently asked questions here, for your convenience.

Frequently Asked QuestionsAnd their answers

General FAQs

Each bedroom has a comfortable bed, a desk for studying, wardrobe and adequate heating if needed. Please let your host family know if yoy are cold and need more blankets. You are responsible for keeping your room neat and tidy, Australian families do not have servants. Do not to leave valuables or large amounts of money in your room. You can put any large amounts of cash in the bank.
Breakfast and dinner are provided for you everyday.

Breakfast – is usually self-serve.

Lunch – is provided on the weekend if you are at home. Your family will normally serve a light salad or a sandwich with tea, coffee or other drink. Please note that Australian families usually eat a very light and quick lunch, as it is not considered as the main meal of the day.

Dinner – will be cooked for you, and will be the largest meal of the day. This is a good opportunity to have a conversation with your host family.
If you will not be home for dinner, or if you will be late, it is important that you notify your Home Stay family so they know where you are. Also, if there is any food that you do not like, do inform your Home Stay family 'as soon as you arrive'.
No, it isn't. There will be extra charges involved and you need to make the arrangement with the family and pay them directly (normally $10 per week). Please be aware that internet in Australia can be very expensive if you download movies, music and games, and you will be required to pay these charges if you use them.
No, you won't. However, if you want to have your own bathroom, you may choose VIP Home Stay Accomodation, which has the option of your own bathroom.
Not all families are familiar with Halal food. If you must have Halal food, you need to select VIP accommodation and state this requirement in your application form.
These are the general rules . Please check with your host family if they have specific rules.
All families share the following guidelines:
  • When you use the bathroom, make sure you leave it clean and dry afterwards.
  • Try not to use the bathroom for a long time as there might be other people waiting.
  • Your Home Stay family will provide you with clean sheets, towels and washing powder regularly. However, please bring your own toiletries.
  • You will be able to use the washing machine in your Home Stay. Check with your Home Stay hosts first how to use it. We are very careful with water usage in Australia, so do not use the washing machine for only a few items, a full load once a week is more practical.
No they don't. Although it is not required it will be appreciated if you could assist with the housework. The more you participate in home activities the sooner you will adapt to your new environment. In some cultures the guest is expected to be served, in Australia the guest is encouraged to participate.
Australia is the driest continent, and has one of the most variable rainfall climates in the world. Our current drought is the worst on record. One of the measurable impacts of drought is a reduction in water storage levels. Changes in water storage levels can lead to the introduction of water restrictions, which limit the volume and way users can utilise water, especially in urban settlements.

Please assist your host family in conserving water as much as possible. Below are some guidelines you can follow:
  • Taking short showers not longer than 10 minutes.
  • During the drought period, do not take baths.
  • Keeping the tap closed while you brush your teeth.
  • Washing only full machine loads (not one or 2 items).
  • Ask your host if they have other rules regarding water conservation

Global Experience has staff available 24 hours a day to deal with emergencies, so there will always be someone available to help you. If you have a problem, please tell us about it. We want to help and assist you.
Usually, if you speak about the problem, it is possible to find a solution. Try speaking to your Home Stay family first.
If this is not satisfactory or if you do not feel comfortable about doing this, please phone Global Experience on Ph: 02 9264 4022 during office hours (Mon-Fri, 10am-5.30pm) and we will try to help you.

Host Family FAQs

There are two different types of payments:
  • 1. School: if the College books accommodation with Global Experience, on behalf of the student ($240). Homestay rates may vary from $240 per week to $260 depending on the educational institution
  • 2. Agent/Direct: for standard Homestay or if the student made the booking directly to Global Experience ($260)

  • How long does Global Experience book for standard homestay room with you?
  • Initially for 4 weeks unless specified differently (such as some special bookings, study tour groups, working experience, etc).

  • When do you get paid?
  • You will be paid for 4 weeks Homestay, approximately within 14 days after the student's arrival.
  • You will be paid every four weeks after this if your student decides to stay with you. You are required to tell us if this is the case.
  • Kindly note the first payment incurs a 10% Administration Fee. If we need to pay further weeks for the same student, a $10 administration fee applies to each transaction.
  • If your student is a direct or an agent's booking, after the end of four weeks initial booking, student will pay you directly, with no interaction with GE.

  • Why is that?
  • We (and most colleges) regard two weeks as cooling off period, to see whether both parties (you and student) are comfortable with each other.
  • Also, the schools do not pay us until the student has arrived. Once the student has arrived, you need to inform us so that we can invoice the school otherwise your payment could be delayed.

  • What happens after the first 4 weeks if the student wishes to extend?
  • It is important for you to check with your student, preferably on the third week after his or her arrival, whether he or she is going to extend their stay in your home. Once you let us know, we will advise you on the next steps. There are a couple of different payment methods depending where the original booking came from, either from a College, Agent or Direct.
  • If your student came to Global Experience through a college booking, it is possible that we need to invoice the College and then pay you. We will inform you which the situation is with each individual booking.
  • So please call or email us about your situation on the 3rd week and every 4 week thereafter, as it will accelerate the processing of your payment.

  • Does Global Experience take any commission?
  • A 10% administration fee applies for the first four weeks only (per guest).

  • No it doesn't. You are allowed to charge your student for Internet access $10 a week. Please make sure whatever internet plan you have, ensure no overage fees apply. Please note that other countries have free unlimited access and students often do not understand the Australian charges.

    For telephone calls, you need to advise the student to use his or her own mobile to make calls and allow them to receive incoming calls. However, if the student wants to use the phone to make a local call, you may charge them 40 cent and ask the student to put the money in an honesty jar.

    Only on the first day, it will be a good idea to buy your student a $5 phone card and tell him or her to use it to call home. Teach the student where to get the phone card thereafter so that he or she can save money when calling overseas.


    You can charge the student half price which is normally $130 a week and have them stay on with you.
    After the initial 4 weeks period, you need to give two weeks notice by calling us at the office to allow the student to secure alternative accommodation. Same thing applies if the student wishes to move out, he or she needs to give you two weeks notice so that you can find a replacement
    Twice a day: breakfast and dinner for weekdays. Three times a day: breakfast, lunch and dinner for weekends (if the student is at home). Breakfast is generally self serve so please show your student how to do this.
    Yes, you need to actually take the student by public transport to the school and back so they know where they are going. It is very important as the student is a total stranger to this country.
    Always make sure you communicate clearly with your guest, if their level of English is limited you can write the information down in plain English. Many times your guest won't do something as you expect due to lack of understanding.

    If after talking to your guest, you still feel there is no resolution, please feel free to give us a call at the office so that we can assist you in solving the challenge.
    • Family's situation (i.e. son moves out, new pet/s, etc)
    • Address
    • Phone number
    • Email address
    • Bank details


    *If you are going away (either for a short or long term breaks) and you are currently having a student, you must inform us. Under age students cannot live in a home alone without any supervision from the family and there must be a presence of the host mother in a home.
    Please let us know by calling the office on 02 9264 4022? or email marketing@globalexperience.com.au.
    The ATO has indicated that you can have up to 2-3 students at your home without paying tax. Please call the ATO on 13 28 61 if you wish to get further information. ATO legislation does change from time to time and we suggest you contact them to ensure the information is still current.
    We suggest you check with your current provider. We have been told that some providers will allow you to have public liability up to $10 million and that is sufficient.
    Yes, you do. Under the law, it is compulsory.

    Please refer below:

    "NSW Smoke Alarms - It's the law From 1 May 2006, all NSW residents must have at least one working smoke alarm installed on each level of their home. This includes owner occupied, rental properties, relocatable homes or any other residential building where people sleep.

    Smoke alarms are already mandatory for all new buildings and in some instances when buildings are being renovated. Smoke alarms are life-saving devices that provide benefits for occupants. They detect smoke well before any sleeping occupant would and provide critical seconds to implement actions to save life and property. Smoke alarms are designed to detect fire smoke and emit a loud and distinctive sound to alert occupants of potential danger."