Yorkville English Academy - Toronto, Canada

HOMESTAY

Yorkville English Academy offers our students quality homestay and other accommodation services. Staying in a homestay gives the student an excellent opportunity to practice English conversation and experience Canadian culture. Our fully inspected homes are safe,

secure, and approved by our homestay staff. Our families are located within 45 minutes of the school by public transit.

Students are treated as a part of the family which requires the student to observe household rules and routines, experience new food and adapt to a new culture.

Placement
All homestay families are inspected and interviewed before becoming a host family for Yorkville English Academy. YEA should receive the homestay application with as much information as possible to match the students' needs or interests with an appropriate host family.

On placement, the school will provide the student with a brief biography of the family, a description of the home, and any other important information.

The family or a YEA staff member will meet the student at the airport, if an airport transfer is requested. If the student misses his/her flight or is detained, it is his/her responsibility to advise the host family or the driver of this information. The student should look for a sign with his or her name on it as he or she exits the luggage area.

Students will be required to sign a Student Agreement during the first day of classes. Each month, students will have an opportunity to fill out a survey and comment on their homestay family. Our homestay co-ordinator will be available to help with any problems or concerns students have with their homestay placement. If problems arise, the homestay co-ordinator will attempt to resolve the problem based on the agreements signed by both the student and the family. If mutually acceptable solutions cannot be found, an alternative homestay placement will be made. If the student's behaviour is unacceptable to the family or the student is unable to comply with the homestay agreement, the student will be asked to leave the homestay program. Examples of such behaviour include theft, harassment or the inability of a student to live within family rules.

Payment
Homestay is calculated as a 28-day (4 week) period. Extra days either before or following the study block will be charged at a per diem rate, subject to the availability of room with

the family. If a room is not available, students will be obliged to find alternative accommodation. A condition of the Family Agreement is to not charge any additional fees, other than per diem rates for additional days. Students should notify the school if requests for additional fees are made.

Students must pay the school in full for the next month's accommodation on the last day of the session preceding the upcoming month, otherwise they will be asked to leave the homestay program.

Refund Policy
Homestay refunds will be made under the following circumstances:

• If notice is received more than 8 weeks prior to arrival, a full refund is given.
• If notice is received less than 8 weeks prior to arrival, the placement fee is not refunded.
• If notice is received after arrival, and with less than 2 weeks notice, that month's fee is not refunded, unless the homestay family violates the homestay agreement.

Emergency Numbers
Students will be issued emergency phone numbers with their student cards.

Accommodation Options
Students may wish to have more independent accommodation. Generally, the options available are:

• Hotels
• Apartments
• Furnished Rooms

During the summer, university residences may be available. Please give sufficient time to arrange this service. The Homestay co-ordinator can provide assistance with hotels and apartment accommodation but students will be expected to secure their own accommodation.