The benefits of hosting an international student are often profound. You get to learn about another culture and way of life. You get the good feeling that goes along with doing a good deed for another person and for your community. On a practical level, you also are eligible for a $600- to $800-a-month stipend that helps cover the expenses that go with being a host family.

Elgin Community College’s International Student Homestay Program is in need of host families, and organizers are asking for your help.

The International Student Homestay Program at ECC provides a unique opportunity for full-time international students on an F-1 visa to reside in an American home as a member of the family while providing local residents with the opportunity to host an international student and learn about a new culture. The ultimate goal of the program is to build bridges of cultural appreciation.

Students’ benefits:

• Adapt to life and culture in the U.S.
• Opportunity to improve his/her English
• Experience an American home environment

Hosts’ benefits:

• Learn from an international student’s traditions and culture
• Increase global awareness and build lasting international friendships
• Receive a monthly stipend ($600-800 per month)

Click hear to learn how to apply.

For more information, please contact Wendy Chen at Elgin Community College, Center for International Education and Programs, at 847-214-7722 or wchen@elgin.edu. For more information on the International Student Homestay Program, please visit www.elgin.edu/homestay.

SOURCE: Elgin Community College Homestay Program