Homestay Application

For Portland State University International Students and Scholars

Important Notes:

  • If you are not a PSU international student or scholar please do not submit an application for a homestay. Instead, send an e-mail telling us your name, sex, school and campus, and your requested homestay dates.  We will reply telling you whether or not we can help you. 
  • We are not able to provide this service for those coming to Portland for internships or jobs.
  • Not for the use of travel agents or other placement agencies.
  • This application must be completed by the applicant.
  • FOCUS Homestays is run by volunteers. We try to help all who want homestays, but we are not always able to find available host families.

Cost Of A Homestay

  • The Homestay fee is set by the host family. You and the host family should agree upon the cost before moving in.
  • Long-term stay (more than one month): Most host families charge about $650 (all meals provided) or about $525 (breakfast only) per month.
  • Short-term stay (one month or less):  Most families charge about $30 per day including meals. or about $25 per day including breakfast only. (Each family sets their own rate.)

IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING PAYMENTS:

  • If at all possible, your payments to the host family should be by personal check or bank check made payable to the host family.
  • The host family should give you a receipt showing the date received, the amount paid and the dates of occupancy that are being paid for by the check.
  • Your host family should not require you to pay for more than one month in advance.
  • Your host family should not require that payments be made in cash.

Information About Host Families:

  • A host family may be a single person, a married couple, or parent/s with children.
  • Most of our host families live between 35 and 60 minutes from PSU by bus or train.
  • We will try to match your preferences for a host family as closely as possible. However, we can’t guarantee a certain type of family or distance from PSU.
  • Those who apply early will have a better chance of their preferences being matched.
  • While FOCUS helps arrange homestays, the homestay agreement is between the host family and the student.

When to apply:

  • Please submit your application 4 weeks or more before your requested move-in date. However, if you want a homestay sooner, apply anyway, and we will try to help. You can write to us first to check on the likelihood of us finding a host family on short notice.

When completing the form, please don’t use all capitals or all lower case.

No: “greg steward”
No: “GREG STEWARD”.
Yes: “Greg Steward”

Thanks!

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