Hosting and teaching from home is a flexible way of earning an income. We have students of all ages (children, teenagers or adults), backgrounds and nationalities.
Homestays vary from 1 week to 2 or 3 weeks and can include from 10 to 25 hours of private tuition with or without activities. Some host teachers work all year round, others only during school holidays.
What are the advantages?
- Earn a good income from the comfort of your own home
- You work as a freelance so you are in charge
- You’re free to accept or refuse the students we propose
What qualifications do you need?
- A university degree (any academic subject) and a minimum of 2 years’ teaching experience and/or
- A teaching qualification (Tefl, Tesol, Celta, PGCE etc.)
How does it work?
You accommodate a foreign student and treat them as a member of your family, typically providing 15 hours of formal language lessons per week on a one-to-one basis. You also provide 3 meals and activities when these are booked.
We would love to hear from hosts who:
- Can provide a welcoming family atmosphere and comfortable home
- Can provide guests with their own room and home-cooked meals
- Can offer stimulating activities
- Love teaching and want to share their enthusiasm for their language and culture with others
Host families range from the traditional – with two adults and one or more children – to one-parent families, young couples without children, retired couples and people who live alone.
See what HLI Teachers are saying
Working as a host teacher with Home Language International
HLI is a network of over 3,000 host teachers. Established in 1979, we are proud of our 40+ years of experience.
We are based in over 30 countries and offer 20 languages worldwide with English teachers in the UK and Ireland, Malta, Australia, USA, Canada, South Africa & New Zealand + mother-tongue teachers in France, Italy, Spain, Germany, Belgium, Holland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Portugal, Poland, Brazil, Russia, Japan, China, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates
HLI is recognised by ASIC
Frequently asked questions
What is home tuition?
It is an immersion experience where tutors combine hosting a foreign student with teaching them in their own home on a one-to-one basis
How much can I expect to be paid?
It depends on the programme, the number of hours tuition, the number of hours activities booked and the country and area you live in. Your local organiser will be able to give you full details.
How many hours of tuition are included?
10h, 15h, 20h, 25h, 30h home tuition per week. This may sound like an intensive course when you consider these are private lessons but you can choose to accept students on the programmes and the number of hours tuition to suit you.
What do students expect from their language course?
They are looking to not only improve their language level but also discover a new culture and environment.
What do most teachers like about this form of teaching?
They like the flexibility of working from home on a freelance basis and the extra income it provides them with.
How is support provided?
We have a general director of studies and regional local organisers who are there to assist for both education and general matters.
What level are the students?
There are beginners to advanced but they usually all at least have a basic knowledge of the language before they arrive.
What happens outside lessons?
Some students book lessons only, others book courses with activities (culture, sports, leisure etc.) but all appreciate the chance to spend time with you. We ask you to treat them as a friend who comes to stay and whatever Programme they have booked spend a reasonable amount of time with them.
Can I work during the time I host a student?
As this is a rather intensive course and the student needs your attention we ask you not to work during that period or at the very most 3 hours a day.
What do I need to qualify as an HLI host family?
You should speak the language you are teaching as a native speaker and should hold a teaching qualification and/or university degree with 2 years of teaching experience. A sociable and friendly personality as well as an ability to communicate are also very important.
What kind of host teachers usually host and teach students?
Some teachers teach in schools and host foreign students during school holidays, other hosts having retired welcome the opportunity to teach in a different way, others just prefer the opportunity of working as a freelance from home.
How long do courses last?
They typically last from 1 to 4 weeks and on average 2 weeks.
When is it is the busiest time?
Summer months are when the majority of students book but we also have students all year round. As out busiest period is July and August – we tend to reward the host teachers who work with us over this period with priority on out-of-season bookings.
What makes a course successful?
Including students in your everyday life, taking them with you on your daily activities, sharing your life and engaging them as much as possible in conversation. It should be an enjoyable experience for both the student and the host tutor.
What are the student profiles and ages?
We have students of all ages: children, teenagers and adults, in summer usually more teenagers and outside of summer usually more adults. We have a majority of language students from Europe but we also have some from Japan, Russia and other countries. Some look for general English, others want to prepare for an exam (such as Cambridge First Certificate, IELTS, Proficiency etc.)
How many students can I expect?
This will depend on where you live and how flexible you are on accepting different types of students throughout the year but on average host teachers host 5 or 6 bookings yearly which corresponds to 10 to 12 weeks a year.