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Housing

David

 

What are the benefits of a homestay?

• Living with a host family will help you immerse in the American culture.

• You can dramatically improve your English language skills. 

• You will have a safe and supportive family environment while you're in America.

• Homestay is a lot cheaper than renting an apartment on your own in the Bay Area.

Resources

Student Handbook  

  • Rent: page 4
  • Deposit: page 5
  • Semester Breaks: page 6

Rent Receipt Form  

  • If your host requires you to pay rent in cash, have them sign the receipt form every month.
  • This form can also be used during your initial move-in day when you have to pay for two months' rent in advance.

Moving Notification Form  

  • You must give your host a 30-day written notice before moving out, or else you may risk losing some or all of your $500 deposit. 

Relocation Request Form

  • Fill out the form if you would like to request a new host family.
  • $100 Change Fee.

Student

“The choice of living with a host family during my college period in the U.S. was the best I could make. The homestay provides me a safe and healthy environment while I get to explore a new country and its culture. The relationship you are going to make with you host family is for life, if you are open to it. I would definitely recommend this experience for everybody."               

- Eloisa Da Silva (pictured)
 
 
 

 

 

Application Fees and Deadlines Beginning Spring 2024:

  • Spring Deadline: December 1st, 11:59 pm (California Time) - $300* 
    • Late Fee (after December 1st): $500
  • Fall Deadline: July 1st, 11:59 pm (California Time) - $300* 
    • Late Fee (after July 1st): $500

* For students who apply after the Fall or Spring Homestay Referral application deadlines, we cannot guarantee that you will be placed with a host family.  Kindly note that Options 3 and 4 WILL NOT be available after the application deadlines.

Application Fee Refund Policy:

We will refund you with the application fee if:

  • Your visa is denied; or
  • We are unable to match you with a host family

Homestay Options (monthly rate):

 

  Option 1 Option 2

Option 3

(NOT AVAILABLE

after deadline)

Option 4

(NOT AVAILABLE

after deadline)
 

$1,775

Private Room

(2 meals per day)

$1,275

Private Room

(without meals)

$1,375

Shared Room*

(2 meals per day)

$875

Shared Room*

(without meals)
 Move-in Costs:        
 Deposit $500 $500 $500 $500
 2 Months' Rent $3,550 $2,550 $2,750 $1,750
 Total Due on Move-In Date $4,050 $3,050 $3,250 $2,250

*Two students of the same gender will share a room, but each student will have their own bed, desk, and drawer. 

 

How to APPLY:

Thank you for your interest in San Mateo County Community College District's Homestay Referral Program for international students. Before submitting your application, kindly keep in the mind that it will take 10 - 14 days to process an application.   If you are arriving prior to receiving your homestay placement confirmation, you will need to find your own temporary housing, https://www.smccd.edu/international/housing/other_housing_resources.php

Log in through your mySMCCD Student Portal to access the Homestay Application tab

Step 1 - Log in to your mySMCCD Student Portal using the student username and password that you received in your welcome letter.

Step 2 - Click on Student Success Link

Onelogin portal

Step 3 - Click on SMCCD International Portal

SSL portal

Step 4 - Click the Homestay Application tab

housing screenshot

Airport Transportation:

It is the student’s responsibility to arrange transportation from the airport to the homestay.  Some hosts offer to pick the student up from the airport, however, it is not required and is completely on a voluntary basis. After being matched, please contact your host right away to coordinate this. You may also take a taxi, Lyft, or Uber, located right outside of baggage claim. 

 

Monthly Cost:

$1,775 
(full board)

Room with 2 meals per 
day (breakfast & dinner 
only) 7 days a week. 
With this option, the 
family will provide the
student with breakfast 
items that the student 
can grab-and-go or 
prepare him/herself. 
Lunch is not provided.

Monthly Cost:

$1,275 
(room only) 

This option is for 
students who choose to 
take care of all their own 
meals. The family must 
provide access to the 
kitchen for cooking and 
provide the student with 
cabinet and refrigerator
space to store food.

Monthly Cost:

$1,375 
(per student)

Shared Room 
(2 students per room, 
with two meals a day). 
The family will provide
the student with breakfast 
items that the student 
can grab-and-go or 
prepare him/herself. 
Lunch is not provided.

Monthly Cost:

$875
(per student)

Shared Room
(2 students per room 
without a meal plan).
The family must 
provide access to the 
kitchen for cooking and 
provide the student with 
cabinet and refrigerator
space to store food.

 

1) If I cancel my application before being matched with a family, do I get my application fee back?

  • In this case we have two situations. The first, if you apply and pay before the deadline, the only two reasons we would refund the application fee is in case of visa declined or in case that we cannot match you with a Host Family. The second situation is in case you apply and pay after the deadline we will only refund in case we cannot match you with a Host Family.

2)  The family will provide essential items such as toilet paper, razor blades or soap?

  • No, items of personal care such as toilet paper, razor blades, soap and others are responsibility of the student and not of the Host Family to provide.

3) After I complete my program with my Host Family, do I get my $500 deposit back?

  • It depends, in order to get your $500 deposit back, you must fill out a Move Out Notification with a 30-day notice before the date that you plan to leave your Homestay. Once you notify your family that you are leaving with one month of anticipation, they will make an evaluation of the room situation: if there are no damage to the room and its furniture, the family will get you your deposit back. If you broke something or left your room unclean, the family might use your deposit to clean or fix those things, so you will not get full $500 deposit back or, in some cases, you will not get any money back.

4) Do host families get to choose the housing option too?

  • Yes, not only do they get to choose between the four options, but they also get to indicate the gender and age they prefer hosting. Many families do not want to host a student under 18 years old. The majority of host families offer options 1 & 2 (private rooms) while students often request options 3 & 4 (shared rooms). After living there for a while, sometimes students will request to stay with the same family but switch to a cheaper option. Some families are perfectly okay with that, while others are not. We always encourage the student to directly ask the family since we have no control over the family’s decision. Families also have the option of giving the student a 30-day written notice to move out after the initial two months. They are not required to continue hosting a student with behavioral issues. It’s important to provide great services to our students, but we must also keep our host families happy to maintain the Homestay Program.

5) If I choose one of the "no meals" options, do I need to buy my own kitchen utensils?

  • Basic kitchens utensils such as pots, pans, dishes, spoons, forks or knives will be provided by the Host Family, but if you want something more sophisticated or not very common that the family do not have, you are welcome to buy it.

Transportation Options for SMCCCD Colleges (Skyline College, College of San Mateo, and Cañada College)

6) What transportation options are available for international students at SMCCCD colleges?

  • Students at Skyline College, College of San Mateo (CSM), and Cañada College have multiple transportation options, including SamTrans bus routes, college-operated shuttle services, Lyft ride programs, and free on-campus parking.

7) Which SamTrans bus routes serve SMCCCD colleges?

  • Each college is served by specific SamTrans bus routes, providing convenient public transit options:
    • Skyline College
      • Route 121 – Connects Daly City BART Station and South San Francisco BART Station to Skyline College.
      • Route 141 – Links San Bruno BART Station and San Bruno Caltrain Station to Skyline College.
      • Route SKY – Provides a direct connection from Daly City BART Station to Skyline College.
    • College of San Mateo (CSM)
      • Route 250 – Connects CSM to Hillsdale Shopping Center, Downtown San Mateo, and San Mateo Caltrain Station.
      • Route CSM – Offers a direct connection between CSM and the San Mateo Caltrain Station, operating on weekdays.
    • Cañada College
      • Route 78 – Links Redwood City Transit Center and Caltrain Station to Cañada College.
      • Route 278 – Connects Cañada College to East Palo Alto and Menlo Park.
  • All SamTrans routes accommodate bicycles and are wheelchair accessible. For more details, visit the SamTrans Routes page.

8) Do SMCCCD colleges offer free shuttle services?

  • Yes! Each college provides a shuttle service for easy campus access:
    • Skyline College Shuttle – Runs Monday to Friday between Daly City BART Station and Skyline College with hourly pick-ups and drop-offs. More info.
    • CSM Shuttle – Operates Monday to Friday from 7:10 AM to 2:15 PM between Millbrae BART/Caltrain Station and CSM with stops at key campus buildings. More info.
  • Cañada College currently does not operate a shuttle service.

9) Do SMCCCD colleges provide free Lyft rides?

  • Yes! College of San Mateo and Cañada College offer free Lyft rides to eligible students:
    • CSM Lyft Rides – Provides one free roundtrip ride per day for eligible students. Requires completion of a registration form and liability waiver. Approved students receive an invitation from Lyft Business to activate their benefit. More info.
    • Cañada College Lyft Rides – Offers the same program for eligible students. More info.

10) Does Cañada College offer a carpool program?

  • Yes! Cañada College has a carpool program that allows students to share rides, reduce commuting costs, and access designated carpool parking spaces on campus. For registration details and guidelines, visit Cañada College Carpool Program.

11) Do SMCCCD colleges offer free parking?

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