Your Home away from Home!
The VIU Homestay & Off-Campus Housing Office is working in office and remotely. See how to contact us!
Homestay is a program designed to promote friendship, language learning and provide opportunities for cultural exchange between Canadian families and international students who attend Vancouver Island University or The High School at VIU. Local Nanaimo residents open their homes to students to welcome them into their families, homes, and communities while the students are studying at VIU.
Experience living with a homestay host through the VIU Homestay Program. The program carefully vets hosts who are participating in the program through a number of methods and maintains an ongoing relationship with hosts. Hosts regularly share stories of life-long friendships that develop from these homestay experiences. In fact, many hosts have traveled to their students' home countries to visit or for special occasions, such as weddings!
| VIU Homestay Program COVID-19 Resources |
The Homestay Program is full and no longer accepting applications. Applications will next be accepted for Fall 2022.
Applications with less than 6 weeks processing time to the requested move-in date will be assessed a $100 rush fee.
Future Homestay Students
Learn more about living with a Canadian host family while you study at Vancouver Island University!
Current Homestay Students
Resources and information for current homestay students. Download forms, the homestay handbook, and complete homestay homework.
Future Homestay Hosts
Interested in becoming a homestay host for international students studying at VIU?
Current Homestay Hosts
Resource materials and information for current VIU Host Families. Download forms, the Hosting Experience Manual, and details on emergency procedures.
