It’s true. There really isn’t any other place like home. And when you’re a few thousand miles away from home, that feeling is ever more prevalent.

We understand.

At Real World Chinese we want to make sure that your experience in China is as close to home as it possibly can be. For some, home is a place that has a family, home-cooked meals, and the warmth of interactive conversations.

We’ve created the Homestay Program with that in mind. We have designed the program so that you won’t feel alone in a big, foreign city. Instead, you’ll have warm, friendly people around you, and dinners provided for you. Your Mandarin skills will soar with the interaction you receive from your host Chinese family on a daily basis.

The Program

We have carefully selected our candidates for Chinese host families from hundreds of applicants who are eager to share their homes and their lives with you. We are thorough in our research of the style of living the families have, so that we can best match your interests and abilities with theirs. We would never want you to feel awkward, or uncomfortable with your family, so we put in the extra effort to get to know the families, and you, before we make a match.

We have heard horror stories of students visiting foreign countries and being abandoned at train stations, waiting days for their families to pick them up, or living in conditions unfavourable to most humans. This will never happen to you. We have visited the homes of all the families, ensuring that they live in comfortable communities and have their homes equipped with a Western living style – complete with a TV, a DVD player, a computer with Internet access, and modern appliances such as a washer/dryer and a microwave.

Don’t worry. You will still get a full Chinese immersion experience from the activities and conversations you will share with your host family. It’s nearly impossible to cover every aspect of Chinese culture in a classroom, and the knowledge you will receive from your host family will be invaluable to your experience in China.

We also don’t expect you to have to travel great distances from your “home” to school every day. The first step in our matching process is to ensure that your Chinese home is a suitable distance from the school you will be attending. We have limited the commute so that it is, at most, only thirty minutes by bus or train.

We also make sure that you have your own space. Everyone needs time to himself or herself and we are mindful of that during the selection process. You will receive your own room, with a bed, a desk and air conditioning. What you choose to decorate it with, during your stay, is up to you.

In The Wizard of Oz Dorothy struggled to get back home. We never want you to feel that way. We want you to feel at home in China, and all of us – including your host family – will do everything to ensure you have the adventure of a lifetime while you are there.

Fees

RWC offers 3 kinds of homestay options.

Budget (US $ 170/WEEK)

1. Private bedroom  
2. Shared bathroom
3. Breakfast and dinner
4. Free Internet access
5. Airport pick up

Standard (US $ 200/WEEK)

1. Private bedroom
2. Shared bathroom
3. Host families located in new buildings
4. Breakfast and dinner
5. Free Internet DSL service
6. Airport pick up and sending off

Ultimate (US $ 230/WEEK)

1. Private bedroom
2. Private/shared bathroom
3. Language Exchange
4. Host families located in new buildings
5. Breakfast and dinner
6. Free Internet DSL service
7. Airport pick up and sending off

Notes

1. The non-refundable application fee is US$100 and deposit is US $200. The minimum
        booking is 4 weeks. Application must be received 30 days before you arrive and Fee must      be paid 20 days before you arrive.
2. 10% off discount to longer than 20 weeks stay.
3. The Homestay fee still applies you decide to extend your stay beyond your original booking.

Visa

		You should apply for an F-class Visa. F-class visas are usually issued for 1, 3 or 6 months depending on the duration of the course. If the study duration is not covered by the initial visa approval, an extension will be made by the host institution and RWC on arrival. Some academic year students may be qualified to apply for an X-class Visa. Some embassies and consulates may issue an L-class visa regardless of the purpose for entering China. In these cases the visa can also be converted on arrival. You may need an Invitation Letter, Admission Notice, or Visa Application for Study in China (JW202 form)   to obtain a visa.
These documents are provided by RWC when enrolment has been completed and after the total program fees have been paid.

Requirements

This program is open to anyone who is interested in Chinese culture and way of life.

Getting Here

Free transport is provided from the airport in the city you choose to your accommodation. The following important pieces of information are required at least 10 business days before your arrival:

Arrival date, Arrival time, Arrival place, Bus/Train/Flight Number, Airline/Bus company, Place of departure

Application

For On-line Application, click here.
For Application Guide, click here.

Related Links

• Chinese Language
• Chinese Business + Language
• Our Services

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