Updated Oct. 17, 2023.

UVic Homestay has some important announcements to share regarding our placement policies and fees.

We want to reassure you that our priority will always be the quality of our student-host relationships and of our students' experiences. We strive to provide safe, friendly homes where students can interact with hosts and learn more about Canadian culture.

Placement policy changes

Please note that to accommodate the increasing number of students who need homestay placements year round, up to four students may be placed within the host home at any time during the year. Each student will, of course, have his/her own bedroom. There is no change to the maximum number of same-nationality students placed within the home, which remains at three. We expect that only a fraction of homestays to be able to accommodate four student placements in the home, and these will be vetted carefully to ensure the families are excellent hosts able to successfully accommodate students.

We are also expanding our catchment so that students may now have an 85-minute commute to the UVic campus. The homes will be located on convenient bus routes, and no more than a 10-minute walk to the bus stop.

Fee increase

The UVic Homestay application fee will remain the same at $300. The amount paid to homestay hosts recently increased to $1,350/month, with the nightly rate set at $45/night. 

This increase is reflective of our provincial inflation rate increase and the rising cost of living in Victoria, BC. In particular, the cost of food and gas has risen dramatically in the past few years. The homestay fee includes three meals per day and pick-up and drop-off from the Victoria International Airport or other arrival destinations like UVic or the downtown bus depot.

The shortage of accommodation options is making homestay the only practical option for many students coming from outside Canada, and we want to ensure students are placed in good homes while at the same time properly remunerating hosts for increased expenses incurred during a student's stay.

Learn more about how to become a homestay host.

• Posted June 1, 2022