Our Programs

The Homestay Program

Imagine how much faster a student can learn English while immersed in the language and culture, staying with a family that has been carefully selected by NISEP. Our Homestay Program offers students an opportunity to live with a Canadian family and learn more about other cultures while improving their English language skills. 

By sharing life with local families, students will have a first-hand experience of Newfoundland culture and opportunities to converse in English in a family atmosphere. When placed in families with children, NISEP students often find themselves forming close relationships with their homestay siblings. These bonds often enhance their learning experience through extended social interaction and common interests – an added bonus for all! 

WHAT’S INCLUDED

Homestay students will be provided with their own private, furnished room – including a bed, linens, a dresser, a desk, and towels. Students will have full use of the household, such as the telephone, television, living room and kitchen. Families will include their students in their day-to-day activities as well as cultural activities of interest to the student and the family. Students will be provided with three daily meals, including a packed lunch on school days. 

HOST FAMILIES

Host families are chosen for their interest in international students and their willingness to include students in daily family life. Not only are they willing to help students experience Canadian culture, but they are also interested in learning about the culture of the student’s home country. 

HOMESTAY COORDINATORS

An experienced homestay coordinator will monitor students throughout their stay and provide support to both students and host families. 

Prior to placement, Homestay Coordinators will visit host families, study the student profiles, and take great care to match students with families who have mutual interests to ensure an enjoyable and enriching experience for everyone involved. 

English Immersion

Through NISEP, all students will be immersed in the English Language, both at home and at school. Students will enroll in a grade-appropriate school, and learn alongside English-speaking students. NISEP students also have access to Vital English, an online self-paced learning tool. Vital English uses highly interactive courses applied to real-life situations and covers reading, writing, listening, and speaking as well as grammar and vocabulary. 

When totally immersed, students are subjected to more than books and lectures alone. They will learn to communicate in English – not merely reciting poems or prose. They will learn to express their emotions and their needs. Phrases and expressions used by their peers, less rigid and more fitting, will become their speech. Most importantly, through immersion, they will learn to recognize similarities and differences between languages, thus expanding their ability and knowledge of linguistics. 

Specific information about the K-12 system can be found on the website of the Department of Education of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. 

“ The year I spent in St. John’s was the best year of my life. The people are very friendly and although the city is small, it has an incredible magic because of its traditions and simplicity. I was so happy there that I didn’t want to return to my home! ”
Marcos Ponce