Support for students

The COL homestay team are the first port of call for queries and support. Full contact details, including out of hours instructions, will be provided to students. During placements, they will stay in contact with students to check that everything is going okay. Additionally, informal drop in sessions will be held on campus, so if students need to discuss something with the team in person, they can do so in a confidential and neutral environment.

Our hosts provide more than just a room to stay in, they are the foundation of the homestay experience and play an important role in ensuring students feel safe and welcomed in Edinburgh. Through regular interaction, they will help students to practice their English language skills, involve them in home life, provide real world experience of Scottish and wider-UK culture, and offer advice and guidance as appropriate.   

Once a placement has been arranged, we will confirm booking details and next steps with students. We will also create and send a custom profile document detailing key information about the host:

• Their personal details, contact information and photo
• Brief statement describing their background, interests and hobbies, family members, pets, etc
• Brief overview of the home, alongside photos of the property
• Brief overview of any amenities near the home (supermarkets, pharmacies, etc)
• Brief overview of transport links from the home into Edinburgh city centre

We will also send students an information and support guide to help them prepare for their placement. This contains many useful tips and resources:

• Key things to be aware of
• Tips to help them settle into their homestay
• Information about meal provision
• Overview of Scottish culture, and day to day life in Edinburgh
• Guidance on resolving issues
• Key contacts for support 

At the end of each placement, we will ask students to provide confidential and honest feedback about their homestay experience. This will take the form of a short online survey, and will help us to ensure continuous service improvement and quality assurance.