Share your home. Share our city.

Become a homestay host in Derry and welcome an international student into everyday local life. It's flexible, rewarding, fairly paid — and we support you every step of the way.

Why host

More than a room. A window on the world.

Hosting is different from renting out a space. You welcome a student into everyday life — and for many, it becomes the most memorable part of their time in Derry.

Meet the world

Welcome students from across Europe and beyond, and get to know their cultures and traditions without leaving home.

Share your Derry

Show a newcomer your city, your customs and your way of life — you're often their first impression of Northern Ireland.

Help them grow

A few daily conversations over breakfast or dinner make a real difference to a student's English and confidence.

Lasting friendships

Many hosts build genuine connections — and lasting memories — with the students they welcome.

01 — What's involved

Hosting is straightforward. You give a student a private bedroom, breakfast and an evening meal, and a warm welcome into everyday local life. We handle the bookings, the paperwork and the support — you share your home and your city.

What we provide

Fair pay, every two weeks
Student bookings arranged for you
A dedicated Accommodation Officer
24/7 support line for hosts
All bookings & paperwork handled
Your AccessNI check arranged & paid for

What we ask

A private bedroom — heated, with fresh linen weekly and storage
Breakfast & an evening meal (packed lunch for full-board students)
A place in everyday household life
English spoken at home
A lift to and from the meeting point on arrival & departure day
On a bus route, within 35 minutes of the school by bus
A little time to chat and help with English

"I absolutely love being a host for Foyle International as I really love meeting new people. I find it very rewarding to help people to understand our culture and way of living. I also take a lot of interest in learning about new cultures. Being a host has had such a positive impact on my baby as he is getting to meet new people all the time. It’s really helped him to become very outgoing at such a young age!"
Aoife, Hosting for 3 years

02 — You're in good hands

Support, pay and peace of mind.

Hosting with Foyle comes fully backed — fair pay, a team on call around the clock, and the reassurance of British Council accreditation.

Fair pay

Paid every two weeks, worked out night by night — so you're paid for exactly the time a student stays with you.

Your own officer

A dedicated Accommodation Officer who knows you and your student, on hand for anything from a small question to a genuine concern.

Around the clock

A 24/7 support line, reachable day and night, so you're never left to manage a difficult moment alone.

Paperwork handled

Student bookings and admin are ours, not yours — so you can focus on hosting.

Regular visits

We visit and approve every homestay, and stay in touch to make sure hosting keeps working for you.

Accredited

Foyle was the first school in Northern Ireland to earn British Council accreditation.

03 — How to become a host

From first hello to first student.

Becoming a Foyle homestay host is simple, and we guide you through every step.

Apply

Tell us a little about yourself, your home and your hosting preferences.

Home visit

Our Accommodation Officer visits to meet you, see the room and shared areas, and answer your questions.

AccessNI check

An enhanced background check is needed to host under-18s. We guide you through it and cover the cost.

References

Share two references, who we'll contact directly.

Review

We review everything to make sure your home is a good fit for hosting.

Welcome to Foyle

Once approved, you join our host database and can start welcoming students.

Become a host

Share your home. Share our city.

Hosting with Foyle is straightforward and rewarding. We handle the bookings, provide full support, and are here for both you and your student throughout the stay.

Become a Host →

Are you a student looking for accommodation? See student accommodation →