Important Note Please make sure that you look at the HOST website pages before you make your application, especially the Students' "FAQ" If you wish to travel beyond your local area please give a realistic amount for travel – we would suggest a minimum of £40. If you are required to make payment to HOST or to your institution, please make sure you make your payment as soon as possible or we cannot start processing your application. Please make sure that you understand the guidance before applying, as cancellations upset our hosts and may mean that other students from your institution will not be able to have a HOST visit. For more information, please contact info@hostuk.org

How to apply for a HOST Visit. Step 1: At your first visit, go to the "Your first access" section. You will need to fill in your name and e-mail address. A password will then be e-mailed to you. Also in the e-mail will be a link that takes you straight to the log-in area. Step 2: Once you have logged in, you will be asked to fill in your profile including your personal and contact details, basic information about such things as dietary requirements and a section about your interests and hobbies to help us match you appropriately. The more you tell us about yourself, the better it will be. Step 3: Once this brief process is done, you can apply for a visit! You can go back at any time to see what stage your application is at. It is important that you make sure that if any of your personal details change, you update your profile. For more information on the HOST programme and how to apply, please see the Student Handbook which can be downloaded in pdf format here or MS Word format here.

Things to think about before you apply for a visit:

Costs: IMPORTANT!
- Most of our subscribing institutions pay for your visit, but some make a charge for visits or second and subsequent visits. You should check in the FAQs section to see if you need to pay anything and how to do so.

Decide on your travel budget
- We offer you a choice of locations, but make sure you have enough money to travel to the furthest region you are going to chose. Travel to Northern Ireland or the Channel Islands, or between the far north and the far south of Britain, may cost at least £150 pounds. Remember that 'budget’ air tickets WILL increase between the time you apply to HOST and the time you can book your flight!

Decide where to go
- The more flexible you are the better your chances of receiving an invitation. If you are happy for HOST to choose the location for you, tick ONLY the box ‘I would be happy to go anywhere’. We will choose a place within your travel budget. Or you may list three locations and ALSO tick the ‘go anywhere’ box, which will then be regarded as your 4th choice. Please also note travelling time or distance when you apply. If you do not want to spend too much time or money on your travel, tick ONLY the box ‘I would like a visit near my place of study’. Visits ‘near your place of study’ will involve a journey of up to 90 minutes by public transport.

Decide when to go
- TIP: you must tick at least 3 available weekend dates; the more dates you are available the better your chances of a visit. Application forms with less than 3 dates may not be considered at all. You MUST be available on all the dates you have ticked.

Are you going with a friend?
- TIP: If 'Yes', you and your friend MUST both complete individual applications at the same time and mention each other's name on the form. Make sure you both provide corresponding information.

TOP TIPS - Increase your chances of a visit!

Contact Details:
- Please give correct details, as communication is vital. Inclusion of your correct e-mail address will make it easier for quick and efficient communication. Please make sure that you update your profile if your details change.

Dates:
- The more dates you can give us, the better as it increases our chances of having a free host in the area you want

Area:
- The more choice you give us on the areas you will go to, the greater our ability to match you for the dates you want.

Smoking:
- If you are a smoker, offer to smoke 'outdoors only'. If you do not suffer any allergy to smoke, tick that you WILL accept an invitation from a host who does. This increases the range of hosts we can use to ensure you get a visit.

Pets:
- If you do not suffer any allergy or phobia to having pets around, tick that you WILL accept an invitation from a host who has pets. Most British pets are small and harmless. This increases the range of hosts we can use to ensure you get a visit.

Additional information:
- Make sure you give us information about your interests so that we can make the best match.