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Homestay Programs in Taiwan

At LTL Mandarin School we offer two types of Homestay in Taiwan. The standard Homestay and the Teach English Homestay.

In a nutshell:

  • Standard Homestay – Live with a Chinese family in Taipei and experience Chinese culture to the full. Enjoy wonderful home cooked food, speak Mandarin 24/7 and enjoy some once in a lifetime experiences with your new family as you become a part of their family

Homestay in Taiwan Program

  • Live with a Chinese family
  • Two types of Homestay Program
  • Standard Homestay
  • Teach English Homestay
  • Both give maximum exposure to culture
  • Teach English Program 50% cheaper
  • Teach English 6 hours per week
  • Teach English Homestay – 50% cheaper than the standard homestay program. The teach English homestay offers you all the benefits of a standard homestay, the main difference being that every week you will teach English to a member of the homestay family. In total you are expected to teach 6 hours of English per week.
  • Explore the Culture

    Explore the Culture

    Experience Taipei like never before - Live with a local family, embrace it

    Special experience - Our homestays provide you with a great living environment

    Immersion, 100% - You are the only student living with the family

    Meet the Family - Chances are they'll be loads of people to meet!

  • Food to Die For

    Food to Die For

    Prepared at home - Fresh, everyday, and it's delicious, take our word for it!

    Healthy meals - Chinese are some of the healthiest around, there's a reason why

    Endless possibilities - Chinese food is so diverse, there is much to explore

    Everyone Catered for - Vegetarian, vegan, gluten free options available

  • Over a Decade in the Industry

    Over a Decade in the Industry

    Experience - We pick only the best homestay families in Taiwan

    Your New Home - Feel right at home form the moment you arrive

    Selected carefully - We don't just select anyone - only the best for LTL students

  • Speak Mandarin 24/7

    Speak Mandarin 24/7

    Don't stop talking - Take home what you learn each day and apply it.

    Don't stop learning - Study hard and the rewards will show, quickly

    Don't stop listening - Breathe in Mandarin all day every day. The more you listen the more you'll pick up

Standard Taiwan Homestay

Our homestay program is one of our most proud achievements since starting LTL Mandarin School and it shows in popularity with our students. Across all four of our LTL locations roughly 80% of our students choose to stay with a Chinese host family.

A key element of learning Chinese is to speak it 24/7 and not get caught in a “foreign bubble”, which is very easy to do. Living with a Chinese host family takes that temptation away, and you will also enjoy some wonderful home cooked food also.

Teach English Homestay

Study Mandarin in Taipei, live with a Chinese family in Taiwan and teach English in the same Chinese program which provides you with a 50% discount on accommodation. Teach a member of your host family English for six hours every week in between your Chinese classes.

This option is ideal if you are on a budget but still want to experience living with a family in Taiwan. You will teach one member of the family English and you will create a schedule between you. In the meantime you will be improving your Mandarin.

Why Choose Homestay In Taipei?

Immersion is a huge part about learning Chinese in our opinion and so it shows. Our students who stay with a homestay and learn Mandarin individually will generally always make quicker progress.

Our homestay program is the jewel in the LTL crown. One student, one Chinese family and Mandarin 24/7.

It’s all good and well learning Chinese at school but what about when class finishes?

You meet your foreign friends, drink at foreign venues and make foreign friends. It’s the natural and more comfortable thing to do but we advise against this and the homestay program is a great way of keeping the Mandarin ticking along all day.

Go home, and put in to practice exactly what you learned throughout the day.

You get experience real life in Taiwan, how families live, meet locals and make friends with Taiwanese. It’s an experience very few people get to enjoy and it’s one you’ll never forget, for all the right reasons.

It’s important to us as much as you that every detail is ironed out to your liking, so please do contact us using the live chat, or using the contact form above if you have any questions.

How Do We Choose Homestay Families?

noah beijing homestay china

A Trip with the Family

We select our Homestay families in Taiwan very carefully.

It’s not about accepting any family onto the program, they must fit our strict criteria before being accepted to look after our students.

Location, family, level of English, facilities, apartment and many more things come into thinking when selecting our families in Taiwan.

In terms of the apartment they will all boast the facilities you’d expect, WiFi, private bedroom with lock, kitchen, home cooked food, air conditioning and heating.

 

All bills will be covered in the price.

We strive to make sure apartments are as close to our Taiwan Mandarin School as possible, this is very important to us.

There maybe the exception, where a family fits our criteria perfectly but is located 45 minutes away for example.

When speaking to you about your program we make absolute sure what is most important for you.

If location is hugely important, we will take that into account, if you are a little more lenient about this, likewise, we note this down when selecting your family.

Teach English in Taipei

Teach a member of your Chinese host family English for six hours each week with our Teach English in Taipei program. You’ll teach the family member every week and set the schedule between you.

This could involve six one hour sessions per week, or two three hour sessions as an example.

You will need to be sure to adjust your weekday evening and weekend plans to fit in these teaching hours. All classes will be taught at the home of your host family. Nothing needs to be prepared in advance either, the material of the class will be decided by your family.

Some may wish to focus on certain topics, others may wish to look at reading and writing. The member of the family to be taught English will also be decided by the family. Generally this person will be a child or a teenager but on the odd occasion it maybe an adult such as the father or mother of the family.

How is this different to a standard Homestay?

Teach English - Learn Chinese

Teach English – Learn Chinese

There are three differences between the Homestay and Teach English homestay programs:

1 – Motivation to learn English. In a standard homestay the families do not speak English, and have no wish to do so. However, our Teach English families have at least one member of the family who actively wants to speak English, this is where you come in.

2 – Half Price. Due to the fact you are taking six hours out of your week to teach a family member English, we reward you with a huge 50% off the standard homestay price. All facilities are the same as a normal homestay, the only difference inside the household, is the fact you will teach English. This is therefore an ideal option if you really want to come and learn Chinese in Taiwan, but are on a tight budget.

3 – Distance from the School. Our Teach English host families are located further away from the school so you must factor this into your daily plan. Door to door, the journey time will vary but could be up to an hour.

Taiwan Homestay Programs – Pricing in NTD

Duration Breakfast & Dinner Teach English
1 week 13,206 6,603
2 weeks 25,642 12,821
3 weeks 37,343 18,671
4 weeks 48,340 24,170
5 weeks 58,665 29,332
6 weeks 68,348 34,174
7 weeks 77,416 38,708
8 weeks  85,899 42,949
9 weeks 93,822 46,911
10 weeks 101,210 50,605
11 weeks 108,088 54,044
12 weeks 114,480 57,240
13-52 wks +9,540 / wk +4,770 / wk
extra night 2,201 / night 1,100 / night

Included in your Taiwan Homestay package is the following:

  • Live with a Chinese Family in Taiwan
  • All families are Mandarin speaking
  • Bedroom with lock
  • Desk, bed and sheets provided
  • WIFI, heating, air-conditioning and all bills included
  • Meals included
  • Just you per family – proper Immersion
  • Ideally located to LTL Taiwan School

The Teach English in Taiwan program with LTL includes the following benefits:

  • Bedroom with all facilities
  • Bills included
  • Half board includes breakfast and dinner
  • Learn Chinese, Teach English

In terms of studying Chinese in Taipei you can choose our popular Mandarin group courses, or study Chinese 1-on-1 for even quicker progress.

Further Information

Different Homestay options available

  • Vegan, vegetarian, halal and gluten free – communicate with us and we will help
  • Other special dietary requirements also
  • Teenagers: especially selected families for youngsters
  • English speaking: If you’d be more comfortable with a family who speak a little English, we can arrange this

As with every single LTL Chinese program in Taiwan, you can book your accommodation for as long as you wish. This also includes before your Chinese course, or after. We’ve listed some popular sample durations but you can book for any duration you wish so just contact us if you have any questions.

NOTE: As always with LTL there are no extra charges or additional fees. You will not be charged an accommodation finding fee, registration fee, high season supplement or any other ridiculous “fees” that some companies come up with.

What our students say

Savannah Testimony for LTL
Savannah
Australia
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

"My homestay family (Sun Xiao Ying and Lin Bai Le) were fantastic and a home away from home for me. I’m really pleased with how much I’ve learned here and would definitely consider coming back."

Read More

Florian Testimony for LTL
Florian
Germany
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

"I stayed with LTL for 3 months and my experience at my homestay was exceptional. The apartment was clean at all times and Angelina really put effort into keeping it clean. I thank LTL and especially Angelina for that."

Read More

William Testimony for LTL
William
Australia
★ ★ ★ ★ ★

"I have been consistently impressed with the quality and variety of dishes prepared by my Beijing family. These range from simple rice dishes with chicken or pork to more elaborate fish dinners"

Read More

FAQs

If 80% of students stay with Homestays, where do the other 20% stay?

They take advantage of our great value apartments or they find their own accommodation.

How do you select your host families?

A number of criteria must be adhered to to become a host family with LTL. The family itself must be “LTL people”, the must enjoy interacting with foreigners and helping your Chinese along. English speaking is not something we want, the whole point in a homestay is Immersion. Alongside this things such as distance from the school, household facilities, the family (and extended family), the food they provide… and many more things. Everything must be right so you can rest assured that when you arrive, you are in good hands.

Do I get access to a house key?

Absolutely yes.

What about washing my clothes?

All households will have a washing machine. Either the family will do your washing for you or they will direct you how to use the machine. Do ask them if you are unsure on the situation.

Can I lock my bedroom door?

You will be able to lock your bedroom door, yes.

What about if I want to come home late at night?

Of course this is fine but just respect your host family. As with any family, if they are asleep they don’t want to be disturbed, especially if they are getting up early.

Can I bring someone back to stay with me?

No you can’t, once again, it’s important to respect your host family and their household.

How will I be matched to a homestay family?

Your registration form that you’ll fill out will tell us your exact requirements. From here we decide which family is best suited to you, relating to diet, location, smoking and a host of other factors.

Will I receive information about the family before I come to Beijing?

Sure you will. We will send a document with details of your Taiwan host family which will show names, family members and some pictures of the household.

Can I change the homestay?

It is very rare this is asked but it is possible to change host family if you wish. Please talk to us before, we’ll sit down, weigh up your options and discuss your problems. If there is no solution then we will look for a suitable replacement.

I'm not an LTL student but I want to stay with an LTL host family in Taiwan, is this possible?

Unfortunately not. Building relationships with our homestay families takes some time, money and effort on our part so our students take priority. If you wish to stay with a family in Taiwan then check out our full time Chinese courses in Taiwan.

How will I get to LTL Taiwan on Day 1?

Your host family will bring you to school on your first day and take you back home also if you wish. On Day 2 you are on your own but please feel free to ask your host family, or us, for directions. Generally the journey from door to door is nice and comfortable and after one or two days it’ll be a piece of cake. Don’t forget to have Wechat ready with your SIM card so you can send anyone a message if you are a little lost.

TEACH ENGLISH - Will I have to teach all six hours in the first week considering I might be jetlagged?

Your family are perfectly understanding of the situation here. There is a good chance you’ve just landed from a long haul flight, entered a new culture and had a load of Chinese thrown in your direction. The first week is generally the most tiring but you and your family can come to a solution regarding your first week. Either way, if you do miss some hours, do make them up for your family.

TEACH ENGLISH - How accurate should my English be to be accepted?

We will chat to you before agreeing to book the program to check your English level. You need a strong level if you aren’t a native speaker.

TEACH ENGLISH - Do I need to bring teaching materials?

No you don’t. The content and direction of the class will be discussed with the homestay family. Maybe you’ll spend all the time talking and discussing various topics, maybe you’ll help the student practice writing. Either way, there is no need to bring any text books with you to Taiwan.

There are still some things I want to ask, what can I do?

Please get in touch with us if there are some unanswered questions. Coming to stay with a family in Taiwan is a big deal so you are bound to have some questions. Use the contact button at the top of the page or the live chat feature at the bottom right of the page.