Accommodation
ACCOMMODATION
WHERE TO STAY
ICL recommends three types of accommodation:
- Homestay
- Student Dormitory
- Flatting
We do our best to find a suitable homestay family for our students if requested. The advantages of a homestay are the cultural benefits, the support and comfort of family life and the additional language support. A homestay is an excellent way to learn about New Zealand culture, make friends and practise your English while living in New Zealand. New Zealand families are typically kind, honest, and friendly and enjoy meeting people from other cultures.
All our homestay families are regularly inspected. The inspector visits the family homes, interviews the family members, and ensures that they are suitable for our students. Students who require accommodation should request their homestay accommodation at least two weeks before starting their programme.
The average time for students to commute from homestay to school is around 30 to 45 minutes.
If the school arranges homestay accommodation for you, with a minimum period of four weeks. The homestay fee for this period and the placement fee are non-refundable.
Homestay means that you will get the following:
- The chance to speak English every day.
- Two meals a day: breakfast and dinner, with lunch on the weekends.
- Your washing will be done.
Homestay families will do their best to give you a ‘home away from home’.
You are expected to:
- Obey the “house rules” set by your homestay parents.
- Discuss these rules with your homestay family and be sure you understand them.
- Do NOT smoke or drink alcohol unless permission is given.
- Be home by 7:30 PM on weeknights unless your homestay family has agreed to other arrangements. Call your homestay family if you are going to be late home.
- Sleep at home on weeknights.
- Do NOT have visitors to sleep over during the week.
- Check and get the agreement of your homestay parents if you want to ask your friends to sleep on a weekend.
- NEVER have friends of the opposite sex sleeping in your room.
- Be home by 10:00 PM at weekends if you do not have another prior agreement with your homestay.
- Do NOT sleep over at a friend’s place, until you have informed your homestay family of your whereabouts and provided a phone number.
When leaving:
- You should give two weeks’ notice, before leaving your host family.
- If you need to leave your homestay family because of an emergency, you must contact your counsellor or homestay coordinator immediately.
A student dormitory is a housing facility that is specifically designed for students to provide them with a safe and peaceful environment to reside in during their academic studies. These dormitories consist of individual or shared rooms, communal areas, as well as shared facilities like bathrooms and kitchens.
ICL recommends Rocklands, an ideal student dormitory nestled in the heart of Epsom consisting of 150 rooms, one of Auckland’s largest accommodations specialising in single long-term accommodation. The residence offers a tranquil and secure environment, perfect for students seeking a peaceful place to live and study. Rocklands is centrally located with easy access to public transport and near to shops, it provides convenience for both school and city exploration.
With a minimum 6-week stay, Rocklands ensures a stable and supportive home. Rent includes utilities, eliminating monthly bill concerns. Embrace community living by sharing facilities with fellow students, creating a balanced and collaborative environment.
Key Features:
- Safe and Secure: Live-in caretaker, CCTV monitoring, security doors, night-time security.
- Central Location: 5km to the City Centre, walking distance to Newmarket/Mount Eden shops, doctors and transportation.
- Easy Management: 6-week minimum stay, utilities included.
- Facilities: communal kitchen, lounge, shared bathrooms, garden and BBQ area, laundry room, broadband internet, gym, secure parking.
If you decide that you can manage on your own to share a flat or house with others. You should try and share with people who do NOT speak your language so that you can practise English! Check the cost of rent, food and transport and make sure you can afford to change your living arrangements.
The advantage of an apartment is that it can be much closer to school and gives you independence. To search options for a flat to share go to Flatmates Wanted.
