About Us
Australian Family Homestays places students from around the world with quality Australian families who enjoy the cultural exchange and experience as much as the students.
AFH was founded in 1998 by Maryann Phillips, who had been working as an International Student Liaison Officer with the Wollongong University College. Realising there was a need for students to have the benefit of a home environment, Maryann soon developed a business based on the philosophy that a warm caring environment gives students the best possible grounding while they are settling into a new country, culture and academic environment.
Having worked with many different families and students from numerous countries over the years, Maryann and her staff have collected a great wealth of knowledge and understanding of people & cultures – and it is this together with their philosophy that has set Australian Family Homestays apart as one of the leading organisations of its kind within Australia.
More than a decade on Australian Family Homestays has grown into a service that is recognised overseas as providing good quality families and a willingness to work with problems expediently and fairly.
Australian Family Homestays service a variety of institutions in the Illawarra, including:
- University of Wollongong,
- Wollongong College Australia,
- The Illawarra Grammar School,
- The Department of Education, TAFE – Illawarra
An Australian Family Homestays experience gives students constant practice in English in real-life situations. It will complement their formal class-room training and is just as important for their English development. Students even correspond with their host after they have returned to their own country, and host families sometimes even visit them there.
Australian Family Homestays is a great opportunity for students to make lasting friendships and enjoy the comforts of home-life, while receiving a quality education.
