Housing Questions

Question: What kind of housing is available?

Answer: All of our centers offer homestay accommodation with an American family. Some centers also offer dormitory accommodation, student residence apartments or an International House. Homestay accommodation is highly recommended for students new to the United States. It is a great chance to see how Americans live and to gain practice in building your English fluency.

Question: When will I find out about my homestay family?

Answer: We will send the details of your host family approximately two weeks before your expected arrival date. We will let you know the names and ages of the host parents and what their occupation is, if there are any children or pets in the home, and other details about the home.

Question: What if I don't get along with my new host family?

Answer: Don't worry! Most FLS host families have hosted many students before and are very experienced in helping new students get adjusted to their new circumstances. However, sometimes personality differences or other problems arise.

If you wish to change to a new host family, please let us know within the first week of your stay, if possible. If you let us know within the first week, we will be able to move you to a new homestay at no extra charge. You may also change homestays at any time after the first week, but there will be a transfer fee of $150.  Students should also give their host families at least 15 days notice when planning to move.

We encourage all students to try working out small problems and disagreements with their host family before considering a move.

Question: What if I don't need accommodation or I am planning to stay with friends or family?

Answer: No problem! Simply deduct $100 per week from the twin room package price. For example if you are planning to study for 8 weeks you can deduct $800 (8 X $100) from the twin room package price.

For students at the FLS Boston Commons Center, deduct $200 per week if housing is not needed.

Question: Are there any additional fees?

Answer: If you choose to stay in an apartment or dormitory you have the option to purchase an optional linen package for $75. You can of course bring your own linens with you or purchase on your own once you arrive.

Students in the apartments are charged a mandatory cleaning fee of $50 per term (4 weeks). For this fee, a professional cleaning service will clean your apartment each month.