Immersion Homestay in the Netherlands or Flanders

Dutch language course with a private teacher

This is the most effective way to make rapid progress. You will live with your teacher who will give you private lessons adapted to your goals and needs. In this way, you share his or her daily life and activities and experience a real 24-hour immersion in the language.

You have the possibility to follow a general language course, i.e. a course focused on a specific subject or exam preparation. It is also possible to combine your courses with options (sports, activities, culture).

Destinations

Flanders
Netherlands : Amsterdam, Centre of Netherlands

Teachers are not usually located in the town centre, as we put greater emphasis on their quality and competence over geographical location. We would kindly ask you to choose 3 regions of preference on your enrolment form. Important : in Flanders, teachers are generally retired with no children living with them any longer.

A personalized approach to reach your goals

This personalised formula ensures rapid progress and the achievement of your objectives. It is aimed at all profiles and all ages – young people, students, adults or retired people – and at all objectives – personal, academic or professional (preparing for an exam, catching up on school work, a head start, travelling, attending an international conference, etc.). Your teacher adapts his or her courses to your needs, lets you work on your weaknesses and helps you achieve your goals quickly.

As the only student at your teacher’s home you have no contact with other foreign students and no opportunity to speak your mother tongue. The intensity of the courses and the total immersion in a different culture imply a strong investment and motivation of the participants.

Experienced and qualified teachers

All our teachers are experienced and have the required university qualifications. They all followed specific training and were chosen for the quality and hospitality of their welcome. In addition, they are supported by a network of pedagogical experts who draw up teaching methods and organise ongoing language training. If necessary, they can be contacted during their stay.

An exceptional welcome

The family does its best to ensure your comfort and has been carefully selected to meet your expectations. If you follow a special diet or have specific wishes (smokers or not, presence of children or not, etc.), it is important that you let us know when you register. There will always be a teacher adapted to your profile: whether you are young, professional, adult or retired.

Supervision for the younger students

Many children or teenagers participate in this type of stay, because it guarantees guidance within experienced and serious families. The student’s investment is fundamental to the success of the stay. We offer a “Cocooning” option, which is compulsory for children under the age of 15 and generally recommended for all minors. This option guarantees the permanent presence of an adult.

Dutch courses: the basics

Lesson length: 60 minutes
Schedule: flexible, depending on the availability of the teacher and your wishes. You can choose a balanced distribution of your lessons during the week or you can organize days without lessons to explore the region. This will have to be agreed with your teacher.
Placement test: takes place on the first day of your lessons. An online test prior to departure is also available
Language level: all levels
Certificate of completion and progress report at the end of your stay (on request)
Options: specialised vocabulary, cocooning (mandatory for under-15s) (see tab “optional extras”)
Qualifications: all the teachers hold a university degree and/or an equivalent qualification, and/or a recognised teaching certificate
Number of students per homestay: you will be the only student per homestay. Very rarely, one or two other students of a different nationality may be staying with your teacher.

We offer both standard language programmes and Language & Activities programmes, ideal for practising your target language in a broad range of situations.

Dutch

Choose from 10, 15, 20, 25 or 30 hours of private language lessons per week.

Optional extras

Specialized vocabulary/exam preparation
Cocooning

Dutch & Activities

This programme includes 10 hours of lessons per week plus 5 hours of general activities per week. You can decide on your activity schedule with your teacher on arrival. This programme is a good way to put your Dutch into practice. All activity fees are included in the price (transport, entrance fees, etc.) Option available for all destinations.

Some of the many activities available include: visits, Bus Tour, picnics, cinema outings, swimming, mini golf, restaurant outings, Pubs (if 18+)…

This option is especially recommended for young learners as this is a fun way to learn the language and reap the rewards by practicing during fun and engaging activities.

It is also possible to choose for 10 hours of Dutch and 10 hours of activities per week.

This option consists of a combination of 15, 20 or 25 hours of Dutch courses according to the standard program and 3 of the cultural visits mentioned in the weekly schedule.

Entrance fees and transportation to the activities are included for you and the guide.

The cultural visits generally take place with your teacher but occasionally you may visit with another member of the host family.

Antwerp (Flanders): Visit of the old city including the medieval streets, the Main Square, the town hall, the fortress, Guild Houses, Private House Museum and a horseback ride

Amsterdam (Netherlands) : Rembrandt House Museum, Vondelpark, Van Gogh Museum, Canal Sightseeing Cruise, Huis Marseille Photo Museum, Diamond Factory Tour, Albert Cuyp market ou Waterloo Flea market ou Floating Flower Market, Haarlemmerstraat & Haarlemmerdijk Street Shopping, Eye Filmmuseum, Max Euwe Chess Museum, China Town & Zeedijk Buddhist Temple, Stedelijk Museum, Tassenmuseum, Hidden Church Museum, Anne Frank house, Nemo Science Museum, Scheepvaartmuseum, This is Holland 5D experience, Heineken Brewery Tour (18+), Artis Zoo
Central Netherlands (depending on the location of the teacher) : Geofort, Owl Zoo, river nature walk, Cycle tour, Glassblowery Leerdam, Zoo Rhennen, City visits : Gorinchem (old Dutch town with harbor & market place), Woudrichem (Slot Loevesteijn Castle), Utrecht (old city & canals, Railway Museum, Streetorgans Museum), Hertogenbosch (old city & canals), market place, museum of Jheronimus Bosch, Kinderdijk (Unesco World Heritage with 23 mills), Rotterdam sightseeing Tour, Amsterdam Sightseeing Tour

Option ” Specific vocabulary/preparation of exams”.

Your teacher will put together a course to prepare you for an exam (such as Cambridge First Certificate, Proficiency, TOEIC or TOEFL) or a course for learning specific vocabulary for school subjects (mathematics, geography, literature) or technical terms in professional fields (medicine, engineering, law, computer science, architecture, tourism, etc.). Please note that the carefully selected teachers are not necessarily engineers, doctors or lawyers.

Please note: the program is only there to prepare the exams, so you will not take the exams on site. The teaching material is only provided for the above exams. For any other exam, you will need to bring your own teaching material (books, copies of previous exams or other necessary documents for preparation).

Surcharge : see ” Dates & Prices “.

Option ” Cocooning “

The “Cocooning” option guarantees the presence of an adult (teacher or other adult member of the family) at any time of the day, throughout the stay. This option does not include any activities and only ensures the supervision of an adult. This option is compulsory for young people under the age of 15 and is strongly recommended for participants under the age of 18.

Surcharge : see ” Dates & Prices “.

Option ” Special dietary needs “

If you follow a specific diet, it is important to mention it before departure so that the teacher can adapt to it. If the diet requires many adjustments from the host family, such as gluten-free, halal, etc. a surcharge will be charged.

Surcharge : see ” Dates & Prices “.

Option ” Special needs “

Some teachers have been prepared, and have adapted their homes, to accommodate students with physical disabilities (e.g. visual or auditory impairments), emotional or behavioural disorders (e.g. ADHD), or learning disabilities (e.g. dyslexia). If you wish to make use of this, please let us know in advance. This option offers a stay adapted to the specific situation of the participant.

Under no circumstances does this supplement provide for any medical care that may be required.

Surcharge : see ” Dates & Prices “.

Option “Five stars”: Luxury service

This option is especially for business courses and professionals, and for their families, who want more comfort. The “Five stars” program includes a private bathroom and special meals and more attention for the student.

Surcharge : 100% of the price of the chosen course

Shared accommodation

It is possible to take lessons in pairs, threes or fours with other participant(s) of your choice, provided they choose the same dates and have the same language level.

You get 20% discount for each student if you leave with two and 25% discount if you leave with three or four.

Seniors

Students aged 60 years and older get an additional discount on the entire stay between October and May.

Discount : 5%

Christmas period and/or New Year

It is possible to follow a program during the Christmas period. A surcharge is applied to stays on days 24, 25 and 26 December or 31 December and 1 January. If you are staying during both Christmas and New Year, the surcharge will be applied twice. The supplement includes activities such as New Year’s Eating, counting down to the New Year, going to see the fireworks, a city walk, and shopping.

Surcharge : see ” Dates & Prices “.

Travel

Arrivals: Sunday

Departures: Sunday

(7-night stay – some teachers are flexible on arrival and departure days)

Arrival airports and train stations:

Information about the nearest airport or station will be provided with the details on your teacher and host family. You will be picked up and dropped off by your host family, local organiser or by a private driver (usually by car, though occasionally by public transport).

If you decide to travel to an alternative airport or station, or if you arrive before 8:00 a.m. or after 9:00 p.m., an additional fee will be charged. Students under 16 must book pick-up and drop-off, except if you inform us in advance that they are accompanied by their parents.

Airport transfers available on request (fees apply, see price list)

Please note: Do not make travel arrangements until we have confirmed your enrolment in your chosen course (approximately 8 days after we receive your deposit).

Visa Information

You might need a visa for this course. For more information please visit our Visa Information page.

Do not hesitate to contact us by phone or email if you require any additional information.

Dates & Prices 2020

Dates 2020

Course start dates: every week, year-round

Prices 2020

All registration fees and taxes included

Standard programme - Price per week
Hours / Destinations	Flanders	Netherlands
15 hours	€ 1.190	€ 1.355
20 hours	€ 1.390	€ 1.555
25 hours	€ 1.590	€ 1.755
30 hours	€ 1.790	€ 1.955
Dutch & activities Programme - price per week
Hours / Destinations	Flanders	Netherlands
10h of lessons + 5h of activities	€ 1.290	€ 1.455
10h of lessons + 10h of activities	€ 1.490	€ 1.655
15h of lessons + 5h of activities	€ 1.690	€ 1.855
25h of lessons + 5h of activities	€ 1.890	€ 2.055
Dutch & Culture Programme
Destination	Flanders	Netherlands
Extra: 3 cultural visits per week	€ 290	€ 300
Optional extras - per week
Extra night	€ 120
Transfer (per trip)* (FLANDERS)	€ 65
Transfert (per trip)* (NETHERLANDS)	€ 90
Exam Preparation Courses/Business and Specialized vocabulary	€ 130
Cocooning (cumpulsory for under-15s)	€ 150
Christmas and New Year extra	€ 145
Private bathroom	€ 180
Special diet	€ 150
Special needs - disability, dyslexia, ADHD	€ 150

*return trip obligatory for 16 years and younger. During the summer, program of 15 hours minimum.

Prices include:

The chosen program
The courses and use of the teaching material
Stay in an individual room with your private teacher
Full board
All taxes and registration fees
Assistance by the regional coordinator
Level test, participation certificate and internship report (on request)

Prices do not include:

The journey and transfers
Possible supplements (” Specific vocabulary/preparation for exams “, ” Cocooning “, stay ” Five Stars “)
Supplements for end-of-year celebrations during stays (24, 25, 26, 31 December and/or 1 January)
Possible extra nights
Visa fees, if any
Possible optional insurances

Discounts

If 2 students with the same level wish to stay together and follow a course, each of them receives a 20% discount.
If a person wishes to accompany the participant and share the room, but does not wish to take lessons, this person benefits from a 20% discount.