Becoming a Host
Family in Queenstown
Share your culture and welcome Japanese international students into your home. Join our network of caring host families today.
Our Values
10+ Years of Trusted Experience
Since 2014, we have helped more than 10,000 international students find a safe home. We have built strong connections with leading English schools and study abroad agencies.
Japanese Owned, Family Run
We take pride in being a reliable, family-run provider. We thrive to offer detailed, attentive care and consistent commitment in delivering exceptional homestay experiences.
Dedicated Local Support (24/7)
Our experienced team works closely with each host family and provides dedicated support whenever you need it. From registration to hosting, we are here to guide you every step of the way and help ensure a positive experience for both you and your student.
Flexibility that Suits You
We offer host families the opportunity to select preferences that best suit their lifestyle. Whether it is the student’s background or the length of stay, we work with you to find the right match.
Our General Location Requirement
Most students attend language schools located in the CBD. Therefore, we require host families to be located within a reasonable commuting distance—ideally within 50-60 minutes of the city center using public transport.
High-Demand Areas
- Jacks Point
- Lower Shotover
- Frankton
Process
At Good Homestay we have set up a simple 3 step process to join our network.
Step 1: Online Application
We first ask you to complete an Online Application through our website, in order for us to check if your location is suitable for us to make placement.
Step 2: Home Visit & Interview
A member of our team will visit you for an interview to discuss your interest in becoming a registered host family and help you to answer any questions or concerns about hosting our students. Please be aware that during this visit, we will take photos of your home and family to create a host profile.
Step 3: Get Matched & Welcome Your Student
Congratulations!
We are delighted for you to join our Good Homestay network. We will contact the matching host families about the new student approximately 8 weeks prior to the student’s arrival with the student profile. This includes information about their gender, nationality, age, dietary requirements, smoker/non-smoker any health concerns and homestay start and end dates for you to consider if you are happy to confirm the placement.
Compensation
We understand that hosting an international student increases your household running costs. Our goal is to provide a fair homestay host family payment that covers your expenses, allowing you to provide a warm and welcoming environment without financial stress. Good Homestay aims to offer competitive weekly rates for all our partners.
- Your first payment will be made one day before the student’s arrival. (Some short-term group bookings may have exceptions)
- Same pay per student, whether it’s single or twin placement.
2026 Rates
| Weekly Fee | Meals | |
|---|---|---|
| Over 18 | $395 | 2 meals* Monday to Friday, 3 meals on Weekend |
- Breakfast and dinner
- A winter surcharge of an extra $20 per week will be paid.
- Extra $50 per week will be paid if your student has special dietary requirement (Vegetarian, Gluten Free, Dairy & Lactose Free, Vegan & Pork Free)
*Please note that all the compensation rates indicated above are subject to change without notice.
About us
Good Homestay, established in 2014 by Hiro Miyata, is a Japanese-owned, family-run business connecting cultures across New Zealand and Australia. For over a decade, we have dedicated ourselves to supporting hosts and students alike.
We believe living with a local family is the best way to experience a new culture.
Our mission is to provide a “home away from home” for students and a seamless journey for hosts.
We build strong, personal relationships with every family. With 10,000+ placements and trust from leading schools, our experience is your assurance of quality. We are committed to providing unparalleled support and communication every step of the way.
Review & Family Testimonial
I have had wonderful hosting experiences with Good Homestay Australia. Yoshie and her team are genuine, caring and efficient. They always ensure hosts and students are comfortable and well looked after.
I have had the best experience with Good Homestay. The quality of service is exceptional. Very friendly and responsive. Strongly recommend GHA!!!
I had fantastic experience with Good Homestay as a host. They are very professional, responsive and trustworthy. The homestay students they referred to us were lovely and respectful. I would recommend Good Homestay if you’re considering hosting students from overseas.
Yoshie, Hiro and Hijiri are always approachable and happy to help. You showed great care for the student and for us as a homestay family when we had an unexpected emergency in our home. It is fantastic to work with such understanding and compassionate homestay agents 😊 I would highly recommend Good Homestay 😊
Good homestay is super efficient with excellent communication and a really well thought out preparation to keep students and homestay families to have a great connection. Highly recommend :)
We've been hosting students for several years now, and Hiro and team are very supportive. They give as much information as they can so we can cater to the student's needs as much as we can. Very easy to communicate with. Lovely students.