Host Family Connections Program

The Host Family Connections Program is a cooperative endeavor between the International Student Services office at St. Lawrence and the local community. The goal is to connect our international students with interested members of the community who will support the students’ experience here and who will appreciate the opportunity for cultural exchange. 

Information for International Students

Having a host family is a great way to share your culture with people in the local community and find a family away from home while you are at St. Lawrence. Hosts will invite you to visit their homes and to explore the local area, and you can invite your Host Family to campus activities. (Students may be invited to stay in their Host Family’s home over breaks and for holidays, but this is not required.) Our hope is that relationships grow and will last throughout your time at St. Lawrence, and perhaps even beyond.

New students as well as those from previous class years who have not yet been assigned a Host Family are welcome to apply to the Host Family Connections Program. To apply please complete the Student Application Form.  

Information for Families

Host “families” come in all shapes and sizes! We encourage participation regardless of life stage and family type: young couples, families with or without children, older couples, single people, etc.  This is a non-residential program, meaning that students live on campus not in your home, unless you wish to make a special invitation during a break or holiday.

Host Families are asked to invite students to visit your homes and explore the local area with you, and students invite hosts to campus activities. Our hope is that relationships will grow and will last throughout the student's stay at St. Lawrence.

We ask hosts to initiate at least two activities per semester with your student, and hope you will contact each other monthly. While in-person contact is preferred, phone and email are also great ways to stay linked.

To apply to be a Host Family please complete the Host Participation Form.

Based on information provided by the students and the hosts, we assign a student/host match, share contact information, and leave participants to initiate contact and invitations to get together.