HOST UK’s purpose is to enable international students at British universities and colleges to be invited as a guest for a weekend or a day to a British home. Students thereby have the opportunity to experience British culture at first-hand. It is the only organisation which offers this across the UK on a voluntary basis.

The HOST UK programme is open to all international students in higher and further education in the UK who are at least 18 years old and have enrolled on a course of a minimum duration of 3 months. In 2015 alone, more than 3,000 students from over 100 countries requested a HOST visit.

HOST UK is run by a small office in Hatfield and supported by a network of voluntary Regional Organisers across the country with the collaboration of International Student Advisors in the academic institutions.

There are approximately 1500 volunteer hosts across the UK, with the majority offering invitations once or twice a year. Hosts report many benefits such as learning about countries never visited and the chance to introduce the family to people from other cultures.

HOST UK is a charitable organisation set up in 1987 by the British Council, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and the Victoria League. It is funded by subscriptions from the participating institutions and donations from grant-giving foundations.

Mission: To promote international friendship and understanding by welcoming international students as guests in British homes

Vision: A world more understanding and accepting of different cultures