Complete Accommodation Plan
William International Academy designs and provide complete accommodation package to students. The students can choose the accommodation type they like according to their circumstances. The main types of accommodation are:
1. Student Dormitory
This type of accommodation is ideal for students who are new to Canada and are first year students at William Academy. The dormitory provides single/double beds and three mails a day. The cost is $1300 for single room and $1100 for a double room.
2. House/Apartment Rentals
Many students like to rent accommodation that they share with a number of “room-mates” or “house-mates”. The school provides detail house/apartment rental information through a school bulletin or newspaper. This type of accommodation usually includes a refrigerator and stove but excludes gas and electric charges. Students are required to pay the first and last month’s rent as deposit. The average rent for a house rental is $450-$700. The average rent for an apartment is $700-$1500.
3. Home Stay Program
William International Academy offers a very unique home stay program.
The recognition and popularity of our home stay program relies on our careful selection of our participating home stay families.
All of the families have to meet the following requirements in order to be selected by William International Academy :
- the household income must be meet certain requirements, the living space must be bright and spacious, the house must be located in a safe area.
- be in excellent health, and be active in their community.
In addition, the main family members should have bachelor degrees, no criminal records, excellent health condition, and active participation in charity and community involvement. Lastly, all the home stay family members need to be warm-hearted, considerate, and have experience in taking care of youth.
Standard fee for home stay accommodation: $1300/month
The duties and responsibilities of home stay family:
All the home stay families are located close to the school. They will not only provide students with a safe and welcoming living spaces, such as neat and comfortable private rooms, as well as a quiet learning environment. In addition, they are also responsible for providing the live-in students with three standard meals per day, a clean bathroom and laundry services. At the same time, they are also to build and maintain a trusting relationship with the students, and to assist them with difficulties in school. Furthermore, they should also proactively co-ordinate sports activities and field trip for the students. More importantly, they need to assist the students to adapt to the Canadian culture and lifestyle quickly, as well as to provide them basic information about local banks, post offices, hospitals and libraries, etc, to assist them to get familiar with the surrounding living environment. The host family parents will also contact the students’ parents to report the student’s well-being and school life regularly. Home stays provide parents with ‘piece of mind’. They are comforted with the fact that their children are in a comfortable, supportive environment.
The duties and responsibilities of students:
Being considered one of the family members, the student has the responsibility to follow the rules and regular daily timetable of the host family. They are also responsible for keeping their room, bathroom and any shared spaces clean and tidy. They are encouraged to assist in doing housework, such as tiding up the rooms and cleaning dishes, etc. They will also learn to save and treasure scarce resources such as water and electricity. Students are expected to improve their independent life skills, interpersonal communication skills and language proficiency by living with a host family. With the assistance of the host family, the student is able to adapt to the new environment effectively and enhance their proficiency in English.
Parents’ Comments
My son got another Mom after he went to study at William International Academy in Toronto, he called his host-family lady Mother Joyce. He even made me feel a little bit jealous when he talked about all the things that mother Joyce did for him. I felt very comfortable to leave my son with Mother Joyce.
Students’ Comments
a) When I met my host-family at the airport I already knew that I wasn’t just holding them in my arms but also close in my heart. I can say that I felt home, in a foreign country and surrounded by a new language and different people since that moment. My host-family is probably the most lovable family I could ever have wished for, and my little host brother (10 years old) and my host sister (15 years old) made it even easier for me to feel as a part of the family.
b) I want to study accounting at a Canadian University. I am very happy to study at William now – I have made many friends from different countries and had so many exciting new experiences. My teachers are so helpful and friendly and my host family is wonderful.