New offer letters will include 2020 Homestay fees and newly introduced one-off Welfare & Accommodation Administration fee of A$350.
2020 Homestay fees
All new offers will now include the 2020 Homestay rates. Please be advised we will be honouring the 2019 Homestay rates for all students with current existing offers and all admitted students.
Welfare & Accommodation Administration Fee A$350
The Welfare & Accommodation Administrative Fee is a one-off cost that will apply to any student that requires UTS Insearch to make:
- accommodation arrangements; and/or
- welfare guardian arrangements
The fee also covers accommodation support, with a team of easily accessible specialists in our recently assembled Welfare & Accommodation team. The team help students adapt to their new accommodation, life in Australia and assist with any issue should they arise.
The fee covers all accommodation arrangements and applicable support service.<
The fee applies to all students who require UTS Insearch to oversee their welfare and accommodation arrangements. This includes any student who requires UTS Insearch to arrange welfare and accommodation with:
- one of our three Homestay partners
- one of the accommodation options at urbanest - our student residential accommodation partner
- making a special host arrangement.
The service provides access to support students, their parents and Channel Partners; and they can be accessed any time - day or night. Students can benefit from initiatives such as being contacted in the first few days of arriving in Sydney to check-in on how they’re settling in, and for under 18’s, - more regular contact and face-to-face appointments throughout their study with UTS Insearch. That’s ‘peace of mind’ for the student’s parents.
The team also offers welfare support to the whole student body working closely with our Study Success Advisers. The Welfare and Accommodation team focus on the non-academic side of students’ lives while the Study Success Advisers focus on ensuring academic success. This is a holistic approach to our students’ wellbeing and success.
Difference between Homestay (Placement) Fee and the Welfare & Accommodation Administration Fee
The ‘one off’ Welfare & Accommodation Administrative Fee covers UTS Insearch ensuring all the necessary welfare and accommodation arrangements are in place before a student arrives. The ‘one off’ Homestay (Placement) Fee is paid to a Homestay provider to secure a Homestay booking.
In summary:
- A student wanting Homestay accommodation will pay the both the Welfare & Accommodation Administration Fee A$350 as well as the Homestay Placement Fee A$290.
- A student wanting to stay at urbanest will only pay the Welfare and Accommodation Fee of $350.
- A student wanting a Special Host Arrangement will pay the Welfare & Accommodation Administration Fee A$350 as well as the initial Special Host Arrangement Fee A$260 in the first instance and then an additional A$260 every six months until they turn 18 years of age. This ongoing 6-monthly fee covers the mandatory 6-monthly home site visit.
Accommodation options for COVID-19 self-isolating students
Our Welfare & Accommodation team has been working closely with all our welfare and accommodation providers with daily contact to monitor the wellbeing and health of our students. Please rest assured knowing that all our providers have robust protocols in place. This includes notifying us if they have any concerns for our students’ wellbeing and offering a 24/7 contact to students, parents and Channel Partners. The protocols are monitored by our Welfare and Accommodation team regularly to ensure our partners maintain the high standards we expect of them.
During this unprecedented time, should a student become sick and need to self-isolate we have accommodation options available with Homestays and urbanest.<
Finally, our team is also in daily contact with any student over the age of 18 who prefers to self-isolate in a hotel.
Any UTS Insearch student in financial hardship because of the impact of COVID-19 can contact us at welfare@insearch.edu.au and let us know details of the situation so we can assist on a case-by-case basis.
Welfare & Accommodation contacts
Accommodation and Transport Coordinator
Aima Waheed
Phone: (+612) 9218 8614
Mobile: (+612) (0) 419 224 861 (24/7)
Email: accommodation@insearch.edu.au
Welfare Coordinator
Genevieve Carruthers
Phone: (+612) (0) 9218 8621
Mobile: (+612) (0) 426 248 614 (24/7)
Email: welfare@insearch.edu.au
Welfare and Accommodation Service Partners – 24/7 contacts
Global Experience: (+612) (0) 430 008 448
Homestay Australia: (+612) (0) 400 468 658
Australia Homestay Network: 1300 69 7829
Urbanest Quay Street: (+612) (0) 406 237 504
Urbanest Darling Square: (+612) (0) 438 783 661
Urbanest Darling House: (+612) (0) 438 783 661
ISA Guardians: (+613) 9663 2887
Accommodation quick links
COVID related quick links