Here are your three different alternatives.  You can live in a homestay with a local family. You can  live in university housing. You can live in your own apartment. If you choose the later two options, you will need to decide if you will live with other American students, with local students, or with international students. Now let’s go into a bit of details about your options

 A homestay is the recommended option for high school students, and for most university students who want a maximum immersion experience.  Both of my children enjoyed their homestays tremendously and have essentially now have a second family and friends in their host countries. 

It’s tremendous to be fully accepted as a member of the family; to meet relatives, cousins, and friends of the family; to be included in family traditions; to be invited to go on excursions, holidays, and other festivities.  Of course, if you get an incompatible host family, that will certainly put a damper on your study abroad adventures.

Many college students and adults still prefer homestays. You can ask family and friends about their customs. You will certainly pick up the vocabulary better. You’ll simply learn so much more than your compatriots who decide to live on campus.

Many students who live abroad find their own living accommodations. They like the newfound independence they enjoy as independents living abroad. They pay their own rent, cook their own food, go wherever they want to – whenever they want to. It’s a good life, but they can tend to become isolated if they don’t make a concerted effort to get involved with the locals.

Living in university housing is a kind of blend of the other two options, especially if you have the option of having a local student as a roommate. Just remember that the apartments and dormitories are much smaller than those American students are used to.

So, basically, you’ll have to know what your comfort zone is and how far out of it you may want to venture. Of course, the program may dictate a certain housing option so just keep open-minded on this issue.

So, now that you know a bit about your study abroad housing options, let's check out the issues of costs, eligibility, and duration.