Host an International Student

Bakersfield Christian High School is looking for families interested in hosting international students. Families receive a stipend to cover the costs of providing a home for our international students. BCHS is partnering with an organization called Families Hosting International to process and place our international students. If you are interested in hosting a student(s), please contact our Host Family Coordinator, Dinah Esquivel with FHI. If you have general questions or concerns, please feel free to contact the BCHS International Director. Contact information is below.

It is our intent to place all international students attending BCHS with an American host family during the time they are enrolled at our school.

Our desire is that the international student and their host family will develop, over time, a strong relationship which encourages learning and growth for both the student and the family. The host family is asked to treat the student as a member of their family and in turn should expect the student to show respect and consideration by following the family rules and sharing in chores and other activities.

See Host Family Handbook (pdf) for a complete understanding of the host family expectations.

Download a Host Family Application (pdf) >>

Host Family Coordinator

The Host Family Coordinator secures homestay placement with a host family. Their goal is to ensure the student will be safe and well-cared for in a Christian environment. The Host Family Coordinator also acts as a liaison with the school (and agency if applicable) regarding hosting questions, counsels and encourages families, provides backup placements when emergencies arise, and is the overseer of a successful homestay experience.

The Homestay Experience

The opportunity to study in another country provides the international student with great potential for personal growth and maturity while gaining academic knowledge and developing cross-cultural awareness. Serving as a host family offers opportunities to discover and appreciate other cultures and to learn, as a family, how to show love and hospitality beyond their own immediate family.