Accomodation and Homestay Life

Your Home Away from Home

Choosing where your child will live is the most important part of planning their New Zealand journey. At Catholic Cathedral College, we provide deeply personal, hands-on care for every student's living arrangements. For all individual long-term students, we run our own internally managed, school-hosted homestay programme where our team personally selects, matches, and supports every family. For short-term group study tours, we partner with trusted, fully vetted external accommodation providers to seamlessly care for larger cohorts together.

Our Care Commitment

Because student safety and happiness are our absolute priorities, we maintain strict quality control across both our individual and group placement frameworks:

• Premium In-House Matching (Individual Placements): For individual students, we don't just assign rooms; we match personalities. We take the time to look at your child’s interests, hobbies, dietary needs, and lifestyle preferences to place them with a local family they can genuinely connect with.
• Scalable Group Care (Study Tours): For institutional groups and seasonal study tours of 10 or more students, we utilize our approved external provider network. This ensures large cohorts can be located close to one another or within easy transit to the College, while maintaining full compliance with New Zealand safety regulations.
• Rigorous Safety Vetting: Every single host family—whether part of our internal network or managed via our external group provider—undergoes a strict approval process. This includes a comprehensive home inspection, personal interviews, and mandatory New Zealand Police vetting for every household member aged 18 and over.
• 24/7 School Support: Our care doesn't stop when the school bell rings. Both our international students and our host families have direct access to our 24-hour emergency support line.
• Cost & Fees: Homestay costs for individual long-term placements are outlined in our standard fee schedule. For short-term group study tours, accommodation costs are calculated dynamically based on cohort size, duration, and the specific requirements of our external provider at the time of booking.

What is Included in Your Homestay?

Our host families provide a nurturing, comfortable environment designed to help students focus on their studies and enjoy the classic New Zealand lifestyle. Your child will be welcomed as a true member of the household, enjoying:

• A Welcoming Personal Space: A comfortable, private bedroom equipped with a warm bed, wardrobe storage, adequate heating for Christchurch winters, and a quiet desk space for homework and study.
• Healthy, Shared Meals: Three nutritious meals a day (including a packed lunch for the school day) plus healthy snacks. Students often love sharing the dinner table with their host family to chat about their day.
• Household Laundry: Full access to household laundry facilities for everyday clothing and bed linens.
• Natural English Immersion: A supportive environment where your child can practice their conversational English naturally every day and participate in weekend family activities and outings.

Alternative Accommodation Options

In strict alignment with The Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice, students who do not utilize our internal homestay network must reside under one of the following approved arrangements:

• Designated Caregiver (DCG): The student lives with a close family friend or relative chosen and approved by their parents. The College must still visit and vet this home prior to enrolment to ensure the student's welfare.
• Natural Parents: The student resides full-time in Christchurch with one or both of their biological parents who hold a valid Guardian Visa.

Please note: International students attending Catholic Cathedral College are strictly prohibited from living independently, renting flats, or staying in unapproved boarding houses.