Host Family
We know how important it is for students to feel happy, welcome, safe and comfortable in their home while they are living abroad. So we take great care in providing lovely local families for our students to stay with.
All the houses are within an hour’s transport of the college, which includes a bus route directly to college or local trains. The college is in the northern part of Brighton in the more suburban areas where families live. We do not host students in Brighton city centre.
All our host families undergo rigorous security and safety checks before joining us, including a police check, and our Host Family Co-ordinator keeps in regular contact with the students and the hosts throughout the stay.
The Host-Family Handbook is available on request, giving further details of the Terms and Conditions of living with the Host Family.
We will discuss your requirements and host family placement during your interview.
“My host family were truly wonderful people and made me feel at home. My host parents have been so warming and have taken care of me like I am their daughter. They are truly interested in getting to know me and in my well-being. At the beginning, I was feeling a little bit lost (normal when you are away from family and friends), but they quickly helped me to settle down. I’m going to miss living with them and talking to them everyday.”
Beatriz, Brazilian, 2022
Find out more
How to Apply
Four great reasons to choose Varndean College
1. Excellent results
• Varndean is in the top 10% in the UK for ‘added value’ – this means that Varndean students perform better than 90% of all other schools/sixth forms in the country compared to students with the same GCSE grades on entry. This confirms the high quality teaching support, care and guidance that takes place here
• Our IB results are officially world class and are 4 points above the global average
2. A wide choice of subjects to study
• We offer an usually wide choice of 56 subjects of A level and BTEC vocational subjects
• We are the only college on the south coast of UK offering the International Baccalaureate
3. Excellent location
• We have a beautiful campus with fields and views of Brighton. Our students love the vibrant life in Brighton which is on a 15 min bus ride direct from the college
• We are 45 mins from Gatwick and 1hr 45 mins from Heathrow airports and 1.5hrs direct train line to London
4. International team support for welfare for all international students
• We have a dedicated International team, who support the students throughout their entire time at Varndean. We are renowned for our welfare support and many students recommend us due to our commitment to enabling them to have the best time here possible
• We select, monitor and support our team of local host families to provide a ‘home-from-home’ experience for our students. We have a dedicated Host Family Co-ordinator for support, and the International team monitor a 24/7 emergency phone line
• We run a very well-received Induction week at the start of the programme which is designed to give a warm welcome, build friendships and settle everyone into the new college, home and UK environment. It includes cultural trips out in the first week and throughout the first year
“Varndean College is an amazing environment for young people. All of the teachers are here to help students, especially Internationals. The International team have been a pleasure to know and have taught me so many things that I will bring outside the school grounds and into my adult life.” (Agnese, Italian 2024)
For all Application enquire please contact Shaun Clark at scl@varndean.ac.uk or telephone 0044 (0)1273 508011 ext 418
For Host family enquire please contact Siobhan Winney at international@varndean.ac.uk or telephone 0044 (0)1273 508011 ext 114