The Queen’s University International Centre (QUIC) is looking for community members to host incoming international students for several days in late August or early September.

Volunteer community hosts offer lodging of one to three nights to newly arrived international students and scholars, giving them a place to stay while they search for long-term housing.

Queen's in the World

“Many students are travelling long distances to get to Queen’s,” says Hanna Stanbury, QUIC’s volunteers’ coordinator. “Hosts make their transition easier, helping students get familiar with the new environment. The Host Program is a great way for community members to get to know young people from around the world.”

For students, having a safe and welcoming place to stay for the first few days in Kingston is important and often memorable.

Lee Weatherall, Kingston Branch President of the Queen’s Alumni Association, has provided a place to stay for students in the past and says the experience was rewarding on many levels.

“It’s a chance to take part in the fun, excitement and challenge that is the very nature of international student exchange. We have hosted graduate engineers, filmmakers, budding lawyers and commerce students – all of them interesting and full of energy and enthusiasm,” says Ms. Weatherall, who often keeps in touch with the students and invites them back into her home for holiday meals.

The accommodation can be as simple as a couch and hosts are not required to provide meals, transportation, or other additional services.

For more information and to become a volunteer host, visit QUIC’s website or contact Ms. Stanbury at 613-533-6000, ext. 78733 or by email.