For any young person thinking of studying abroad their thoughts are filled with a sense of excitement and hesitation. They know many things will change but they anticipate the change with thoughts of happiness and adventure. Their parents are excited and reserved they want to know that they will be somewhere happy and safe. Vineridge Academy knows these concerns and expectations and has created two housing options to accommodate individual requests.

Homestay program

Host Families come in all shapes and sizes: parents with young children, parents with teenagers, families with no children or families whose children are all grown up and moved out.  Homestay families are as diverse as the international students who stay with them. Our Homestay families vary in size, age, and ethnic background.  What they all have in common is a desire to share in the experience of welcoming an International Student into their homes, speak with them and open their minds to new experiences.  Our on-site homestay coordinator interviews interested host families, educates them on the hosting experience and ensures they are a good fit for our program.  In addition to this process, a police clearance is required prior to placing students. The homestay coordinator communicates with host families and students on a regular basis to ensure a smooth transition into the Canadian lifestyle and assist with problem solving as situations arise.

Host families are able to offer students the close care and attention they need while they are far from home. They maintain good eating habits, regular sleep and social behavior. Most importantly, they are there to talk with, comfort and support students. Students also get accustomed to Canadian food as they eat breakfast and dinner with their host family.

We have complete profiles of our host families, including their interests and personalities. The students who choose to live with host families are also encouraged to provide a detailed profile of themselves to allow for the best match. We do our very best to determine where the student will have the best experience.

MEET OUR FAMILIES

Jeff & Lori Sentineal
We were both born and raised in Niagara.  We have a son and daughter who are now in their 20’s.  We operate a horse and carriage company here is Niagara-on-the-Lake.  We love sharing stories and having camp fires. We love meeting new friends and so does our family dog “Saydee” who is very friendly and enjoys attention.
Catherine Bautista & Michael Cameron
We are the Cameron’s:  Michael, Catherine, Tyessa, Kyrah and Jaelyn. Our family enjoys sports such as tennis and basketball but especially volleyball! We are active and often at the local beach or beyond. We first thought of hosting students because our neighbour is a host and we met several of her students who were all very sweet. We thought that we could be good hosts too. Soon, our eldest daughter will be leaving to go to college, so this is as good a time as ever.
Linda & Dave Epp
We are a unique family of well-rounded individuals offering inspiration, support and an exciting look at life in Niagara-on the Lake. We show Royal Elite students how Canadians truly live in a healthy and patient environment, surrounded by backyard vineyards and showing all cultures the benefits of being a Canadian! We appreciate the opportunity to host and enjoy interacting and learning about the many different cultures and do our utmost to make the students feel comfortable during this important time in their life as they prepare for their future education.
Ruby & Ban Cayabyab
We enjoy learning about new cultures and helping students adapt to the Canadian way of living.  Making the student feel like apart of the family is important to us.  We take the time to engage our students with our family routines which include dining together, gardening, going to the local mall and watching movies.  We look forward to meeting you!  The picture includes previous students!
Julie & Ernie Tackie-Mensa
Our home had been open to for the past 16yrs to welcome students coming to Canada to experience our multi culture living at our beautiful Niagara On The Lake . This had opened our eyes tremendously from learning from our homestay students as well, especially our son Denzel, which in this case helped him to attend University of Toronto with all the multi cultured environment with an ease. We are looking forward to meet new homestay students anytime

Boarding

The on-site residence offers a comfortable and convenient boarding experience. Students have an opportunity to go directly from the school campus into the residence. The three-floor building has a separate floor for boys and girls as well as a lower level student lounge with table tennis, pool table and other games, gym and storage. Each floor has a fridge, microwave and laundry facilities. Security is key, and students are monitored 24/7 by a residence staff and security cameras. The 67 newly renovated double occupancy suites are spacious and have all the necessary amenities such as an en-suite bathroom, two double beds, two desks and storage. There is also air-conditioning and wi-fi throughout.

Our chefs prepare all meals in our on-site kitchen and all meals are fresh and prepared daily. The meals are served buffet-style and offer a balanced healthy diet.