Become a host in Santa Barbara with EF

All year long EF students travel to Santa Barbara to improve their English skills and experience cultural immersion. They are drawn here because of Santa Barbara’s quintessential Californian lifestyle and the diversity the area has to offer. From the golden sandy beaches along the coastline to the taste of big city life in nearby Los Angeles or San Francisco.

For years our host families in Santa Barbara have been welcoming our international students inviting them in to their homes giving them a unique experience by living as local – with locals.

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As a host family in Santa Barbara with EF you get an unique chance to experience cultural exchange and showcase your community to the world.

Approximately 3,000 international students visit our Santa Barbara language center each year spending between 2 and 52 weeks with our host families. Students arrive from all over the world with over 50 countries represented. Our students come as young as 13 all the way up to adult. As a host family in Santa Barbara with EF, you get a unique chance to experience cultural exchange and showcase your community to the world.

We are always looking to expand our current host family Santa Barbara community. We have host families living in areas from Winchester canyon to Carpinteria. Our community is made up of a wide variety of host families with many different backgrounds, religions and cultures. Everyone is welcome to apply.

What we offer our host families in Santa Barbara

  • You deal directly with the school and EF staff, not a host family agent.

  • We offer full support from EF Staff and housing team 24 hours per day.

  • A fantastic cultural experience for you and your family.

  • A unique experience to travel the world without leaving home!

Host family requirements

Our host families come in all shapes and sizes; single parent households, empty-nesters, couples with no children, and families with small children or with teenagers. They are expected to provide a bed, breakfast and evening meals Monday through Friday and all meals on the weekends, and, most importantly, a stable, caring environment.

Visit us

1421 Chapala St, Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Phone:+18059628680

How does hosting with EF work?

Meet our host families

Meet our students