Home Stay
Staying in a ‘Kiwi’ family is one of the best parts about living and studying in New Zealand. Every family is carefully matched to what you like and what you want to do while you are here. If you want to live on a farm and do lots of things outside, we will place you with a family living in the country-side with animals or an orchard. If you prefer living near the city and going shopping, we will find a family who live close to Aquinas College and the bus routes that take you to the local shopping centres. All our host families are caring and welcoming, with a genuine desire to welcome you into their family. The Director of International Students regularly visits every student at home to make sure they feel safe and happy. All families are police-checked every three years.
Where is Aquinas College?
Aquinas College is situated in Tauranga, New Zealand’s fastest growing city in the sunny Bay of Plenty region. It is centrally located in the North Island, only 2.5 hours from Auckland and 1 hour from the scenic cities of Rotorua and Hamilton.
Living in Tauranga?
Famous for its warm climate, relaxed lifestyle and stunning beaches, Tauranga offers an exciting range of outdoor recreational activities and marine sports. Across the Harbour Bridge, Mount Maunganui’s popular surf beach is officially the best beach in New Zealand’s. According to the TripAdvisor 2019 Travellers’ Choice Awards, Mount Maunganui topped the poll for best beach for the sixth time in a row. It is also among the ‘top 25 best beaches’ in the world. Mauao, the Maori name for the mountain, stands at the entrance of Tauranga Harbour and is an iconic landmark of the region.
The Bay is a great place to experience nature. There are scenic treks trough the Kaimai Ranges, in the Papmoa Hills and all along the coast, that stretches south to the popular tourist town of Ohope or north to Waihi Beach. If you enjoy mountain biking, there are trails at Oropi and around the City, or just 45 minutes away, visit the famous Redwoods Park which offers a series of routes through native forest.
The Bay of Plenty Region is lush with Kiwi-fruit and Avocado plantations, modern International Port Facilities and a friendly relaxed vibe where people enjoy sports, fishing and boating.
It is a popular and growing part of New Zealand. House prices in the last year have grown around 6% in recent years and the median house price is $620,000. Read more here. The average rental for a 3 bedroom house is $400.00 per week.
Watch this VIDEO to learn more about this beautiful part of New Zealand.
Click below to watch a video about Leon’s Homestay Experience.
Find out more about what it is like to live and learn in the Tauranga Region here: Education Tauranga.
To learn more about starting a business in Tauranga, click here: Priority One. Tauranga Chamber of Commerce.
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