Terms and Conditions

This statement is to formally inform you that Universal Student Housing (referred to as USH) is contracted by you as your agent to act in your best interests.

1) OUR SERVICES: Universal Student Housing will provide you a Homestay with a selected host, which includes a private and comfortable furnished bedroom, and 2 meals a day (for those on the room with meals plan). Our minimum service period is for 4 weeks, from your arrival date to your departure date except for customized arrangements for groups.

2) APPLICATION: Please submit an online application form on the USH website. Please find the application fee and security deposit amount by clicking on Prices & Schools or click here. (SECURITY DEPOSIT + APPLICATION FEE ARE NON-REFUNDABLE AND CHARGED IMMEDIATELY UPON THE SUBMISSION OF YOUR ONLINE APPLICATION) An additional US $150.00 late fee will be charged if your reservation is made less than 15 days prior to arrival. We suggest that you apply early for best results of confirmation on dates and personal preferences. (DO NOT DELAY IN SENDING THE APPLICATION. LET US KNOW IF YOU WILL MAKE PAYMENT AT A LATER DATE) All students are required to pay their first 4 weeks housing payment one month before their move in date. Homestay information will not be released until these fees are processed. If you requested airport transfer, this fee will be included on your housing fee invoice. You must pay for your airport shuttle fee along with your housing fee.

If you have applied for more than 4 weeks, the remaining housing fee is due by the 4th day of your arrival. If the remaining housing fee is received after the 4th day of your arrival, a late fee of $120 will be applied. If the remaining housing fee is not received by the 8th day after move in then we will contact your host and cancel your homestay due to payment negligence; you may have to move out of the home immediately. The cancellation will be considered a contract termination and contract termination fees may apply (please see paragraph 9).

Students who are returning to USH less than 6 months from their move out date and need a new homestay will be charged half of the application fee. Students returning more than 6 months from their move out date will pay the full application fee. The application fee will be waived only for students returning within a 6 month period to the same homestay they last moved out of.

Students and/or Agents are responsible to keep their email(s) and contact information updated at all times.

3) SPACE CONFIRMATION: USH will do its best to send you confirmation of housing before your departure from your country. We will give you your new address in the United States and your host family information. Should you fail to give USH a minimum of 2 weeks notice of arrival, USH reserves the right to accommodate you in available housing and you will be responsible for the differences in price and /or changes. In order for USH to release your homestay information, we must receive the Application Fee, Security Deposit, and your full housing fee or the minimum of four weeks housing fee.

4) DEPARTURE / ARRIVAL DETAIL: It is your responsibility to notify USH of all details and dates concerning your arrival with a minimum of 10 days advanced notice. If you are not able to move into your homestay upon your arrival because you failed to provide us with your arrival information in writing, your host and USH will not be held responsible.

5) AIRPORT SHUTTLE TRANSFER: USH can arrange your airport shuttle transfer for a fee; please click here to reserve shuttle transportation. A minimum of 72 business hours is required to request your shuttle reservation. After requesting the shuttle through USH, students should receive an automatic email with shuttle confirmation/instructions. If you do not receive your shuttle confirmation at least 48 business hours before your arrival, please contact our staff immediately by email at [email protected] or by phone: (310) 824-4908. Shuttle fee will not be refunded once USH sends the confirmation of your shuttle reservation. Do not pay the driver directly. Any fees paid directly to the driver will not be reimbursed by USH. The shuttle fee will be added to your housing fee and must be paid prior to your arrival.

6) HOMESTAY KEY: After you move into your homestay, your host will provide you with a set of keys to your new home. If you lose or fail to return your host's keys by your move out day, you will be charged for any locksmith services or a minimum $50 fee will apply.

7) PERSONAL & MEDICAL INSURANCE: Students are responsible for providing their own insurance in the event that any injury or any act of damage (such as property damage or physical harm) occurs to or is caused by the student. USH and its representatives are not liable for any of the above. Please contact your school advisor for details on its health and personal insurance requirements prior to enrollment. Whenever away from home, it is recommended that you carry a copy of your insurance papers with you.

8) VISA REQUIREMENTS: The American Consulate in your country and the school at which you will be attending can help you with all the information and requirements to obtain the proper visa for you. It is the student's responsibility to ensure that all the documents, permits and visas are properly obtained and maintained current. If your student visa expires, you will be required to move out immediately.

9) HOUSING CANCELLATION: In order to receive a refund (the application fee and security deposit is non-refundable), cancellations must be in writing and received by USH, 20 days prior to your move in day. If your written cancellation is not received 20 days prior to your move in day, you will forfeit any prepaid housing fees. If you cancel within less than 20 days of your arrival and have not prepaid your housing fee, you must still pay for the first week of your homestay cost. If your cancellation notice is received within 10 or less days of your move in day or you simply do not move in to the homestay without informing USH about your cancellation, you will be responsible to pay for the first 4 weeks of your homestay. A cancellation processing fee of US$125 will be deducted from the remaining housing fee.

10) CONTRACT TERMINATIONS: "Termination" refers to any cancellations made on or after the move in date on your application. Termination notices must be in writing, reviewed, and determined as to a fair decision concerning all parties. Students may move out of their homestay 30 days after the termination notice has been submitted to the USH office and the remainder of the housing fee will be refunded for the time remaining after the 30 days. Students who are staying for less than 30 days may not be eligible. A cancellation processing fee of $125 will be deducted from the remaining housing fee. Students who move out of their homestay without giving a 30-day will not qualify for a refund. The application fee and security deposit is not refundable and travel costs are the responsibility of the student.

11) TERMINATION WITHOUT COMPENSATION: USH reserves the right to terminate without compensation a student's housing arrangement if the student is found to have behaved with misconduct. Misconduct includes but is not limited to theft, abuse of property, verbal or physical abuse of persons, alcohol or drug use, failure to adhere to federal, state or local laws, school regulations, and USH student guidelines found on your homestay Welcome Packet and/or your host's rules. In addition, USH shall inform the student's advisor at the school he/she is attending. No refunds whatsoever will be paid to students who have been found to have behaved with misconduct.

12) EXTENSION OF CONTRACT: If you have been placed by USH in a homestay and wish to continue your stay, all extension periods must be directed through the USH office. Please send extension requests to [email protected] or call 1 (866) 900-4874 or (310) 824-4908. Payment for extensions should be received prior to the first day of the extension period. If payment has not been received by the 1st day of the extension period, a late fee of $85 will be added to the housing fee. If you fail to contact the USH office to request an extension and payment is not received by the 4th day after your extension date, a late fee of $120 will be applied to your housing fee. The additional fees must be paid in advance and directly to USH (under no circumstances, may the student nor his/her homestay host contract directly with one another). If the student does not wish to extend his/her stay in the USH homestay, the student must vacate his/her homestay according to the terms of the housing contract. For students who continue to live in their homestay past their move out date without notifying USH will be held responsible to pay for housing fees and any applicable fees per the USH contract. After the extension request has been confirmed and your new move out date has been changed, for termination USH will need to receive a 30 days’ written notice. For contract termination please see paragraph 10. If your extension payment has not been received yet, you will still be responsible to pay for the remaining days to complete 30 days from receiving the cancellation notice. USH has the right to pursue legal action for compensation due. For methods of payment, please see paragraph 18.

13) HOST/ LOCATION CHANGE: If the student is not satisfied with the arrangement, he/she may request a change in his/her homestay assignment without charge. Change is subject to the availability of another homestay. However, after the initial change has been made, subsequent changes of homestay arrangements are subject to a $150.00 administrative fee. Students must call our office at (310) 824-4908 during business hours or e-mail us at [email protected]. For emergencies after business hours, please contact (910) 874-8720. We will make no changes until we receive your request to change in writing. The student must request the homestay change within the FIRST WEEK of his/her arrival, otherwise the student must either complete the first 4-weeks with the original host OR be held responsible for the housing fee of their new homestay.

14) PRICES CHANGES AND CORRECTIONS: USH has the right to change prices due to tax increases or other unforeseen increases in cost. Compensation will not be made for US public holidays during your placement.

15) FEES: (US Dollars) Application Fee (click on your school to find fee); Security Deposit (click on your school to find fee); Private Bathroom placement fee $80; Late Booking Fee $150.00; host key fee $50.00 (please refer to paragraph # 6); Cancellation processing fee $125.00; Homestay Fee & Mileage Fee (if any); plus applicable housing fees, please refer to the Schedule of Fees. *See item #2.

Late Payment Penalties (PLEASE READ CAREFULLY):
Housing fee varies from school to school and depends on the length of your stay and type of service. Four weeks housing payment is due prior to receiving your homestay information. If your housing fee is not received 10 days before your move in date, your homestay will be automatically canceled. If you have applied for more than 4 weeks, the remaining housing fee is due by the 4th day of your arrival. If the remaining housing fee is received after the 4th day of your arrival, a late fee of $120 will be applied. If the remaining housing fee is not received by the 8th day after the move in then your housing arrangement is subject to cancellation. You will then have to move out of the home immediately. The homestay cancellation will be considered a contract termination and contract termination fees will apply (please see paragraph 9).

16) SECURITY DEPOSIT: A security deposit will be collected from each student and will be retained by USH until the completion of the student's housing contract (security deposit is not refundable in case of cancellation after homestay matching services has began). The security deposit can and will be used for a student's outstanding telephone bills, any type of damage, and/or cleaning costs incurred by the student. To ensure return of the full amount, please be sure to settle any of the above financial responsibilities with your host. USH will return the security deposit after confirming with your host to verify the amount of refund due to you after 30 days from your departure from your homestay. In order to receive the refund, you must contact USH with your forwarding address (for those students staying in the U.S.) or with your credit card number (for students who leave the U.S.). Please be aware that USH will not pay for any bank or currency exchange charges. These charges will be deducted from your SECURITY DEPOSIT REFUND. The deposit will expire 36 months after the move out date.

17) TRANSPORTATION: It is the student's responsibility to provide his/her own transportation to and from the campus. USH will assist in providing the student with local bus information and telephone numbers of public transportation (if requested). **NOTE** Please be advised that the public transportation here in the US may not be as convenient as you may presently be used to. USH has made every effort to provide assistance to you in getting around efficiently in the area by the available local bus systems.

18) MODE OF PAYMENT:
A) If you are in a foreign country:

B) If you have already arrived in the U.S.:

19) Student is responsible for his/her own conduct. Student is neither an agent nor an employee of USH.

20) AGREEMENT AND LEASE: I, the undersigned, have read, understand, and accept all the terms and conditions of this contract which is listed on the reverse side of the Application Form. As stated under the heading "Acknowledgment and Conditions" and by its suppliers in the USA, I fully accept the terms of responsibility, refunds, extensions, and charges for any loss, injury, damage, accident, delay, or expense resulting from events beyond the control of USH. This includes (without limitations) acts of GOD, wars, strikes, incidents of politically motivated violence, sickness or quarantine, government restrictions or regulations, or (in the absence of its own negligence) any of the above-stated occurrences arising from the use of any vehicle from USH or selection thereof, or from any act or omission by any homestay host, bus company, landlord, taxi service, hotel, restaurant, school or other firm, agency, company or individual.

I understand that I am responsible for conducting myself with reasonable care and caution at all times. If I become ill, USH may take action as in its sole discretion considers necessary. Student agrees to defend and indemnify USH, its agents, and employees and hold them harmless for any damage or injury, including attorneys fees, caused by the act or omission of student. This obligation applies whether or not student was negligent and applies even if USH is negligent, excepting the sole negligence or intentional conduct of USH. USH reserves the right to make changes in my housing arrangements. I acknowledge acceptance of the terms of the refund policy as stated in the "Acknowledgment and Conditions". I authorize USH to disburse monies to my homestay or for housing and other services as periodically needed. I understand and agree with the extension procedure as stated in Item 12. --- This Agreement becomes effective upon execution of this confirmation and shall be governed by the laws of the State of California.