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Do Au Pairs have to pay for their own language courses?

Whether an Au Pair must pay for a language course depends on the host country. In some places, like the USA or Germany, the Host Family must contribute to the cost. In others, the Au Pair covers it themselves. Even if it's not mandatory, taking a course can improve your language skills, help you connect with others, and make daily life with your Host Family easier and more enjoyable.

Find out:

if it is compulsory to attend a language course in your Host Country
why it is a good idea to attend one anyway

There are several reasons for young people to participate in the Au Pair program.

These could be discovering new countries and cultures, earning pocket money while living with the Host Family and also learning new languages. Each person has its own reasons - and all of them are acceptable - but in this article we would like to discover more about learning a language through language courses for Au Pairs.

Language courses give you the opportunity to improve your knowledge and meet new people. You will see results soon - you will feel more confident in communicating with people in this language.

Au Pair language course - is it mandatory?

As an Au Pair, you will be able to learn the language spoken in your Host Country by attending special courses 2-3 times a week for several hours. In some countries – for example, France - an Au Pair is obligated to attend the course for at least three months. Also in China this is one of the requirements of the Au Pair program.

Other countries don’t make it mandatory and attending a course depends on the Au Pair’s wish. You can find detailed information right here:

Country	Language course
Australia	NOT mandatory. Host Family is NOT obliged to pay for a course.
Austria	Mandatory. Host Family is NOT obliged to pay for a course.
Belgium	Mandatory for 3 months. Host Family is NOT obliged to pay for a course.
Canada	Mandatory. Host Family is NOT obliged to pay for a course.
China	Mandatory. Host Family pays for a course in advance.
Denmark	NOT mandatory. Host Family pays for a course.
England / United Kingdom	NOT mandatory. Host Family is NOT obliged to pay for a course.
Finland	NOT mandatory. Host Family is NOT obliged to pay for a course.
France	Mandatory for 3 months. Host Family is NOT obliged to pay for a course.
Germany	Mandatory. Host Family must pay min. €70 per month (max. €840 per year) in addition to the pocket money.
Ireland	NOT mandatory. Host Family is NOT obliged to pay for a course.
Italy	Mandatory. Host Family is NOT obliged to pay for a course.
Luxembourg	Mandatory. Host Family is NOT obliged to pay for a course.
New Zealand	NOT mandatory. Host Family is NOT obliged to pay for a course.
The Netherlands	NOT mandatory. Host Family is NOT obliged to pay for a course but can do it.
Norway	NOT mandatory. Host Family has to pay the tuition up to 8400 NOK per year.
Sweden	Mandatory and free of charge.
Switzerland	Mandatory and will be partially covered by the Host Family.
Spain	Mandatory. Host Family is NOT obliged to pay for a course.
Turkey	NOT mandatory. Host Family is NOT obliged to pay for a course.
USA	Mandatory. The Host Family has to pay up to $500 for the course.

To find a suitable course, ask your Host Family to help you find a language school nearby. You will attend a course 2-3 times a week there. Apart from improving your grammar, a course will help you to understand the country's culture and people.

When you find an ideal course with a flexible timetable, discuss with your Host Family about your working hours. You need to know when you are free in advance so you can organize your activities during your free time. Some spontaneous situations may come up sometimes. In general, it is better for you to have a fixed timetable. This will help you to better adapt and plan your days.

Who should pay for the Au Pair’s language course?

In general terms, the Au Pair will be the one bearing the costs for a language course in the host country, but this case depends on the host country regulations.

As a rule, Host Families are not obligated to pay for language courses but in some countries, like Germany or Denmark, they will pay a part of the fee.

Free Registration as Family

Nonetheless, Host Families need to include enough space for the language courses in the Au Pair’s daily schedule, so be sure to discuss your working hours and salary before arriving and include it in a contract for Au Pairs.

Is the language course worth spending time and money?

Of course! It's true that the Au Pair program is not only about learning languages, it is mostly a good way to explore a new culture. But we would definitely recommend to attend a language course due to several reasons.

First of all, learning a language will give you different opportunities and even change your way of thinking. Just imagine a whole new world of possibilities – starting from conversations with native speakers and ending with attending a university in the host country.

Moreover, a language course is also a good way to find friends and hang out with them in your free time, learning the language together and also travelling with them all over the country.

Last but not least – you will be able to understand your Host Kids better and won’t be afraid to go to the city with them, take them to the park or to a museum. What a good way of spending time with the Host Kids, right?

Free Registration as Candidate

Can you help me with the paperwork and the placement process?: Unfortunately, we can’t help you with it. We are an online matching agency, thus we can’t interfere in your searching or placing process. We are happy to provide you with all our searching and matching tools and the information about the Au Pair experience. As our platform is available worldwide, we are unable to take care of all the applications we get daily. Feel free to use our service to visit your dream destination and find a great Host Family. We will be also glad to get your feedback! If you have any ideas or comments, get in touch with us.

How long does it take to find a Host Family?: It depends on several factors. Create your profile and make it attractive for other users. Check that you meet the Au Pair requirements set by the Au Pair program. Be active and contact 20-30 Host Families per day. While contacting the Host Families, make also sure that you fulfil the family’s expectations. Be active, open minded and try to convince families that the time spent with you will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience for their kids! Generally speaking, it takes from one week up to a few months to find a Host Family.

Can I become an Au Pair?: The Au Pair program accepts participants who meet mainly education, family and age requirements. Please take a look at the full list of Au Pair requirements. If you meet them, register as an Au Pair today and find a Host Family that matches your criteria.

What is the age limit of an Au Pair?: Requirements of Au Pair programs vary depending on different Host Countries, but usually the upper limit of age of an Au Pair is about 30. Please, check requirements of specific Host Countries here.

Still, if you can't fulfil those requirements, you can always consider a position of a live-in nanny or a senior caregiver, but mind that those are not cultural exchange programs and you would be a kind of an employee of your future match.

Do I need a visa to become an Au Pair?: The visa requirements vary depending on the Au Pair citizenship and target country. The Au Pair needs to ask the host country's embassy in her/his homeland about the visa requirements. Find more information here.

What is the process of becoming an Au Pair?: The Au Pair program is primarily a cultural exchange, thus Host Family and Au Pair need to belong to different nationalities. Below you can see a step-by-step guide that will help you become a part of the Au Pair experience.
1. Register on AuPair.com and create your profile. As an Au Pair you can use the AuPair.com platform for free: send messages, browse profiles and get many other benefits after the registration. To stand out among the participants, you need to create an interesting profile.

2. Search for a prospective Host Family. Once you are signed in as an Au Pair, you can start searching for Host Families in different countries. The platform gives you the opportunity to browse families that match your preferences and destinations. In addition to AuPair.com's suggestions, you can add other families to your Favorites. This way you will have a selected list of users you are interested in. Each added family will receive a notification.

3. Meet up during the video-interview. After shortlisting the most suitable families, it is really important to talk to them to get to know each other better. During the interview both parties will share their expectations and talk about the important details of the cooperation. You will be able to see which family suits you best. In addition to this, a live video-call will protect you from possible scam attempts. Since scammers are afraid to reveal their identity, they usually refuse to join video-calls.

4. Sign the Au Pair contract and close other formalities. The Au Pair contract is a formal document stating all important details discussed between you and your future Host Family. It can help you avoid many possible misunderstandings and problems during the stay. Download the template of the Au Pair contract and edit it together with your Host Family according to your needs and the host country’s laws. Sign the contract and keep it with you. It is one of the visa requirements, though you might also need it for other formalities.

5. Prepare for your trip. There are many important things you need to consider before going abroad: clarifying formalities with the host country’s embassy if you need a visa, gathering all the documents you need for registration in the host country, making sure your insurance coverage is sufficient, packing the suitcase, booking the tickets. If the Host Family is willing to help you with the travel costs, we recommend writing it down in the Au Pair contract and define the installments that will be added to your monthly pocket money during the year. Nevertheless, it is not a responsibility of the Host Family to cover travel expenses.

6. Adapt to the new country. Once you have arrived it's time to get to know your Host Family and the place where you will be living. Normally, it will take some time for the children to adapt to a new person, so don't worry if they seem distant at the beginning.

7. Enjoy your Au Pair experience. Don’t forget that the Au Pair program gives you a unique opportunity to stay abroad for some time and gain new experiences. Explore the country and local culture, meet new people and make sure you enjoy this experience to the max