Illustrative photograph by Dương Nhân / Pexels.
“Private accommodation” can refer to a room for your sole use or a separate apartment. The most useful difference for a French immersion stay is how the space fits your day. Find out what you use privately, what you share and when you will spend time with your teacher.
Ask three questions before you compare: What space is for my sole use? Where will meals and lessons happen? Which periods of French conversation are planned? A written answer will tell you more about the stay than the room label alone.
Check what each space gives you
Check what each space gives you
| Room in the home | Independent apartment |
|---|---|
| Is the bedroom for your use only? Is the bathroom private or shared? | Which rooms are included? Is there a separate entrance or a connection through the home? |
| Which shared spaces can you use between lessons or after dinner? | What equipment and workspace can you use? Is there a kitchen or a place to prepare drinks? |
| How are the household’s routines and your quiet time arranged? | Where do you meet the teacher for lessons, meals and other activities? |
Check the exact offer rather than inferring what a room or apartment includes. If steps, access or working arrangements matter to you, describe what you need and ask about the route from the entrance to the room, the relevant facilities and any practical limitations.
Choose your French contact deliberately
Choose your French contact deliberately
If you want regular conversation at meals, ask which meals are shared and who normally joins them. If you want to keep evenings free, ask about the shape of a typical day. Sharing a roof does not specify the number of hours you spend together. Having an apartment does not tell you how much planned contact the programme provides either.
Start with the FITH programme outline and identify the parts you care about most. You might want a private lesson with feedback, a lunch to practise ordinary conversation and a guided activity. Ask the teacher to confirm how those would fit into the days you are considering. The guide to a stay at a teacher’s home gives the broader context.
Use published examples to ask better questions
Use published examples to ask better questions
Georgiana’s accommodation description is an example of an independent guest apartment within the teacher’s home, with a private bathroom. It gives you a starting point for asking where the private and shared parts of the day take place.
Suzanne’s profile describes a bedroom in the teacher’s home and lists its bathroom as independent. This is an example of why a room within a home and a shared bathroom should be treated as separate questions. Confirm your guest arrangements in the written proposal, particularly when you are travelling with someone else.
Pick the arrangement that supports your week
Pick the arrangement that supports your week
Write down two essentials and two preferences. For example, you might need a private bathroom and a quiet place for a call, but be flexible about which meals are included. Another learner might need a shared meal each day for conversation, while preferring an apartment for the rest of their time. The answer is personal and can vary by teacher.
I’m looking for [guest space]. The two things I need are [essentials]. Could you confirm the bathroom and access arrangements, which meals or conversations are planned, and where lessons will happen?
Compare teacher profiles and include your accommodation priorities in an enquiry. If two people are coming, check the guide for couples and companions for tuition and participation questions to ask at the same time.
