UK Guardianship for
International Students

Fully accredited by both AEGIS and the British Boarding School Association (BSA), we support international students throughout their time at UK boarding schools.

Guardianship
Academic Families team and 2 Chinese students

AEGIS Certified Guardianship

Most UK boarding schools require their international students to have a nominated educational guardian to provide additional care outside of school term times.

We have exceeded the highest standards required for our AEGIS and BSA accreditation. This means that you can have complete trust in us to always deliver our premium guardianship service.

We have the experience to know how to manage any situation and we treat each student individually – no one gets lost in the shuffle.

Our services

We understand how important it is to find the best partner to support your family during your child’s time at school and we believe our quality service will ensure your child is safe, happy and successful.

We provide a range of services aimed at ensuring your child has all the support he or she requires. In consultation with you, we will tailor a suitable programme depending on the level of service you choose.

Fully accredited guardianship support in the UK

  • A home away from home

    Our screened host families provide a caring family home when your child is on mini breaks from school and offer a wonderful opportunity for UK cultural immersion.

  • Care and attention

    We keep in regular contact with your child when he or she is in the UK to make sure he or she is safe and happy at all times.

    We assist with shopping for essentials such as a school uniform, mobile, laptop, etc.

    You receive full 24/7 emergency support whenever needed.

  • Help adjusting, fitting in, and succeeding

    We work hard to help your child settle into school academically and culturally.

    We also support you to understand the UK and the boarding school education system.

    Our staff can attend school progress meetings (Parents' Meetings), send reports and follow up on any issues required.

    We support your child at special school events such as a school play or sports matches. We will cheer them on and share in their achievements!

    Our team is especially good at organising birthday cakes, flowers, helium balloons, and other personal gifts and little surprises.

    We look after your child’s best interests while at school, lend a helping hand when needed, or listen to their feedback when they need to talk to someone.
    We also provide assistance finding an academic tutor or revision course before exams.

  • Help with logistics and travel

    We are experts at arranging airport Meet & Greet and transfers to and from your child’s school with security-screened taxi drivers.

    We offer Airport Assistance such as an escort through the airport, passport control, baggage and changing terminals. We are by your child's side from the plane door to your transfer flight or taxi.

    You'll receive our invaluable support in the case of flight disruptions or cancellations.

    We're happy to help you when you come to visit your child in the UK.

  • Making the most of their time in the UK

    We offer advice and support if your child is taking English language courses prior to starting school or during term breaks.

    During longer holidays, students can stay with hosts in other locations so they visit as much of the UK as possible.

    Students can join one of our bespoke cultural and activity half term trips.
    We can also help arrange revision courses and work placements as required.

  • After graduating from school

    Most of our host families maintain their strong relationships with their international students when they leave school and go on to university – like the best families, we become friends for life.

    Some children are hoping to advance to university in the UK. We can also offer support and advice here, too.

    Choosing the best university course can be overwhelming for most students - their boarding school will help them and our university advisors can work with you to support your child. We can also help draft their personal statement and get ready for interviews.

Why do you need a guardian?

Reduce risk

We provide peace of mind and manage any travel-related risks (e.g. airport transfers). Plus, our taxi drivers and host families are all security checked.

Don't take chances

We ensure each students’ wellbeing from the moment they touch down in the UK to the moment they return home.

Always here for you

From the plane door to the boarding school door and everywhere in between – we’re here when you can’t be.

Not just for kids

If your child enters university in the UK before he or she turns 18, you'll need a guardian too.

We are experts at problem solving

Here at Academic Families, we look after hundreds of children a year, and no matter what surprises pop up, we always manage to resolve a situation quickly and effectively.

Looking for an example?

Meet 17 year old Akshay.

His travel arrangements were made in plenty of time and he knew when he was being collected from school. His bags were packed and his boarding passes printed. Everything seemed pretty straightforward, until Akshay tried to check in at the airport.

To his great surprise, Akshay was denied boarding because his British passport had only 4 month's validity. He panicked - he had now run out of cash, phone credit and soon battery! He called his mum who first thought she would have to fly over to the UK to organise his new passport. Luckily, his mum called us.

Our team immediately sprang into action:

  • First we transferred him emergency cash.
  • Next, we arranged a fast track passport interview for the same afternoon.
  • We also had one of our taxi drivers collect him from the airport and take Akshay 50 miles to his 5pm appointment.
  • They stopped on the way to pick up a passport application form and have his photo taken.
  • That night Akshay was welcomed by one of our nearby host families.
  • The next day, our driver collected Akshay’s new passport from the passport office, picked up Akshay from the host family's home and continued on to the airport for his rescheduled flight home.

Akshay's crisp new passport was approved at the border, and he was on his way home to his incredibly grateful parents – all sorted in less than 24 hours!

In all our years of running Academic Families, we have never met a problem we couldn't solve!

Student with his passport

Types of guardianship we provide

Full Support
UK-Guardianship-Basic-Coverage
Emergency Unit

How does Academic Families help?

Our guardians, host families and staff are dedicated to supporting students from around the world – helping them to settle into their British boarding school and enjoy their home away from home in Great Britain.

With strong roots in guardianship and education, our team can support you and your child to ensure their education and cultural experience in the UK is the best for them.

Before you arrive

We provide parent and child handbooks
Video chat preparation

When you arrive

Meet and greet
Welcome pack
Shopping support

In an emergency

24/7 assistance
Medical support
Travel arrangements
Whatever is required!

Hosting

Matching a child to a host family
Arranging stays at weekends and breaks

Airport assistance

UK travel and transfers Airport chaperones Unaccompanied Minor (UM) service

At school

Visits each term
Pastoral and academic support
Attending Parent-Teacher meetings

Academics

Exam revision
Tutors
Language courses

Extra support

Communication in your language
Support from birthdays to banking
Visa renewals
Residency permits

Why should you choose Academic Families?

“Academic Families provide a guardianship service of the highest calibre for students and their families. Their knowledgeable and experienced staff provide exemplary pastoral and academic support to help ensure that students are extremely well looked after, and achieve to the best of their ability.”

Jacqueline Scotney
AEGIS Lead Inspector

AEGIS

Free consultation

Contact us to discuss your guardianship requirements

Enquire now

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