Student Guide: Your Path to Affordable Housing Through Cultural Exchange
Live abroad with moderate to free housing by sharing your time and energy with an elderly host. Get accommodation and a life-changing cultural experience — all while pursuing your studies.
How Cultural Exchange Housing Works
AuCare connects university students with elderly hosts who have a spare room in their home. Instead of paying rent, you provide approximately 2 hours of daily companionship and light assistance to your host. It's a simple exchange: they offer you a place to live, and you offer them your time, energy, and company.
This isn't a job or a traditional rental arrangement — it's a cultural exchange built on mutual respect. You become part of your host's daily life, sharing meals, conversations, and experiences. Many students describe their host as a second grandparent.
AuCare is different from traditional au-pair programs because it focuses on elderly companionship rather than childcare, requires far fewer hours, and gives you much more freedom to focus on your studies and personal life.
What You Get as a Student
AuCare offers much more than just accommodation. It's a complete living experience that enriches your time abroad in ways a regular apartment never could.
Free to Affordable Room
A furnished, comfortable private bedroom in your host's home with all the essentials you need.
Meals Included
Enjoy home-cooked meals with your host or access to kitchen facilities to prepare your own food.
Cultural Immersion
Experience authentic local life, traditions, and customs firsthand through daily interaction with your host.
Language Practice
Daily conversation with a native speaker is the fastest way to improve your language skills.
Life Skills
Learn cooking, household management, and interpersonal skills that will serve you for life.
Community
Join a supportive network of students and hosts. You're never alone — our community is here for you.
Explore all the advantages on our benefits page.
What You Provide in Return
In exchange for free to moderately priced housing, you commit to spending approximately 2 hours per day providing companionship and light help to your host. This is not a caregiving role — your host is independent and simply enjoys having company and a little assistance with everyday tasks.
You are never expected to provide medical care, heavy physical labor, or personal hygiene assistance. AuCare is designed for companionship and light help — not caregiving.
Who Can Apply?
AuCare is open to students from around the world who meet the following basic eligibility criteria. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and fields of study.
- Age 18–30 — you must be a young adult within this age range to participate in the program.
- Enrolled in education — you should be currently enrolled in a university, college, or vocational program, or recently graduated (within 12 months).
- Basic language skills — you should have a conversational level in the language spoken by your host (or a shared language like English).
- Background check — all students must pass identity verification and a background check before being matched.
- Genuine interest in cultural exchange — a real desire to connect with an older person and learn from their culture is what makes AuCare special.
Not sure if you qualify? Visit our FAQ page for more details on eligibility.
A Day in the Life
Wondering what a typical day looks like as an AuCare student? Here's an example schedule. Remember, the exact routine is flexible and agreed upon with your host — most students have plenty of free time for classes, studying, and exploring.
Wake up and enjoy breakfast with your host — fresh coffee, toast, and morning conversation.
Quick tidy-up of breakfast dishes and shared spaces (~15 minutes).
Head to university for morning lectures, or study from home.
Lunch — eat at campus or come home and share a meal with your host.
Free time — attend afternoon classes, study at a café, or explore the city.
Stop at the grocery store for your host on the way home (~20 minutes).
Cook dinner together with your host — share a recipe from your home country!
Evening companionship — watch a show, play cards, or chat over tea (~45 minutes).
Your time — study, call friends, go out, or relax in your private room.
As you can see, the 2 hours of daily help blend naturally into your routine. You have ample time for classes, studying, socialising, and exploring your host city.
How Our Matching Works
Finding the right host is essential to a great experience, so AuCare uses a sophisticated matching algorithm. When you create your profile, you'll share details about your personality, interests, daily habits, language skills, and what you're hoping to gain from the exchange.
Our system compares your profile with available hosts across multiple dimensions: shared interests, personality fit, lifestyle compatibility, location, and practical needs. You'll receive suggested matches ranked by compatibility.
We always recommend having several video calls with a potential host before committing. Learn the full process on our How It Works page.
Safety and Support
Moving into someone's home in a new country is a big step, and we take your safety seriously. AuCare has multiple layers of protection to ensure that every student feels secure and supported throughout their experience.
Host Verification
All hosts undergo identity verification, reference checks, and home assessments before they can be matched with students.
2-Week Trial Period
Every match starts with a trial. If the arrangement doesn't feel right, you can leave without penalty and we'll help you find a new host.
24/7 Support Team
Our dedicated support team is available around the clock for emergencies, conflict resolution, and any questions you may have.
Regular Check-ins
We proactively check in with both students and hosts during the first weeks and continue periodic follow-ups throughout the stay.
Read our complete safety guidelines on the Safety & Security page. See what other students say on our testimonials page.
Costs
AuCare is designed to be affordable. Your accommodation and meals are free to moderately priced — provided by your host in exchange for your daily companionship. There are no hidden rental costs or surprise fees.
To use the AuCare platform and connect with potential hosts, choose from: €14.99/month, €34.99 for 3 months, or €59.99 for 6 months. Cancel any time.
Compared to the cost of renting a room in most European cities (often €400–€800+ per month), the AuCare model saves students thousands of euros over the course of a semester or academic year.
How to Apply
Getting started with AuCare takes just a few minutes. Follow these simple steps to begin your journey toward affordable housing abroad:
Register
Create your free AuCare account with your email.
Complete Profile
Add your photo, interests, skills, and preferences. A detailed profile gets better matches.
Browse Hosts
Explore matched hosts, read their profiles, and see photos of the accommodation offered.
Connect
Message your top matches, have video calls, and find your perfect host family.
Still have questions? Read our FAQ, learn about cultural exchange, or see how AuCare compares to au-pair programs.
Ready to Join Our Community?
Start your AuCare journey today and discover a new way to experience cultural exchange.
