Following my post about rebuilding trust, I’ve been thinking about how our sector can best protect students affected by sudden school closures. FELCA and Paolo Barilari’s recent statement called for swift action.
While existing association schemes have proven successful at finding students a school to finish their studies, accommodation is an entirely different matter – and by far the biggest concern.
To immediately inject confidence back into the market, major associations like English UK and Languages Canada should establish a proactive, funded framework:
A small student levy: Charge 50p / $1 CAD per student week on every booking. For the association, it builds a substantial, ring-fenced fund every year.
Guarantee accommodation up to 12 weeks: Ensure no student is put out on the street. Pay host families and residences directly (capped at a sensible £250–$400/week) so students stay safely housed, while capping scheme exposure.
Pay the schools that step up: Pay receiving centres a weekly support fee (£25–$50/week) to help cover additional teaching, materials, onboarding, and pastoral care.
Back it with insurance: Use a portion of the fund to buy commercial stop-loss insurance. A modest premium would secure millions in catastrophe cover, ensuring the insurance market absorbs the worst-case failure of a major chain or summer operator—not the surviving schools.
If our associations put a structure like this in place, we ensure no student is left without a bed, we support the schools that take on displaced students, and we give agents and recruitment partners the promise that when you study with us, your education and accommodation are guaranteed.
Has anyone got any thoughts on this, or other practical ideas we can implement soon?
