Au-Pair in Scotland
Au-Pair in Scotland
The Au-Pair program in Scotland becomes more and more attractive to young people! There is a lot to discover in Scotland, the beautiful green country in northern Great Britain. The impressive landscapes, mountains, hills and lochs (lakes) take everybody back to the times of highlanders and elves. You can find castles and ruins everywhere in Scotland, but especially Glasgow and Edinburgh are worth a visit. Bagpipes and kilts are the trade markets of the Scottish culture you can fully explore as an Au-Pair.
If you live together with a Scottish family, you will not only get to know the Scottish culture better, but also improve your English knowledge. Other benefits are:
- pocket money paid by the Host Family
- free accommodation
- full board
- improving your English skills with natives
- an interesting point in your CV which will impress employers
We provide you with all the necessary information about the Au-Pair program, just as how to find a Host Family or an agency to be placed in Scotland.
Au-Pair Scotland: program regulations
- Age: 17-30 years for European Union Citizens, 18-30 other nationalities
- Duration: 6-24 months
- Working time: 30 hours per week
- Holiday: 4 weeks holiday for a 12-month stay. You will also have at least one day off per week. Once a month, this day must be a Sunday.
- Travel costs: paid by the Au-Pair.
- Insurance: As an EU citizen you can apply for the European Health Insurance Card. If you have a different nationality, you will need private health insurance. Host Families must register their Au-Pair in the National Health Service (NHS).
- Pocket money: 75-80 GBP per week
- Age: between 18 and 30 years
- Marital Status: not married, no children
- Experience in childcare
- Basic knowledge of English
- Driver’s license
- Health Certificate: good health, no psychological treatments or mental illnesses in the past 3 years
- Non-Smoker
- Police Clearance Certificate
You can register anytime to become an Au-Pair in Scotland. You should start planning your stay at least 3 months in advance, so you have enough time to organize everything. You have the chance to find a Host Family on your own. In order to do so, register on AuPair.com, create a profile and get in touch with families right away. The other option is to cooperate with a full-service agency. The staff will support you during the process. Depending on the country, the agency will require a fee.
1. Registration
Send your application to an agency or register with an online matching agency just as AuPair.com. Create a profile and describe yourself, your experience in childcare and your reasons to become an Au-Pair.
2. Look for a host family
If you have registered with an agency they will offer you different host families. With your profile on an online matching website you can browse through many different profiles of Host Families, add them to your favorites and start contacting them.
3. Interview and Agreement
An agency will send you the whole family profile, so you have the chance to talk to them on skype. If you have found interesting families on the website, you can send them messages and set a date for a Skype interview. If you happen to like each other, you can either talk again or you come to an agreement and talk about the contract in the next steps. If the interview did not go as well as you had thought, do not give up, there will be other interesting families.
4. Book the flight
After you have found your Host Family, you can start to organize the stay. If you need a visa you have to apply for it before you book the flight. Once you got the visa or if you do not need one, you can book the flight and prepare everything for your stay.
5. Arrival
Once you are in Scotland, the Host Family will pick you up from the airport. In the first couple of days you have to get used to the new situation, but you will surely adapt to the new lifestyle quickly. In case of any problems, it is very important to talk to your family. If you are in Scotland with an agency, you can also always talk to your LCC and ask for advice and help.
Program Fees and services
- In case you are cooperating with an agency you will have to pay an agency fee
- Usually Au-Pairs can look for Host Families for free on online matching platform
Benefits of being an Au-Pair
- Exploring a new culture
- Learning and improving a language
- Independence and responsibility
- Finding international friends and meeting other Au-Pairs
Additional costs
- Travel expenses
- Costs for an insurance
- Fee for the language course (+ ticket for public transportation)
- Personal expenses
Visa
EU citizens only need a valid identity card or passport to enter and leave Scotland. If you have another or dual nationality, you will need to apply for a visa at the UK embassy in your home country.
In order to start your Au-Pair time completely relaxed, you should definitely think about an appropriate insurance.
If you do not have an international healthcare insurance, you should apply for the "European Health Insurance Card". This option, however, only applies to Au-Pairs from within the EU. In case you have another nationality, you will need to get in touch with an insurance company to make sure that you are fully covered during your stay.
Moreover, it is advisable to have an additional accident and liability insurance. This way you are safe during your whole trip.
Testimonials
„During the nine months in Scotland I have experienced so much, seen so much and met so many nice people. My English has improved so much that now I'm even starting to study English confidently.“ – Maike, Au-Pair in Scotland
„Multikultur has always supported me and through the agency I got to know many Au-Pairs!“ – Lea, Au-Pair in Scotland
Au-Pair Workshops
Most of the full-service agencies offer free information events where the staff will present the different Au-Pair programs.
In a workshop you will learn interesting facts about the Au-Pair's everyday life, get ideas for games and solutions for homesickness or other possible conflict situations. You can also talk to us about your expectations and fears and exchange ideas with other future Au-Pairs.
In case your agency does not offer such an event or your are looking for a Host family on your own, you can find many useful articles in the internet. AuPair.com, for example, provides you with everything you need to know before, during and after your Au-Pair stay. Make sure to read through the Wiki sections since this will answer most of your questions.