Frequently Asked Questions
For Travelers
How much do au pairs get paid (weekly stipend)?
Au pairs receive a weekly stipend/pocket money plus room and board.
Amounts vary by country and schedule, varying from $80 per week to $300 per week. The pay can also depend on the number of hours worked.
Italy — $80+ per week
Spain — $80+ per week
France — $100+ per week
Australia — $180+ per week
This money can be used to offset the flight costs or to travel on the weekends. Our programs should not be sought after in order to make money. Our purpose is to help you affordably experience another culture.
What do host families provide for au pairs?
Your host family will provide room and board which includes a private room, meals (groceries), and a weekly stipend. Whether you au pair in Italy, Spain, France, or Australia, your host family should help you feel safe, secure, and welcome in their home. Your host family can help you find opportunities for cultural experiences in the community.
How much does Rome Abroad cost, and what’s included?
It's our goal to make your experience safe, affordable, and life-changing. What Rome Abroad provides is:
- Safe-vetted host families that are welcoming.
- Training and resources that include helpful au pair tips, how to find cheap flights, and more.
- An official contract agreement signed by you and your host family. We also help maintain this agreement and handle breaches.
- We help ensure that your host family pays you in full and doesn't overwork you. If any issues arise, we're there to help.
- Visa assistance
- Community of Au Pairs
- Full support from application to departure and beyond.
Pricing varies by destination. You can check out our pricing page for more info. If you have any questions, shoot us an email and we'll get back to you.
Can I au pair with a friend?
Yes! We love it when friends get to travel together. Plus, the buddy system is a great way to stay safe so we highly recommend traveling with others.
For these reasons, we encourage going with a friend. When you refer a friend who does one of our programs, you BOTH get a $70 discount!
Just have your friends apply with your name as the promo code! If you have any questions feel free to contact us!
*We can try to place you in the same city/region, but matches depend on family needs*
Will I meet other au pairs / travelers?
Yes! We encourage new friendships in our programs. After your acceptance, we'll give you access to a group chat. Then you can get to know others who will be in same program. You can plan trips together plus you'll have instant friends when you arrive.
The group chat is a great place to ask advice, share tips, and make travel plans.
We've had many people develop lifelong friendships this way. Check out our reviews of what our previous au pairs have said! We'll also give you access to other networks outside of Rome Abroad so you can expand your friendship network abroad further.
What are typical au pair duties and expectations?
Host families expect you to interact as much as possible with their children. Your childcare duties could include: telling stories, playing games, doing crafts or activities, reading books, and more. You should also act like one of the family by providing light cleaning and cooking, and by tidying up after yourself and the children. For families whose native language isn't English, it's important to talk a lot, they want to learn English!
Host families are usually very interested to know more about you! You should be willing to share things about yourself, your family, and your lifestyle at home. Read more about a host family's expectations and requirements.
How many hours do au pairs work and what is the schedule?
As an au pair you are typically working no more than 30 hours per week. A typical schedule during the school year looks like this: you're free in the mornings and aren't "on duty" until around 2 or 3 pm (after school ends) Monday through Friday with typically 2 days free (Saturday and Sunday). On your free time you are able to travel, explore, and do things on your own. (Of course, you're more than welcome to stay and hang out with your host family if you want to.)
During the summer, your schedule might be mornings or afternoons. Either way, our program requirements are clear so you won't be "on duty" more than 30 hours per week.
Weekends are a great time to see other places, travel, go to museums, and explore your host country. You can check out typical weekend activities for our Travelers on the blog.
Do host families pay for flights?
Usually No. Families expect you to take care of your own transportation.
After you're accepted to the program, we'll give you all our best tips for finding cheap flights. We have extensive experience finding great flight deals.
Flights from the US to Italy, Spain, France and Australia range between $400-$1700. If flights seem expensive, also bear in mind that you will earn money during the program. Calculate the flight cost and see if you can make up most (if not all) of it with the money you get weekly.
Is au pairing abroad safe?
Safety is our top priority at Rome Abroad! We provide safe-vetted host families that have had references and a background check done to ensure your safety. We are here to support you throughout the entire process from application to arrival and beyond. If at any moment you do not feel safe with a host family, please reach out to Rome Abroad, and we will provide guidance on next steps and provide a rematch if possible.
In regards to safety while traveling realize that the majority of crimes suffered by tourists are nonviolent and avoidable. Tourists naturally attract petty thieves, but if you're wise, you can avoid them.
Be aware of your surroundings and keep personal belongings close to your body. This can help you avoid pickpockets, especially in busy areas.
You can read more safety tips on our blog. You can also read reviews from previous au pairs! We also provide more specific safety guidelines in your training materials given at orientation.
Do I need to speak Italian/Spanish/French to be an au pair?
It depends! In Italy, Spain, and Australia, you don't need to speak another language. In fact, many host families in those countries prefer that you don't! That way, it helps their kids to use English only (and therefore dramatically improve their conversation skills). Many kids in foreign countries study English in school but lack practical application.
For France, an A2 basic French is required of all applicants. You'll need to be able to introduce yourself in French and have a basic conversation. French families believe this is very important, especially as many of their children have limited English vocabulary.
Of course, no matter where you are, knowing some basics will help you as you navigate your new country. Learning helpful phrases and words before you arrive can help a lot! In fact, that's one of the most common pieces of advice our graduates give future Travelers. We'll give you the basics in your training materials after you're accepted to the program.
If you want to talk with locals, the average person is more than happy to help out (especially if they see your effort). And of course, as you spend more time immersed in another language, you'll start to pick up a few words here and there. Good luck!
*Italy and Spain: if you are au pairing for longer than 3 months, you will need a student visa, which DOES REQUIRE a B1 level in Italian or Spanish. For more information, feel free to contact us!
How do I prepare to become an au pair abroad?
Read the tips and adventures of other Travelers on the blog.
Other ways to prepare to become an au pair are as follows:
Am I prepared to live outside of my comfort zone?
Do I have a valid passport that's not expiring anytime soon?
Do I have experience working with kids?
- Do I have at least 2 childcare references?
Am I going to be comfortable living away from family and friends?
If you answered yes to those questions, ponder the following:
What do I want most out of my experience in a foreign country?
Why do I want to live abroad?
What are the requirements to become an au pair?
You must be between 18 and 30 years old on your date of availability. You must have some experience with children such as teaching, babysitting, nannying, tutoring, etc, clean background checked, not have any children of your own, and not be married.
You should be passionate about traveling, learning, and seeing the world. Our ideal candidates are friendly and extroverted, smile a lot, and talk a lot. Having international travel experience is a bonus (gold star if you've done it solo!).
What if I get homesick as an au pair?
Missing your home, family, and friends is a natural part of being away for an extended amount of time. It happens to even the most avid travelers. The key to dealing with homesickness is to make some decisions beforehand. Resolve that no matter your feelings of homesickness, you will actively engage with your host family. Resolve to take the initiative to do specific things to enjoy your limited time away from home.
With Rome Abroad we provide support and a community of other au pairs that will help with homesickness. Additionally, many au pairs focus on doing things they love (joining a dance class or a gym), and investing themselves in their host family.
If you're worried about being away from home and have never traveled on your own, test it out on a smaller scale. If you're still worried about it after that, this may not be the right experience for you. Read reviews from our past au pairs to see how they were able to build a community of friends while abroad!
What if I don’t like my host family or the match isn’t right?
Before choosing your host family you first interview with them. You can talk to them, introduce yourself, and get to know them before you make the decision to be their au pair. You'll have a chance to ask them about their expectations as well as express your own. You'll also get to talk with someone who has done a Rome Abroad program before. Most of the time, this person will be someone who's lived with your same host family as well.
We do this to help prevent any incompatibilities with personalities. If there are issues after your arrival, express your feelings with us and with your host parent(s). Most incompatibility issues can be worked out through open communication, a review of expectations, and setting goals.
If you don't like your host family because they are being disrespectful, unkind, or abusive, contact us immediately and we'll get you to a safe place until you can be placed with another family.
What happens if I need to leave early?
We understand that sometimes life happens, and you might need to leave early. However f you leave your family without coordinating with us, or come home early, there is a cancellation fee.
There are reasons for this fee.
- Your host family has changed their life arrangements to accommodate you. Changing your mind can present difficulties for them.
- Contract was broken
For more details, see our terms and conditions.
How do I apply? (Step-by-step)
The first step is to apply for free.
Apply to get matched with vetted host families.After you've passed the initial screening, you'll fill out an assessment.
Once you're accepted to the program, you'll meet with us for orientation (in person or via video). We'll finalize your dates, give you training materials, and help you prepare to meet a host familyYou'll also make a 25% non-refundable deposit, which goes towards the program cost.
After you’re accepted, we’ll schedule interviews with your top families. You'll get to look through family profiles and pick your top choices. We'll set up everything for the introduction and you'll meet your potential host family in a video call. You'll get to talk to them multiple times. If you feel like it's a good match, we'll set up the agreement.
Before you leave, we'll have a free departure meeting where we help you prepare for your adventure. Then buckle up and pack your bags! You'll be off in no time.
While you're in the program, we'll check in with you frequently to make sure everything is running smoothly.
After you finish the program, we ask for your feedback so we can continuously improve.
Where can I see real au pair experiences and reviews?
Check out our blog for updates of what current and past Rome Abroad Travelers are doing. You can read about their travel, life with a host family, and activities with the kid(s) of their host families. You can also read reviews from previous travelers on their experience as an au pair with Rome Abroad!
We also have tips and tricks for traveling on the blog.