What is the au pair application form template?
Choosing an au pair means choosing someone to live with your family and care for your children, often from another country. Agencies and families need a full picture before the first video call: who the candidate is, what childcare they've really done, which languages they speak, whether they can drive, and who will vouch for them.
This template asks for that across three pages. Page one is about the candidate — contact details, nationality, first language and English level, education, and everyday questions like smoking, pets and diet. Page two goes deep on childcare: ages they've cared for, years and hours, where the experience comes from, a written description, additional needs, and what they're happy to help with. Ticking "Driving license" opens questions on years driving, how often, the issuing country and manual cars; ticking "First aid" asks when the certificate expires. Page three holds two references, availability, motivation, a letter to the host family, photos and a CV.
Each application is filed as a PDF in your FileIt vault, photos included, and the candidate receives a copy at their email.
- Best for
- Au pair agencies, host families and nanny placement services
- Filled in by
- The au pair candidate
- Time to complete
- About 15–20 minutes
- Includes
- Languages, childcare experience, driving details, two references, photos, CV upload
Who uses a au pair application form?
- An agency collecting applications from candidates in several countries
- A host family recruiting directly through a website or community group
- Comparing candidates' driving experience for a family that needs school runs
- Shortlisting candidates who've cared for babies or toddlers
- A family looking for an au pair who speaks a particular language
- Keeping a candidate's application on file for the next placement season
Questions on this au pair application form
45 questions over 3 pages · includes signature, file upload, conditional questions, multiple pages, consent checkbox.
1 About you
- Your name*
- Date of birth*
- Nationality*
- Email*
- Phone (with country code)*
- Home address*
- First language*
- English level* Native · Fluent · Good · Basic
- Other languages you speak
- Highest education Secondary school · Vocational training · Some university · Bachelor's degree · Master's or higher
- What are you doing now?
- Do you smoke?
- Happy to live with pets?
- Dietary needs or allergies
2 Childcare experience
- Ages you've looked after* Babies (under 1) · Toddlers (1–3) · Preschool (3–5) · School age (6–12) · Teenagers
- Years of childcare experience*
- Roughly how many hours in total?
- Where your experience comes from* Babysitting · Nanny work · Nursery or daycare · School or teaching assistant · Summer camp · Younger siblings or relatives
- Tell us about your childcare experience*
- Have you cared for children with additional needs?
- Tell us a little about it asked only when it applies
- Happy to help with Cooking for the children · Homework · School drop-off and pick-up · Children's laundry · Bedtime routines · Swimming or the park
- Licenses and certificates Driving license · First aid · CPR · Lifeguard · Childcare qualification · None yet
- Years driving* asked only when it applies
- How often do you drive?* asked only when it applies Every day · Every week · Now and then · Rarely
- Country that issued your license asked only when it applies
- Comfortable driving a manual car? asked only when it applies
- First aid certificate valid until asked only when it applies
- Can you swim?
3 References & photos
- Reference 1 — name*
- Reference 1 — relationship*
- Reference 1 — email*
- Reference 1 — phone
- Reference 2 — name*
- Reference 2 — relationship*
- Reference 2 — email*
- Reference 2 — phone
- Available from*
- How long would you like to stay?* 6 months · 9 months · 12 months · Up to 24 months
- Why do you want to be an au pair?*
- A letter to your host family
- Photos of you*
- CV or résumé (optional)
- Declaration*
- Signature*
The au pair application form, page by page
1 About you
Candidates give Your name, Date of birth, Nationality, Email, "Phone (with country code)" and Home address. First language and English level are required, with Other languages you speak, Highest education and "What are you doing now?" alongside. "Do you smoke?", "Happy to live with pets?" and Dietary needs or allergies round off the page.
2 Childcare experience
Ages you've looked after runs from babies to teenagers. Years of childcare experience is required; "Roughly how many hours in total?" is optional. Where your experience comes from covers babysitting, nanny work, nurseries, schools, summer camp and family, and "Tell us about your childcare experience" is required. "Have you cared for children with additional needs?" opens a short description.
Happy to help with lists cooking, homework, school runs, children's laundry, bedtimes and outings. Licenses and certificates includes a driving license, first aid, CPR, lifeguard and childcare qualifications. Driving license opens Years driving, "How often do you drive?", the issuing country and "Comfortable driving a manual car?"; First aid opens the expiry date. "Can you swim?" closes the page.
3 References & photos
Two references each have a name, relationship, email and phone. Available from and "How long would you like to stay?" set the timing. "Why do you want to be an au pair?" is required, A letter to your host family is optional, Photos of you takes two to six images, and a CV or résumé can be added. A declaration and signature finish the application.
Make the template yours
- Add questions about the visa or program rules your agency works under
- Change the stay lengths to the ones your program offers
- Add a video upload link question if you ask candidates for an introduction video
- Ask for a third reference if your agency requires one
- Copy your placement team on new applications through the notification emails
- File each season's applications into its own folder
Tips for a better au pair application form
- Read the letter to the host family first — it says the most about a candidate
- Call both references, and ask about a specific time they cared for the children
- Check driving experience against what the family actually needs
- Ask candidates to choose photos that show them, not just scenery
- Follow up on a first aid certificate that's close to expiry
- Reply to every applicant, even if it's a no
Every response becomes a PDF in your vault
The application is filed in your FileIt vault as a PDF named with the candidate's name, with their photos and CV kept as attachments. The candidate receives a copy, and the account owner is notified.
Agencies typically filter the Responses table by experience, ages or driving and export a shortlist to CSV for matching with host families.
- Start from this template. It opens in the FileIt Forms designer — change any question, add pages, set the rules for when questions appear.
- Share it. Turn on a public link, or send it to people by email, each with their own link. They don’t need a FileIt account.
- Get the answers as PDFs. Each response is saved as a PDF in the vault folder you choose, with uploaded files attached — and listed in a Responses table you can export to CSV.
Au pair application form: frequently asked questions
Is this au pair application form free?
Yes. It's included in the Forms app on every FileIt account, including the free plan.
Do candidates need an account to apply?
No. They use the link you share, from any phone or computer.
What does ticking "Driving license" do?
It asks how many years they've been driving, how often, which country issued the license and whether they're comfortable with a manual car.
Can candidates upload photos and a CV?
Yes. Up to six photos and one CV file in PDF or Word format.
Does the form check visa eligibility?
No. It collects the candidate's details. Program and visa rules vary by country, so add any questions your program needs.
Can a host family use it without an agency?
Yes. Share the link with candidates directly and every application lands in your vault.