This program offers a wonderful opportunity for high school students to study in a NSW government school, stay with a family in a ‘homestay’ and experience a unique Australian lifestyle. You can choose a school in a coastal, rural or urban setting and study from 3 months to 1 year.
View our Study Abroad video on the right for more information. Also available in Italian and French.
You can choose from schools located throughout NSW, including Sydney and regional centres.
For more information about the regions of NSW, please visit the Tourism NSW website.
Learn about what is on offer at each of the participating schools from the links to their school profiles below.
Our Study Abroad school finder provides a helpful comparison of the subjects, languages and sports on offer at each of our Study Abroad schools. The Study Abroad matrix can be downloaded here(PDF 1.7MB).
Hunter School of the Performing Arts |
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Students are encouraged to submit applications through an education agent registered with DE International who can assist with preparing your documents for application and the complex visa application process. Some students may be required by DE International to submit their application through one of these agents.
To be eligible to apply you must:
From 26 March 2020, we no longer accept manual application forms.
Complete an online application, ensuring that all questions are answered. You must provide a residential address and email address for you and your parents.
Attach the following documents to your application:
DE International will assess your application to ensure:
DE International will also assess your application against the Genuine Temporary Entrant (GTE) criteria, which is set by the Department of Home Affairs. This is an integrity measure used by the Department of Home Affairs in its assessment of student visa applications to ensure that the visa will be used for study purposes only and to verify a genuine intention to stay in Australia temporarily.
If all required documentation and information have been provided and you have met all eligibility requirements then DE International will contact your nominated school and its associated Intensive English Centre (if required) to confirm your placement.
Once your school has been confirmed, DE International will issue you a letter of offer, confirming:
You will also receive an invoice for fees required on your first instalment payment including fees for:
If you have requested a close friend or distant relative to be approved as carer then DE International will arrange for a registered homestay organisation to contact your nominated carer and begin the process to obtain a Working With Children Check Clearance and home inspection.
If you have requested a homestay placement then your Homestay Booking form will be referred to a homestay organisation to begin finding a suitable family for you.
To accept your offer you will need to:
If your course is longer than 6 months, you may choose to pay more than 50% of your tuition fees before the course commences. For courses of 6 months or less, you will need to make full payment of tuition fees.
DE International will then issue a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) form, for the courses you have accepted. If you have requested a homestay placement, or for a distant relative or close family friend to be approved as carer, then a Confirmation of Appropriate Accommodation and Welfare (CAAW) form will also be issued to you. These are documents required to apply for a student visa.
NOTE: If you have nominated a distant relative or close family friend for approval, a CoE and CAAW will not be issued until the homestay organisation has confirmed that all required Working With Children Check clearances have been received for all members of the carer’s household and the home inspection was successful.
Apply online for your student visa through the Department of Home Affairs website using your Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) and Confirmation of Appropriate Accommodation and Welfare (CAAW). Full details on student visa application requirements can be found at https://www.homeaffairs.gov.au.
An education agent is highly recommended for this process as it is very complex and applications from certain countries require substantially more documentation and background checks.
During peak periods the Department of Home Affairs may take up to 2-3 months to process your visa application. You will need to have been issued a student visa before you can enrol at school so make sure to allow for visa processing times when planning your visa application.
You’ve received your visa and booked your flights. Your homestay details have also been sent to you. It’s time to start preparing!
Your education agent will help you to understand:
Our Arrival Guide app provides useful information on:
Download the Arrival Guide app on the App Store and the Play Store via the QR codes below.
 Arrival Guide App Store |  Arrival Guide Play Store |
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Our intake days are at the beginning of each school term.
High school applicants for Years 9-10 can enrol from Term 1 to Term 4.
Senior high school applicants for Year 11 can enrol in Term 1, Term 2 or Term 3.
You can request to stay in homestay accommodation with an Australian family. This allows you to experience daily life in Australia, and to practise your English with your homestay family.
Note: Your homestay will provide you with 3 meals a day, including food to make sandwiches to take to school. Single or double placement is not guaranteed. However, students always have their own room. Find out more about our Homestay Standards.
As part of the student visa application you will need to demonstrate that you have purchased Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) as insurance to cover the duration of your stay in Australia.
OSHC helps cover the cost of medical expenses including doctors, specialists and various hospital services.
As an international student, you must meet student visa requirements, including:
Further information on these conditions and other processes for requesting leave, requesting a change to living arrangements or making a complaint or appeal can be found in our Information for International Students handout.
Failure to comply with these requirements may result in the termination of your program.
Our schools provide a range of support services to ensure you settle in, are well supported and can achieve your best. These include:
The Australian Government is committed to providing international students with a safe, enjoyable and rewarding study experience in Australia.
We are a proud member of Australian Government Schools International (AGSI), a collaborative association of government schools with international student programs.
