Plea for Families to Host Students

Plea for Families to Host Students

Australian Homestay Network is appealing for Australians to help host some of the hundreds of thousands of students from overseas who will attend schools, colleges and universities in Australia in 2012.

Millions of students visiting from overseas have studied in Australia during the last 25 years. By 2011 the number has risen to about 500,000 a year. These figures are compiled by the Department of Immigration, Australian Education International and John Curtin Institute of Public Policy at Curtin University.

The executive chairman of the Australian Homestay Network, Mr David Bycroft, says, 'We expect hundreds of thousands of international students to be attending educational institutions throughout Australia in 2012.

'So we would like to hear from more Australians who are willing to host some of them and invite them into their homes and way of life."
'Most of the foreign students come from China and other countries of Asia. Growing numbers are coming from Europe and South America."

Mr Bycroft says, 'We provide a safe entry point for international students, and a pleasing cultural exchange."

Homestay facilitates a cultural exchange between Australian host individuals or families and students who are visiting from overseas to study at educational institutions in Australia.
Hosts accommodate students as guests in their homes.

Mr Bycroft says, 'Homestay helps the students to understand the culture and customs of the country in which they are studying."

As well as providing room and board for the students, Homestay hosts help students to become familiar with the locality in which they are staying and with local customs.

In exchange, hosts learn about the customs and culture of the countries from which the students come, as well as receiving a tax-free contribution toward household expenses.

Australians interested in hosting students from overseas can learn more at www.homestaynetwork.org/newhost
AHN has local management teams in Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast, Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney, Adelaide and Perth.