Thousands of teenagers from Asian countries are increasingly being sent to NSW to finish their studies at the state's public high schools, with the latest figures revealing a 25 per cent increase in new, full fee-paying international students in just 12 months.
The students pay up to $14,000 a year in fees to study in the public system, often on top of about $300 a week to live with an Australian family, raising at least $33 million each year, although the figure could be much higher.
Demand to secure a spot in NSW public schools is now so strong that statistics from the NSW Department of Education show the number of Australian families needed to house the extra international students has soared 400 per cent in just four years.
In 2010, only 276 families were required to host international students, but in 2014, 1129 families were needed and a tender process to find more families to cater for the expected influx later this year has just closed.
Enrolment figures show there are 3386 international students studying in public schools this year, but that figure is expected to rise because many students do not start until mid-year, in line with the northern hemisphere's school year.
Annual fees for international students range from $10,500 for primary students to $14,000 for students in years 11 and 12. There are about 150 public schools across the state that accept international student enrolments.
Students in years 9 to 12 can board with an Australian family, paying about $300 a week, while primary school students up to year 4 must live with a parent, but years 5 to 8 can stay with a close relative or family friend.
Growth in the Chinese community
A spokesman for the education department said the most significant growth was from China following a change in visa regulations introduced last year. Chinese students used to account for about 50 per cent of international students in NSW, but that has risen to more than 60 per cent, he said.
"The change permitted younger students from year 7 to obtain a school sector student visa. Previously, students from China had to complete junior secondary school (year 9) before they could apply for a student visa to attend high school in Australia," the spokesman said.
"There has been growth in the Chinese community in Sydney, and a number of parents also nominate distant relatives or family friends to look after their child. These families must meet the same requirements as a host family."
The spokesman said about one-third of international students in NSW were in homestay accommodation.
Queensland University of Technology education academic, Rebecca English, researched international students in Australian schools for her PhD.
Dr English's research found that some of the students who are sent to Australia to study had poor academic performance in their home countries.
"The principal reason for the choice of the Australian school appeared to be that these students had problems in schools in their home countries," Dr English wrote in her thesis.
