Study Cairns, Linda Cooper: People should open their homes to international students

Far North families are being encouraged to open their homes to international students as the housing crisis outstrips supply. See the detail.

Far North families are being encouraged to open their homes to international students as the housing crisis outstrips supply.

With international student numbers higher than pre-pandemic levels, some students have been unable to find homes to live in.

But Study Cairns general manager Linda Cooper said homestays offered a solution.

Ms Cooper said hosts were given $250 per week on average to provide meals and a roof above the students heads for up to three weeks.

“What’s important is that we acknowledge the sentiment from locals that there’s a restricted supply of accommodation currently for local people to start with, but international students are returning and many of them are fulfilling visa and course requirements that were approved pre-Covid,” Ms Cooper said.

“It’s imperative that when they get here, they’re supported so if we can get behind a Homestay campaign that adds accommodation options not normally used by local people, then we are respecting the reality of the current situation and working on proactive solutions to help all parties.”

General Manager of Study Cairns Linda Cooper. Picture: Brendan Radke

Under the homestay arrangement, a family can let out a room to an international student while taking care of their meals and helping them out with transport as a bare minimum.

“Homestay families are remunerated for hosting an international student on average $250 per week per student, with conditions applying,” Ms Cooper said.

“Even if it’s for a short period of time it may provide a little extra for the family to help them get through a tough period, but at the same time you get to enjoy the benefits of sharing your life for a week or two with an international student who genuinely wants to immerse themselves in the Aussie lifestyle.”

For Carol Conway, a resident of Edge Hill who has been hosting international students for more than a year, it’s not about the extra income.

“I have four children, two of which were lucky enough to go to Japan with their school before and be with homestay families and they found it to be a very valuable experience and so we thought it would be good to offer the same and also for the younger children to have exposure to someone from another culture,” she said.

Edge Hill mother of 4 Carol Conway, pictured with her son Ronan Guez, 11, has opened her door to international students studying in Cairns, in a homestay arrangement. She says that living together with foreign students teaches her own children about different cultures and beliefs. Picture: Brendan Radke

Ms Conway provides boarding and lodging to international students for up to three weeks including transport to and from school with occasional days at the beach.

“We treat them like any other child who would be staying for a sleepover. We involve them in family life,” she said.

Ms Conway said the students were also positive rode models for her children.

“Japanese students generally bring snacks from their country and what my kids love the most is to try Japanese lollies and crackers,” Ms Conway said.

“They are always very polite and well-mannered and that's good for my children to see.

“The kids all love the same things even if they are all from different countries – TikTok, Instagram, computer games, eating junk food. It is nice for them to see that even if they are from completely different parts of the globe, that they still essentially like the same sorts of things.”

Gaye and John Miles have been hosting students for more than 20 years. Picture: Supplied

The first of hundreds of guest book comments by two 16-year-old international students from Russia. Picture: Supplied

Mount Sheridan resident Gaye Miles’s first opened her doors to international students in 1997.

“You’ve got to want to meet people and want to share your life, and their life,” she said.

Ms Miles, who has four children and 14 grand children, said if one of her own went overseas, she would want them to feel safe.

Her advice to willing families is to give students a chance to settle in.

“It is a huge thing to be that far away from home,” she said.

Interested people can contact Ms Cooper at Study Cairns via [e-mail]

Originally published as Study Cairns, Linda Cooper: People should open their homes to international students