Student Accommodation

Student accommodation – school students

Tasmania offers high quality, safe international student accommodation options in a range of settings, from the inner city living of Hobart and Launceston to leafy, garden or beach suburbs.

For Private Approved and Homestay arrangements, international students are under the guardianship of the Tasmanian Government. This means that GETI is responsible for the student’s accommodation and wellbeing. GETI must approve the host family prior to the student arriving.

Students coming with a parent or immigration-approved relative, are required to remain with this person, or advise the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) of any changes. The guardian has responsibility for the student’s accommodation and wellbeing. All students in Tasmanian Government Schools must live with either a parent, a DHA approved relative or a host family approved by GETI for the duration of their studies.

This table shows accommodation options for different age groups.

Homestay inclusions

The Homestay program is a great way for students to learn English and experience Australian culture while living with a local host family. Students are welcomed into the family and are expected to participate as a family member, including having meals together and doing basic household chores. Students are supported to get to know the household rules and communicate with their host family often. Where double placements are required, students would normally stay with others from different language backgrounds.

As part of the GETI Homestay program, you will receive:

  • Three meals per day
  • Your own private, furnished bedroom
  • Desk, chair and lamp
  • Laundry facilities

In addition, your homestay hosts will offer:

  • Involvement in family, community, and Australian cultural activities
  • An English language environment
  • Health and welfare support

Safety and support

Ensuring international students are safe is our priority. We ensure our homestay hosts hold a current Registration to Work with Vulnerable People (RWVP). This means all homestay hosts are checked and approved by the Police and the Tasmanian Government. Homestay coordinators visit every host’s home before they become a host family.

There are dedicated Homestay Coordinators and International Student Advisors (ISAs) available to support students.

Support is available to students and hosts 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Call +61 3 6165 5727 or reach out via homestay@geti.tas.gov.au (during regular business hours, Monday – Friday, 9am – 5pm)

For after-hours student related emergencies only, please call +61 3 6108 0679.

For police, fire or ambulance, please call 000.

Fees

There is no additional guardianship fee.

Arrival and term breaks

Homestay families are available to host and support students throughout the school year and often arrange to pick up and drop off students at the airport.

Students who are studying in Tasmania for more than 12 months are expected to return home over summer break (December and January). Students who are continuing to study in Tasmania are welcome to stay in homestay during other Term breaks (April, July and October).

Returning home at the end of the school year supports students to reconnect with family. Host families are generally not available to host students from late December until early February.

Students should plan their flights to return home at the end of Term 4 and return to Tasmania a few days before Term 1 starts. Students should provide GETI with their flights four weeks before departing.

If there are compassionate reasons that a student cannot return home, GETI will work with the student to find alternative arrangements and determine payment requirements.