Dear families,

We are excited to be welcoming 20 Japanese students and their teachers from our sister school, Ibaraki Nishi High School in Osaka. They will be here from Wednesday, 29 July to Friday 7 August.

We are in a position where we require more host families for our visiting students. Therefore, we invite any families (Years 7-12) within the College who are interested in hosting a student. Your child does not need to be currently studying Japanese. Students who have studied a language in the past or are currently studying Japanese or French are encouraged to apply.

This unique opportunity allows our students to deepen their intercultural understanding and build meaningful global connections. Hosting a student often leads to lasting friendships.

The exchange focuses on sharing everyday Australian life. Host families are not expected to plan special activities—simply including students in your normal routines provides a rich cultural experience. Weekdays will be spent at school, while weekend activities such as family gatherings, local events, and sporting activities offer wonderful opportunities for cultural exchange. Friday, 31 July is a student-free day.

Accommodation arrangements are flexible, with exchange students able to have their own private room or share a room with a same-sex sibling. All adults in the household are required to hold a Working with Children Check and sign a Code of Conduct. The College will support families through this process.

If demand exceeds the number of places, priority will be given to families involved in the Japan Study Tour, senior students, or those who have not previously hosted.

To express your interest, please register by Monday 25 May. This is an expression of interest only. Further information, including an online information session, will follow in the coming weeks. Please click here to register your interest.

If you have any initial questions, please don’t hesitate to contact Danielle Tankovich, Languages Learning Area Leader, at the College.