Join real classes, play in real teams, and come home to dinner with a local host family.
The JPC Study Abroad Experience is a short-term study abroad program at John Paul College in Brisbane, Queensland. Students in Years 7 to 11 come for four weeks up to a full year, starting at the beginning of a term in January, April, July or October.
Where a student sits depends on their English. Students with enough English join mainstream John Paul College classes from the first day. Students still building their English start in our High School Preparation Course, on the same campus, in the same uniform, with the same school day. Many move up into mainstream classes during the same stay.
Outside the classroom, nothing changes either way. The 8:20 start, an inter-school sport, a club, lunch outside on the ovals, and dinner with an Australian host family. Students join the school that is already running, alongside the Australian students who go here.
There is no group from home, no guided itinerary, and no separate program built for visitors.
John Paul College has welcomed international students for nearly thirty years, from over 45 nationalities. It is a fully accredited Australian school, CRICOS 00500B.
A study tour shows your child Australia. The JPC Study Abroad Experience puts your child inside an Australian school. This is what that difference looks like, day to day.
| What is being compared | JPC Study Abroad Experience | A typical study tour |
|---|---|---|
| Who your child sits with | Australian students and international students from 45+ nationalities, in the school’s own classes. | A group from home, travelling together. |
| The school day | The school’s timetable, unchanged. | An itinerary written for visitors. |
| How long | Four weeks to a full year, starting with a school term. | Usually one to three weeks. |
| Who teaches | Fully qualified Australian school teachers. | Tour leaders and visiting instructors. |
| English | All day, in class, at sport, and at the dinner table. | In the lessons. The group speaks its own language the rest of the time. |
| Where they live | With an Australian host family, full board, own room. | A hotel or a shared dormitory with the group. |
| Sport, clubs and the arts | Inter-school sport, clubs and performing arts, included in the tuition. | Sightseeing and scheduled group activities. |
| What they are given | Full John Paul College uniform and a school-issued laptop, included. | A visitor pass and a program booklet. |
| After school | Homestay Extended Day Program. | Group time, supervised by the tour. |
| What they take home | A John Paul College report card, for a stay of a full term or longer. | A certificate of attendance. |
The Extended Day Program runs Tuesday and Thursday, 3:30pm to 6:00pm, from week 2 of term, for students in homestay. Homestay, student welfare and airport transfers are charged separately — see entry and fees.
Every student sits in a real one. From four weeks to a full year. Beginners included.
Miminum 4 weeks, Below CEFR B1 — beginners included.
Miminum 1 term, CEFR B1 or above — about IELTS 5.
Your child’s English is assessed as part of the application. There is nothing to prepare for.
Our International Admissions Team places your child using that assessment, their age and their school reports.
The placement is confirmed to your family, and to your agent, before you commit to anything.
Who can join, and what a stay costs — for one student.
The tuition is the same either way — mainstream classes or the Preparation Course.
Your child’s English test score, converted to a John Paul College year level.
| Class | CEFR | IELTS | EIKEN |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mainstream classes Years 7–11 | B1 | 5 | Grade 2 |
| Preparation Course Beginners upwards — every level welcome | A1–A2+ | Below 5 | 5–Pre 2 |
Years 7 & 8: EIKEN Pre-2 Plus for mainstream classes.
Year levels: Years 7–11. Year 12 is Australia’s final senior year, assessed across the whole year, so it cannot be joined for a term.
What to send: a certified passport or birth certificate, and school reports for the last two years, in English.
2027 school terms. Most families start at the beginning of a term, but a shorter stay can begin partway through one.
Tell us the weeks that suit your family and we will match them to a term.2026–2028
How long is your child staying?
Four weeks — total
A$7,820
Everything John Paul College charges, for one student.
No student visa needed
Study of up to three months is allowed on a visitor visa — about A$250, instead of the A$2,500 student visa charge. There is also no overseas student health cover (OSHC) to buy, and the application is far shorter.
About A$2,250 less on the visaThese fees are for one student. Placing 3 or more students together? See group enrolments below.
Not included: flights, the visa, travel or health insurance, and pocket money. The application fee is non-refundable. All fees are in Australian dollars (AUD). Visa charges are set by the Australian Government and can change — confirm your child’s visa with the Department of Home Affairs or a registered migration agent.
One term — total
A$17,300
Everything John Paul College charges, for one student.
No student visa needed
Study of up to three months is allowed on a visitor visa — about A$250, instead of the A$2,500 student visa charge. There is also no overseas student health cover (OSHC) to buy, and the application is far shorter.
About A$2,250 less on the visaThese fees are for one student. Placing 3 or more students together? See group enrolments below.
Not included: flights, the visa, travel or health insurance, and pocket money. The application fee is non-refundable. All fees are in Australian dollars (AUD). Visa charges are set by the Australian Government and can change — confirm your child’s visa with the Department of Home Affairs or a registered migration agent.
One semester — total
A$31,200
Two school terms, about 20 weeks. For one student.
A$14,850 a term — about A$950 a term less than booking a single term.
Student visa required for stays over three months
The Australian Government charge is about A$2,500, and overseas student health cover (OSHC) is required. We handle the College side — we issue the Confirmation of Enrolment, and the accommodation and welfare letter required for students under 18.
These fees are for one student. Placing 3 or more students together? See group enrolments below.
Not included: flights, the visa, OSHC, and pocket money. The application fee is non-refundable. All fees are in Australian dollars (AUD). Visa charges are set by the Australian Government and can change — confirm your child’s visa with the Department of Home Affairs or a registered migration agent.
One year — total
A$61,900
Four school terms, a full Australian school year. For one student.
A$14,850 a term — about A$950 a term less than booking a single term.
Student visa required for stays over three months
The Australian Government charge is about A$2,500, and overseas student health cover (OSHC) is required. We handle the College side — we issue the Confirmation of Enrolment, and the accommodation and welfare letter required for students under 18.
These fees are for one student. Placing 3 or more students together? See group enrolments below.
Not included: flights, the visa, OSHC, and pocket money. The application fee is non-refundable. All fees are in Australian dollars (AUD). Visa charges are set by the Australian Government and can change — confirm your child’s visa with the Department of Home Affairs or a registered migration agent.
Placing 3 or more students at the same time? We’ll prepare a tailored group quote.
Classes run from 8:20am to 3:20pm, Monday to Friday — be on campus before school starts. That part is the same every day. Everything around it is yours to choose.
Your class placement and timetable are confirmed before you fly. You choose your activities in your first week.
Same uniform, same campus, same hours as every JPC student — in mainstream classes or the Preparation Course.
Lunch outside — two ovals, courts and bushland, almost every day of the yearBe on campus before school starts. Some sports train earlier — swim squads start at 6:30am.
After 3:20pm
13+ inter-school sports, six student-led clubs, performing arts. All in your fee.
Tue & Thu · 3:30–6:00pm
From week 2: a mentor for homework, then a dinner cooked at school. Home by 6:30pm.
Sat & Sun · no timetable
Saturday sport in College colours, then free time — a barbecue, the koala sanctuary at Daisy Hill, or the coast.
Whichever class your child is placed in, everything on this page is the same. This is where the friendships are actually made.
The same group of Australian students every morning, and lunch outside on the ovals. Belonging starts with having somewhere to sit.
See Years 7–11
Specialist welfare staff for students under 18 under the JPC CARE framework, and a College contact available 24 hours a day.
See student wellbeing
Full board and their own room, with a family checked and visited before any student is placed. Every adult holds a Working with Children check.
See homestay
Tuesday and Thursday, 3:30–6:00pm from week 2 — a mentor for homework and a dinner cooked at school. Included for homestay students.
See the Extended Day Program
The full life of the school beyond the classroom — the activities that build friendships, teamwork and a sense of belonging.
See activities & clubs
Start dates and lengths of stay chosen to suit your family’s plans — from 4 weeks to a full year.
See term datesThree short films, shot on our own campus in Daisy Hill. The classrooms, the science centre, the theatre, the ovals and the pool — the spaces your child would use every day.
Each film opens here on the page, with sound. Nothing downloads until you press play.
Your education agent can do every one of these with you, or for you.
Make an enquiry and our friendly International Admissions Team will guide you, step by step.
Make an enquiry 2We assess your child’s English, confirm the class in writing, and match a start date to your plans.
Entry requirements & term dates 3We meet the flight, take your child to their homestay family, and settle them into class.
See the first day 4Come home with stronger English and a second family on the other side of the world — plus a JPC report card, if your child stays a full term or longer.
If they want to stayBook a short online consultation and meet the International Admissions Team. Ask about your child’s English level, start dates, homestay — anything. There is no obligation to apply.
It is a short-term immersion program at John Paul College in Brisbane, Queensland. International students in Years 7 to 11 live the full life of the College — sport, clubs, performing arts, campus life and an Australian host family — from 4 weeks up to a full year. It is everyday school life, not a guided tour.
Only if your child meets the English entry requirement of CEFR B1, about IELTS 5. Students below that level begin in the High School Preparation Course, where English and subjects are taught at their level, and many move up into mainstream classes during their stay.
Every student, in either class, wears the same uniform and joins the same sport, clubs, performing arts and homestay. We assess your child’s English during the application and confirm the placement in writing before your family commits. See both classes side by side.
No. We do not place a student in mainstream classes below CEFR B1 (about IELTS 5), and we say so plainly because many families ask.
A student who sits in a Year 10 science lesson without enough English cannot follow it, cannot join in, and comes home discouraged. Those students begin in the High School Preparation Course instead, which teaches English at five levels from CEFR A1 — and many move into mainstream classes during their stay.
No. It is taught on the same John Paul College campus, by College teachers, in the same uniform and the same school day of 8:20am to 3:20pm.
Preparation Course students join the same inter-school sport, the same clubs and performing arts, the same Extended Day Program and the same homestay families as every other student. Only the lessons are different, because they are pitched at your child’s English level. See the five English levels.
From 4 weeks up to a full year, with several start dates during the year. A school term is about 10 weeks. The program runs from Year 7 to Year 11.
Yes — and it is one of the best times to come. Australia’s seasons are reversed, so June, July and August are the middle of our school year (Term 2 and Term 3).
A student who visits during the northern summer break joins a full timetable with Australian classmates and a full sports season, rather than a quiet holiday campus. Brisbane winter days average about 21°C — mild, dry and sunny.
For families travelling in the northern summer, the two relevant 2027 terms are Term 2 (13 April – 18 June) and Term 3 (13 July – 17 September). A four- or six-week stay can begin partway through either one.
Term 1 begins 27 January and Term 4 begins 5 October. Tell us the weeks that suit your family and we will match them to a term. All term dates, 2026–2028.
Four weeks is A$7,820 in total for one student: Preparation Course tuition A$3,920 (A$980 per week × 4), homestay A$2,400 (A$600 per week, full board and your child’s own room), a one-off A$500 application fee and a one-off A$1,000 welfare care and airport transfers fee. The full JPC uniform is included, one set.
No student visa is needed for a stay of up to three months — a visitor visa is about A$250 instead of the A$2,500 student visa charge, and there is no overseas student health cover (OSHC) to buy. Flights, the visa, insurance and pocket money are not included. All fees are in Australian dollars. See every length of stay and its total.
Real school. Students wear the John Paul College uniform, follow the normal 8:20am–3:20pm timetable, sit in class with Australian students, join inter-school sport and clubs, and — on a stay of a full term or longer — receive a full College report card at the end.
It is not a holiday camp, a guided tour, or a group program made up only of visiting students. That is possible precisely because the northern summer falls inside the Australian school year.
No. Year 12 is Australia’s final senior year and is assessed across the whole year, so it cannot be joined for a term. The Study Abroad Experience runs from Year 7 to Year 11. Students who want to complete Year 12 and receive an ATAR need to enrol full time.
Classes run 8:20am to 3:20pm, Monday to Friday. Lunch is outside on the ovals and courts. After 3:20pm students choose from more than 13 inter-school sports, six student-led clubs and performing arts, all included in tuition.
On Tuesday and Thursday, from the second week of term, homestay students attend the Extended Day Program for supervised study and a community dinner, and are home by 6:30pm. Weekends are free time with the host family. See the day laid out.
With a John Paul College homestay family in Brisbane. Every host family is checked and visited before any student is placed, and every adult in the home holds a Queensland Working with Children check.
Homestay is A$600 per week and includes full board and your child’s own room. Students under 18 have specialist welfare staff under the JPC CARE framework, and a College contact is available 24 hours a day. See homestay.
Students who stay for a full term or longer receive a full John Paul College report card at the end of the program, showing the subjects studied and the results achieved. Many families use this report to have the period recognised by their home school. A stay shorter than one full term does not include a report card — a term is the period a Queensland school reports on.
Recognition rules differ by country and by school, so please confirm with your child’s home school before applying. We are happy to supply the report format in advance.
It depends on the length of the stay. Study of up to three months is allowed on a visitor visa, which costs about A$250 — so a four-week stay or a single term needs no student visa, and no overseas student health cover (OSHC) either.
A stay longer than three months needs an Australian Student visa (subclass 500). The Government charge is about A$2,500 and OSHC is required. John Paul College issues the Confirmation of Enrolment for the application, and the accommodation and welfare letter required for students under 18; our International Admissions Team guides families through it. John Paul College is a registered Australian provider, CRICOS 00500B.
Visa charges are set by the Australian Government and can change. Confirm your child’s visa with the Department of Home Affairs or a registered migration agent.
These are the totals paid to John Paul College, for one student:
Each total covers tuition, homestay with full board and your child’s own room, the one-off A$500 application fee and the one-off welfare care and airport transfers fee. The full JPC uniform is included. Tuition is A$9,300 a term, A$17,150 a semester and A$34,300 a year, and is the same for mainstream classes and the Preparation Course.
Flights, the visa, insurance and pocket money are not included. All fees are in Australian dollars. Groups of three or more students are quoted separately. See the full itemised breakdown for each length of stay.
Yes. If you are placing 3 or more students starting at the same time, we have separate group arrangements for education agents. Please make an agent enquiry and our International Admissions Team will prepare a tailored quote for your group.
Make an enquiry online, or contact your local education agent. Our International Admissions Team will assess your child’s English, confirm the class placement, and guide you on start dates, length of stay, homestay, visa and fees.
Give your child the chance to experience the best of an Australian education — before you commit to a full year. Make an enquiry today and our friendly team will guide you, step by step. Prefer to speak with someone local? Your education agent can help you enquire.