International Students

Victorian Global Learning Awards 2024

The Victorian Global Learning Awards are a celebration and a recognition of what brings us together, the strength of Victoria’s international relationships and the esteem with which we are held internationally for global learning and engagement. Most importantly it is a celebration of our students, teachers, parents, principals and homestay families, and the contribution they make to our schools and community.

Our international student, Berry Eain, has been selected as one of the finalists for the Student Leadership Award category. 

Berry has also been selected as a finalist for the 2024 Ambassador Award International Student of the Year, which is part of the Victorian Global Learning Awards Program.

The Ambassador Award recipient will have demonstrated outstanding academic achievement, the ability to represent Victorian schools, and leadership through engaging with both the school and wider community.

Today, March 1st, the Department of Education has sent a film crew to make a video at DSC for Berry’s achievements. 

Big congratulations to Berry! 

Fruitful year for our international students

2023 was a fruitful year for our international students as we had many of them receive awards from end of the year presentation ceremony.

Our 2023 International cohort achieved excellent ATAR results. All of our Year 12 international students received 60+ ATAR scores and more than half of them had an ATAR of 90+.

This is the best result since year 2015 when our school's Career's department started records on this!

International Student Learning Hub hosted Orientation Day

Term 1 2024 and our school welcomed 21 new international students who were confident, positive and very excited to start at their new high school. International student leaders & buddies have been paired up with these students to support them. 

Big thanks to the principal team, Glenn and Belinda, who met some of these students and their family members. The International Student Program also organized our first session of the buddy program. It’s so good to see the local students mingling with the new international kids.

Please find below students’ reflection of their Orientation Day and buddy program experiences:

On my orientation day, the principal and principal assistant welcomed us and presented a cheerful speech. Ms. Huang explained everything very clearly to us. We connected our devices to the school internet, got our locks, met our buddies and familiarized the locations of our classrooms. That was also the day I met Isaac. He is Chinese, but he was born in Australia. He is twelve years old and in year 7. Later, we discovered that we are actually classmates. He likes playing piano and he can speak both English and Mandarin fluently. He knows almost everything about schools in Australia, but I didn’t, so he explained many things to me. I got to know many things during the orientation day by the help of the teachers, my buddy and Isaac. 

- William Yan, Year 7

Ms. Huang and Ms. Hong guided us and let us know the school’s rules and fascinating awards. The principle, Mr. Morris and the assistant principal, Ms. MCGEE welcomed everyone. Ms. MCGEE even bought the school dog, Bowie to meet us! Bowie was super excited, and it jumped around. After those, Ms. Huang guided us around the school to let us know where the classrooms and others were. 

- Gloria Chen, Year 7

Ms. Huang and Ms. Hong guided us and let us know the school’s rules and fascinating awards. The principle, Mr. Morris and the assistant principal, Ms. MCGEE welcomed everyone. Ms. MCGEE even bought the school dog, Bowie to meet us! Bowie was super excited, and it jumped around. After those, Ms. Huang guided us around the school to let us know where the classrooms and others were. 

- Loran Luo, Year 9

Our school has a cute school dog Bowie. At first, I was a bit scared of bowie, but Ms Huang told me he is very kind. Now I like to play with Bowie during lunch time. I think the first day at the Doncaster Secondary College was very exciting. 

- Diana Huang, Year 9

Visit from Manager of School Support -International Education Division

In term 4 2023, Glenn Morris and I hosted Louise Freeman, Manager of School Support from the International Education Division (IED) for her visit. Louise's school support unit works closely with all International Student Programs in Victorian schools. Louise enjoyed the school tour and spoke to some of our international students at the International Student Learning Hub. This visit has strengthened the good relationship between our school and IED.

Louise also wrote to me and thanked our school’s efforts for hosting her visit.

Suzana and I both really enjoyed our visit to your school. It was great to have the tour, meet the students and your principal. Thank you for arranging this. Well done for developing a great program for the students at Doncaster Secondary College. It was also evident that you have a strong relationship with the leadership team at your school and they are supportive of your efforts. 

- Louise Freeman, IED

International Student Buddy Program 2024 - Training Sessions

In term 4 2023, the International Student Forum team selected some local students as buddies for our new international students for year 2024. They also held two lunch time training sessions at the International Student Learning Hub in order to prepare the buddies well. Reflection from Forum Team is below.

We introduced a fresh concept which is the training session, and it was a huge success since it gave the new buddies an opportunity to get to know us and each other. Most importantly, we explained the requirements for being a buddy to a newly arrived international student and gave them a chance to ask questions about the program. 

- Giorgio H.

The training sessions play a crucial role in preparing buddies for the Buddy Program. By imparting knowledge and offering practical guidance, the program ensures buddies are well-equipped to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for incoming international students. 

- Venus F.

Homestay Information and Awareness Session 

Under the guidance of the International Education Division, the International Student Program at DSC held a two-hour Homestay Information and Awareness Session. The session is designed to make sure all homestays are properly trained and qualified to provide a high level of care for our international students. Ms. Belinda MCGEE, Assistant Principal, also attended the training as the representative from school principal team. 

The session covered the following information:

• critical incident policies and procedures
• DSC Child Safe Policy and Child Safe Code of Conduct
• identifying and reporting actual or suspected child abuse
• the Homestay Terms and Conditions, including any updates; expectations, roles and responsibilities of homestay providers
• any legislative or policy changes that will affect the homestay provider.

On behalf of Doncaster Secondary College, Director of International Student Program Sally HUANG thanked all our homestay hosts for their extra effort on supporting the international students during the year 2023.

Lunar New Year Celebration for international students - Red Envelope

2024 is the year of the wood dragon with Lunar New Year celebrations from 10 Feb to 24 Feb. The wood element signifies stability, honesty, loyalty, creativity and growth, while the dragon symbolises power, good fortune, harvest and prosperity.

Doncaster Secondary College is always keen to celebrate the Lunar New Year with our international students. This year the International team prepared bright; beautiful red envelopes (known as hóngbāo) packed with Lucky Lollies for all internationals. The red colour symbolizes good luck and prosperity in East Asian cultures. 

Big thanks to Ms. Belinda MCGEE, College Assistant Principal for delivering these red envelopes to students.

Christmas gift bag to Homestay providers

At the end of 2023, our International Student Program delivered a Christmas gift bag to our homestay providers on behalf of Doncaster Secondary College. We wanted to thank them for their extra efforts on supporting our international students during year 2023 and to show our appreciation of their generosity/care that made the students’ life so much easier.

Sally Huang

Director of International Student Program 

Doncaster Secondary College