MyStay International

What MyStay International does

MyStay International Pty Ltd is an Australian-based, privately held technology and business solutions company that operates a portfolio of brands providing properly-managed hosted accommodation services, principally for international students and adjacent niche cohorts. The group originated as Australian Homestay Network (AHN), founded in 2007 as Australia's first standards-based homestay provider, and was consolidated under the MyStay International entity in 2015 alongside the acquisition of the underlying intellectual property. Since placing its first student in September 2008, the group has placed over 110,000 international students from 185 countries across brands including AHN (Australia), New Zealand Homestay (NZH, launched 2023), StudentRoomStay (SRS) and Disability Homestay Network (DHN, launched 2022 for NDIS participants).

The company's core technology is the proprietary Homestay Management System (HMS), in use since 2008 and brought under MSI ownership in 2015, paired with the Centralised Online Sales Token (COST) online transaction platform. In 2025, MSI released AHNConnect, a mobile application described as a world-first student homestay app, alongside an expanded programme portfolio that includes virtual homestay services, English immersion programmes (MyStay ENGLISH, Virtual Homestay ENGLISH), the International Student Support Network, and a Community Placement Network used by the Australian Government for asylum-seeker placements.

MSI's revenue model combines transaction and placement fees for homestay operations with managed services for hosts, students and institutions, plus licensing and royalty income from its global franchising model. The group operates direct offices across Australian states plus regional offices in Seattle (USA, since 2012) and New Zealand (since 2023), and has secured strategic relationships including a preferred-partner designation with Allianz Global Assistance (2015), appointment by the NSW Government during COVID-19 (2020), NDIS eligibility via DHN (2022), and NEAS endorsement (2023). MSI reported record Group revenue of $55M AUD in 2025, with the prior year (2023) already described as a record year up over 35% on the previous best.

Name

MyStay International

Legal name

MyStay International Pty Ltd

Website

https://mystayinternational.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

MyStay International operates a multi-brand portfolio of standards-based homestay and hosted accommodation services for international students and NDIS participants, powered by proprietary HMS, COST and AHNConnect technology, with offices in Australia, the USA and New Zealand serving over 110,000 students from 185 countries.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Student Homestay Accommodation Services

akta.pro primary industry

Homestay Placement & Host Family Management (EDAIALAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Homestays for Students & Interns (Host Families) (THAMAGAH), International Student Housing Placement & Management (BPAJAJAL), Housing Placement Agencies & Local Letting/Relocation Services for Students (EDAIALAH), Temporary Housing & Serviced Accommodation Coordination (HSAKACAG)

Keywords

• Student accommodation services
• Homestay placement
• International student housing
• NDIS accommodation services
• Accommodation management software

Headquarters

HQ city

Toowong

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Homestay Placement Services: Facilitating properly-managed accommodation placements for international students with host families. Revenue from placement fees and ongoing management services.
2. Administrative and Support Services: Providing administrative and support services to hosts, students, agents, educators and other persons involved in the international education industry.
3. Global Franchising and Licensing: Global franchising model with licensees operating in different territories, generating licensing revenue.
4. NDIS Accommodation Services: Standards-based accommodation services for eligible NDIS participants through Disability Homestay Network.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

MyStay International provides properly-managed homestay placement and ongoing accommodation management services for international students (and selected niche segments including NDIS participants and asylum seekers) through a network of vetted host families across Australia, the United States, and New Zealand. The placements are operated via proprietary technology (Homestay Management System, COST platform, AHNConnect app) under multiple sub-brands (AHN, NZH, SRS, DHN), and revenue is earned through placement, administrative, and managed-services fees plus franchise/licensee royalties.

Product overview

MyStay International is an Australian-based technology and business solutions company operating a multi-brand portfolio focused on properly-managed accommodation for international students and niche target markets. The core platform consists of the Homestay Management System (HMS) and Centralised Online Sales Token (COST) platform that power the group's accommodation management operations. The primary flagship brands include Australian Homestay Network (AHN) - Australia's largest homestay provider, New Zealand Homestay (NZH) operating in New Zealand, StudentRoomStay (SRS) for student accommodations, and Disability Homestay Network (DHN) for NDIS participants. Additional offerings include virtual programs (My Virtual Homestay, Virtual Homestay ENGLISH, MyStay ENGLISH), the AHNConnect mobile app (world-first student homestay app), and support services including the International Student Support Network (ISSN). The group expanded internationally with operations in the USA starting 2012.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Australian Homestay Network (AHN): Australia's first and largest standards-based homestay provider for international students
• New Zealand Homestay (NZH)
• StudentRoomStay
• Disability Homestay Network (DHN)

Products and services

• Australian Homestay Network (AHN) Standards-based homestay placement and ongoing accommodation management service for international students studying in Australia, offering host vetting, personalised matching, insurance, 24/7 professional support, payment processing and compliance monitoring. Has supported 110,000+ students from 185 countries since launch.
• New Zealand Homestay (NZH) Properly-managed hosted accommodation and support services for international students studying in New Zealand, operating in key locations on the North and South Islands using AHN's standards and management systems.
• Disability Homestay Network (DHN) Standards-based, personalised short-term hosted accommodation and support services for eligible NDIS participants in Australia.
• AHNConnect Mobile App World-first mobile application enabling international students to manage their homestay experience, connect with hosts, and access support services.
• My Virtual Homestay Virtual homestay program providing accommodation continuity for international students during COVID-19-style disruptions when physical homestay is not feasible.
• Virtual Homestay ENGLISH (VHE) Online English language learning program delivered through virtual homestay experiences for international students.
• MyStay ENGLISH English immersion program for international students combining host-family accommodation with English language learning.
• International Student Support Network (ISSN) Support network providing crisis accommodation and welfare support to at-risk international students; delivered on contract for the NSW Government Temporary Crisis Accommodation Scheme.
• Community Placement Network (CPN) Programme placing asylum seekers released from detention with screened Australian host families for onshore processing under contract with the Australian Government.
• StudentRoomStay (SRS) International student accommodation brand operating under the MSI group with development, management and territory distribution rights across international markets.

Quantifiable outcome

• 110,000+ international students placed since 2008
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• NEAS (National English Language Teaching Accreditation Scheme)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023AHN became the first hosted accommodation provider endorsed under NEAS homestay standards in 2023, providing quality assurance endorsement for accommodation services.
• NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Disability Homestay Network (DHN) launched in 2022 to provide properly-managed hosted accommodation for eligible NDIS participants. Offers standards-based, personalized short-term accommodation and support services.
• NSW GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020Appointed by NSW Government during COVID-19 pandemic to assist vulnerable international students as part of its Temporary Crisis Accommodation Scheme. More than 1,200 students received vital accommodation and support.
• SRSI (StudentRoomStay International)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2020MSI secured development, management and territory distribution rights agreement with SRSI in 2020 for international student accommodation services.
• Allianz Global AssistancecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2015Appointed by Allianz Global Assistance as the preferred homestay manager in Australia in 2015. Allianz is a major global insurance company, and this partnership established AHN as the preferred provider for international student accommodation services backed by insurance coverage.
• Australian Government (Community Placement Network)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012AHN worked with Australian Government to create the Community Placement Network (CPN) to improve conditions and outcomes for onshore processing of asylum seekers. Successfully placed 600 asylum seekers with Australian families.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Student.com: Large international student accommodation marketplace focused primarily on purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA); competes with MSI/AHN for the broader international student accommodation wallet but is not a homestay specialist.
• Booking.com: Global online travel accommodation platform; increasingly lists homestay and family-stay inventory and competes with MSI at the discovery/booking layer for international students and short-term guests.
• Spotahome: Mid-to-long-term rental platform that includes student listings; serves a similar international student customer base as MSI but through private rentals rather than managed host family placements.
• Amber: Global student accommodation platform operating across multiple geographies; overlaps with MSI in serving inbound international students needing accommodation, but focused on PBSA rather than homestays.
• UHomes: International student housing platform with global listings; competes with MSI for the same international student customer segment, particularly Chinese students, though primarily via apartment/PBSA inventory.
• Nestpick: Online furnished rental marketplace for students and young professionals; adjacent to MSI's student accommodation offering but operates through apartments rather than homestays.

Emerging players

• Homelike: European-focused mid-to-long-term furnished rental platform for students and professionals; comparable to MSI's digital, central-booking approach for international relocations though serving a different geography.

Direct peers

• Aussie Homestay Network: Australian-based homestay placement provider for international students; direct domestic competitor to AHN with overlapping institutional customers and host families.
• Homestay.com: Global online homestay booking platform matching students and travellers with host families; competes directly with MSI/AHN on host family placements for international students across multiple countries.

Regional players

• Hostelworld: Global hostel and budget accommodation platform; overlaps with MSI at the lower-cost student/traveller end and offers homestay-style inventory in some markets, but is not a homestay specialist.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mystay-international

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about MyStay International