After struggling to find a new job in Brazil for nearly two years, Jaqueline Menezes quit as an accountant and moved to Sydney to continue studying.
"It was really hard to find a new job and whenever I found anything, it required me to be fluent in English," Ms Menezes said.
She is enrolled in an English course at the Navitas college and is planning to start a vocational course in accounting in May.
"I think it'll really help my qualifications and English skills," she said.
She studied in Vancouver for two months in 2012, but came to Sydney for her two-year accounting course because of the job opportunities she would have while studying.
"Australia is giving us an opportunity to work at the same time as we study, which gives me a chance to earn money and practise my English," Ms Menezes said.
"You also have more opportunities here in my profession."
Ms Menezes is part of a growing cohort of students from Brazil who are primarily enrolling in university, vocation education and non-award courses in NSW.
The number of Brazilian students grew 24.5 per cent in NSW in 2016, making the country one of the biggest growth markets for international education, according to the state government.
NSW Trade Minister Niall Blair said the sudden increase was linked to the country's struggling economy as well as greater efforts to promote international education in NSW.
"There's a lot of unemployment in Brazil and they had a recession in 2016," Mr Blair said.
"We're also getting feedback from students and the department to improve their experience.
"International education is the biggest part of our economy, and it's something we value and something that we hope continues to grow."
The total number of international students coming to NSW grew 11.1 per cent in 2016 to nearly 270,000 students. The state is now drawing nearly 40 per cent of Australia's international student population.
Education is NSW's biggest service export, and was worth $7.2 billion in 2015-16.
Along with Brazil, Nepal was also a major source of growth, with a 19.7 per cent increase in students from the country coming to NSW in 2016.
Students from China continue to dominate the state's international student population, making up nearly one-third of all students. There were more than 74,000 students from China studying across the state in 2016.
In comparison, Thailand, the next biggest source country, accounts for 7.1 per cent of international students, with about 19,000 enrolments.
About 106,000, or nearly 40 per cent of international students, are studying a higher education course, and the sector grew by 15.3 per cent in 2016.
Vocational education and training courses are the next most popular, accounting for about 80,000 students, or 30 per cent of the market. Enrolments grew 10.7 per cent in 2016.
However, the biggest growth was in the non-award sector, with enrolments jumping 25.8 per cent to 17,550 students last year, which is linked in part to students like Ms Menezes who are studying short English courses before enrolling in higher education or VET courses.
While NSW continues to lead the country's international student market, Victoria, Tasmania and the ACT all experienced a bigger growth in student numbers in 2016.
Victoria saw a 12.9 per cent jump in students to more than 220,000, and now accounts for nearly 31 per cent of the country's international student population.
The ACT reported a similar 12.6 per cent increase in students to nearly 14,500, and Tasmania saw a 12.3 per cent rise to nearly 6000 students.
Ms Menezes said the cost of living in Sydney was a big challenge for her and fellow students from South America.
"I share a room in Rockdale with a Colombian student, and I'm paying $250 a week," she said.
"But to find somewhere really cheap, for less than $180, you have to share a room with three or four people.
"That's what most of my Brazilian friends are doing. Sydney is an expensive city."
