Nicolas Ricaurte, from Colombia, is one of 25 international students at Sir John A. MacDonald High School. (CBC)

The number of international students in Nova Scotia's high schools is at an all-time high with nearly 1,000 of them across the province.

"Numbers are excellent. This is our largest class ever," said Paul Millman, the executive director of the Nova Scotia International Student Program.

"We're very pleased in our 15th year to finally look at breaking the 1000 mark for the year."

The international students — who come from 28 countries around the world — each pay approximately $15,000 for school, health insurance and accommodation with a local family.

Trina Canavan, the vice-principal at Sir John A. MacDonald High School in Upper Tantallon, said there are intangible benefits as well.

"It's been a win-win situation in the sense that we're learning from them, they're learning from us," she said.

Nicolas Ricaurte, an 18-year-old from Colombia, became a student at Sir John A. MacDonald High School just one week ago. He's one of 25 international students at the school.

"I love it. The people are nice, I have a ton of friends here in school. I think it's good," he said.

"I'm pretty bad at football, but I think with the days I'm going to be better. But it's good. I like it."