The St John's Uniting Church in Essendon has established a monthly international student dinner at its headquarters, in a bid to ease the transition for students struggling to cope financially and emotionally.

The event began last April after Reverend Mark Dunn received a call from an Indian student named Malini, who was struggling to find work, and pay rent and tertiary fees.

The church offered Malini and a friend grocery vouchers and helped both women with their resumes.

Mr Dunn said it wasn't long before he met more students in the same predicament and felt compelled to help.

He approached the church council and proposed a free dinner for international students, with the students acting as chief cooks on the night.

Most students came from Kerala, in South India.

Invitations were posted on social networking site Facebook and flyers handed out to passengers at Essendon railway station.

Donations began to flood in, including fruit, vegetables and spices from several Footscray traders.

The first dinner attracted 60 people and they have now become regular events.

"Initially we were just dipping our toe in the water to get a sense if this was something that was valued and appreciated," Mr Dunn said.

"The dinner is an excuse for a good round-table conversation. The dinner represents a significant symbol of our hospitality."

Mr Dunn said most of the students he had spoken to had been sold on Australia under false pretences.

"They've come on the promise of easy employment at good rates of pay," he said.

"For some, it has been months since they've arrived and they haven't had a day of work."

He said the international dinners offered a chance for students to talk about their hardship and to be supported.

Guest speakers have included an Indian doctor and a former international student who went on to become a teacher.

"On each occasion we send the students home with an armful of groceries.

"It's not about trying to recruit people to come to church. It's about responding to human need and trying to be good neighbours."

Student Manju Babu came to Australia one year ago and is studying community welfare at a private college in Kensington.

She attended several dinners last year.

"It's very good for us. We made many friends and had the chance to engage with good people.

"We got a chance to understand the culture."

Mr Dunn said he felt the dinners were also helping to bridge community gaps in the face of recent bashings of Indian students in Melbourne.

He said one of the students who attended a previous event was attacked and had her phone stolen at Oak Park railway station.

Mr Dunn reported the incident to police.