An Australian university is getting around the coronavirus travel ban by offering to pay Chinese students $1500 to stay outside mainland China for two weeks.

Western Sydney University told its international students on Wednesday it would subside the cost of airfares and accommodation to allow them to reach Australia 'through a third country'.

It comes as the Australian government extended the ban on those coming from mainland China until February 29, affecting an estimated 65,000 Chinese students.

© Provided by Daily Mail Travellers are pictured wearing protective face masks at Brisbane International Airport on January 29. Western Sydney University has announced it will subsidise its international students to get around the coronavirus travel ban

© Provided by Daily Mail Western Sydney University (pictured) told its international students it would subside the cost of airfares and accommodation to allow them to reach Australia 'through a third country'

The ban can be dodged though by going through a country which does not have a travel ban on those coming from China.

Those countries include Thailand, Cambodia, the United Arab Emirates and Japan.

In the e-mail being circulated online this week, the university said the $1500 payment would be made after arrival in Australia.

'We consider the Australian Government's endorsement of entering Australia through a third country an important development, opening up the opportunity to arrive in time to commence study in Australia,' the e-mail said.

The move has been hailed by the Sydney Student Representatives' Council, which said universities capable of helping subsidise travel costs should be helping out.

'The fact international students are paying $45,000 annually for tuition fees does not mean they should always pay more,' the council's general secretary Abbey Shi told The Australian.

Travel agents are taking advantage of the loophole in the travel ban by selling 14-day travel packages to go-between countries such as Dubai.

© Provided by Daily Mail In the e-mail being circulated online this week, the university said the $1500 payment would be made after arrival in Australia

One package included a stay in a four-star hotel, a personal guide and face masks.

On Wednesday, the Australian government confirmed it would be extending the travel ban from mainland China for another week until February 29.

The decision was made by the national security committee of cabinet on Thursday as the number of infections and deaths in Hubei province, the epicentre of the virus, continues to grow.

Foreign nationals - excluding permanent Australian residents - who have been in mainland China will not be allowed to enter Australia for 14 days from the time they left China.