Sunshine Coast’s most expensive private school fees revealed

Parents wanting to send their children to private school can expect to pay even more money than in 2021 as fees increase in 2022. SEE THE FULL LIST

Sunshine Coast parents of private school children can expect to fork out on average an extra 3.28 per cent for tuition fees in 2022 as a pandemic-inflicted pause on price hikes in 2021 is seemingly lifted.

Montessori International College in Forest Glen saw the steepest rise in school fees with Year 12 tuition fees increasing by 4.74 per cent to $11,044 in 2022 – assuming no extra fees are required.

Prep school prices jumped to $8060 per year.

Meanwhile, Matthew Flinders Anglican College remains the most expensive private school on the Sunshine Coast where Year 12 and junior school parents can fork out $16,288 and $13,140 a year respectively in 2022.

See how your school fees compare to others

A parent of two children attending the Buderim senior campus would have to pay close to $200,000 for six years, without including any extra fees and levies.

Year 12 fees at Sunshine Coast Grammar, which welcomes new principal Anna Owen in 2022, have jumped by 2.99 per cent in 2022, compared to the previous year, or an extra $366.

Supplied Editorial SCN220122GrammarNewPrincipal 1

But Queensland private school fees are still well below the prices at their counterparts in Sydney and Melbourne, with multiple top schools down south charging well in excess of $35,000 a year.

Edstart chief executive Jack Stevens said after many schools froze fees in 2021 as a result of the pandemic, the trend had reversed for 2022.

“Talking to schools, many would love to be able to hold off increasing fees, but because of a combination of factors they just don’t have that choice, budget wise,” he said.

“Certainly this year we will see more standard increases … and more families were turning to services like Edstart, which allows families to pay their school fees weekly, fortnightly, or monthly, but many would still feel the pinch over the coming years.

“The days of paying a big lump sum for schools fees are disappearing,” he said.

Matthew Flinders Anglican College students Holly Chacon and Lily Hogan.

“But it’s important to note the big expensive schools are not the norm – about 40 per cent of students will go to a fee-paying school for some part of their education, but most will not attend the elite school group.

“The elite schools have always been expensive, and will continue to be expensive, but the average private school is about $10,000 per year.”