Parents forking out thousands upfront for Victorian private schools

Parents are coughing up thousands to accept an offer for their child at some of Victoria’s most exclusive private schools. See how your dream school stacks up.

Parents are forking out up to thousands of dollars to secure their child’s spot at some of Victoria’s most prestigious private schools.

Before students even set foot in the classroom, mums and dads are crunching the cost of locking in their child’s attendance at their chosen schools.

Find out how much you’ll need to set aside to confirm your child’s enrolment by searching for a school or scrolling the list of more than 30 private and independent schools across Victoria.

Data compiled by the Herald Sun shows Wendouree’s Ballarat Grammar charges parents one of the highest upfront admission fees or deposits in the state, with a $4000 deposit required for entrants to the junior school and $6000 for the senior school.

The exclusive boys’ Scotch College in Hawthorn charges parents a $5000 non-refundable holding fee once an offer to the school has been accepted, which is then credited to the child’s annual tuition fees.

School Pics

On top of that, a $1500 non-refundable fee applies to confirm the child’s enrolment, totalling an investment of $6,700 in fees before a student starts at the school.

Once parents have secured their child’s place at Wesley College’s Elsternwick, Glen Waverley and St Kilda Rd campuses with a $1200 confirmation payment, the school also asks for a $2800 tuition contribution fee that will be deducted from the student’s school fees once they have started school.

While not all offers at Victorian private schools incur a holding fee, parents can expect to pay between $1000 and $2000 to accept their child’s place at most high-achieving private schools with a confirmation or enrolment payment.

Despite varying costs, acceptance payments at most schools are non-refundable – but are credited towards paying a child’s annual school fees.

Upfront admission and tuition fees to some private schools can jump to more than $5000. Picture: Jason Edwards

Parents are charged a $2000 confirmation fee once their child has been offered a place at the co-ed Caulfield Grammar School, or at Strathcona Girls Grammar in Canterbury.

$1000 of that fee is a confirmation payment, while the remaining $1000 is deducted from the first instalment of school fees.

Geelong Grammar, Australia’s most expensive school, as well as Lauriston Girls’ School in Armadale and Methodist Ladies’ College in Kew all charge a $1250 non-refundable enrolment fee for each student.

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