Sending two children to Australia’s most expensive schools will cost $1m

Putting two children through Victoria’s most elite private schools costs more than $1m — plus the cost of uniforms and books.

Geelong Grammar is Australia’s most expensive school.

Parents will have to pay more than one million dollars to put two children all the way through Victoria’s most elite private schools, the Herald Sun can reveal.

One child’s tuition fees at the state’s most expensive school, Geelong Grammar, comes to $528,020 for 14 years – starting from three-year-old early learning through to year 12.

This total includes $73,480 for year nine at the Timbertop campus in the High Country that was attended by Prince Charles and $43,360 for year 12 day students.

Lauriston Girls’ School in up-market Armadale is the most expensive girls’ school with total fees of $525,214 – that’s after-tax dollars.

These figures don’t take into account future fee hikes or additional charges.

Geelong Grammar’s school’s fees do not include music lessons which are $96 an hour, uniform costs of up to $3000, book fees of up to $1000 a year, computer hire of $1500 or annual camps.

Lauriston is Victoria’s most expensive girls’ school. Picture: Wayne Taylor

Recent year 10 camps offered by the school include polo ($1200), sailing, ($1200) and scuba diving ($1350).

Students who board from year seven at the Corio campus will pay $758,180 – an additional $230,160 compared to do students.

International boarding students at the school pay $84,580 for year 12, which is less than the $95,100 charged by Melbourne Grammar.

There are now 29 Victorian schools charging more than $30,000 a year in tuition fees in 2022, which often do not include computer costs, camps, enrolment fees and compulsory building levies.

Many schools offer family discounts for additional children and small rebates for payments upfront.

TOP PRIVATE SCHOOL FEES 2022

Schools charging $30,000+ a year	Year 12 fees, 2022
Geelong Grammar	$43,360
Mount Scopus Memorial School	$38,330
Lauriston Girls' School	$37,880
The King David School	$37,868
Melbourne Girls' Grammar	$37,484
Melbourne Grammar	$37,260
St Catherine's School	$36,940
Scotch College	$36,825
Korowa Anglican Girls' School	$36,421
Bialik College	$36,325
Ruyton Girls' School	$35,442
Camberwell Grammar	$35,414
Xavier College	$35,290
Trinity Grammar	$35,252
Wesley College	$34,610
Haileybury	$34,570
St Leonard's College	$34,352
Methodist Ladies' College	$34,200
St Michael's Grammar	$34,140
Caulfield Grammar	$34,077
Carey Baptist Grammar	$34,044
Brighton Grammar	$33,487
Strathcona Girls' School	$33,139
Camberwell Girls' Grammar	$32,740
Presbyterian Girls' School	$32,664
Fintona Girls' School	$32,656
Geelong College	$31,144
Toorak College	$30,716
Genazzano College	$30,219

 

Schools such as Trinity Grammar have also offered discounts to parents of up to $5m in hardship fees and discounts to families during Covid.

Analysis by Futurity Investment lists Geelong Grammar as the most expensive school in Australia, ahead of Sydney Church of England Girls’ Grammar and Cranbrook School in Sydney.

Futurity Group executive Kate Hill said the cost of education has risen at more than double the rate of inflation over the past decade.

“Education costs, including outside tuition, school camps and sports equipment and electronic devices are demanding a far greater share of the family budget than in the past,” Ms Hill said.

“More than ever, the costs associated with education are placing more of a burden on Australian families, who are already stretched by the rising cost of living and stagnant wage growth.”

Lighthouse Christian College principal Avril Howard, whose school holds great value for results. Picture: David Geraghty

However, the Herald Sun has uncovered a number of low-cost private schools with median VCE scores of more than 30 and fees as low as $2850 in the case of Killester College.

Other great-value schools with good results include Lighthouse Christian College ($7472 a year in year 12), Bayview College ($7450) and Sirius College ($5985).

Catholic schools also tend to be lower in cost compared to other private schools.

Catholic Education Commission of Victoria acting executive director Dr Paul Sharkey said his schools “welcome families from all backgrounds who seek their values” and aim to remain as affordable as possible.

There are only two Catholic schools on the list of schools costing above $30,000 in year 12 – Genazzano College and Xavier College.

Alexandra Vazhnenko’s sends her nine-year-old son Robert to Annunciation Primary School in Brooklyn and claims it’s “great value for money”.

“It’s a very nice school, it’s reasonably priced and has small class sizes which is great,” she said.

Ms Vazhnenko said the Catholic school had been particularly supportive during lockdown when schools were shut and classes went online.

“I heard from friends who send their kids to other schools they were teaching for one or two hours then giving them activities to finish with parents,” she said.

“Our school was actually working with kids from 10am to 3pm every day... I value our school so much more now than before lockdown.”