The Victorian grammar schools charging huge fees revealed: See the eye-watering annual fees

Annual fees at one Melbourne private school will next year be set at more than $52,000 for year ten students — and it’s not the only elite Victorian college that’s jacked up fees for 2025.

Annual fees at a leading Melbourne private school have reached more than $52,000 for year ten students in 2025, sparking outrage from “furious” parents.

Carey Grammar, a co-ed school in Kew, has increased fees by 7.5 per cent, bringing year 12 fees to $40,824 for year 12 students plus $3794 in compulsory charges.

Year ten parents will pay $39,500 in tuition fees with an extra $6220 in consolidated charges, including $3950 for the outdoor Zero Program, $628 in “consolidated fee taxable supply”, $1000 to rent a computer and $1690 for state government charges. This comes to more than $52,000 and does not include add-ons such as rowing fees.

Carey Baptist Grammar in Kew. Picture: David Crosling

This puts it on par with Geelong Grammar, which will charge day boarders $52,240 next year.

A letter to Carey Grammar parents from principal Jonathan Walter and chair of the school board Tim Chilvers notes the state fees include “payroll tax, the mental health and wellbeing surcharge and Covid debt levy”.

On Friday, hundreds of parents were also hit with a double whammy, with news of a compulsory upfront rowing fee of up to $3400 for senior girls and $2750 for senior boys.

This includes a new $500 equipment charge due to what the school called the “significant costs associated with a school rowing program”.

A number of parents are unhappy with the timing of the upfront rowing fee, which was previously paid throughout the season.

Parents at the school are “doing their own sums and working out what they are going to have to pay”, one said.

“Everyone is unhappy, especially as the pre-season for rowing has already started. Many people are furious about the timing on top of other fee increases.”

It comes as other schools are starting to advise parents of fee increases of as much as 17 per cent for 2025, with many passing on the state payroll tax impost in full on parents.

Geelong Grammar students can keep and ride their horses at the school.

The letter to Carey Grammar parents notes that “the payroll tax imposes a significant burden, exceeding our funding, and adds unprecedented pressure on independent schools”.

“We recognise the consequential financial strain this may cause some families in an already challenging financial landscape and remain committed to keeping fees at the lowest possible level that is sustainable for the school,” the letter said.

“We continue to work hard to identify savings and efficiencies across our entire operations, while ensuring we maintain a focus on optimising the learning experience for each student.”

Carey Grammar, which has more than 2500 students, has 73 per cent of parents in the top income band. It receives more than $10m a year in government funding and has a gross income of nearly $100m a year. In 2022 – the latest figures available, the school posted a profit of more than $8m.

Other schools increasing fees for 2025 include:

Geelong Grammar School: Tuition fees have increased by at least $1000, with some parents paying more depending on their child’s year level. Meanwhile, tuition and full-time boarding fees have increased by $4260 at the Timbertop campus and senior school.

Caulfield Grammar School: Year 12 annual tuition fees have increased by $2279, from $40,543 to $42,822. Other year levels also encountered a similar fee increase.

Ballarat Clarendon College: Year 11 and 12 fees have increased by $1170 from $22,470 to $23,640. There were increases across other year levels but not all were as significant.

Yarra Valley Grammar: Year 12 fees, which cover the three terms students are at school, have increased by $1542 from $30,819 to $32,361.

Originally published as The Victorian grammar schools charging huge fees revealed: See the eye-watering annual fees