Australian boarding school fees 2023: Cranbrook, Geelong Grammar year 12 fees near $80k
The cost of a boarding education has gone up by a median 4.5 per cent this year. Compare fees for 136 boarding schools nationwide.
Fees at Australia’s most elite boarding schools are spiralling towards $80,000 a year, as the cost of education skyrockets nationwide.
Combined tuition and boarding fees for year 12 students nationally went up by a median 4.5 per cent this year, with some schools hiking rates by more than 10 per cent as the cost-of-living crunch and funding changes hit the sector.
NSW boys’ school Cranbrook holds the title of Australia’s most expensive, with combined year 12 fees of $79,266, up 5 per cent on last year.
It trumps even the illustrious Geelong Grammar School, which charges $78,660 for a year 12 boarding education, up 6.14 per cent.
Isolated Children’s Parents’ Association federal president Alana Moller said for families running pastoral properties and in rural communities, boarding was often the only schooling option and years of steep cost increases were forcing heartbreaking decisions.
“Families are continually struggling to pay the fees for their children,” she said. “It means they are having to make tough choices.
“We have a situation where families don’t send their families to boarding school or pull them out of boarding school because they simply can’t afford those extensive out-of-pocket expenses.
“Realistically the only other option for many isolated families is distance education.
“For some kids it’s perfect … but I think we saw in the pandemic, with people having to teach their children at home, it is not ideal for many children.”
South Australian sheep producers Lisa and Keith Slade have sent three children through boarding school over the past 20 years, while running their family’s Moolooloo Station six hours north of Adelaide.
Ms Slade said fees went up by about $15,000 a year from when their eldest, Isabella, started in year 7, 17 years ago, to when youngest Henry finished year 12 at Prince Alfred College in 2020.
They couldn’t afford to send Henry and middle daughter Millie to boarding school at the same time.
“I had to move to a second-home set-up,” Ms Slade said, explaining Henry attended a day school from year 7-9, until he was lucky enough to secure a boarding scholarship.
“I don’t know how families at the minute are able to continue with private boarding.
“With the cost of living hurting everyone at the moment, it is exacerbated the further you are from a metro city.”
She said more support was needed to help reduce the boarding cost burden for rural families.
“We see a lot of families move away (for this reason),” she said. “It is a really critical time for Australia to ensure that the people who are feeding the nation, that we have the right people out there and we keep them there.”
The ICPA is calling for a $4000-$5000 boost to the federal government’s financial Assistance for Isolated Children support, which helps families with the cost of boarding.
Currently the AIC is increased in line with consumer price index every year.
“Education costs are generally increasing at a rate greater than the regular CPI,” Ms Moller said.
Australian Boarding Schools Association chief executive Richard Stokes said the sector was calling for the AIC to be increased in line with the education subindex.
“That would help country families tremendously,” he said.
Mr Stokes and Ms Moller said the federal government’s new Direct Measure of Income funding methodology was also pushing fees up at many regional boarding schools.
“We have major concerns around that funding model for regional boarding schools,” Ms Moller said.
“The way the methodology works is around the capacity to contribute of families who use the school but there are two issues. First of all it takes into consideration gross income. We know for agricultural families in particular gross income means nothing because there are so many costs associated with agriculture … the final bottom of the balance sheet is very different.”
Plus, the methodology only took into consideration tuition fees, not the capacity to pay for boarding, she said.
Mr Stokes said “it is boarding schools in Hamilton and Ballarat and places like that that are really feeling the pinch when it comes to that Direct Measure of Income funding change”.
He added that wage increases were also putting pressure on boarding house fees.
“Many of our boarding staff are at the lower end of the earning scale,” he said. “Don’t just think about the supervisors. Think about the people who run the kitchens and the cleaners.
“Even feeding a boarder is costing more.”
“That whole cost of living crisis that we’re going though is facing the boarding schools in the same way; except they have a whole bundle of kids and bundle of staff.”
Combined boarding and tuition fees went up by a median 4.97 per cent in Victoria this year, while NSW schools went up by 3.97 per cent, Western Australia up 4.34 per cent and South Australia up 3.45 per cent.
TOP 10 MOST EXPENSIVE BOARDING SCHOOLS
10. Newington College, Stanmore NSW, $69,889
Founded in 1863, all-boys Newington College has a rich history and legacy. The institution is internationally recognised for its high academic results. Located in Stanmore, close to inner Sydney, it is one of six founding members of the GPS alliance of NSW independent boys’ schools. Headmaster Michael Parker has also held roles at Oxley College and Cranbrook. Year 12 combined tuition and boarding fees are $69,889.
9. St Catherine’s School, Toorak Victoria, $70,900
St Catherine’s School Melbourne was ranked as the No. 1 all-girls school in Victoria with an impressive median ATAR of 92.5. These scores were driven by the school’s push for excellence. This year St Catherine’s charged $70,900 for year 12 tuition and boarding combined.
8. Knox Grammar School, Wahroonga NSW, $70,950
Knox Grammar School wants its students to be extraordinary, providing their secondary graduates with tools to become well-rounded men and academic prodigies. Year 12 combined tuition and boarding fees at the all-boys school sits at $70,950.
7. Kambala, Rose Bay NSW, $71,250
An independent day and boarding school for girls, Kambala has been an International Baccalaureate World School since 2010. Principal Jane Danvers joined the school last year. Previously she was principal of Wilderness School, one of the most successful girls’ schools in South Australia. Year 12 combined tuition and boarding fees are $71,250.
6. Presbyterian Ladies’ College, Croydon NSW, $71,370
Half of PLC’s class of 2022 ended up in the top 10 per cent of the state with ATARs over 90. The all-girls school runs extensive academic programs and extracurriculars costing their parents an arm and a leg. The total price tag for year 12 tuition and boarding is $71,370.
5. Barker College, Hornsby NSW, $72,710
The Barker College offers extracurriculars of robotics, religion and business. They encourage their students to reach for the stars, and their parents to reach for their wallets to pay the year 12 combined tuition and boarding fee of $72,710.
4. The King’s School, Parramatta NSW, $72,780
The King’s School has an enrolment of more than 2000 boys all wearing Australia’s least updated uniform; a military jacket of red and grey. Their school values include compassion, responsibility and excellence. This also applies to the parents who have the responsibility of paying the pricey year 12 tuition and boarding fee of $72,780.
3. Shore, Sydney Church of England Grammar, North Sydney NSW, $72,960
The Sydney Church of England Grammar School is the oldest school still in use in Sydney, founded in 1889. The all-boys school has housed politicians such as Malcolm Turnbull and Australia’s first prime minister Sir Edmund Barton. Its dedication to making boys into men comes with a hefty price tag of $72,960 for year 12 tuition and boarding.
2. Geelong Grammar School, Corio Victoria, $78,660
Geelong Grammar School is Australia’s largest coeducational boarding school with an enrolment of more than 1600 students across four campuses. With the class of 2022 scoring a combined median average ATAR of 81.32, their academic program aims for success. You’d hope so with a year 12 tuition and boarding cost of $78,660 annually.
1. Cranbrook School, Bellevue Hill NSW, $79,266
Topping this list as Australia’s most expensive boarding school, Cranbrook has a community of 1680 students from Early Learning to year 12. The school turns out Olympians, artists, entrepreneurs and politicians. Parents are certain to have high expectations for their children when the price of tuition and boarding is a whopping $79,266 for year 12 students.
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