Business · Economy · 9 hrs ago
Fees rise at high-cost Victorian private schools
Several high-fee schools in Victoria are raising fees next year, with schools citing payroll tax and teacher wages as reasons for increases above inflation.
At Ivanhoe Girls’ Grammar School in Melbourne, fees for years 11 and 12 will rise 15.1 per cent to $41,900.
Genazzano FCJ College will charge $45,500 for year 12, a 9.6 per cent increase, while Mentone Girls Grammar will raise fees for years 11 and 12 by 8.2 per cent to $43,000.
The increases come as some schools also face falling enrolments, including Genazzano, where student numbers have dropped 35 per cent since 2020.
Education policy expert Emma Rowe says uncapped annual fee rises are unsustainable and argues that public funding should be linked to limits on fees.
The schools have not announced any change to their fee plans, and the increases are set to take effect next year.
High-fee Victorian schools are raising tuition by thousands of dollars for 2027, with several increases above Melbourne’s 6.3 per cent average.
Ivanhoe Girls’ Grammar School raised fees for years 11 and 12 by 15.1 per cent, the largest increase in The Age’s analysis.
Schools cited payroll tax, teacher wages and other cost pressures to explain the increases.
Education policy expert Emma Rowe criticised uncapped annual fee rises and called for stronger links between fees and government funding.
Some families have questioned whether fee increases are helping pay for school developments.
- Who
- Families at high-fee Victorian independent and Catholic schools, including all-girls schools.
- What
- Schools are increasing fees for next year, with some rises well above the reported average.
- When
- The increases apply in 2027.
- Where
- Victoria, including schools in Melbourne.
- Why
- Schools cited payroll tax, teacher wages and investment in teaching and learning.
Emma Rowe
School representatives
Fee regulation
Emma Rowe
Rowe said uncapped annual fee increases were unsustainable and argued that linking fees to government funding could limit rises.
School representatives
School representatives cited cost pressures and investment in teaching and learning to explain their fees.
Public funding
Emma Rowe
Rowe said publicly funded schools should also face public regulation.
School representatives
The school representatives quoted described the costs and educational investment they considered when setting fees.
Genazzano FCJ College had 834 students, before enrolments later fell.
Ivanhoe Girls’ Grammar School began construction of a four-storey facility costing about $37 million.
Genazzano FCJ College sold real estate for $1.98 million to pay down debt.
The reported school fee increases are due to take effect.
- Ivanhoe Girls’ Grammar
- 15.1 per cent increase; $41,900 for years 11 and 12
- Genazzano FCJ College
- 9.6 per cent increase; $45,500 for year 12
- Mentone Girls Grammar School
- 8.2 per cent increase; $43,000 for years 11 and 12
- Camberwell Girls’ Grammar School
- 7.9 per cent increase; $45,595 for years 11 and 12
- Melbourne high-fee school average
- 6.3 per cent fee increase
- Ivanhoe facility
- About $37 million; four storeys
What people are saying
like a runaway train at the moment, and it’s really unsustainable
You can’t expect public funding but no public regulation
Like all schools, we are managing significant cost pressures, and the 2027 fee reflects our continued investment in teaching and learning.
We recognise that families make a significant financial investment in their children’s education