In this guide
IB in Melbourne: the picture in 2026
The IB Diploma arrived in Melbourne private schools in the late 1990s as an alternative to the VCE for academically ambitious students aiming at international universities. The take-up has grown steadily; in 2026 around a dozen Melbourne independents run the DP as a parallel sixth-form pathway, with some offering the full IB continuum from PYP through MYP to DP. Wesley College, MLC and Tintern all offer the full continuum. Most schools that offer the DP do so for a self-selecting cohort of 15 to 40 students per year, alongside a much larger VCE cohort.
For families relocating to Melbourne from an IB system overseas, continuity of programme is the main reason to choose an IB-offering school. For families starting fresh in Year 11, the IB versus VCE decision is more nuanced. Both pathways feed Australian universities equally well; both produce strong outcomes when matched to the right student. The IB carries a slight edge for students applying to UK, US and Asian universities alongside Australian options. See the IB curriculum hub for the programme structure.
The IB schools, one by one
Wesley College
The largest and most established IB school in Melbourne. Full PYP, MYP and DP continuum across multiple campuses. DP cohorts 60 to 90 candidates per year, with averages 35 to 37 points across recent years. Strong sport, music and outdoor education programmes. Co-ed across all year groups. The IB pathway runs alongside a substantial VCE cohort.
Methodist Ladies' College (MLC)
One of Australia's strongest IB girls' schools. Full continuum from ELC through DP. Cohort sizes 30 to 50 in the DP, with consistent averages 35 to 37 points. Strong music programme and university destinations split across Australia, UK and the US. The girls-only structure runs through all year groups.
Carey Baptist Grammar
Strong co-ed independent with a well-established IB cohort. DP groups 25 to 40 per year. Averages 34 to 36 points across recent cohorts. The school's value proposition relative to the top tier is good: comparable academic outcomes at materially lower fees, in an established inner-east setting.
Tintern Grammar
Outer-east independent with full IB continuum. Smaller school overall, with DP cohorts 15 to 25 per year. Averages 33 to 35 points. The continuum is rare among Melbourne IB schools; for families committed to the IB pathway from primary onwards, Tintern is one of three Melbourne schools with that full structure.
Methodist Ladies' College (Burwood campus secondary equivalents)
Listed separately to capture the campus-by-campus variation in IB and VCE breadth. Most candidates choose subject combinations within their home campus, with some cross-campus collaboration in the senior years for specialist subjects.
Mount Scopus Memorial College
Melbourne's largest Jewish school with a strong academic culture. DP cohort sizes 25 to 35. Averages around 34 to 36 points. The school's value proposition is strong, with IB outcomes competitive with higher-fee tier-one schools and a deep Jewish-life programme alongside the academic pathway.
Geelong Grammar (Corio)
Australia's most prestigious boarding school offers the IB Diploma as an alternative to the VCE for a self-selecting cohort of 20 to 30 students per year. The Geelong Grammar IB averages have been at the top end of Australian schools, often 36 to 38 points. The school's profile and university destinations sit at the upper end of any national comparison.
Caulfield Grammar
Strong co-ed independent with multiple campuses. DP cohort 20 to 35 candidates per year. Averages 33 to 35 points. The campus structure allows broader subject choices across the senior years than at single-site schools of similar size.
Strathcona Baptist Girls' Grammar
Girls' school in the inner east. MYP authorised and developing a DP cohort. Worth checking the current year IB status directly. Strong academic outcomes overall with VCE as the main pathway.
Preshil (The Margaret Lyttle Memorial School)
One of Australia's longest-established progressive schools. DP cohort small (10 to 20). Averages variable but the school's appeal is the alternative pedagogical approach across primary and middle school rather than ranking by average points. Worth considering for families wanting a less conventional education within an IB framework.
Compare Melbourne IB schools side by side
Use the compare tool to place up to three Melbourne IB schools next to each other on cohort size, recent averages, HL subject breadth and fees. The school finder filters by IB programme. Talk to our team for a personal shortlist review against your family's specific priorities.
IB versus VCE: how to choose
For families starting fresh in Year 11 at a Melbourne independent, the IB versus VCE choice is the biggest single curriculum decision. Both pathways feed Australian universities directly; both produce strong outcomes when well matched. The practical differences:
- Breadth versus depth. IB requires six subjects across all major disciplines; VCE allows narrower specialisation in four to six subjects of the student's choice. Strong all-rounders often thrive in the IB; deep specialists in one or two areas often prefer the VCE.
- Workload. The IB Diploma carries the Extended Essay, Theory of Knowledge and the CAS programme on top of the six subjects. The VCE has a smaller compulsory component. The IB workload is genuinely heavier across the two years.
- University portability. The IB Diploma is recognised globally; the VCE is best understood in Australian and New Zealand universities, and is also accepted (with translation) by UK, US and Asian universities. For families likely to apply across multiple regions, the IB is the safer choice.
- Mathematics requirements. The IB requires a mathematics subject; the VCE does not. For students determined to avoid maths in Year 12, the VCE may be more workable.
For families relocating from an IB system overseas, continuity argues strongly for an IB-offering school. For families with deep specialist interests (high-level music, art, drama), the VCE may offer more flexibility. See IB versus AP university outcomes for the broader curriculum framework.
What IB outcomes actually look like
| School | Recent cohort size | Recent average points | Bilingual diplomas |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wesley College | 60 to 90 | 35 to 37 | Some |
| MLC | 30 to 50 | 35 to 37 | Some |
| Geelong Grammar | 20 to 30 | 36 to 38 | Some |
| Carey Baptist Grammar | 25 to 40 | 34 to 36 | Limited |
| Mount Scopus | 25 to 35 | 34 to 36 | Limited |
| Tintern Grammar | 15 to 25 | 33 to 35 | Limited |
| Caulfield Grammar | 20 to 35 | 33 to 35 | Limited |
| Preshil | 10 to 20 | Variable | Limited |
The Australian IB cohort averages slightly above the global mean of 31 points. Melbourne schools sit at the top end of the Australian distribution, with Geelong Grammar, Wesley and MLC consistently above 35 points across recent years. The more meaningful figure for university application is the share of cohort achieving 38 points and above, the threshold for the most selective international universities; all of the top four schools reliably produce candidates in that range.
Fees and the all-in IB cost
IB sixth form fees in Melbourne sit at the upper end of each school's fee schedule, with Year 11 and Year 12 tuition typically 8 to 12 per cent higher than Year 10. External IB Diploma examination fees (AUD 300 to AUD 700 in Year 12) are usually bundled into the school fee. Extended Essay supervision and Theory of Knowledge tuition are typically included in the standard sixth form fee.
Realistic all-in IB sixth-form cost at Wesley or MLC runs AUD 50,000 to AUD 55,000 per year once levies, camps and uniform are added. At Carey or Mount Scopus, AUD 40,000 to AUD 45,000. At Tintern or Preshil, AUD 36,000 to AUD 42,000. The full fee picture sits in our international school fees in Melbourne piece, and you can model your specific shortlist via the fees explorer.
Admissions and timing
Entry into IB-offering schools follows the same admissions cycle as the wider Melbourne independent market. Top tier (Wesley, MLC, Geelong Grammar) hold Year 7 waitlists of multiple years, requiring registration as early as possible. Mid tier (Carey, Mount Scopus, Tintern, Caulfield, Strathcona) accept applications closer to entry, often with one to two years of notice. External entry into Year 11 IB cohorts is possible at most schools but the place is rarely guaranteed; candidates are usually invited for an academic assessment and interview.
For families moving to Melbourne with a child entering the IB years, apply at least 12 months ahead and request a course-availability conversation early. Subject choices at HL are sometimes constrained by cohort size; popular HL combinations (Maths AA HL, Physics HL, Chemistry HL) can fill quickly. For the broader admissions framework see best international schools in Melbourne and admissions timing by city.
IB continuum schools: PYP, MYP and DP together
The full IB continuum (PYP, MYP, DP across all year groups) is relatively rare in Australia. Melbourne has three schools that run all three programmes: Wesley College, Methodist Ladies' College and Tintern Grammar. Continuum schools offer a structurally consistent inquiry-led pedagogy from age four through to age eighteen, which families relocating from IB-continuum schools overseas often value.
The trade-off worth understanding: continuum primary years involve quite different pedagogy from traditional Australian primary education. Inquiry units, transdisciplinary themes and student-led learning sit at the centre of the PYP, where Australian primary norms often emphasise more direct instruction. Parents accustomed to the latter sometimes find the PYP harder to read; outcomes are not summarised in test scores in the same way. The MYP middle years are a closer fit to Australian middle school expectations but still emphasise inter-subject connections and personal projects more than the standard curriculum.
The bilingual diploma in Melbourne
Melbourne IB schools produce a meaningful share of bilingual diplomas, partly through the city's multilingual community and partly through the IB's recognition of community languages. Mandarin, Italian, Greek, Vietnamese and Arabic are commonly offered as Language A subjects at Melbourne IB schools, alongside English. Wesley, MLC and Mount Scopus all have routes to the bilingual diploma in their typical year. For multilingual families, the bilingual diploma is an additional university-application asset and a meaningful recognition of language depth.