How many IB schools in Melbourne
Greater Melbourne has 19 authorised IB World Schools according to the IBO register, which makes it the largest IB cluster outside North America. The IB Diploma is the main programme on offer, sat at 16 schools in 2026, while the Primary Years Programme runs at six schools and the Middle Years Programme at five. Only Wesley College runs the full continuum from PYP through to the Diploma across its three campuses.
Melbourne is unusual in that the IB sits alongside an unusually strong state qualification. The Victorian Certificate of Education is one of the most academically rigorous state exit qualifications in the world and provides direct access to the Group of Eight universities through the ATAR ranking. Many Melbourne independent schools offer the IB and the VCE in parallel, which gives families a genuine choice in year 11.
The IB cohort in Melbourne leans toward families whose university plans extend beyond Australia, with the United Kingdom, the United States and Singapore the dominant destinations. ATAR conversion of the IB Diploma is straightforward, so students who change their plan late in the day are not penalised.
IB versus the VCE
Melbourne is one of the few cities globally where families face a genuine choice between two high quality upper secondary qualifications, the IB Diploma and the VCE. The right answer depends on the child rather than the qualification.
The IB is broader. Six subjects sit alongside Theory of Knowledge, the Extended Essay and the creativity and service strand, with no early specialisation. Students who like a wide curriculum and who plan to apply outside Australia generally find the IB the stronger fit. The IB scaled ATAR conversion is generous to the strongest students. A score of 40 points on the IB Diploma converts to an ATAR of 98 or above, which sits comfortably within the Group of Eight admission range.
The VCE is deeper at the specialist end. Students choose between four and six subjects in year 12, with internal assessment running through years 11 and 12 in parallel with the final external exams. For students whose plan is fixed on Australian universities and who want to specialise early in mathematics, sciences or humanities, the VCE often delivers a stronger ATAR in the same school. The best IB schools in Melbourne guide goes deeper on this choice.
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Illustrative example schools
Three illustrative schools, not a ranking. Each has a long IB record and a settled identity in the Melbourne market.
Wesley College runs the full IB continuum across its three campuses, St Kilda Road in central Melbourne, Glen Waverley in the eastern suburbs and Elsternwick in the south. It is the largest IB provider in Australia by cohort, with around 250 Diploma students per year and an average score that has sat in the 35 to 37 range for the past five years. The school offers the IB alongside the VCE, with a deliberate balance maintained between the two pathways.
Tintern Grammar in Ringwood East is a co-educational school that delivers the IB Diploma alongside the VCE, with around 60 to 80 IB students per year. The school sits on a 50 acre green campus in the eastern suburbs and is a popular choice for families based in Doncaster, Box Hill and the inner east.
Methodist Ladies College in Kew is one of the strongest IB providers in the country, with average scores routinely above 38 and a steady record of Oxbridge and US Ivy admissions. It offers the IB and the VCE in parallel and has run the Diploma since 1988.
Fees and the all in cost
Melbourne IB tuition runs higher than most Asian IB cities and sits in three broad bands. The lower band, AUD 22,000 to 30,000 per year, covers the smaller Catholic and faith based IB schools and the cheaper years at the larger co-educational schools. The mid band, AUD 30,000 to 40,000, includes Tintern Grammar and Carey Baptist Grammar in the eastern suburbs. The premium band, AUD 40,000 to 50,000, is Wesley College, Methodist Ladies College and Geelong Grammar IB Diploma fees.
On top of tuition, Melbourne independent schools charge a one off enrolment fee of AUD 1,500 to 5,000 and an annual building or facilities levy of AUD 800 to 2,500. School uniform, books and the year 11 and 12 IB exam fees add another AUD 3,000 to 5,000 per year for the upper school cohort. Our Melbourne international school fees guide sets out the all in figure.
For relocating families, the fees explorer shows the comparison across Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane on a like for like basis.
Admissions and where IB families live
Melbourne IB schools run on the Australian academic year, with terms starting in late January and finishing in early December. Applications for year 11 IB entry in 2027 are already open at most schools, and the strongest IB cohorts at Wesley, MLC and Tintern fill 12 to 18 months ahead.
Year 11 IB transfers from interstate or from overseas are common in Melbourne, particularly from families relocating from Singapore, Hong Kong and the Middle East. Schools typically require the most recent IGCSE or year 10 transcript, an academic references and an interview. Mid year transfers into the IB Diploma after January of year 11 are rarely accepted because the two year course is already under way and the internal assessments are in progress.
IB families cluster in three Melbourne zones. The inner east around Kew, Hawthorn and Toorak for Methodist Ladies College, Carey and Wesley St Kilda Road. The eastern suburbs around Ringwood, Doncaster and Box Hill for Tintern and the wider eastern IB cluster. And the southeast around Glen Waverley for Wesley Glen Waverley and the Asian Australian dual citizen families that dominate that cohort.
Frequently asked questions
How many IB schools are there in Melbourne?
Greater Melbourne has 19 authorised IB World Schools as of early 2026, making it the largest IB cluster outside North America. The IB Diploma is offered at 16 schools, the Middle Years Programme at five and the Primary Years Programme at six.
What is the average IB Diploma score in Melbourne?
Melbourne reporting schools averaged 36.4 points in the November 2025 IB examination session, the strongest result of any Australian city. The leading schools, Methodist Ladies College and Geelong Grammar, have averaged above 38 points for the past five sessions.
How much do IB schools in Melbourne cost?
IB tuition in Melbourne ranges from AUD 22,000 at the smaller Catholic and faith based schools to AUD 50,000 at the premium independent schools. Building levies, books and exam fees typically add AUD 3,000 to 5,000 to the headline fee.
Is the IB better than the VCE for Melbourne students?
It depends on the student and the university destination. The IB is broader and more internationally portable. The VCE is deeper at the specialist end and the default for direct Group of Eight admission. Many Melbourne schools offer both in parallel, which gives families a real choice.
Can you transfer into a Melbourne IB Diploma mid year 11?
Yes, with conditions. Interstate or international year 11 IB transfers are accepted at most Melbourne schools if places exist, typically with an interview and a recent academic transcript. Mid year transfers after January of year 11 are difficult because the two year course is already under way.
