Early years education in Melbourne
Melbourne's early years sector is large, well regulated, and unusually segmented. For an international family relocating with a child under six, the first decision is not which school but which kind of provider. The city offers four parallel systems. Government and Catholic kindergartens run a 15 hour a week funded programme for four year olds. Long day childcare centres offer up to 50 hours a week and accept the federal subsidy. Independent and international school early learning centres deliver a three or four day a week ELC programme from age three. And the standalone Montessori and Reggio Emilia communities serve the toddler and 3 to 6 cycle.
International families typically choose between two of these systems. The school attached ELC route, where the early years are the first step into a 12 year independent school journey. Or the standalone Montessori or Reggio route, where the early years are valued in themselves and the primary transition is planned separately. Both are well established in Melbourne, and the choice usually comes down to fee tolerance, philosophical alignment, and how settled the family expects to be over the next decade.
How many international ELCs in Melbourne
Around 22 independent and international schools across Melbourne run a dedicated ELC attached to a full primary or K to 12 programme. The strongest cluster sits along the St Kilda Road and inner south corridor, with Caulfield Grammar, Wesley College, Methodist Ladies College, Christ Church Grammar and St Catherine's all running mature ELC programmes. The inner east around Hawthorn and Kew adds Carey Baptist Grammar, Trinity Grammar and Genazzano. The bayside corridor adds Haileybury, Brighton Grammar and Firbank. The northeastern suburbs add Ivanhoe Grammar and Eltham College.
Beyond the independent school sector, Melbourne has a strong community of bilingual and alternative early years providers. Lycee Condorcet maternelle, Deutsche Schule Melbourne preschool and the Italian Australian School all run language immersion programmes from age three. Around 25 standalone Montessori toddler communities and 3 to 6 cycles operate across the metropolitan area, with the densest concentration in Abbotsford, Northcote and Heidelberg.
Not sure which school is the right fit?
Take our 5 minute school finder quiz. We shortlist three schools based on your child's age, your budget, and your timeline. Free, no obligation.
Illustrative example schools
Three illustrative providers, not a ranking. Each represents a different early years model in Melbourne.
Caulfield Grammar Early Learning Centre at St Kilda Road is one of the largest and longest established ELCs in the Melbourne independent sector, with around 180 children across the three and four year old programmes. It feeds directly into the Caulfield Grammar prep and primary years and uses an inquiry based curriculum aligned with the IB Primary Years Programme. Tuition runs around AUD 22,000 to 28,000 a year for a five day a week place.
Wesley College Glen Waverley ELC serves the eastern suburbs corridor and runs a strong outdoor learning programme on a bushland campus, with progression directly into Wesley's three year old primary years. Around 120 children across the three and four year old groups. Tuition is around AUD 20,000 to 26,000 a year.
Lycee Condorcet Maternelle in East Brunswick is the only French national curriculum early years provider in Victoria, running petite section, moyenne section and grande section in line with the French Ministry framework. It feeds into Lycee Condorcet's full maternelle to terminale programme. Tuition is around AUD 14,000 to 17,000 a year. Our best international schools in Melbourne guide compares Lycee Condorcet maternelle with the other strong language ELCs.
Fees, subsidies and the all in cost
ELC fees in Melbourne fall into three bands. The lower band, AUD 14,000 to 18,000 a year, covers community ELCs like Lycee Condorcet and Deutsche Schule Melbourne, and the smaller Montessori and Steiner programmes. The mid band, AUD 18,000 to 24,000 a year, covers the bulk of independent school ELCs, including Wesley Glen Waverley, Ivanhoe Grammar, Carey Donvale and Christ Church Grammar. The premium band, AUD 24,000 to 32,000 a year, covers Caulfield Grammar St Kilda Road, Methodist Ladies College, Haileybury Castlefield and Geelong Grammar's Bostock House.
The Australian government's Child Care Subsidy applies to many ELC programmes for sessions of six hours or less, which can reduce the family contribution by 20 to 50 per cent depending on household income. The school attached ELCs at independent schools sometimes split sessions to qualify for the subsidy, although the premium schools tend to bundle a full ten hour day that falls outside the subsidy. Government and Catholic kindergartens for four year olds are subsidised by the Victorian Government and cost around AUD 1,500 to 4,000 a year. Our international school fees in Melbourne guide sets out the full picture.
Admissions and the Melbourne ELC calendar
Independent school ELCs in Melbourne work on a 12 to 24 month forward enrolment cycle. Application windows for the popular Caulfield, Wesley, Methodist Ladies and Carey ELCs typically open two years before the intake year and close around twelve months before, with offers eight to ten months before the January start. Sibling places are real and significantly improve odds at every named school. Standalone Montessori and Reggio providers normally have shorter cycles of six to twelve months. Government kindergartens use the central registration platform administered by local councils with priority for catchment residents.
Families with young children tend to live where the ELCs are. The St Kilda Road corridor for Caulfield Grammar and St Catherine's. Glen Waverley, Wheelers Hill and Vermont South for Wesley and the Haileybury ELCs. East Brunswick and Coburg for Lycee Condorcet maternelle. Eltham and Greensborough for Eltham College and Deutsche Schule Melbourne. Boroondara, Hawthorn and Kew for Carey, Trinity and Genazzano. The pattern matters because Melbourne's east west commute can be slow, and an ELC that adds 40 minutes a day in the car will reshape the family's working life. Our sibling hubs cover the Melbourne primary, Montessori and bilingual schools options for context.
Frequently asked questions
What is the typical starting age for international school nurseries in Melbourne?
Most international and independent ELC programmes start at three years old. A small number, including Camberwell Grammar and Methodist Ladies College, take children from two years old in a two morning a week toddler programme. Lycee Condorcet maternelle takes children from three years old following the French national framework.
How much do Melbourne international school ELCs cost?
Full time ELC fees run AUD 14,000 to 32,000 a year. Government and Catholic kindergartens charge AUD 1,500 to 4,000 a year. The Australian government childcare subsidy applies to many ELC programmes for sessions under six hours, which can reduce the family contribution significantly.
Do international school ELCs feed into the primary school?
Yes at almost all schools. Caulfield Grammar, Wesley College, Carey Baptist Grammar and St Leonards College all offer a guaranteed path from the ELC into prep and primary, subject to parental confirmation and a small re enrolment fee. Lycee Condorcet maternelle is part of an integrated maternelle to terminale school.
What curriculum frameworks do they follow?
The dominant framework is the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework, used across the state. International school ELCs typically blend this with their own curriculum approach. Lycee Condorcet runs the French Cycle 1 maternelle. Some IB primary schools deliver the IB Primary Years Programme from age three.
When do we apply?
Twelve to twenty four months ahead at the popular ELCs at Caulfield, Wesley and Carey. Mid year places exist but are scarce. Lycee Condorcet maternelle accepts mid year transfers where a place exists. Government kindergartens use the central registration system administered by local councils.
