Primary international schooling in Melbourne
Primary education in Melbourne is delivered by three parallel systems and the choice of system shapes everything that follows. Government primary schools, which are free for residents and broadly excellent, follow the Victorian curriculum and accept students into a strict catchment. Catholic primary schools, which run a parallel system with low fees, also follow the Victorian curriculum with a religious education layer. And independent primary schools, which charge full fees and operate without catchment constraints, deliver a mix of the Victorian curriculum, the IB Primary Years Programme, and in a small number of cases the English, French or German national curriculum.
International families relocating to Melbourne typically choose the independent system in the first instance. The reasons are familiar from Hong Kong, Singapore or Dubai. Continuity of curriculum, particularly IB PYP, makes a future return move smoother. Independent schools build the ELC, primary and secondary into a single 15 year journey, which removes the need to reapply at year 7. And the strongest independent primaries match or exceed the academic record of the selective government primaries while offering smaller class sizes, broader extracurricular programmes and integrated language teaching.
How many primary international schools
Around 30 independent schools across metropolitan Melbourne run a primary programme with an internationally portable curriculum. Of these, fifteen are authorised IB Primary Years Programme schools, including Wesley College on three campuses, Methodist Ladies College, Caulfield Grammar, Carey Baptist Grammar, Genazzano and Ivanhoe Grammar. Three deliver a national curriculum of a partner country end to end, namely The British School Melbourne, Lycee Condorcet and Deutsche Schule Melbourne.
The remaining schools deliver the Victorian curriculum with strong international features such as a second language stream, an outdoor learning programme or a structured inquiry model. Examples include Christ Church Grammar in South Yarra, Toorak College in Mount Eliza, Geelong Grammar's Bostock House and Toorak Campus, and St Leonards College in Brighton East. The full list of Melbourne independent primary schools is around 80, which is the largest independent primary sector of any Australian capital outside Sydney.
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Illustrative example schools
Three illustrative schools, not a ranking. Each represents a different primary curriculum model in Melbourne.
Wesley College runs the IB Primary Years Programme across its St Kilda Road, Glen Waverley and Elsternwick campuses, with around 1,400 students across the three primaries and a strong record of progression into Wesley senior and the IB Diploma. The St Kilda Road primary has been an IB PYP school since 2002, making it one of the longest serving PYP schools in Australia. Tuition is around AUD 26,000 to 33,000 a year.
The British School Melbourne in Vermont South delivers the English National Curriculum from foundation stage through to year 6 for an expatriate British and Anglophone cohort. The school is COBIS accredited, uses UK trained teachers, and sits on a parkland campus in the eastern suburbs. Tuition is around AUD 24,000 to 32,000 a year. The school does not currently run a secondary phase.
Lycee Condorcet in East Brunswick delivers the French national curriculum from maternelle through to terminale on a single inner city campus. The primary years cover Cycle 2 and Cycle 3 in line with the French Ministry framework and feed directly into the college and lycee. AEFE accredited. Tuition is around AUD 16,000 to 20,000 a year. Our best international schools in Melbourne guide compares these and the other strong primary options.
Fees and the all in cost
Primary fees in Melbourne sit in a wider band than most international families expect. The lower band, AUD 16,000 to 22,000 a year, covers Lycee Condorcet, Deutsche Schule Melbourne and the smaller IB PYP independents. The mid band, AUD 22,000 to 28,000 a year, covers the bulk of the independent IB PYP schools including Carey, Ivanhoe Grammar and Methodist Ladies College middle years. The premium band, AUD 28,000 to 34,000 a year, covers Wesley St Kilda Road, Caulfield Grammar primary, Haileybury Castlefield and Geelong Grammar Bostock.
On top of tuition, families typically pay a one off enrolment fee of AUD 1,500 to 4,500, an annual building or capital levy of AUD 800 to 2,500, school uniform of AUD 500 to 1,200, excursions and camps of AUD 600 to 1,500, and laptop or device costs of AUD 0 to 1,800 a year depending on year level. Our international school fees in Melbourne guide compares the full picture, and the fees explorer lets you compare with Sydney and Brisbane on a like for like basis.
Admissions and where primary families live
Independent primary admissions in Melbourne work on a one to two year forward cycle. Applications for prep entry typically open in the February two years before the start of school and close in the August the year before. Most schools run a parent interview, a brief school readiness assessment and a sibling priority round. Mid year transfers into years 3, 4 and 5 are routine where places exist. International transfers move faster if a place is available, particularly at schools with high turnover from the consular and academic sectors.
Primary families cluster around the schools, and Melbourne's elongated metropolitan footprint means catchment buying remains a real lever. The St Kilda Road and inner south corridor for Wesley, Caulfield Grammar, Methodist Ladies College and St Catherine's. The inner east around Hawthorn, Kew and Camberwell for Carey, Trinity Grammar, Genazzano and Camberwell Grammar. The bayside corridor for Brighton Grammar, Haileybury and Firbank. The eastern suburbs around Vermont, Glen Waverley and Wheelers Hill for The British School Melbourne, Wesley Glen Waverley and Haileybury Keysborough. Lycee Condorcet draws from a tight inner north catchment around East Brunswick and Coburg. Our sibling hubs cover the nursery and preschool, secondary and IB markets in detail.
Frequently asked questions
How many primary international schools are there in Melbourne?
Around 30 schools across metropolitan Melbourne deliver a primary programme with an internationally portable curriculum, including the IB Primary Years Programme, the English National Curriculum, the French Cycle 2 and 3, and the German Hessen state curriculum. Around half of these are independent IB PYP schools.
What is the IB Primary Years Programme?
The IB PYP is an internationally recognised primary framework used from age three to twelve. It is not a separate curriculum but a teaching and inquiry model layered on top of national curricula. In Melbourne it is delivered alongside the Victorian curriculum at Wesley, Methodist Ladies College, Caulfield Grammar and around a dozen other schools.
Can my child transfer from a Singapore or Dubai primary school?
Yes, transfer is straightforward at almost any Melbourne primary school. The IB PYP schools are the most familiar landing point if your child has been in PYP elsewhere. British curriculum continuity is available at The British School Melbourne. American curriculum continuity is limited to a small number of programmes and most families switch into the broader Australian or IB system.
How much do Melbourne primary international schools cost?
Independent primary fees range from AUD 16,000 to 34,000 a year. Community international schools like Lycee Condorcet and Deutsche Schule Melbourne sit at the lower end. Premium independents like Geelong Grammar's Bostock and Caulfield Grammar primary sit at the upper end. Government primary education is free for residents.
When should I apply?
Twelve to twenty four months ahead for prep entry at the popular IB PYP schools. Mid year entry into years 3, 4 and 5 is possible at most schools. Sibling priority and feeder ELC priority both significantly improve odds. International transfers can move faster where places exist.
