At a glance
Geelong Grammar was established in 1855 and moved to its present Corio campus in 1914, growing into one of Australia's largest and best known boarding schools, with around 1,500 students from early learning to Year 12 and a large boarding community among them. It is an Anglican foundation, registered with the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority, and has been an IB World School since 1997. Two features set it apart. The first is Timbertop, a campus in the foothills of the Victorian Alps where the whole of Year 9 spends the year in a residential outdoor programme. The second is positive education, an approach to wellbeing the school helped pioneer and now embeds across its teaching. The main Corio campus carries the middle and senior years, with boarding and day places alongside. Our hub on IB schools in Melbourne sets Geelong Grammar alongside its peers, and the wider Melbourne city hub places it in context for relocating families.
| Detail | Summary |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and programmes | IB Primary Years Programme; IB Diploma Programme or VCE in the senior years |
| Stages | Early learning to Year 12 (ages 3 to 18); extensive boarding |
| Founded | 1855 |
| Accreditation | Registered with the VRQA; IB World School since 1997 |
| Fee band | Premium (see the Melbourne fees guide) |
| Campus | Corio, near Geelong, with Timbertop in the Victorian Alps |
Curriculum and academics
The academic path at Geelong Grammar blends the IB framework with the Victorian pathway. The early and primary years follow the IB Primary Years Programme, and in the senior years students choose between the IB Diploma Programme and the Victorian Certificate of Education, so families can settle on the school first and the senior pathway later. The school has run the Diploma since 1997, which makes it an experienced IB provider rather than a recent adopter, and the dual offer suits a boarding community that draws students from across Australia and overseas, some of whom arrive from IB systems abroad. The Year 9 Timbertop programme sits at the heart of the middle years, building independence and resilience away from the main campus, while positive education threads wellbeing through the curriculum. English is the language of instruction throughout. Families weighing the Diploma route should read our guide to the IB schools in Melbourne to see how Geelong Grammar compares on stage, boarding and intake.
Geelong Grammar fees
| Stage | Annual tuition |
|---|---|
| Bostock House Prep (day) | AUD 21,380 |
| Toorak Year 6 (day) | AUD 37,580 |
| Middle School Years 7 to 8 (day) | AUD 43,140 |
| Senior School Years 10 to 12 (day-boarding) | AUD 52,240 |
| Year 9 Timbertop (full boarding) | AUD 88,500 |
Source: Geelong Grammar School (ggs.vic.edu.au). Domestic schedule; international fees are higher. Senior School day option is day-boarding (includes meals). Year 9 (Timbertop) is full boarding. Fees are the most recent published figures and exclude one-off costs such as registration, deposits and capital levies. Always confirm current fees directly with the school.
Geelong Grammar fees sit at the premium end for Australia, with annual tuition rising by year level and boarding, which a large share of senior students take, charged on top of tuition. The combined day and boarding cost places it among the higher schedules in the country, and the Timbertop year carries its own residential charge. We do not publish a single headline figure here because the school revises fees each year and lists the current schedule on its own admissions pages; you can sense check the band against our guide to international school fees in Melbourne. Beyond tuition and boarding, plan for an application fee, a refundable enrolment deposit, levies and travel. For boarding families in particular these costs are substantial and worth modelling carefully before you commit a place.
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Admissions
Admission runs ahead of the late January start of the Australian school year, and the school encourages families to register interest early because boarding and senior places fill well in advance. Common entry points include the early and junior years, the Year 9 Timbertop year and the senior years, with places at other levels offered as they become available. Assessment is age appropriate: a settling visit and observation for the youngest children, and a review of previous school reports, references and an entry assessment for older applicants. Entry into the senior years takes account of prior subjects and results, particularly for students intending to take the IB Diploma. For boarding, the school also considers a family's circumstances and the fit of boarding for the child, and it asks for school records and usually an interview before confirming a place.
Location and who goes there
The main campus is at Corio, just north of Geelong and around an hour by road from central Melbourne, on a large site that suits its boarding focus. The Timbertop campus sits separately in the foothills of the Victorian Alps for the Year 9 year. Because so many students board, the community reaches well beyond the immediate area, drawing families from regional Victoria, interstate and overseas, alongside day families from Geelong and the surrounding district. That makes Geelong Grammar a realistic option for relocating families who are open to boarding rather than a daily city commute, and a different proposition from the day schools clustered in Melbourne's suburbs. For the full picture of where relocating families settle across the wider region and what each area costs, return to the Melbourne city hub.
Reviews
No verified reviews yet. GlobalSchoolGuide is independent and no school pays to be listed, so we publish parent reviews only once they are verified. If your child attends or has attended Geelong Grammar, you can submit a review to help other relocating families. We never display a star rating without real, checked reviews behind it.
Frequently asked questions
How much are Geelong Grammar fees?
Geelong Grammar fees sit at the premium end for Australia, with boarding among the higher day and boarding schedules in the country, charged on top of tuition. The school publishes its current schedule each year. Budget separately for an application fee, an enrolment deposit, levies and the boarding charge where it applies.
Is Geelong Grammar a good school?
Geelong Grammar is a long established Anglican IB World School founded in 1855, known for its boarding, its Timbertop Year 9 campus and its work on positive education. Whether it suits your child depends on stage, budget, your view of boarding and the IB Diploma against the VCE.
What curriculum does Geelong Grammar follow?
Geelong Grammar runs the IB Primary Years Programme in the early and primary years and offers senior students a choice of the IB Diploma Programme or the VCE. It has been an IB World School since 1997.
When do Geelong Grammar applications open?
Boarding and senior places at Geelong Grammar fill well in advance, so families are encouraged to register interest early. The Year 9 Timbertop year and the senior years are common entry points alongside the early and junior years.
Where is Geelong Grammar located?
The main campus is at Corio, just north of Geelong and around an hour from central Melbourne, with the Timbertop campus in the foothills of the Victorian Alps for Year 9.
