At a glance
Lauriston Girls' School was founded in 1901 and is one of Melbourne's longest serving independent girls' schools. It has no religious affiliation and an open enrolment policy, with a coeducational early learning centre and girls only enrolment from Prep through to Year 12. The school educates roughly 1,000 students and is one of a small group of Victorian schools to run both senior pathways, the VCE and the IB Diploma, side by side. Its Year 9 Howqua campus in the high country is a defining part of the Lauriston experience. You can place it within the wider market of international schools in Melbourne through our city hub.
| Detail | Summary |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and pathways | Victorian Curriculum, Victorian Certificate of Education and IB Diploma Programme; secular |
| Stages | Early learning to Year 12 (girls from Prep; coeducational early learning) |
| Founded | 1901 |
| Accreditation | IB World School for the Diploma, member of Independent Schools Victoria, registered with the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority |
| Fee band | Premium (see the Melbourne fees guide) |
| Campuses | Main campus in Armadale; Howqua rural campus for Year 9 |
Curriculum and academics
Lauriston teaches the Victorian Curriculum through its primary and middle years before students choose between two senior routes in Years 11 and 12. The Victorian Certificate of Education suits girls who want breadth and the flexibility of subject scoring, while the IB Diploma Programme offers a broad, internationally portable qualification for those heading overseas or wanting the full IB framework. Offering both is unusual in Victoria and is one of the reasons relocating families shortlist the school. The middle years build towards the Year 9 Howqua programme, in which the whole year level lives at the rural campus and combines academic work with outdoor education and community living. Lauriston reports strong university progression across both senior pathways, though families should ask the school for current results and destinations rather than relying on summary claims.
Lauriston Girls' School fees
| Stage | Annual tuition |
|---|---|
| 4-Year-Old Kindergarten | AUD 24,120 |
| Prep to Year 2 | AUD 30,040 |
| Years 7 to 8 | AUD 43,000 |
| Years 10 to 11 | AUD 45,480 |
| Year 12 | AUD 44,960 |
Source: Lauriston Girls' School (lauriston.vic.edu.au). Domestic net annual tuition (after government grants). Girls' day school. Camps, devices and uniforms extra. 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.
Lauriston Girls' School fees sit in the premium band for the city, comparable with the other established Melbourne girls' schools. Annual tuition rises by year level, with the senior years the most expensive stage. We do not publish a single headline figure here because the school revises fees each year; the school office issues the current schedule on request, and you can sense check the band against our guide to international school fees in Melbourne. Beyond tuition, budget for an application fee, an enrolment deposit, uniform and the Year 9 Howqua programme, which carries its own costs. These line items are standard across premium Melbourne schools and can add a meaningful amount in the first year.
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Admissions
Admission is managed well ahead of entry, and the main intake points of Prep, Year 7 and the senior years fill earliest, so families relocating to Melbourne are advised to register as soon as a place is foreseeable. The Australian school year runs from late January to December across four terms. Assessment is age appropriate and typically combines previous school reports, references and an interview, with entrance assessment for some year levels. Families choosing the senior years also discuss the VCE and IB Diploma options so the school can advise on the better fit. The school asks for academic records and usually invites the family to visit the Armadale campus before confirming an offer.
Location and who goes there
The main campus sits in Armadale, an established inner south eastern suburb close to Toorak and Malvern and well served by tram and train, which makes it convenient for families across the inner east and bayside. The Howqua campus, used for the Year 9 year, lies in the high country several hours from the city. The community is predominantly local Melbourne families who value a girls' school environment, with a steady number of relocating and international families drawn by the dual VCE and IB Diploma offer. For the broader picture of where families settle, 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 daughter attends or has attended Lauriston Girls' School, 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 Lauriston Girls' School fees?
Lauriston Girls' School fees sit in the premium band for Melbourne, with tuition rising by year level and the senior years the most expensive. The school revises fees annually and issues the current schedule on request, so budget separately for an application fee, an enrolment deposit, uniform and the Year 9 Howqua programme.
Is Lauriston Girls' School a good school?
Lauriston is one of Melbourne's established independent girls' schools, founded in 1901, and is one of few Victorian schools to offer both the VCE and the IB Diploma. It is known for its Year 9 Howqua campus and a strong record of university progression. Whether it suits your daughter depends on stage, budget and the fit of a girls' school.
What curriculum does Lauriston Girls' School follow?
Lauriston teaches the Victorian Curriculum through the primary and middle years and offers two senior pathways in Years 11 and 12, the Victorian Certificate of Education and the IB Diploma Programme. The early learning centre is coeducational; the school is girls only from Prep to Year 12.
What is the Lauriston Howqua programme?
Howqua is Lauriston's rural campus in Victoria's high country, where Year 9 students live for the year and combine academic study with outdoor education, community living and personal challenge. It is a defining feature of the school's middle years.
When do Lauriston Girls' School applications open?
Registration is open well ahead of entry and the main intake points of Prep, Year 7 and the senior years fill earliest, so families relocating to Melbourne should register as soon as a place is foreseeable. The Australian school year runs from late January to December across four terms.
