At a glance
Melbourne Grammar School opened in 1858 as the Melbourne Church of England Grammar School and is one of the oldest independent schools in Victoria. It runs three linked campuses: Grimwade House in Caulfield for co educational Prep to Year 6, Wadhurst in South Yarra for boys in Years 7 and 8, and the Senior School next door in South Yarra for boys in Years 9 to 12. It is an Anglican school registered with the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority, and it offers boarding for senior students drawn from regional Victoria, interstate and overseas. What gives the school its profile with relocating families is the senior choice between the VCE and the IB Diploma, so a family does not have to trade a school against a pathway. Our hub on IB schools in Melbourne sets Melbourne Grammar beside its peers, and the wider Melbourne city hub places it in context for families arriving in the city.
| Detail | Summary |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and programmes | Victorian curriculum to middle years; IB Diploma Programme or VCE in the senior years |
| Stages | Prep to Year 12 (ages 5 to 18); co educational Prep to Year 6, boys in the senior years |
| Founded | 1858 |
| Accreditation | Registered with the VRQA; authorised IB World School |
| Fee band | Premium (see the Melbourne fees guide) |
| Campus | South Yarra (senior, Wadhurst) and Caulfield (Grimwade House) |
Curriculum and academics
The academic path at Melbourne Grammar follows the Victorian curriculum through the junior and middle years, building literacy, numeracy and inquiry before the senior choice opens in Years 11 and 12. At that point students elect either the VCE or the IB Diploma Programme, which matters for relocating families: a child who has studied the Diploma overseas can continue it, while a child aiming at a Victorian or interstate university can sit the VCE, both within the same school. Teaching is in English throughout. The Senior School in South Yarra runs an academic programme backed by careers and tertiary guidance covering Australian and international university entry, and the school is known for breadth in music, sport and outdoor education rather than a narrow exam focus. Grimwade House, the co educational junior campus, gives younger children a settled start before boys move to Wadhurst and then the Senior School. Families weighing the Diploma route should read our guide to the best international schools in Melbourne for the wider field and how the school compares on stage and intake.
Melbourne Grammar School fees
| Stage | Annual tuition |
|---|---|
| Prep | AUD 36,754 |
| Year 5 | AUD 37,749 |
| Year 9 | AUD 48,185 |
| Year 12 | AUD 46,589 |
Source: Melbourne Grammar School (mgs.vic.edu.au). Domestic fees per annum (tuition plus consolidated charge). International fees are higher; boarding is charged on top. 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.
Melbourne Grammar fees sit firmly in the premium band for Melbourne independent schools, with annual tuition rising by year level and the senior years priced at the top of the schedule. 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, plan for an application fee, a refundable enrolment deposit, a building or capital levy, boarding fees where relevant and optional extras such as bus travel, camps and instrumental music. These first year costs are standard across premium Melbourne schools and worth modelling before you commit, since the levy, the deposit and boarding can add a meaningful sum to the first invoice.
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Admissions
Admission to Melbourne Grammar runs ahead of the Australian school year, which starts in late January, and the school encourages families to register interest early because the most popular entry points fill well in advance. The main intakes are Prep at Grimwade House, Year 7 into Wadhurst and Year 9 into the Senior School, with places at other year 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, for some year levels, an entry assessment for older applicants. Entry into the senior years takes account of a student's prior subjects and results, particularly where a child intends to take the IB Diploma, since the Diploma requires study across subject groups. Boarding applicants are considered alongside day students, and the school usually meets the family before confirming a place.
Location and who goes there
The Senior School and Wadhurst sit on Domain Road in South Yarra, beside the Royal Botanic Gardens and a short tram ride from the city centre, while Grimwade House is in Caulfield to the south east. The catchment is the inner south eastern arc of Melbourne, from South Yarra and Toorak through Malvern, Caulfield and the surrounding suburbs, well served by trams, trains and the school's own bus routes. The community is broad and largely local, with a steady thread of relocating, returning and boarding families drawn by the dual IB and VCE offer and the central position. For families weighing a South Yarra base against the bayside or eastern suburbs, and for the full picture of where relocating families settle 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 Melbourne Grammar 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 Melbourne Grammar School fees?
Melbourne Grammar School fees sit in the premium band for Melbourne independent schools, rising by year level with the senior years priced at the top of the schedule. The school publishes its current fee schedule each year. Budget separately for an application fee, an enrolment deposit, a building levy, boarding if relevant and optional bus travel.
Is Melbourne Grammar School a good school?
Melbourne Grammar is one of the oldest and most established Anglican schools in the city, founded in 1858, offering both the VCE and the IB Diploma in the senior years across three campuses. Whether it suits your child depends on stage, budget, the single sex senior structure and your view of the IB Diploma against the VCE.
What curriculum does Melbourne Grammar School follow?
Melbourne Grammar follows the Victorian curriculum through the junior and middle years, then offers senior students a choice between the IB Diploma Programme and the Victorian Certificate of Education in Years 11 and 12.
When do Melbourne Grammar School applications open?
Melbourne Grammar takes enrolment applications well in advance of the late January start of the Australian school year, and popular entry points such as Prep, Year 7 and Year 9 fill early. Families relocating to Melbourne should register interest as soon as possible.
Is Melbourne Grammar a boys school?
The Wadhurst and Senior campuses in South Yarra are for boys, while the junior campus, Grimwade House in Caulfield, is co educational from Prep to Year 6. Boarding is available in the senior years.
