At a glance
Methodist Ladies' College opened on its Kew campus in 1882 and was the first girls school established in the colony by the Wesleyan Methodists. It has grown into one of the larger girls schools in Melbourne, teaching from the early learning centre, MLC Kindle, through to Year 12, with boarding available for senior students from regional Victoria, interstate and overseas. The school is non denominational today, registered with the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority, and an authorised IB World School. What stands out for relocating families is the senior choice: girls can take the IB Diploma, the VCE or vocational education and training options, so a school and a pathway do not have to be decided separately. Our hub on IB schools in Melbourne sets MLC 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, VCE or VET in the senior years |
| Stages | Early learning to Year 12 (ages 3 to 18), girls |
| Founded | 1882 |
| Accreditation | Registered with the VRQA; authorised IB World School |
| Fee band | Premium (see the Melbourne fees guide) |
| Campus | Kew, inner eastern Melbourne |
Curriculum and academics
The academic path at MLC follows the Victorian curriculum through the junior and middle years, building literacy, numeracy and independent study before the senior choice opens in Years 11 and 12. At that point girls elect the IB Diploma Programme, the VCE or a vocational pathway, and the school has run the Diploma for many years, which places it among the more experienced IB providers in the city rather than a recent adopter. That breadth matters for relocating families: a girl who has studied the Diploma overseas can continue it, while one aiming at a Victorian or interstate university can sit the VCE, all within the same community. Teaching is in English throughout, and the senior programme is supported by careers and tertiary guidance covering both Australian and international university entry. The school is also known for its music, sport and outdoor education, including its own outdoor campus, alongside the academic offer. Families weighing the Diploma route should read our guide to the best international schools in Melbourne for the wider field and how MLC compares on stage and intake.
Methodist Ladies' College fees
MLC 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.
Comparing MLC with other Kew schools?
Use our compare tool to put up to three Melbourne schools side by side on curriculum, stage, fee band and catchment. Free and independent.
Admissions
Admission to MLC 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 the early learning years, Prep and Year 7, 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 girl's prior subjects and results, particularly where she 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
MLC sits on a large campus in Kew, one of Melbourne's established inner eastern suburbs, a short distance from the city centre and well served by trams, buses and the school's own bus network. The catchment is the leafy eastern arc of the city, from Kew and Hawthorn out through Balwyn, Camberwell and the surrounding suburbs, with boarders drawn from further afield. The community is broad and largely local, with a steady thread of relocating, returning and boarding families drawn by the IB Diploma offer and the strength of the co curriculum. For families weighing a Kew base against the bayside or northern 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 Methodist Ladies' College, 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 Methodist Ladies' College fees?
Methodist Ladies' College 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 Methodist Ladies' College a good school?
MLC is a large, established girls school founded in 1882, offering the VCE, vocational pathways and the IB Diploma, with a long record on the Diploma. Whether it suits your child depends on stage, budget, the single sex setting in Kew and your view of the IB Diploma against the VCE.
What curriculum does Methodist Ladies' College follow?
MLC follows the Victorian curriculum through the junior and middle years, then offers senior students a choice between the IB Diploma Programme, the VCE and vocational education and training options in Years 11 and 12.
When do Methodist Ladies' College applications open?
MLC takes enrolment applications well in advance of the late January start of the Australian school year, and popular entry points such as the early learning years, Prep and Year 7 fill early. Families relocating to Melbourne should register interest as soon as possible.
Is MLC a girls school?
Yes. MLC is a day and boarding school for girls from the early learning years to Year 12, located in Kew in Melbourne's inner east, with boarding available in the senior years.
