At a glance
Mount Scopus Memorial College opened in 1949 and was the first co-educational Jewish day school in Melbourne, founded to serve families arriving in the city after the Second World War. It takes its name from Mount Scopus in Jerusalem. The college teaches from the early learning years to Year 12, with the main Gandel campus in Burwood serving Years 4 to 12 and junior campuses for the youngest children located within the community. It is a Modern Orthodox school, registered with the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority, and an authorised IB World School. What distinguishes it academically is the use of the IB Primary Years and Middle Years Programmes, which it is alone among Melbourne's Jewish schools in offering, before students move to the VCE. Our hub on IB schools in Melbourne sets Mount Scopus beside its peers, and the wider Melbourne city hub places it in context for families arriving in the city.
| Detail | Summary |
|---|---|
| Curriculum and programmes | IB Primary Years and Middle Years Programmes; VCE in the senior years; Jewish studies and Hebrew throughout |
| Stages | Early learning to Year 12 (ages 3 to 18), co-educational |
| Founded | 1949 |
| Accreditation | Registered with the VRQA; authorised IB World School |
| Fee band | Premium (see the Melbourne fees guide) |
| Campus | Burwood (Gandel campus), eastern Melbourne |
Curriculum and academics
The academic path at Mount Scopus is built around the International Baccalaureate in the early and middle years, with the Primary Years Programme for younger children and the Middle Years Programme through the secondary school, before students take the VCE in Years 11 and 12. The IB framework gives an inquiry led, internationally recognised structure that travels well for relocating families, while the VCE keeps students on a clear path to Australian university entry. Running alongside the secular programme is a substantial Jewish studies and Hebrew curriculum, which is a defining feature of the school and a reason families choose it. Teaching is in English, with Hebrew taught as part of the Jewish studies programme. The senior school is supported by careers and tertiary guidance covering Australian and international university entry. Families weighing the IB pathway should read our guide to the IB schools in Melbourne for the wider field and how Mount Scopus compares on stage and intake.
Mount Scopus Memorial College fees
Mount Scopus fees sit 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 and optional extras such as bus travel and camps. Jewish community schools often run bursary or support arrangements for families who need them, so it is worth asking the admissions office directly. These first year costs are standard across premium Melbourne schools and worth modelling before you commit, since the levy and the deposit can add a meaningful sum to the first invoice.
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Admissions
Admission to Mount Scopus 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. As a community school it considers a family's connection to the Jewish community as part of enrolment, alongside the usual review of previous school reports and references, and an age appropriate settling visit or assessment. Entry into the senior years takes account of a student's prior subjects and results. The school usually meets the family before confirming a place, and can advise on Jewish studies placement for children new to the programme.
Location and who goes there
The Gandel campus sits in Burwood in Melbourne's east, served by tram and bus routes and the college's own bus network, with the youngest children at junior campuses closer to the established Jewish communities of the inner south east. The catchment runs through the eastern and south eastern suburbs where those communities are concentrated, from Caulfield and Glen Iris out to Burwood and beyond. The community is close knit and largely local, drawn by the combination of an IB academic programme and a full Jewish studies curriculum, with a thread of relocating and returning families. For families weighing an eastern suburbs base against the bayside or inner city, 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 Mount Scopus Memorial 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 Mount Scopus Memorial College fees?
Mount Scopus Memorial 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 and optional bus travel.
Is Mount Scopus Memorial College a good school?
Mount Scopus is an established Jewish co-educational IB World School founded in 1949, the only Jewish school in Melbourne to offer the IB Primary Years and Middle Years Programmes alongside the VCE. Whether it suits your child depends on stage, budget, the Burwood location and your interest in a Jewish education.
What curriculum does Mount Scopus Memorial College follow?
Mount Scopus offers the IB Primary Years Programme and Middle Years Programme through the junior and middle years, then the VCE in the senior years, all within a Jewish studies and Hebrew programme.
When do Mount Scopus Memorial College applications open?
Mount Scopus 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.
Where is Mount Scopus Memorial College located?
The main Gandel campus is in Burwood in Melbourne's east, serving Years 4 to 12, with junior campuses for the youngest children in the surrounding community. The campus is served by tram, bus and the college's own bus network.
