How much do Australian Private Schools Cost?

Private school tuition fees vary considerably across Australia, however you may expect to pay anywhere between $16,000 and $24,000 for a Year 12 day student attending an established, well regarded metropolitan private school - with boarding fees in addition.  Most schools do, however, provide a discount of some form for families where multiple children attend the same school.

Fee Comparisons
 

To provide some additional detail, the table below provides an indication of school fees payable at some well known colleges across Australia for Year 12 students. These are prestigious schools and their fees are at the top end of the range - Catholic schools are usually appreciably less expensive.  The table illustrates some considerable differences in fees between Melbourne and Sydney and other mainland state capitals.  Note that the Christ Church fees are inclusive of text book costs.

Additional Costs

Apart from the cost of school fees, the cost of attendance at an Australian private school includes a range of potential additional costs.  A summarised, and by no means exhaustive, list of costs split into non-recurring and recurring costs appears below:

Non – Recurring
 

• Application Fee – circa $50 to $200
• Enrolment Fee – circa $500 to $2,000 and may be higher; Christ Church charges a non-fundable/non-tax deductible fee of $4,390 for admission
• Non Interest Bearing Loans – may increase as a child progresses through the school

Recurring
 

• Technology Levies
• Building Levies – Compulsory or Voluntary
• Additional subject costs eg. Music, language, sports tuition
• Special Programme costs
• School Camps and Trips
• Uniforms
• Musical equipment hire
• School bus services
• Book charges
• Pre and After-school care costs
• Fundraising support (voluntary)
• International Baccalaureate levies

Add these all these costs together, remember that school fees are paid after tax and that recent increases in school fees have far outstripped background inflation, and you’ll see why we have recommended elsewhere that they should form part of your family’s financial planning.