Scotch College Melbourne fees for 2027 are $45,927 a year for Years 7–8 and $47,853 a year for Years 9–12, with boarding an additional $38,031 a year, according to the school’s official Scale of Fees 2027 for Australian citizens and permanent residents (issued by the Scotch College Council in August 2026, checked 23 October 2026). Junior School tuition runs from $38,268 a year (Prep to Year 2) to $41,001 a year (Years 3–6). New families also pay a non-refundable $250 application fee, a non-refundable $2,000 enrolment fee and a holding fee that is credited towards tuition. All amounts are in Australian dollars. The fees page now shows only the 2027 schedule, so 2026 figures are not published on the official site any more.
If you searched “Scotch College Melbourne fees”, the headline number is only part of the decision. Families also want to know when to apply (the order of applications matters at Scotch), what boarding really costs, whether there is a scholarship route, what a full Prep–Year 12 education adds up to, and which other schools to compare. This page answers those questions from Scotch College’s own website, then sets it against Melbourne Grammar School, Geelong Grammar School and NIJIN GLOBAL ACADEMY (NGA) — a very different option: an online international school for ages 6–18 that opens in September 2027.
The short answer: who Scotch College suits — and who it doesn’t
- Suits: families who want a single-campus Prep–Year 12 boys’ school. Junior and Senior Schools share the riverfront campus in Hawthorn, and the school says having all boys on one campus lets older students act as role models for younger ones.
- Suits: families who plan early. Applications are accepted from birth, and the official application page says the date applications are received “does impact the order in which places are allocated” — unlike schools that admit purely by test.
- Suits: regional and international families who need boarding. Boarders may enter in Years 7–11, and every boy on an international student visa boards at “The Hill” for his whole time at Scotch.
- Suits: boys who will enjoy outdoor education and a full co-curricular life. Scotch runs outdoor education campuses at Healesville, Cowes and Mallacoota, where the new Fairhaven program is being developed for Year 9.
- Harder fit: girls, and families who want co-education. Scotch is a boys’ school from Prep to Year 12.
- Harder fit: families who want the IB Diploma. The official pages describe the two-year VCE in Years 11 and 12; we found no mention of the International Baccalaureate on the pages we checked.
- Harder fit: families who decide late or whose budget is stretched. Main intakes are Prep, Year 4, Year 7 and Year 9, waiting lists are common, and day tuition alone is close to $48,000 a year in the senior years.
What Scotch College Melbourne is
Scotch College is an independent boys’ school in Hawthorn, Melbourne. Its official history describes it as “the oldest surviving secondary school in Victoria”. The school traces its start to 6 October 1851, when the Melbourne Academy — known by 1855 as The Scotch College — opened in Spring Street under its first Principal, Robert Lawson, after the Reverend James Forbes, the first settled Presbyterian minister in Melbourne, asked the Free Church of Scotland to send a teacher. The school describes its founding principles as rooted in the Scottish Enlightenment and its Christian heritage.
Today Scotch offers a complete primary and secondary education from Prep to Year 12 on a single campus beside the Yarra River, plus outdoor education campuses in Healesville, Cowes and Mallacoota. Its Admissions pages describe four standard intake years — Prep, Year 4, Year 7 and Year 9 — and a boarding community for boys from Year 7.
| Item | Scotch College Melbourne (official information, checked 23 October 2026) |
|---|---|
| School type | Independent boys’ school with Presbyterian heritage; day and boarding |
| Campus | Hawthorn, Melbourne (Prep–Year 12 on one campus); outdoor education at Healesville, Cowes and Mallacoota |
| Years | Prep to Year 12; boarding entry in Years 7–11 |
| Tuition 2027 | $38,268–$41,001 a year (Junior School); $45,927 (Years 7–8) and $47,853 (Years 9–12) a year (AUD) |
| Boarding 2027 | $38,031 a year on top of tuition |
| Senior credential | Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE); IB not mentioned on the official pages checked |
| Main intakes | Prep, Year 4, Year 7, Year 9 (other years case by case) |
| Founded | 1851 (as the Melbourne Academy) |
Scotch College Melbourne fees 2027 (official)
Everything in this section comes from the Fees & Policies page and the linked Scale of Fees 2027 (PDF), both checked on 23 October 2026. The PDF is signed “Scotch College Council, August 2026”. The fees page says the scale “outlines fees for each year group in 2027, including those for boarding and international students”.
Annual tuition by year level (Australian citizens and permanent residents, 2027)
| Year level | Fee per annum 2027 | Per instalment (3 instalments) |
|---|---|---|
| Prep and Year 1 | $38,268 | $12,756 |
| Year 2 | $38,268 | $12,756 |
| Years 3–6 | $41,001 | $13,667 |
| Years 7–8 | $45,927 | $15,309 |
| Years 9–12 | $47,853 | $15,951 |
| Boarding fee (additional to tuition) | $38,031 | $12,677 |
Tuition accounts are sent in August of the year before entry, then in January, April and August each year; in a boy’s final year no August account is issued. Boarding accounts are sent in January, April and August. Accounts are payable within fourteen days. A term’s notice is required to withdraw a boy; otherwise a full term’s tuition fees are payable.
One-off fees
| Cost item | Amount | Notes from the official pages |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $250 | Paid when the application is lodged; non-refundable |
| Enrolment fee | $2,000 | Paid on accepting an offer; non-refundable, non-transferable and not credited towards tuition |
| Holding fee | $6,600 (2028 entry); $6,900 (2029 entry) | Paid on accepting an offer; non-refundable, but credited towards tuition (the PDF says in the January account; the application page says it is deducted from the second fee instalment) |
| Fairhaven (Year 9) | Not published on the official site | An additional fee for Year 9 “will be charged when the compulsory Fairhaven Outdoor Education program commences” |
Uniforms (sold through The Scotch Shop), books, devices, music tuition, camps and tours are not priced in the Scale of Fees: not published on the official site. The Scale also does not publish a sibling discount or an early-payment discount.
International students (student visa, 2027)
Boys on a student visa pay a separate schedule. For 2027, Years 7–8 cost $50,748 gross tuition + $15,324 International Student Charge + $38,031 boarding = $104,103 a year; Years 9–12 cost $52,674 + $15,324 + $38,031 = $106,029 a year. The school says the International Student Charge covers administration and fees such as international student health cover, the international surety fee and the registered school board fee. The same $250 application fee, $2,000 enrolment fee and holding fee apply.
What Scotch costs over the years (2027 prices)
Using only the official 2027 figures, with no fee rises and no scholarship, here is the arithmetic for common pathways (the holding fee is left out because it is credited towards tuition):
- Year 7 to Year 12 as a day boy: 2 × $45,927 + 4 × $47,853 = $91,854 + $191,412 = $283,266 tuition, plus $250 application and $2,000 enrolment = $285,516.
- Year 7 to Year 12 as a boarder: $283,266 tuition + 6 × $38,031 boarding ($228,186) = $511,452, plus $2,250 in one-off fees = $513,702.
- Prep to Year 12 as a day boy: 3 × $38,268 + 4 × $41,001 = $114,804 + $164,004 = $278,808 for Prep–Year 6; add $283,266 for Years 7–12 = $562,074 tuition, plus $2,250 = $564,324.
- Year 9 entry to Year 12 as a day boy: 4 × $47,853 = $191,412 + $2,250 = $193,662, plus the Fairhaven fee once it is published.
The first year in Year 7 as a day boy costs $45,927 + $2,000 + $250 = $48,177 before uniforms and books; as a boarder, $45,927 + $38,031 + $2,250 = $86,208. These are 2027 prices; fees usually rise each year, so the real total will be higher. Our guide to online vs in-person international school costs puts numbers like these in a wider context.
Scholarships
The scholarships page lists Excellence in Academics, Music, Drama, Visual Arts, Sport, and Leadership and Community Service scholarships, plus Boarding and First Nations scholarships. Recipients “receive a reduction in their tuition and/or boarding fees for the duration of their time at Scotch”, and both means-tested and non-means-tested categories exist. For Year 7, Year 9 and Year 10 entry in 2028, applications opened on 1 September 2026, closed on 5 October 2026, the examination was on Saturday 17 October 2026 and Music and Drama auditions are on Sunday 25 October 2026 — so the 2028 round is closed, except for First Nations Scholarships, which are accepted at any time. Academic scholarship applicants must be Australian citizens or permanent residents. The value of each scholarship and the number awarded are not published on the official site.
Enrolment: how getting a place at Scotch works
Scotch’s application process page sets out three steps.
- Application. Complete the online form for a standard intake year (Prep, Year 4, Year 7 or Year 9), pay the $250 fee and supply a birth certificate. Your son then joins the waiting list for his year level and start year. An application “is a prerequisite for admission but not a guarantee of admission”. Entry in other years is considered case by case.
- Placement offers. Applications are generally accepted in the order properly completed forms were received, but the school may give priority by intake type (boarding), association with the school (siblings, Old Boys’ families, staff), values alignment, holistic achievement, commitment to Christianity (for example sons of Presbyterian Church of Victoria members) and interview.
- Accepting a place. Sign the Enrolment Form, Enrolment Agreement and Code of Conduct, and pay the enrolment and holding fees by the date in the offer.
Two practical points stand out. First, timing matters: Scotch accepts applications from birth, and the school recommends applying “as early as possible” because there are usually more applicants than places. Second, the application page does not describe an academic entrance exam for standard day entry; the scholarship round is the part with a formal examination. Families wanting international student places should contact the Admissions Office, as the process differs.
How a school day works: VCE, boarding and term dates
Scotch is an in-person day and boarding school on Melbourne time. The international students page explains that the academic program leads to the two-year VCE in Years 11 and 12 (CRICOS course code 006534K); a typical Year 12 student studies five subjects chosen from more than 30, including Mandarin Chinese, French, Latin and Italian. The school says almost all final-year students are offered tertiary places.
Boarding is centred on “The Hill”, the boarding precinct. Boarders may enter in Years 7–11, and the most popular international entry levels are Year 7 and Year 9. Boys are placed in houses with others in their year group.
The Australian school year runs from late January to December. The official term dates show students returning on Friday 30 January 2026, Term 3 ending on 18 September and the year ending for students on Wednesday 9 December 2026. For 2027, students return on Friday 29 January 2027. If you are comparing a campus school with learning from home, our explainer on how an online international school day works shows what the other side looks like.
Accreditation, VCE and university recognition
Scotch prepares boys for the Victorian Certificate of Education, which leads to an ATAR used for Australian university entry and recognised by many universities overseas. The school is registered with a CRICOS course code for international students. We did not find a mention of the IB Diploma on the official pages checked on 23 October 2026. The school mentions boys appearing on the VCE Honour Roll and High Achievers list each year; detailed results by percentage were not on the pages we checked.
Scotch College vs NIJIN GLOBAL ACADEMY vs two other options (official data)
Families weighing Scotch often look at Melbourne Grammar School (South Yarra) and Geelong Grammar School (Corio and Timbertop). NIJIN GLOBAL ACADEMY (NGA) is a different kind of school altogether — online, for ages 6–18, and not yet open.
| Scotch College Melbourne | NIJIN GLOBAL ACADEMY | Melbourne Grammar School | Geelong Grammar School | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| School type | Independent boys’ school, day and boarding | Online international school focused on Asia & Oceania; opens September 2027 (planned) | Independent Anglican school; co-ed Prep–Year 6, boys Years 7–12; day and boarding | Independent co-educational day and boarding school |
| Ages / years | Prep to Year 12 | Ages 6–18 | Prep to Year 12 | ELC to Year 12 (Timbertop for Year 9) |
| Tuition (official) | 2027: $45,927 (Years 7–8), $47,853 (Years 9–12) a year | Not yet published (no enrolment, facility or uniform fees; materials included; sibling discounts) | 2026: $44,657 (Year 7) to $52,255 (Year 10) a year incl. consolidated charge | 2027: $48,180 a year (Corio Years 7–8 day); Timbertop $98,820 incl. boarding |
| Boarding | +$38,031 a year (2027) | Not applicable (learn from home) | $36,830 a year incl. charge (2026) | Years 7–8 full boarder $94,040 a year incl. tuition (2027) |
| Curriculum / senior credential | VCE | Subjects learned in English, CEFR-based English levels, projects; optional Cambridge IGCSE / A-Level pathway | See official site | IB Diploma Programme in combination with VCE (official site) |
| Classes & time zone | In person, Melbourne time | Small live online dialogue groups (about 8); built for Asia–Oceania daytime — check the timetable against local time | In person, Melbourne time | In person, Victorian time |
| Accreditation / diploma | VCE; long track record | Not yet accredited; no graduates yet | See official site | VCE and IB Diploma |
| Admission | Waiting list by application date with priority criteria; scholarship exam | No academic entrance exam, no English requirement | Entry points Prep, Year 3, Year 7, Year 9 (see official site) | Application $350; enrolment fee $2,500 ($5,000 Year 9) |
| Start dates | Late January; main intakes Prep, Year 4, Year 7, Year 9 | September 2027 (planned); free trial classes monthly from September 2026 | See official site | See official site |
Sources: Scotch College Scale of Fees 2027 (PDF), Scotch application process, Melbourne Grammar School tuition and boarding fees, Geelong Grammar School fees, Geelong Grammar School — checked 23 October 2026.
Reviews and common concerns, answered honestly
Parents researching Scotch tend to raise the same questions. Here is what the official pages say, so you can weigh them yourself.
“Is Scotch College Melbourne worth it?”
That depends on what you value. Scotch offers a single Prep–Year 12 campus, a long history, boarding, outdoor education campuses and a VCE program with more than 30 subjects. The honest test is fit: a boy who will throw himself into school life, sport, music and outdoor education is more likely to get the full value of a fee of nearly $48,000 a year in the senior years.
“Do we need to apply at birth?”
Not necessarily, but earlier is better. The school accepts applications from birth, recommends applying as early as possible and says the date of application affects the order in which places are allocated, alongside priority criteria such as siblings and boarding.
“Is there an entrance exam?”
The application page describes a waiting list and priority criteria rather than an academic entrance exam for standard day entry. Scholarship applicants sit an examination; in 2026 it was held on 17 October for 2028 entry.
“What extras should we budget for?”
The Scale of Fees covers tuition, boarding and the application, enrolment and holding fees. A Year 9 Fairhaven fee will be added when that program starts, and uniforms, books, camps and music lessons are not priced there. Ask the school for current costs before you commit.
“Is a boys-only school right for my son?”
This is a family judgement. Scotch is boys-only from Prep to Year 12. Families who want co-education might compare Geelong Grammar, which is co-educational, or Melbourne Grammar, whose Grimwade House campus is co-educational for Prep–Year 6.
“Can we apply from overseas?”
Yes. International students on a student visa are accepted and board for their whole time at Scotch; families can apply directly or through education agents, and should contact the Admissions Office first. Academic scholarships are for citizens and permanent residents only.
Alternatives to Scotch College Melbourne worth comparing
Melbourne Grammar School suits families who want a city school on St Kilda Road with a co-educational primary campus and boys’ secondary years. Its 2026 domestic fees, including a consolidated charge for compulsory resources such as camps, are $44,657 (Year 7), $44,621 (Year 8), $48,185 (Year 9), $52,255 (Year 10), $46,405 (Year 11) and $46,589 (Year 12). Years 7–12 therefore add up to $44,657 + $44,621 + $48,185 + $52,255 + $46,405 + $46,589 = $282,712 at 2026 prices, before one-off fees. Boarding is $36,830 a year including the charge.
Geelong Grammar School suits families who want co-education, the option of the IB Diploma alongside the VCE, and the Year 9 Timbertop experience. Its 2027 fee page lists $48,180 a year for Corio Years 7–8 day students and $98,820 a year for Timbertop full boarding and tuition, with a $350 application fee and a $2,500 enrolment fee ($5,000 for Year 9). For more Melbourne options, see our guide to international schools in Melbourne; for a Sydney comparison, read our Sydney Grammar School fees review, and for Australian families weighing study from home, our online school options in Australia guide.
NIJIN GLOBAL ACADEMY (NGA) is a different kind of option. It is an online international school for ages 6–18 focused on Asia and Oceania, opening in September 2027 (planned), with free trial classes monthly from September 2026 and pre-opening trial classes in April–May 2027. Its first cohort is 100 students, and it is operated by NIJIN Inc. in Japan, whose alternative school NIJIN Academy has more than 1,000 students. NGA does not rank children by test scores: lessons are small-group live dialogue (classes of about 8), subjects are learned in English with a bilingual English–Japanese mentor, English levels follow the CEFR, and students join social co-creation projects with companies and governments plus international exchange. An optional Cambridge IGCSE / A-Level pathway is listed on the curriculum and timetable page. There is no academic entrance exam and no English requirement; it can run alongside a local school or as the main school, and it travels with the family if they relocate. Tuition is not yet published; NGA says it will be far more affordable than a typical international school, with no enrolment, facility or uniform fees, materials included and sibling discounts.
Be clear about the trade-offs: NGA is not yet open, is not yet accredited and has no graduates or track record. It does not award the VCE, and it is not a campus or boarding school — there is no Hawthorn campus, no house system and no outdoor education camp. Its timetable is built for Asia–Oceania daytime, which suits Australian time zones well: Melbourne is only one or two hours ahead of Japan, depending on daylight saving. Families should still check the timetable against local time. If your son wants a traditional boys’ school with the VCE and boarding, Scotch, Melbourne Grammar and Geelong Grammar are the schools to compare.
For a wider view, see our online international schools compared guide, or read why some families choose an online international school.
FAQ
How much does Scotch College Melbourne cost per year?
For 2027, tuition for Australian citizens and permanent residents is $38,268 (Prep–Year 2), $41,001 (Years 3–6), $45,927 (Years 7–8) and $47,853 (Years 9–12) a year, paid in three instalments. Boarding is an additional $38,031 a year (official Scale of Fees 2027, checked 23 October 2026).
What are the Scotch College enrolment fees?
A $250 non-refundable application fee, a $2,000 non-refundable enrolment fee on accepting an offer, and a holding fee ($6,600 for 2028 entry, $6,900 for 2029 entry) that is credited towards tuition.
How much are Scotch College boarding fees?
For 2027, $38,031 a year on top of tuition for domestic boarders. International students pay $104,103 (Years 7–8) or $106,029 (Years 9–12) a year in total, including tuition, the International Student Charge and boarding.
Can international students enrol at Scotch College?
Yes. Boys on a student visa join the boarding community; the most popular entry levels are Year 7 and Year 9. Contact the Admissions Office, as the process differs from domestic entry.
Is Scotch College Melbourne worth it, and what are the alternatives?
It can be for boys who will use its campus, boarding, outdoor education and VCE program fully. Families often compare Melbourne Grammar School and Geelong Grammar School. NIJIN GLOBAL ACADEMY is a very different, online option for ages 6–18 with no academic entrance exam and no English requirement; it opens in September 2027 and is not yet accredited.
Choosing calmly, with the whole picture
Scotch College offers something with deep roots in Melbourne: a boys’ school with more than 170 years of history, one campus from Prep to Year 12 and a strong boarding tradition. The most useful thing you can do now is decide which intake year fits your son, get the application in early, and add boarding, one-off fees and extras to the tuition figure over all the years you expect him to stay. Whichever school you choose, the right one is the place where your child will be known, stretched and happy.
Tuition and admissions details were checked on the official websites on 23 October 2026. Schools revise fees every year — always confirm on the official site before applying.
