Sydney Grammar School fees for 2026 are $52,410 a year for Forms I–VI (Years 7–12) at College Street, paid in three instalments of $17,470, according to the school’s official 2026 schedule of fees (checked 20 October 2026). At the two preparatory schools, St Ives and Edgecliff, 2026 tuition runs from $36,825 a year (Preschool and Kindergarten) to $46,194 a year (Years 5–6). Every new boy also pays a non-refundable $300 application fee and, once admitted, an Entrance Fee of $8,735 — one sixth of the Form I tuition fee — unless he is a scholar. All amounts are in Australian dollars, and a 2027 fee schedule was not yet published on the official site when we checked.
If you searched “Sydney Grammar School fees”, the number is only the start. The harder questions are whether an academically selective boys’ school suits your son, how the Entrance Assessment and scholarship test work, what a full Grammar education adds up to over the years, and what else to compare it with. This page answers those questions from Sydney Grammar’s own website, then sets it against Sydney Boys High School (a selective government school), Cranbrook 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 Sydney Grammar suits — and who it doesn’t
- Suits: academically strong, curious boys who will enjoy a demanding liberal education. Every boy in Form I studies Latin and French alongside English, Mathematics, Science, History, Geography, Art, Applied Arts, Music and PDHPE, and HSC students must take at least two humanities subjects.
- Suits: families who can plan around a set assessment calendar. Entry to College Street is by Entrance Assessment in English and Mathematics in the year before entry, followed by an Activities Day or interview; the school says the time of applying “has no bearing on the selection process”.
- Suits: families who want a secular city school. The official history describes Grammar as a “socially comprehensive secular school” that takes boys of any religion or none, and boys travel in from all over Sydney to College Street, opposite Hyde Park.
- Suits: families who want a K–12 pathway for a young son. Boys from Sixth Class at St Ives and Edgecliff progress to Form I “unless the boy is thought unlikely to flourish at College Street”.
- Harder fit: girls, and families who want co-education. Sydney Grammar is a boys’ school at every campus, although Edgecliff runs co-educational activities with nearby girls’ schools.
- Harder fit: international students. The entrance page states that Sydney Grammar “is not registered to enrol international students”; applications are accepted only from Australian and New Zealand citizens and Australian permanent residents.
- Harder fit: families who want the IB Diploma, or whose budget is stretched. The senior curriculum is the NSW Higher School Certificate (HSC), and $52,410 a year is a significant commitment over six years; scholarships and fee-assisted places exist but are limited.
What Sydney Grammar School is
Sydney Grammar School is an independent, secular school for boys and one of the oldest schools in Australia. Its official history traces an ancestor, the Sydney Public Free Grammar School, to 1825; the present school was founded by Act of Parliament in 1854 and began its work in 1857 in the College Street buildings, where it has remained ever since. The Act makes the Governor of New South Wales the school’s Visitor and gives senior representatives of Parliament and the University of Sydney seats as Trustees, but the school says it is not under government or university control and is not associated with any church.
Grammar has three campuses. The senior school at College Street, Darlinghurst, has “around eleven hundred boys” in Forms I–VI (Years 7–12). Two preparatory schools take younger boys: St Ives Preparatory School on Sydney’s upper North Shore (“over four hundred” boys, from Preschool) and Edgecliff Preparatory School in Paddington, in the eastern suburbs (“three hundred” boys, from Kindergarten). The history page says the school takes 120 boys each year from the two prep schools into College Street.
| Item | Sydney Grammar School (official information, checked 20 October 2026) |
|---|---|
| School type | Independent, secular, academically selective school for boys |
| Campuses | College Street, Darlinghurst (Years 7–12); St Ives Preparatory (Preschool–Year 6); Edgecliff Preparatory, Paddington (Kindergarten–Year 6) |
| Student numbers | About 1,100 at College Street, over 400 at St Ives, 300 at Edgecliff |
| Tuition 2026 | $52,410 a year (Years 7–12); $36,825–$46,194 a year at the prep schools (AUD) |
| Senior credential | NSW Higher School Certificate (HSC); the IB is not mentioned on the official pages checked |
| Entry | Entrance Assessment in English and Mathematics plus interview (College Street); age-appropriate assessments at the prep schools |
| International students | Not registered to enrol international students |
| Founded | By Act of Parliament in 1854; at College Street since 1857 |
Sydney Grammar School fees 2026 (official)
Everything below comes from Sydney Grammar’s College Street fees page, the fee pages of St Ives Preparatory School and Edgecliff Preparatory School, and the enrolment page, all checked on 20 October 2026. Each fee page is headed “Schedule of Fees 2026 – Issue date 25 November 2025”.
Annual tuition by campus and year level (2026)
| Campus / year level | Annual tuition 2026 | Per instalment (Terms I, II and III) |
|---|---|---|
| St Ives or Edgecliff: Preschool and Kindergarten | $36,825 | $12,275 |
| St Ives or Edgecliff: Years 1–2 | $41,871 | $13,957 |
| St Ives or Edgecliff: Years 3–4 | $43,887 | $14,629 |
| St Ives or Edgecliff: Years 5–6 | $46,194 | $15,398 |
| College Street: Forms I–VI (Years 7–12) | $52,410 | $17,470 |
The two prep schools publish the same 2026 schedule. Fees are charged in advance in three equal instalments at the beginning of Terms I, II and III, payable by the last Friday in February, May and August. The College Street fee is a single rate for all six years, so there is no step-up in Years 11 and 12. The 2027 schedule was not published on the official site when we checked on 20 October 2026.
One-off and other costs
| Cost item | Amount | Notes from the official pages |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | $300 | Non-refundable; paid with the online application at any campus |
| Entrance Fee | $8,735 | One sixth of the Form I annual tuition; payable after admission is confirmed (to College Street or a prep school), normally in the year before entry; not payable by scholars (pro rata for partial scholarships) |
| Voluntary building fund | Suggested amount on each statement | Fully tax-deductible; amount not published on the fees page |
| Late payment | $100 a month | Administration charge on overdue accounts |
| Withdrawal without notice | One quarter of the annual fee | One full term’s written notice is required before removing a boy |
Uniforms (sold through the Grammar Shop), textbooks, music lessons, camps, tours and exchanges are not priced on the fee pages: not published on the official site. Payment is by BPAY or card, with a cost-recovery fee on some credit card payments; cash is not accepted. Unlike some Sydney schools, Grammar does not publish a sibling discount or an early-payment discount on its fee pages.
What Sydney Grammar costs over the years (2026 prices)
Using only the official 2026 figures, with no fee rises and no scholarship, here is the arithmetic for three common entry points:
- Year 7 to Year 12 at College Street: 6 × $52,410 = $314,460 tuition, plus the $8,735 Entrance Fee and $300 application fee = $323,495.
- Kindergarten to Year 12 (Edgecliff or St Ives, then College Street): prep tuition $36,825 + 2 × $41,871 + 2 × $43,887 + 2 × $46,194 = $300,729; add College Street’s $314,460 = $615,189 tuition, plus one Entrance Fee and application fee = about $624,224.
- Year 3 entry to Year 12: 2 × $43,887 + 2 × $46,194 + $314,460 = $494,622 tuition, plus $9,035 in entry fees = about $503,657.
The first year at College Street alone costs $52,410 + $8,735 + $300 = $61,445 before uniforms and books. These are today’s 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 and fee-assisted places
Sydney Grammar’s scholarships page says academic scholarships are offered every year for boys entering Form I (Year 7) only — not for Forms II–V and not at the prep schools. From 2028, scholarships “will be worth 20% remission of the annual tuition fees”, with any further help given as means-tested fee assistance. At the 2026 rate, 20% would be $10,482 a year, or $62,892 over six years, and scholars do not pay the $8,735 Entrance Fee — but 2028 fees are not yet published, so treat this as an illustration only. For 2028 Form I scholarships, registration opens on Thursday 1 October 2026, closes on Wednesday 20 January 2027, and the Scholarship Assessment is on Sunday 31 January 2027. Music scholarships for Form I entry are also offered, based on an audition, the academic scholarship assessment and willingness to join the school’s co-curricular life.
Separately, the fee-assisted places page says the school offers a number of places to boys who are well suited to Grammar but whose parents cannot afford the full fees, with the amount based on financial information provided during admissions. It adds that “families with limited incomes, rather than those who are asset rich and cash poor, should consider applying.” The number of places and income thresholds are not published on the official site.
Entrance exam and admissions: how getting in really works
Sydney Grammar describes itself as “an academic selective school”. The entrance page sets out the process for College Street, and the prep schools publish their own.
- Form I (Year 7) at College Street. Boys not coming from St Ives or Edgecliff sit the Entrance Assessment in the year before entry. It tests English and Mathematics and is age-appropriate; the school says “coaching for the assessment is strongly discouraged”. Boys who do well are invited to an Activities Day and possibly an interview, and offers follow the interview stage. Applications for Form I 2027 have closed (registration closed on 20 February 2026); applications are open for 2028 and beyond, with 2028 dates “published shortly”.
- Forms II–V (Years 8–11). Boys sit an Entrance Assessment in August of the year before entry, then an interview that looks at “intellectual curiosity, the breadth of his interests” and willingness to contribute to co-curricular life. Places are limited and wait-listed. Candidates must sit the assessment in person at College Street — “We do not offer remote testing.”
- St Ives Preparatory. Main entry points are Preschool (at least 4 on 1 January of the entry year), Kindergarten (at least 5) and Year 3. Younger boys attend a play-based “Activity Morning” of about 90 minutes in small groups the year before entry; boys need strong spoken English. Places in other years are occasional.
- Edgecliff Preparatory. Entry points are Kindergarten, Year 3 and Year 5, assessed in three stages: a first assessment, a second stage (a “Taster Day” for Years 3 and 5) and an interview with the Headmaster. For 2028 entry, Kindergarten applications close on 22 January 2027, Year 5 on 2 April 2027 and Year 3 on 23 April 2027.
Two practical points stand out. First, the main door is Form I: prep boys move up automatically unless thought unlikely to flourish, so outside entry at later years is competitive and limited. Second, residency rules apply at every level: the school is not registered for international students, so families moving to Sydney on temporary visas should talk to the Admissions Office before applying. Australian families living overseas can contact the school — the Edgecliff page invites overseas residents to get in touch about assessments. The next College Street Open Day is listed for 4 March 2027.
How a school day works: curriculum, sport and term dates
Grammar is an in-person day school on Sydney time. Its academic page describes a curriculum “organized around the ideals of a liberal education”. In Form I every boy takes Latin and French; from Form II boys choose electives across French, German, Italian, Chinese, Latin, Classical Greek, History and Geography, and Form III adds options including Sanskrit, Drama, Art and Music. In Form VI boys study at least four subjects, including at least two humanities and at least one Mathematics or Science, for a minimum of twelve units. Many classes are streamed, and the school prefers “extension” — deeper study with an expert teacher — to acceleration.
A House/Tutorial system meets about every ten days for discussion of local and global issues, and the Headmaster’s Supervision Scheme pairs Form VI boys with recent Grammar HSC graduates in small groups before and after school. Boys are expected to play a summer and a winter sport and to treat team commitments as a priority, with Saturday fixtures; most games are at Weigall, the school’s ground at Rushcutters Bay, and rowing is at Gladesville. The school limits training time and generally does not permit year-round coaching in a single sport.
The 2026 year runs in four terms, from Wednesday 28 January to Thursday 3 December (Speech Day). A draft 2027 calendar is published, with Term I starting on Friday 29 January 2027. Boys travel to College Street by train, bus and ferry from all over Sydney. If you are comparing a city day school with learning from home, our explainer on how an online international school day works shows what the other side looks like.
HSC results, accreditation and university recognition
Sydney Grammar prepares boys for the NSW Higher School Certificate, which leads to an ATAR used for Australian university entry and recognised by many universities overseas. The curriculum page lists HSC courses only; we found no mention of the International Baccalaureate on the official pages we checked on 20 October 2026. The school’s registration and accreditation details are not stated on the admissions pages we checked.
The school publishes detailed results on its academic results page (updated December 2025). For 2025, of 199 boys with an ATAR, 67 (33.7%) scored 99 or above, 144 (72.4%) scored 95 or above and 193 (97%) scored 80 or above. The page also reports 76 boys listed as All Rounders, seven First in Course placements and 37 Top Achievers placements in NESA’s 2025 merit lists. These are strong results, but they also reflect a selective intake — useful context when comparing schools.
Sydney Grammar vs NIJIN GLOBAL ACADEMY vs two other options (official data)
Families weighing Sydney Grammar often look at Sydney Boys High School, a selective government school for boys, and at Cranbrook School, an independent school in the eastern suburbs. NIJIN GLOBAL ACADEMY (NGA) is a different kind of school altogether — online, for ages 6–18, and not yet open.
| Sydney Grammar School | NIJIN GLOBAL ACADEMY | Sydney Boys High School | Cranbrook School | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| School type | Independent, secular, academically selective school for boys | Online international school focused on Asia & Oceania; opens September 2027 (planned) | Government selective school for boys; caters for gifted students | Independent school; moving to co-education (see official site) |
| Ages / years | Preschool (St Ives) or Kindergarten to Year 12 | Ages 6–18 | Years 7–12 (maximum 1,212 students) | Pre-School and Kindergarten to Year 12 |
| Fees (official) | 2026: $52,410 a year (Years 7–12); $36,825–$46,194 (prep) | Not yet published (no enrolment, facility or uniform fees; materials included; sibling discounts) | Government school; 2027 voluntary contributions and co-payments $3,045–$3,265 a year | 2026 domestic: $35,526 (K) to $52,470 (Years 11–12) a year |
| One-off fees | Application $300; Entrance Fee $8,735 | No enrolment fee | See official site | Application $440; enrolment $7,500 |
| Curriculum / senior credential | Liberal curriculum with Latin and French in Year 7; NSW HSC | Subjects learned in English, CEFR-based English levels, projects; optional Cambridge IGCSE / A-Level pathway | NSW HSC (see official site) | IB Diploma or HSC in Years 11–12 (official curriculum page, checked 16 October 2026) |
| Classes & time zone | In person, Sydney time; Saturday sport | Small live online dialogue groups (about 8); built for Asia–Oceania daytime — check the timetable against local time | In person, Sydney time; Friday night or Saturday sport expected | In person, Sydney time |
| Accreditation / diploma | NSW HSC; long track record | Not yet accredited; no graduates yet | NSW HSC | IB World School; HSC or IB Diploma |
| Admission | Entrance Assessment (English, Mathematics) and interview; citizens, NZ citizens and PR holders only | No academic entrance exam, no English requirement | Year 7 via the state-wide selective test and moderated school assessments; citizens, NZ citizens and PR holders; NSW residency | See official site |
| Start dates | Main intakes: Preschool, Kindergarten, Year 3, Year 5 (prep); Year 7 (College Street) | September 2027 (planned); free trial classes monthly from September 2026 | Year 7; occasional vacancies in Years 8–11 | See official site |
Sources: Sydney Grammar fees, Sydney Grammar entrance, Sydney Grammar enrolment, Sydney Boys High School enrolment policy (Year 7), Sydney Boys High School financial contributions 2027 (PDF), Cranbrook School 2026 fee schedule (PDF) — checked 20 October 2026; Cranbrook curriculum — checked 16 October 2026.
Reviews and common concerns, answered honestly
Parents researching Sydney Grammar tend to raise the same questions. Here is what the official pages say, so you can weigh them yourself.
“Is Sydney Grammar worth $52,410 a year?”
That depends on what you value. The school offers a broad liberal curriculum, classical languages, streamed classes, strong published HSC results and a long history in central Sydney. Against that, Sydney Boys High offers the HSC in a selective government setting for voluntary contributions of about $3,000 a year. The honest test is fit: a boy who loves ideas, languages and debate is more likely to get the full value of what Grammar charges for.
“Should we coach for the Entrance Assessment?”
Sydney Grammar says coaching is “strongly discouraged” at College Street, and the prep schools say coaching is “not necessary, in fact we strongly discourage it”. The assessments are described as age-appropriate tests of English and Mathematics, followed by activities or an interview that look at curiosity and breadth of interests.
“Does applying early help?”
No. The school states that “the time of applying has no bearing on the selection process”. What matters is meeting the registration deadline for the assessment round you want, and those deadlines come early — often more than a year before entry.
“Is a boys-only school right for my son?”
This is a family judgement. Grammar is boys-only at every campus; at Edgecliff, boys from Kindergarten to Year 6 take part in co-educational activities with Kincoppal Rose Bay, Ascham and St Catherine’s School. Families who want daily co-education should look at co-educational schools such as Cranbrook, which is completing a move to co-education.
“What extras should we budget for?”
The fee pages list tuition, the Entrance Fee and the application fee only. Uniforms, textbooks, music tuition, camps, tours and exchanges are charged separately and not priced on the fee pages, and a suggested voluntary building fund donation appears on each statement. Ask the school for current costs before you commit.
“Can we apply from overseas?”
Only if your son is an Australian or New Zealand citizen or holds Australian permanent residency; the school is not registered to enrol international students. Senior-school assessments must be sat in person in Sydney.
Alternatives to Sydney Grammar School worth comparing
Sydney Boys High School suits academically strong boys who are eligible for NSW selective schools. It is a government school, so there is no tuition fee as such; its published 2027 financial contributions — voluntary school contributions, technology and co-curricular contributions, tax-deductible funds and P&C membership — total $3,265 in Year 7, $3,045 in Years 8–9 and $3,195 in Years 10–12. Over six years that is 3,265 + 2 × 3,045 + 3 × 3,195 = $18,940 at 2027 rates. Entry to Year 7 is through the state-wide selective test and moderated assessments, and the school strongly expects boys to play competitive team sport with Friday night or Saturday fixtures.
Cranbrook School suits families who want the option of the IB Diploma alongside the HSC and a school moving to co-education. Its 2026 domestic fees are $50,478 a year for Years 7–10 and $52,470 for Years 11–12, with a $440 application fee and a $7,500 enrolment fee — so Years 7–12 cost 4 × $50,478 + 2 × $52,470 + $7,940 = $314,792 at 2026 prices, close to Grammar’s $323,495. For other Sydney options, see our guides to international schools in Sydney and International Grammar School Sydney fees; for well-known boys’ schools abroad, see our Eton College fees review and Winchester College fees review.
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 HSC, and it is not a day school — there is no campus, no Saturday sport and no classroom of classmates at College Street. Its timetable is built for Asia–Oceania daytime; Sydney is only one or two hours ahead of Japan, so live classes may fit an Australian day well, but families should still check the timetable against local time, especially during daylight saving. If your son is a strong candidate for a selective Sydney school and you want the HSC, Sydney Grammar, Sydney Boys High and Cranbrook 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.
Looking at Victoria as well? See Scotch College Melbourne fees, Geelong Grammar School fees and, for distance learning, our Australian Christian College online review.
FAQ
How much does Sydney Grammar School cost per year?
For 2026, tuition is $52,410 a year for Years 7–12 at College Street, paid as three instalments of $17,470. At the St Ives and Edgecliff prep schools it is $36,825 (Preschool and Kindergarten), $41,871 (Years 1–2), $43,887 (Years 3–4) and $46,194 (Years 5–6). New boys also pay a $300 application fee and an $8,735 Entrance Fee (official fee pages, checked 20 October 2026).
How does the Sydney Grammar entrance exam work?
Boys entering College Street from outside the prep schools sit an Entrance Assessment in English and Mathematics in the year before entry, followed by an Activities Day or interview. Entry to Years 8–11 uses an August assessment and an interview, sat in person in Sydney. The school strongly discourages coaching.
Does Sydney Grammar offer scholarships?
Yes — academic and music scholarships for Form I (Year 7) entry only. From 2028, academic scholarships are worth 20% of annual tuition, with any further help means-tested. Fee-assisted places are also offered to boys whose families cannot afford full fees.
Can international students enrol at Sydney Grammar?
No. The school states it is not registered to enrol international students; applications are accepted from Australian and New Zealand citizens and Australian permanent residents only.
Is Sydney Grammar School worth it, and what are the alternatives?
It can be for academically curious boys who will make full use of its liberal curriculum and co-curricular life. Families often compare Sydney Boys High School (selective government school, voluntary contributions of about $3,000 a year) and Cranbrook School ($35,526–$52,470 a year domestic, IB Diploma or HSC). 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
Sydney Grammar School offers something with deep roots in Sydney: a secular, selective boys’ school with a broad liberal education at its heart. The most useful thing you can do now is find the entry point that fits your son, note the registration deadlines — they come early — and add the Entrance Fee 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 20 October 2026. Schools revise fees every year — always confirm on the official site before applying.
