Boarding schools in Victoria

There are some families for whom a tradition spanning several generations makes boarding a familiar and attractive option. For others, geographic isolation or parents’ overseas work and travel have the potential to disrupt schooling.

Good boarding schools are committed to providing the highest standards of pastoral care and excellence in their academic and co-curricular programs, regardless of their foundation date, their geographic location or the type of boarding opportunities they offer.

There are currently 186 boarding schools in Australia listed on The Good Schools Guide. 28 of these are in Victoria.

All-girls’ boarding schools in Melbourne, Victoria

• Genazzo FCJ College, Kew
• Melbourne Girls’ Grammar, South Yarra
• Methodist Ladies’ College – MLC, Kew
• Presbyterian Ladies’ College, Kew
• St Catherine’s School, Toorak
• Toorak College, Mount Eliza
• Firbank Grammar School, Brighton

Learn more about all-girls schools in Victoria

• Browse private all-girls’ secondary schools in Victoria here.
• Search Melbourne private secondary and combined girls’ schools here.

All-boys’ boarding schools in Victoria

• Scotch College, Hawthorn
• Melbourne Grammar School, Melbourne
• St Patrick’s College, Ballarat
• Xavier College, Kew

Learn more about all-boys schools in Victoria

• Browse all private all-boys’ secondary schools in Victoria here.
• Search private secondary and combined boys’ schools in Melbourne here.

Co-ed boarding schools in Victoria

• Ballarat Grammar, Wendouree
• Caulfield Grammar School, Caulfield, Malvern East, Wheelers Hill
• Huntingtower School, Mount Waverly
• Peninsula Grammar, Mount Eliza
• The Geelong College, Newtown
• The Kilmore International School, Kilmore
• Wesley College, Melbourne and Glen Waverly
• Assumption College, Kilmore
• Ballarat Clarendon College, Ballarat
• Beaconhills College, Berwick and Pakenham
• Geelong Grammar School, Corio
• Gippsland Grammar, Sale
• Monivae College, Hamilton
• The Hamilton and Alexandra College, Hamilton

Learn more about Co-ed schools in Victoria

• Browse all private co-ed secondary schools in Victoria here.
• Search Melbourne private secondary and combined co-ed schools here.

Why choose to send your child to a boarding school?

There are many reasons for students to choose to live away from home during their secondary schooling:

• Geographic isolation — families who live in remote areas where schools are not easily accessible may choose to send their children to boarding schools.
• Parents' work schedule — parents who work overseas or who travel frequently and for extended periods have the potential to disrupt their child's schooling, so sending the child to a boarding school provides stability.
• Learning difficulties — there are young people whose interests are best met in a specialist setting rather than at a nearby school.
• Family tradition — families have sent their children to boarding schools over several generations, which makes boarding a familiar and attractive option.

Professional associations for boarding schools in Victoria

Independent Schools Victoria (ISV)

ISV supports independent education “for the benefit of students and the wider community”. 24 Independent schools in Victoria offer boarding facilities for their students — visit is.vic.edu.au for more information.

Isolated Children’s Parents’ Association of Australia (ICPA)

ICPA works to improve access to education and quality educational services for students from rural and remote regions. Visit www.icpa.com.au for further information and to find details for state branches.

Australian Boarding Schools Association (ABSA)

ABSA is an organisation that seeks to promote high standards of residential care for children of school age. Visit www.boarding.org.au for more information.

Catholic Education Commission of Victoria (CECV)

CECV is a good initial research base for more information about Victoria’s Catholic schools and their boarding options. Visit www.cecv.catholic.edu.au.

Indigenous Education and Boarding Australia (IEBA)

IEBA focuses on policies, practices, systems and innovation to communicate, educate, inspire and influence the work of others in supporting Indigenous student education and boarding. Visit www.ieba.com.au.