For families seeking entry into selective schools such as Mac.Robertson Girls’ High School or Melbourne High School, or for scholarships at private schools, the cost of sitting for exams can be expensive. Most families pay exam fees ranging from $170 to $390 for a chance at securing a spot in these prestigious schools. For those who miss out on selective schools, government secondary schools in Victoria also offer accelerated learning programs through the Academy of Accredited SEAL Schools, which cater to gifted students. SEAL stands for select entry accelerated learning, and there are 26 metropolitan and 14 regional government secondary schools offering these programs.
Students interested in accelerated learning programs at schools like Lilydale High School or Albert Park College are required to pay exam fees ranging from $30 to $140 to sit for the entrance test. Public school parents are also encouraged to buy practice exam packages for up to $60 from test providers online to help their children prepare for these exams. However, Brunswick Secondary College recently announced that it will not be taking enrolments for its SEAL program in 2025 after a review found that separating high-ability students from their peers was no longer necessary for their learning.
In addition to paying for academic tests, competitive non-government schools often have lengthy application processes to filter out the most gifted students. Students in grades three, five, and eight can apply for academic scholarships at high-fee schools like Haileybury, where they undergo supervised online and in-person tests, as well as interviews with school staff. Some families opt for tutoring services to prepare their children for these selective school tests, with tutoring fees from providers like Hendersons Educational Services in Melbourne’s east reaching up to $6100.
Scholarship exams for private schools have a different purpose than regular classroom tests, aiming to predict the future achievements of the children rather than measuring what has already been taught. Most scholarships provide a 50 percent reduction in fees, although some may offer 25 percent or less. Non-government schools like Ballarat Clarendon College and Carey Baptist Grammar offer scholarships for students excelling in various areas such as visual arts, community service, academics, sports, and for students from rural and regional backgrounds or Indigenous backgrounds. Demand for these scholarships has increased over the past decade, providing opportunities for students who might not otherwise have access to quality education.
Geelong Grammar, for example, reported that close to 25 percent of their students were on some type of scholarship in 2022, with the school providing $1.5 million towards scholarships that year. Michael Black, CEO of Success Tutoring, highlighted the increasing popularity of tutoring for selective-entry exam preparation, starting from as early as grade four or five. Tutoring typically involves three hours a week of sessions, along with additional study at home, and is favored by time-poor parents and those whose first language is not English. As competition for selective schools and scholarships continues to grow each year, families are turning to tutoring services to help their children achieve academic success in these exams.
