What Ballarat's private and Catholic high schools will charge families in 2024

Parents sending their children to Ballarat's most expensive school, Ballarat Grammar, will fork out $16,520 for year seven to $24,540 for year 12 - an increase of just under six per cent on the 2023 fees.

On top of that they'll pay a $640 Netbook (laptop/device) fee for the year which has increased from $600 in 2023.

Ballarat Clarendon College comes in only slightly less than Grammar, costing parents $16,300 to send their child for their first year of secondary school but their year 12 fees are significantly less at $22,470 despite a seven per cent increase in fees across the school.

But parents of students in year nine also pay an extra $6700 on top of their $20,600 tuition fee for their children to spend a term living at the school's Yuulong campus on the Great Ocean Road where they take part in different activities and challenges including surfing and hiking, partner with local organisations and landowners, and are involved in planning and preparing meals and other life skills.

That brings their fee total next year to $27,300 - up from $25,520 in 2023.

Ballarat's Catholic secondary colleges are less than half the cost of the independent schools but their fees too have risen for 2024.

Damascus College have had the lowest increase in fees across non-government secondary schools, at just four per cent, with tuition for a year seven student costing $6290 rising to $7420 for year 12 students.

Loreto College have increased year seven fees from $7635 to $8255 - the largest single-year increase across the schools at 8 per cent, while fees for year 11 and 12 recorded a more modest increase from $8400 to $8860.

The school's ICT levy, paid per student, and family maintenance levy have also increased.

St Patrick's College did not respond to The Courier's request to find out their 2024 fees and have not yet published updated tuition costs on their website. In previous years their fees have been similar to those of Loreto College.

Ballarat Grammar headmaster Adam Heath said the school's board of directors had carefully balanced "the significant impact of the rising cost of living, for some, and drier climatic conditions for others alongside the ongoing financial stability of the school, particularly in the context of higher levels of inflation" in setting the 2024 fees. He also cited in particular the increase in insurance expenses.

"The board acknowledges the significant sacrifices made by families to maintain their children's enrolment and undertakes to continue to do everything possible to offer exceptional value and the highest quality education available for your children," he wrote to parents.

Ballarat Clarendon College board chair Mark Patterson said the state government's abandonment of the payroll tax exemption for independent schools raised significant challenges.

"Payroll tax will have a significant impact on our capacity to deliver our program and the exemption removal provides us with challenges to confidently determine and manage the school's budget and tuition fees for future years. While we fall under the per student income threshold for 2024, we will unfortunately not remain in this position," he wrote in a letter to parents.

Mr Patterson also outlined the investment in professional learning for all staff that had taken place over 2022-2023.

"Improving the quality of the teaching of our robust and sequenced knowledge-rich curriculum is the most significant driver in improving student outcomes. Additionally, the Board's commitment to Clarendon's physical environment has seen significant work being undertaken to develop the Raglan Street classrooms at the Junior School as well as the development of the multipurpose playing facilities and the Science facilities at Sturt Street to ensure that our students have exceptional spaces in which to learn and make progress."

Boarding school fees have also increased at both Ballarat Grammar and Ballarat Clarendon College, but St Patrick's College has not provided their costs.

Boarding fees at Ballarat Grammar have risen 6.9 per cent, "reflecting the significant and continuing increases to food, utility and staffing costs".

It costs parents of a year seven student $11,820 for them to board at Ballarat Grammar, or $28,340 in total for the year when fees are added. For a year 12 student it costs $21,960 to board bringing their total payment for the year to $46,500.

Ballarat Clarendon College year boarding fees start from $14,340 in year seven rising to $21,440 in year 12 meaning parents will pay in total $30,640 for a year seven boarder to attend school and $43,910 for a student in their final year at school.

But the cost of private education in Ballarat is still well below the top-tier Melbourne private schools where at least nine will charge more than $40,000 in fees next year, or Geelong Grammar where fees range from $41,060 for year seven to $49,720 for years 10 to 12 and boarders will pay more than $80,000 a year.