This guide is written for international families considering Carey Baptist Grammar School（凯瑞文法学校）, a co-educational independent school in Melbourne. Every fact below comes from the school’s own website and official fee schedule as accessed on August 5, 2026. Figures that Carey reports about itself are presented as the school’s own claims, and fees and dates should always be re-checked against the latest official pages before you apply.
Carey Baptist Grammar School at a Glance
Carey Baptist Grammar School’s homepage introduces the school as a co-educational independent school in Melbourne with campuses in Kew and Donvale, serving students from Early Learning through Year 12. The school also runs a sports complex in Bulleen, an outdoor education camp at Toonallook and a Carey Zero base in Mission Beach, Queensland. According to the school’s own history page, Carey was founded in 1923 with the support of the Baptist Union of Victoria, originally as a day and boarding school for boys, and was named after the missionary and scholar Rev. Dr William Carey; its motto Animo et Fide means “By Courage and Faith”. The school celebrated its centenary in 2023. Carey’s own FAQ states that there are roughly 60 international students enrolled and that the school does not operate boarding facilities.
Programs: From Early Learning to the IB and VCE
Carey Baptist Grammar School divides its schooling into an Early Learning Centre, a Junior School (Prep to Year 6), a Middle School (Years 7 to 9) and a Senior School (Years 10 to 12). The Early Learning Centre operates at both the Kew and Donvale campuses for three- and four-year-old children, with full-day programs of two to five days per week. The Senior School page explains that Year 10 students choose from a wide range of subjects, and that in Years 11 and 12 students can follow either the International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB) or the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE).
The school’s IB page describes the IB Diploma as a two-year program for Years 11 and 12 and a university entry credential recognised internationally. IB subject groups at Carey Baptist Grammar School include Language A (English or Chinese language and literature), Language B (Chinese, English, French, Indonesian, or Spanish ab initio), individuals and societies (business management, economics, geography, history, philosophy, psychology), sciences (biology, chemistry, design technology, physics, sports exercise and health science), mathematics (analysis and approaches, or applications and interpretations), and the arts (music, theatre, visual arts). The VCE page lists subject areas from art and design, business studies (including VET business), computing and English (including English as an Additional Language) to humanities, languages (Chinese, French, Indonesian), mathematics, performing arts, physical education and health, and sciences, alongside VET sport and recreation. The Senior School program page also mentions a university extension program and a tiered student wellbeing team.
Entry Requirements for International Students
Carey Baptist Grammar School’s international students page states that the school accepts international applications for entry to the Middle School (Years 7 to 9) and the Senior School (Years 10 to 12) at the Kew campus. The official application checklist asks for a completed and signed application form, a copy of the student’s passport, a copy of the student’s current school report, the student’s AEAS English language test results, and relevant supporting documentation including medical information.
The school’s FAQ adds practical detail: students applying for Year 4 or above must sit an AEAS test, which assesses language proficiency and recommends the length of an intensive English program needed on arrival; students are not required to sit an IELTS test before applying; and Carey itself does not offer an intensive English program. The minimum academic requirement is that applicants have completed their previous year levels, passed all core subjects and obtained at least 75% in English language studies; for Senior School entry, students should have completed a Middle School certificate (Year 9) with at least 75% in English taken in Years 7 to 9. International students must hold a valid student visa, and the school’s international program operates under the ESOS framework, which also provides tuition fee protection.
Tuition, Fees and Related Costs (2026)
All fees on the school’s pages are quoted in Australian dollars. Under the 2026-27 schedule, Carey Baptist Grammar School charges a non-refundable application fee of AUD 200 per student when an application is submitted, and a non-refundable enrolment fee of AUD 1,800 once a place is offered. According to the 2026-27 International Student Fee Schedule, annual international tuition is 35,419 AUD for Prep, 41,864 AUD for Years 1 to 3, 46,708 AUD for Years 4 to 6, 51,039 AUD for Year 7, 53,049 AUD for Years 8 and 9, 53,933 AUD for Year 10, and 54,670 AUD for Years 11 and 12; each year level also carries compulsory fees (digital device rental, technology fees, experiential learning and outdoor education) and 1,760 AUD in state tax and surcharges. International students accept an offer by paying a tuition deposit equal to half a year’s tuition.
The 2026-27 fee schedule also notes that all international students must hold overseas student health cover for the duration of their visa, which Carey arranges before commencement and estimates at about AUD 700 per year. Homestay arrangements for students aged 15 and above involve a AUD 500 administration fee and a bond of roughly four weeks’ homestay fees (about AUD 1,800). Uniforms are estimated at AUD 900 to 1,000 and books and stationery at about AUD 450 per year. Tuition is billed in two instalments per year, with consolidated fees billed annually in April; a late payment fee of AUD 125 applies.
Application Process and the School Year
The application process at Carey Baptist Grammar School has four steps: apply online, be assigned to the waitlist, go through the formal offer process, and accept the offer to confirm enrolment. Key entry levels are the three-year-old Early Learning program, Prep, Year 5, Year 7 and Year 10, though the school welcomes applications for other year levels when places are available. An interview with the Head of School may form part of the offer process, and applications for Years 8 to 12 take recent school reports and performance into account. After an offer is accepted and the required payment and documents are received, the school issues the enrolment confirmation document needed for visa purposes. The school also notes that from 2028 all Junior School students will be based at the Kew campus.
For 2026, the school’s term dates are: Term 1 from 30 January to 2 April, Term 2 from 21 April to 26 June, Term 3 from 21 July to 18 September, and Term 4 from 5 October to 8 December; Term 1 of 2027 begins on 29 January. The school’s FAQ advises that the earlier an application is received, the better.
Campuses and Student Support
Carey Baptist Grammar School’s Kew campus is at 349 Barkers Road, Kew, about eight kilometres from Melbourne’s CBD, a short walk from Auburn Railway Station on the Belgrave, Lilydale and Alamein lines, with tram routes 16, 72 and 109 and bus routes 624 and 548 nearby. The Donvale campus is at 9 Era Court, Donvale, near the Eastern Freeway and Springvale Road, served by bus route 273, and the Bulleen Sports Complex at 169 Bulleen Road, Bulleen, hosts physical education classes and APS/AGSV competitions.
International students are supported through a network that includes a classroom teacher or student mentor, a Head of House, a Head of Student Welfare, and, in the Senior School, a Local Support Person, or a homestay arrangement for students aged 15 and above; registered psychologists also support students throughout their time at the school. The Carey Local and Overseas Students Association (CLOSA) organises social activities to help international students settle in. The Senior School page notes that international students come from countries including China, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and North America.
Making a Plan
Applying to Carey Baptist Grammar School involves assembling documents, sitting the AEAS test, planning fees and timing the visa steps, and the school’s pages are updated regularly. The practical first move is to check your child’s current year level, English level and budget against the latest official pages, then build a realistic timeline. If you would like help mapping your family’s situation to a concrete application plan, our advisors on this site can work through the options with you.