Boarding Magazine

Boarding at Melbourne Grammar School

Join a community of excellence

to Melbourne Grammar School Welcome

I am delighted to welcome you to Melbourne Grammar School. As one of Australia’s leading schools, we draw on a tradition of excellence spanning more than 166 years. Ours is a community that values achievement and endeavour, offers opportunity, and appreciates the rewards of service to others.

Boarders have been a vital part of our School since its inception. Today, we continue to recognise the many contributions and perspectives these students bring to our community, and to offer an educational program that invites them to exceed their own expectations.

Melbourne Grammar embraces people with a wide range of backgrounds, ambitions, and interests.

I am proud of our inclusivity and our ability to value others’ strengths.

At Melbourne Grammar, we believe in educating the ‘whole person’. We want our students to develop intellectually, physically, emotionally, psychologically, socially, and spiritually. Our goal is to shape independent young people who are conscious of their roles in the wider world –people with a clear understanding of the ethical and moral dimensions of their lives, and their commitment to service.

And while we celebrate success in every pursuit, we also commend determination and hard work. I don’t expect every student to be the best, but I do want to them to be their best.

Across every aspect of our Boarding Houses, we try to create an atmosphere where boys feel happy, safe, and included. Supported within this community, I see our boarding students flourishing, developing lifelong friendships with fellow boarders and day students alike.

When I studied here at Melbourne Grammar, I discovered who I was, and who I wanted to become. I am pleased to be able to offer that opportunity to boys who wish to board with us today.

Philip Grutzner Headmaster

What can you expect at

Melbourne Grammar School?

New strengths, new goals

At Melbourne Grammar, you’ll have access to all the opportunities and facilities you’d expect from a leading school like ours. Plus, as a boarder, you’ll get extra help with your school work if you want it. Above all, you'll be encouraged and supported to develop and grow your own individual interests and strengths.

Here, you’ll have the chance to discover new things you’re passionate about. We offer a huge range of co-curricular activities – everything from sports on world-class grounds to camping treks, music ensembles, theatre productions, visual art exhibitions, debating competitions, volunteer work with overseas communities and more.

Feel comfortable and cared for

Helping you settle in, make friends, and feel like you belong are just the first steps we take to make your time as a boarder as enjoyable as possible.

The people living in the Boarding Precinct are like a small community. Heads of House, Boarding Tutors and School Nurses live in the Precinct together with their families and pets, so you’ll get to know them all really well. We make sure there’s always someone who’s there for you, whether you need help with an assignment, are not feeling well or just want to chat.

You’ll live in a shared room until Year 10, then you’ll have your own room. And there are plenty of spaces where you can relax and catch up with friends just outside your door.

“What’s the food like?”

This is one of the most common questions we’re asked about boarding at Melbourne Grammar. We get it: it’s important. The answer is that our food is pretty good!

But don’t just take our word for it. Here’s what some of our boarders say:

“The food here is filling, varied and they try to cater for everyone.”

Dylan, Year 11

“Pasta is my favourite meal. I usually have bolognese or carbonara sauce.”

Athin, Year 10

Boarding life at a glance

112 places

Years 11 and 12 have individual rooms

Bedrooms are comfortable and well-equipped

Available to boys in Years 7 to 12

Years 7 to 10 have shared rooms

24/7 Health Centre

Three big meals a day, morning and afternoon tea, and snacks

Boarding Precinct is located across the road from the School

This is a place where you’ll have the chance to exceed your own expectations within a community that offers a true sense of belonging.

Our School brings together students from a huge range of backgrounds. You’ll share experiences and become friends with students from across rural and regional Australia, as well as from overseas.

Central Melbourne is on your doorstep –the MCG, AAMI Park, and everything else the city has to offer.

Our Boarding Tutors are also teachers at the School and they offer help to boarders outside school hours. Many students find their academic results improve with this support and the structure of boarding life.

Our graduates study at some of the most prestigious universities in Australia, and around the world, including the Universities of Melbourne, Oxford, and Cambridge, as well as Sydney, Harvard, and New York Universities.

Eventually you'll join a worldwide alumni network that offers advice, mentorship, and friendship for life.

My favourite part of boarding is the relationships. It’s really nice to be around your friends all the time. It’s like a sleep over that never really ends. Felix, Year 9

A message from the Director of Boarding

Boarders are a special part of the Melbourne Grammar School community – one that is built on mutual respect and genuine connection.

We look to our School values to inform everything we do. These inform our approach to students’ health, mental well-being and, of course, their academic progress.

Following three years serving as Head of one of the School’s Boarding Houses, more than 10 years of teaching at Melbourne Grammar, and having grown up on a Gippsland dairy farm, I understand what it means for a young person to become a boarder.

Whether parents live just a few hours away or on the other side of the world, our staff are committed to ensuring every student has the support and guidance they need to thrive.

We value the unique perspectives that our boarders bring to our School. Our Boarding Houses consist of students from regional Victoria, Interstate and overseas, who contribute to the School’s diversity of talent, backgrounds, languages and viewpoints.

Melbourne Grammar's Boarding Houses thrive as a strong and caring community, contributing to the vibrancy of our esteemed School.

Belinda Annan Director of Boarding

Heads of House

Holding senior positions at the School, our Heads of House are Melbourne Grammar teachers who live within the Boarding Precinct. They have direct responsibility for the welfare and academic progress of each individual within their House, ensuring the environment is one in which boarders can flourish. They can be contacted by parents at any time.

OTHER KEY BOARDING STAFF

Boarding Tutors

Boarding Tutors have direct responsibility for the pastoral care and supervision of a small, specific group of students within their House. Supporting Heads of House, they regularly check each student’s academic progress, and are available for help, advice, or an amiable catch-up.

Overseas students also benefit from a dedicated International Student Boarding House Tutor.

Boarding Assistants

Boarding Assistants provide academic supervision and support. They also regularly consult with boarders and other staff to help provide a wide range of fun activities after hours and on weekends.

Afternoon Boarding Tutor

The Afternoon Boarding Tutor offers a friendly, welcoming face for the boys as they return to the Boarding Precinct after school. As well as overseeing afternoon tea, the Afternoon Boarding Tutor monitors all boarding movements until dinner time.

These staff are typically also teachers at the School, and live in the Boarding Precinct with their families.

School Nurses

Qualified and experienced nurses are available for medical care 24/7 in our well-equipped Health Centre. They also assist with facilitating medical appointments, pharmacy requirements and other medical related needs. Sometimes they are simply another person boys can chat with.

Our nurses also live in the Boarding Precinct.

Frequently asked questions

How do you help new boarders settle in?

Our staff and students organise formal and informal activities to welcome new boarders to the community. Activities like The Amazing Race – where groups of boys explore the local area – help new boarders become confident and safe in the areas around campus. We also include weekend trips and Inter-House games to foster friendship and a sense of belonging.

How much contact will I have with my son while he is boarding?

We view the care of our boarders as a partnership between staff and parents. As such, we encourage contact with home as often as necessary. We set aside time each evening for boarders to check in with their families.

What happens if my son is sick?

Nurses in our 24/7 Health Centre care for boys with minor illnesses or injuries. They also arrange appointments with doctors when necessary and help with any follow-up care such as purchasing and administering pharmaceuticals.

If your son requires more significant care, we will consult with you about the best course of action to take.

How will you support my son’s academic progress?

Melbourne Grammar School is well recognised for the care and dedication of our teaching staff. Supporting academic progress is also built into the fabric of our boarding community. We have a generous staff-to-student ratio that allows us to monitor the progress of each student, communicate this progress to parents, and focus on providing specific assistance when necessary.

Day-to-day tutoring and help with homework is provided by the Heads of House, Boarding Tutors, Boarding Assistants, and the Afternoon Boarding Tutor.

Other classroom teachers often visit Boarding Houses after school to provide extra support with specialised subjects during, for example, VCE exam preparation.

Formal Parent Teacher Report sessions can be undertaken in person or through videoconferencing.

I speak with my parents every night for about half an hour. We talk about my day and what’s happening at home. I really like doing that.

Athin, Year 10

I like that you can always find someone to do something with, but there are lots of places to be by yourself as well.

Archer, Year 10

What pastoral care is available for my son?

Alongside the support of Boarding Tutors and Heads of House, boarders also have access to our School Psychologists, who are available to discuss a whole range of issues. Our School Chaplains are also available to provide spiritual and emotional support.

Additionally, we see other boarders as a key source of pastoral care for each student, and we encourage discussion and resolution of issues between boarders to foster a strong, supportive culture.

Who is responsible for supervising boarders?

Both Boarding Houses have their own residential staff, Head of House and support staff, along with Boarding Tutors. Each boarder is assigned a Boarding Tutor who supervises their academic progress and is always available to answer questions and provide support whenever necessary. The Head of House is also available to students at all times.

Additionally, each boarder is required to have a Local Support Person who can take on parental responsibilities if necessary.

Who organises the Local Support Person?

Families are responsible for nominating a suitable Local Support Person. They are often a family member or friend who lives in Melbourne.

There are also people available who provide this service on a professional basis. The School can assist families to identify a suitable person.

Who supervises boarders off campus?

We want our boarders to enjoy the advantages of living so close to world class cultural and sporting facilities. However, we take steps to ensure they are safe while doing do.

Students in Years 7-10 leaving the Boarding Precinct during the day must go with at least one other boy and need to carry their mobile phone with them so they can remain in touch with boarding staff.

Overnight and extended daily leave is also possible - for example. when a boarder stays overnight at a day student's or nearby relative's home. This needs to be pre-approved by the boy's parents as well as their Head of House or the Director of Boarding.

All leave is monitored electronically, with students signing in and out, and indicating where they are going, whenever they leave the Precinct for non-School activities.

How do you manage the use of electronic devices?

All rooms in our Boarding Houses have connection points to the School network, along with wireless connectivity.

Time spent on electronic devices is an issue we take seriously. We try to make sure boys make wise choices in their use of computer games and restrict the use of all electronic devices to appropriate times.

Electronic devices are collected an hour before 'lights out' each night.

How do you cater for specific dietary requirements?

Our in-house catering team are experienced in providing nutritious, varied meals for boarders that can be changed to meet specific dietary needs. Our School will never knowingly use any peanut products.

How can I be involved with Melbourne Grammar while my son is at the School?

Our Boarder Parents’ Network brings families together for mutual support and to discuss any issues of concern that may arise. This group meets in person and through videoconferencing each term, and all parents, family and guardians are welcome.

Parents are also invited to take part in Friends of Grammar, our official parent group which organises get-togethers and other events, and facilitates further communication between parents.

Is Melbourne Grammar a religious school?

Melbourne Grammar School is proud of its history as an Anglican School. We are also proud of the fact that our community includes a wide variety of faiths and understandings of spirituality.

Boarders participate in Chapel Services several times per term on Sundays or weekday mornings. Our School Chaplain also plays an important role in the pastoral care of our boarders.

What are the benefits of singlesex secondary education?

Neither coeducation nor single-sex education is necessarily better, rather the choice to enrol in a single-sex school should reflect the individual needs of each student.

Our secondary school students learn in an environment that is specifically attuned to their needs, where they are able to participate in a wide range of activities without the added pressure of gender stereotyping, and to develop their own sense of self. At the same time, there are many opportunities for our students to work and learn with girls in drama, music, and personal development programs, along with other settings, throughout their time with us.

Along with our day students, our boarders enjoy organised social and educational connections with the neighbouring Melbourne Girls Grammar.

Arts Precinct

National Gallery of Victoria, Hamer Hall, State Theatre 8 minutes by tram

Melbourne Grammar School Grounds

Flinders Street Station 10 minutes by tram

Melbourne Grammar School Boat Shed 10 minutes by tram

Centre for Humanities Opening in 2026

Where is Melbourne Grammar School?

Melbourne Grammar is a city school that makes the most of its surroundings.

Being in the heart of Melbourne gives easy access to some of the country’s best attractions including the Melbourne Cricket Ground, National Gallery of Victoria, the State Library of Victoria, AAMI Stadium and the Royal Botanic Gardens.

Classes regularly take advantage of our location, extending learning through excursions across the city.

And our boarders enjoy the benefits of residing in one of the most liveable cities in the world. They can often be seen heading to a game at the MCG, a local café, or a nearby concert or event.

To find out more about our buildings and grounds, visit mgs.vic.edu.au/facilities

Find out more

Apply for a place

If your family has decided that Melbourne Grammar School is the right choice for your son, we would be delighted to hear from you.

To discuss your application, please contact our Head of Admissions, who will be pleased to answer your questions and guide you through the application process.

To find out more, visit mgs.vic.edu.au/admissions

Visit our campuses and the Boarding

Precinct

Visiting Melbourne Grammar is one of the best way to decide whether our School is the right choice for your son. We offer scheduled tours throughout the year, and personal tours can also be organised.

To find out more, visit mgs.vic.edu.au/boarding-tour

An overview of our building and facilities is available here: mgs.vic.edu.au/facilities

Boarding scholarships

We know financial support can make a significant difference in the lives of students, and it is important to us to provide opportunities to those who would not otherwise be able to join our community due to financial circumstances.

We offer Entrance scholarships, along with specific Boarding scholarships, to outstanding candidates who demonstrate excellence across a range of areas.

To find out more, visit mgs.vic.edu.au/scholarships

Meet us near home

Our staff travel to a number of locations in regional Australia and overseas each year for various reasons, and are often available to meet with local families.

To find out more, visit mgs.vic.edu.au/boarding

Melbourne Grammar School 355 St

+61 3 9865 7555 mgs@mgs.vic.edu.au

mgs.vic.edu.au

Contact our Admissions Office

+61 3 9865 7570 enrol@mgs.vic.edu.au