Canberra Catholic schools to increase fees for 2027
Parents with children attending Catholic schools in the ACT have been notified of fee increases for next year.
Catholic Archdiocese of Canberra and Goulburn Education Limited (CACGEL), which operates 56 schools in the ACT and NSW, said its primary school fees would increase by 6 per cent next year.
Meanwhile, the fees at four of five Catholic secondary schools are set to increase by 7.5 per cent.
The exception is St John Paul II College in Nicholls, which saw fees raised for some year levels in 2025.
Instead, its fees will increase by 6 per cent, similar to primary schools.
The fees at Merici College in Braddon will rise by 7.5 per cent. (ABC News: Elise Pianegonda)
2027 will also be the final year the Catholic schools building levy, introduced in 2025, is set to increase, costing families $1,000 for the year.
For a Year 12 student at St Clare's College in Griffith, the total fee for 2027 — excluding the levy — will be $14,188, an increase of $991.
The fee increases come amid increased cost-of-living pressures, rising interest rates and an annual rate of headline inflation at 3.8 per cent in June.
Fees at St John Paul II College will only rise by 6 per cent after its fees rose for several year groups last year. (ABC News: Simon Beardsell)
Catholic education office aiming to 'support every family in need'
In a statement, executive director David de Carvalho said CACGEL was trying to keep fees as low as possible.
"At the same time, we must ensure schools have the resources they need to meet the rising costs of providing a quality Catholic education," he said.
"Real decreases in per-student base government funding are putting increased pressure on fees."
According to the 2026 ACT Census of Schools, more than 16,000 students attend Catholic schools in Canberra.
This year, the federal government's School Resourcing Standard base amounts were $14,467 for primary students and $18,180 for secondary students.
David de Carvalho says families with concerns about the fee rises can speak to their school's principal about remissions. (ABC News: David Sciasci)
CACGEL said it allocated all its government funding across its schools on a needs-based arrangement.
Mr de Carvalho said families who were concerned about fee increases could speak with school principals.
"We aim to support every family in need and believe no child should be denied a Catholic education because of an inability to pay fees," he said.
"Families can apply for fee remissions based on their particular circumstances."
Most of Canberra's independent schools have not yet publicly released their fees for 2027.
Radford College's fee schedule indicates an 8.5 per cent increase for 2027, with a Year 12 student's tuition to cost $28,156.
Parents criticised the school last year for increasing its fees by 23 per cent.
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