Overseas students have been an integral part of the boarding community at Scotch College for decades. Boys come from many countries, and almost a quarter of our 160 boarders have parents who live overseas.
Enrolment at Scotch College not only benefits the overseas students themselves; their differing backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences also enrich the school community, bringing a cultural diversity we value and cherish.
Each year, our overseas students make significant contributions to all facets of school life: in the classrooms, on the sporting fields, and through their participation in a co-curricular program that promotes music, drama and outdoor activities.
By being part of a residential boarding community, students learn to share their lives and understand that their quality of life is deeply connected to the well-being of those around them. They live with boys from both the country and the city, and are quick to form friendships that create a second family here in Melbourne.
This rich diversity fosters self-worth and compassion, while nurturing the tolerance and adaptability that form the foundation of lifelong friendships. It is a busy life built on Christian principles, one that offers time for reflection and generosity within a secure yet vibrant environment.
Scotch has much to offer overseas students, with its outstanding teaching, extensive grounds and exceptional facilities – but our greatest strength lies in the quality of relationships that exist throughout our community. Nowhere is this more apparent than among our boarders on the Hill.
Mr Lawson Waser
Scotch College Melbourne
Founded in 1851, Scotch College has been educating boys for over 170 years. Located in the heart of suburban Melbourne, our beautiful single campus, spanning 27 hectares and flanked by the Yarra River, provides a home for the Scotch Family of boys, staff, parents and Old Boys.
A Scotch education
The factors which contribute to the making of a great school are rich and varied, so how do we ensure this one-off journey through the school years delivers opportunities, experiences and outcomes which resonate throughout a lifetime?
We need to consider the school we are, have been, and will become, and the roads along which we will travel.
Scotch College exists for educational purposes in connection with the Presbyterian Church of Victoria. In our Memorandum and Articles of Association is the requirement for the College to provide for its students, ‘ … an education of a humane, scientific and general nature consistent with the teachings of Christianity’ and ‘to encourage each student to achieve the highest standard of which he is capable in all his activities and the full development of the personality and sense of responsibility of each student and respect for others and capacity to work with them so as to promote the development of Christian ideals of citizenship, personal character and a spirit of reverence in the entire life and work of the College.’
Building on our articles of association
our aim is:
‘… to deliver an education which, secure in the traditions of our past and our Christian belief, opens boys’ minds to the rich diversity of the world in which they live and challenges them to question and explore everything they find, with integrity, humour and compassion. And to do this in an exciting, intimate environment which nurtures self-expression and self- worth while promoting the uniqueness of each boy’s journey.’
Living and studying in Melbourne Australia
Melbourne is Australia’s second most populous city with close to 5,000,000 residents. It is located at the northern end of Port Phillip Bay in the southern state of Victoria. The Yarra River winds its way through the central and north-eastern suburbs. The central business district reflects the nature of a modern city, with high-rise commercial and residential buildings, world-class shopping precincts, galleries, museums, theatres, and sporting venues.
Melbourne’s climate can be a little fickle at times, with locals noting that it is possible to experience “four seasons within a day” on occasions. Generally, however, the winters can be quite cold, with temperatures averaging in the mid to low teens. In summer, it is not unusual to have a few days of scorching heat above 35 degrees. However, a welcome cool change is never very far away. Spring and autumn tend to be the most favourable seasons, known for still, clear days with comfortable temperatures.
Sometimes referred to as the sporting capital of Australia, Melbourne boasts the largest arena in the country – the famous Melbourne Cricket Ground where up to 100,000 spectators can enjoy a game of Australian Rules football during the winter months or a match of Test cricket during summer. Tennis fans will know of Rod Laver Arena, the home of the Australian Open grand slam event each January. Flemington Racecourse is the venue for the world-famous Melbourne Cup horse race each November. The city also hosts the Australian Grand Prix each year and has soccer stadiums the equal of anywhere in the world. Those with an interest in top-quality sport will find Melbourne a great place to live.
Melbourne is widely acclaimed for its multicultural diversity. People from across all sections of the globe have made the city their home. The city’s multicultural nature is readily apparent in the faces of its residents, the broad variety of tastes catered for in the numerous restaurants and cafes, and the architecture in certain localities. For those interested, more information about Melbourne can be found on the city’s website: www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/aboutmelbourne/Pages/about-melbourne.aspx
Public transport network
Melbourne has an efficient transport network comprising trains, trams, and buses that provide access to all parts of the city. A universal card called Myki is accepted across all forms of transport throughout the network. Students under 18 in Victoria can travel for free using the Youth Myki card, which allows unlimited travel across trams, trains, buses, and regional coaches. Useful and free apps for navigating the public transport system include PTV and Tram Tracker
Local information
The Scotch College Boarding Houses are located on a major road in the suburb of Hawthorn. A significant shopping precinct is a short five-minute tram journey away (or a 15-minute walk). Wellstocked supermarkets, fast food outlets, a cinema, clothing and footwear stores, cafes, bookshops, barbers, and variety stores are all available. Boarding students can access this area during free time between the end of school and dinner, as well as on weekends before dinner in the dining hall.
The School’s extensive grounds and sporting facilities – including a pool, squash, tennis and basketball courts – are accessible to boarding students outside normal school hours, with permission and appropriate supervision where required.
Parents, family members, and friends are welcome to visit boys in their boarding house provided all required protocols regarding safety and respect for privacy are met. Guests are required to sign in on arrival and wear a visitor badge for the duration of their visit. Note that access to the dormitories is strictly limited to the boys themselves.
Academic program
Scotch College requires all students to have a high level of English proficiency. Overseas students will be required to undertake testing before they enter Scotch College to help ascertain
their standard of English. The School currently uses AEAS (Australian Education Assessment Services) for testing (www.aeas.com.au), which can be completed overseas. Families can contact AEAS directly or through the School’s various agents. In some cases, students may be required to undertake an intensive English language course in Australia before commencing at Scotch College.
All students at Scotch College in Years 11 and 12 undertake the Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE). Students in Years 7 to 10 study a Scotch curriculum that meets the necessary Australian standards.
For all students, the College monitors attendance in line with the College’s Student Attendance Monitoring Policy and commences intervention processes from the first unapproved absence. For overseas students on a Student Visa, attendance is considered to be unsatisfactory when it falls below 80% of scheduled contact hours. For more information, please refer to the ‘Overseas Students’ policy, which can be found on the school website.
Services, activities and sports program
A wide range of activities are conducted mainly on Wednesday afternoons. Most involve an end-ofterm camp or activity. This program fosters such personal qualities as self-reliance, initiative, leadership, self-discipline and community awareness.
Sport is compulsory for all boys. There are over 30 sports to choose from, and boys are encouraged to develop their skills through supervised training sessions held once or twice each week. Competition between schools occurs, for the most part, on Saturday mornings.
Visa arrangements
Overseas students require a valid passport and relevant visa to attend school in Australia. It is the responsibility of the student and his family to ensure he meets the relevant visa and immigration requirements.
Student Visa (Subclass 500)
All overseas students who enrol under a Student Visa (Subclass 500) will require a Confirmation of Enrolment (CoE) document, which will be prepared by the School to assist in obtaining their Student Visa.
The welfare of students who enrol under a Student Visa (Subclass 500), and for whom a Confirmation of Appropriate Accommodation and Welfare (CAAW) letter has been issued, remains the responsibility of Scotch College during the students’ time in Australia or until they turn 18 years of age. The School does not delegate the responsibility of the students’ welfare under a Confirmation of Appropriate Accommodation and Welfare (CAAW) letter to a third party.
Family Representatives
As a condition of enrolment, parents of overseas students must nominate an adult, such as a relative or friend, who is at least 21 years old and who resides in Melbourne, to act as a contact person for their son while he attends the School. The Family Representative assists the School in managing the welfare of the student.
Parents/legal guardians of overseas students will be required to complete documentation to appoint a Family Representative. Should a family wish to subsequently change their Family Representative, please contact the Admissions Office.
If a family does not have relatives or family friends in Melbourne who can be their son’s Family Representative, the Admissions Office can refer them to a professional welfare guardianship (not legal guardianship) company independent of Scotch College.
Boarding accommodation
The School has three boarding houses, each staffed by a Head of House, Deputy Head of House, Academic Tutors, and a House Manager. The Head of House and House Manager are resident within the boarding house itself, while other staff are located within the boarding precinct. Heads of House, Deputies, and some Academic Tutors are registered teachers at the School. Boarding staff are committed to providing a welcoming, caring, encouraging, and supportive environment for all boarders. Detailed information about boarding life at Scotch is located in the publication, Guide to Boarding, which is issued to all boarding students.
All overseas students on Student Visas need to remain as boarders for the duration of their education at Scotch College, even if their visa status subsequently changes or if a parent is here on a Guardian Visa
Holidays and exeats
Student Visa (Subclass 500)
During holidays and exeats, overseas students on a Student Visa (Subclass 500) for whom a Confirmation of Appropriate Accommodation and Welfare (CAAW) letter has been issued must stay in approved accommodation unless they are under the direct care of their parents, have returned home overseas, or have attained 18 years of age.
Parents/legal guardians of overseas students on a Student Visa with a Confirmation of Appropriate Accommodation and Welfare (CAAW) letter will be required to complete documentation to appoint an Accommodation Provider. Should a family wish to subsequently change their Accommodation Provider, please contact the Admissions Office and the Overseas Student Coordinator.
If a family does not have relatives or family friends in Melbourne who can be their son’s Accommodation Provider, the Admissions Office can refer them to a professional student accommodation company independent of Scotch College.
Designated Accommodation Providers must meet the School’s requirements in relation to child safety. School staff will visit the accommodation to ensure all requirements are met satisfactorily. The Overseas Student Coordinator will supervise accommodation arrangements for students on Student Visas with a Confirmation of Appropriate Accommodation and Welfare (CAAW) letter during holidays and exeat periods. The School may require students on Student Visas with a Confirmation of Appropriate Accommodation and Welfare (CAAW) letter to return home during holiday periods should appropriate accommodation, as determined by the School, not be available.
Child safety and overseas students
In compliance with child safety legislation and a commitment to providing an environment of safety where all children and young people can thrive and realise their potential, Scotch College has acted to ensure that the well-being of all boys is given the highest priority A safety card, with relevant contact information, is provided to all overseas students.
Orientation program
Overseas students will participate in an intensive orientation program on the first weekend of Term 1, followed by regular sessions with the Overseas Student Coordinator. The program is overseen by the Boarding Activities Coordinator, the Hill Psychologist, and senior boarding staff.
A Boarders’ Transition Camp, which includes an overnight stay, is also available in Term 4 of the year prior to starting at the School While attendance at the camp is optional, we strongly encourage it.
Overseas student health insurance
All boys attending the School are required to have appropriate health insurance cover. Parents of boys holding visas that are not eligible for the Government’s Medicare insurance must obtain private health insurance. Other families should ensure they have hospital insurance to cover the cost of private hospitalisation.
For boys on a Student Visa (Subclass 500) only, the School will organise Overseas Student Health Cover (OHSC). Parents of overseas students on Student Visas can take out additional health insurance coverage to supplement their Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) if they wish –please refer to Medibank for further information.
Student Visa (Subclass 500)
Overseas Student Health Cover (OSHC) is provided by Medibank Private. The scheme covers a proportion of the scheduled fee for a consultation with a doctor and can help towards some hospital costs. Please refer to the Medibank website for further information https://www.medibank.com.au/overseas-healthinsurance/oshc/essentials-oshc/.
Support and pastoral care
Under the ESOS National Code, all education providers must offer their overseas students on Student Visas support to help them adjust to study and life in Australia and achieve their learning goals.
Scotch College is dedicated to providing the support necessary to assist all overseas students in adjusting to a new country, culture, and learning environment, and to help them realise their potential. Primary responsibility for monitoring the academic and pastoral care of each boy at the School rests with the following members of staff:
• Head Boarding House
• Head Day School House
• House Tutors (Years 9-12)
• Form Teachers (Years 7-8)
Additional
support
Additional support is available from the following specialised staff:
• School Psychologists
• School Chaplains
• Centre for Learning staff
• Health Centre staff
• Overseas Student Coordinator
Airport transfers
The Overseas Student Coordinator can arrange airport transfers. The School uses a governmentaccredited private transport company for this purpose. All drivers are registered with the Victorian Taxi Authority and have cleared all relevant checks. The service operates 24 hours per day. Costs incurred will be charged to parent accounts. Initial enquiries should be made to the respective Head of Boarding House.
Overseas Student Coordinator
Overseas students are also supported by the Overseas Student Coordinator. This teacher resides in the Boarding School and is responsible for providing support services to overseas students, including counselling. The Overseas Student Coordinator’s role is to promote the overseas students’ successful adjustment to life and study, and to assist the students in resolving problems that could impede the successful completion of their study programs.
To foster the development of friendships, new boarders attend a ‘New Boarders’ Weekend’ at the School on the first weekend of the school year. There are also numerous weekend activities, under the direction of the Boarding Activities Coordinator, to help the boys settle into life in Melbourne.
The Overseas Student Coordinator provides specific support services for boys attending
Scotch College on a Student Visa, for whom a Confirmation of Appropriate Accommodation and Welfare (CAAW) letter has been issued. Some of these services will also be available to other boarders who have parents living overseas.
A key responsibility of the Overseas Student Coordinator is to promote the successful adjustment of overseas students to life and study at the School. As a CRICOS-registered school, this person, along with other senior staff, ensures the School meets all regulatory requirements identified by relevant authorities in relation to the accommodation and welfare of overseas students on Student Visas. This includes coordinating overseas students’ holiday and exeat leave arrangements in consultation with Heads of Boarding Houses.
Further information for overseas students on student visas
Please note that in the future, if your son receives a new passport, you will need to advise the Department of Home Affairs of his new passport details. Overseas students travelling into or out of Australia on a Student Visa will face delays at the border if they do not inform the Department of their new passport details. As a result, overseas students on Student Visas risk missing flights and having their overall student journey impacted. Please notify the Department of Home Affairs if your son receives a new passport so it can be linked to his current Visa or application. You can do this easily by updating your son’s new passport details in ImmiAccount. Most updates are done instantly. Learn more at https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/change-insituation/passport-details
Should your son receive a new passport in the future, please also send a copy to the Admissions Office at Scotch College as soon as it issues.
In accord with government legislation, overseas students holding a Student Visa should be aware of the following additional details which apply to their enrolment
Use of personal information
Information is collected about a student during enrolment in order to meet the School’s obligations under the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000 and the National Code 2018, and to ensure student compliance with the conditions of their visas and their general obligations under Australian immigration laws. The authority to collect this information is contained in the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000, the Education Services for Overseas Students Regulations 2001, and the National Code of Practice for Registration Authorities and Providers of Education and Training to Overseas Students 2018.
Information collected about a student during enrolment can be provided, in certain circumstances, to the Australian government and designated authorities and, if relevant, to the Tuition Assurance Scheme and the ESOS Assurance Fund Manager. In other instances, information collected during enrolment can be disclosed without the student’s or his parent’s consent, where authorised or required by law.
For more information on privacy, please refer to Scotch College’s Privacy Policy, which is available on the College’s website at https://www.scotch.vic.edu.au/app/uploads/2024 /12/POL.PIT_.3-Privacy-Policy-May-2024.pdf
Open 7.30am to 8.00pm weekdays; 8.00am to 6.00pm weekends.
A doctor and nurse are always available for emergencies during term time.
+61 3 9810 4220
Scotch College, as a CRICOS registered school, has obligations under the ESOS Act (the Education Services for Overseas Students Act 2000), which have been outlined in the National Code (2018). The National Code is a legislative instrument made under the ESOS Act and sets nationally consistent standards to support providers to deliver quality education and training to overseas students on Student Visas. The National Code 2018 commenced on 1 January 2018.
