The College embraces equal opportunity and is inclusive in outlook and welcomes students from all backgrounds and faith traditions. Boys join the College from a diverse range of backgrounds and with a variety of academic and co-curricular interests.

As places at the College are in high demand, we encourage families to apply for enrolment as early as possible, and we accept applications from birth.

All applications are assigned to the waitlist. The College considers a range of criteria when making enrolment offers, including:

• Whether the student is a Catholic (any Rite)
• Whether the student attends a Catholic Primary school within one of the Priority Parishes (as outlined by Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS))
• Whether the student has a family connection with the College by having:
• A sibling who is a current or former student;
• A father or grandfather who attended the College;
• A mother whose brothers attended the College;
• A parent who is a staff member.
• Whether the student works and participates in his primary school to the best of his ability. References or requests from Parish Priests, School Principals and teachers are taken into consideration when selecting applications for enrolment, and any special pastoral or educational reasons for enrolment consideration are duly noted in the process.
• Whether the student's family supports their parish and primary school to the best of their ability;

* The partner Catholic Primary Schools considered part of the priority parishes are:

• • Overall Catchment Area
  • St Christopher's - Airport West
  • St Mary's - Ascot Vale
  • St Margaret's - Maribyrnong
  • St Martins - Avondale Heights
  • St Peters - Keilor East
  • St Augustines - Keilor
  • St Therese's - Essendon
  • Our Lady of the Nativity - Essendon West/Aberfeldie
  • St Monica's - Moonee Ponds
  • St John Bosco - Niddrie
  • St Vincent de Paul - Strathmore

(Click each link to view a map of that parish's boundaries.)

St Bernard’s College is not registered on the Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS) and therefore is unable to enrol and deliver education services to students in Australia on a student visa. In order to be enrolled as a domestic student, students must be (a) an Australian citizen; (b) an Australian permanent resident; (c) a permanent humanitarian visa holder; or (d) New Zealand citizen.

Key Intake Dates (Year 7 2025)

• February 2023 College Tours commence (Click here to Book)
• 14 & 15 March 2023 - Year 7 2025 Enrolment Information Evening (Bookings Essential - Click to Book)
• 28 April 2023 - Year 7 2025 Applications due
• Term 2 / 3 2023 - Enrolment Interviews completed
• 20 October 2023 - Offers and non-Offer notifications sent to applicant families
• 10 November 2023 – Offer acceptance due date

Year 8 – 12 2023

Vacancies arise from time to time in year levels outside the key intake listed above. We accept applications for all year levels across the College. Please contact the College Registrar (Registrar@sbc.vic.edu.au) for further information.

Enrolment Process

Apply online

Complete and submit your online enrolment application.

As part of the online application, please upload the following documents:

• a copy of the applicant’s birth certificate (and supporting documentation* if born overseas);
• a copy of the applicant’s baptismal certificate (if applicable); and
• a copy of a recent Council rates notice or rental agreement plus a Residential Tenancy Bond Authority receipt.

Part of the online application asks that applicants list family College Connections. Only the following are considered as having a current or previous connection to St Bernard’s College (Current Brother, Past Brother, Brother enrolled next year, Father, Grandfather, Mother’s Brother, Current Staff Member or Previous Staff Member). Please provide specific and accurate information about College Connections – E.g., Current Brother: John Citizen – 7 Nagle A., E.g., Father: Charles Citizen – 1986 – 1991.

*Please note: If your son was born and schooled overseas all documentation provided must be translated into English. A copy of your son’s passport and visa is required. If the applicant is an Australian citizen, please provide a copy of the citizenship certificate.

Enrolment Application Form

Complete the Enrolment Application Form and return it to the College with details for payment of the $300 non-refundable or transferrable application fee.

All Applicants must submit the Enrolment Application Form fully signed and completed. Enrolment Applications will only be recorded on the waiting list if the applicant has correctly submitted to the College the Enrolment Application Form.

Please note:

• an application is a prerequisite to admission for a place on the College waitlist, however, it does not guarantee enrolment.
• as part of the enrolment process, the College requests applicants provide copies of their child’s most recent school reports, NAPLAN (if undertaken), information/assessments for students with diverse learning needs and any additional information that highlights their child’s involvement in school, interests and hobbies, notable achievements, and other extracurricular activities.

Enrolment Interview

Prospective students and their parents are invited to attend an Enrolment Meeting with one of our staff.

Offer / Non-Offer Notification

Offers / non-offers for the key intake year are sent in late October.

Acceptance of Offer

To secure a place offered, families are required to complete and return the College the Acceptance form and make payment of a non-refundable sum of $1,300.00 as an advanced instalment that is credited toward the student’s Year 12 fees, prior to the nominated closing date as stated in the letter of offer.

Please note, St Bernard’s College reserves the right to withdraw the offer of enrolment if the above conditions are not met or should we determine that we are unable to meet the specific needs of the student.