Frequently Asked Questions

Urban College students are welcome to enter the college from the time the first staff member arrives until the time the last staff member leaves. College classes however start at 9.15 a.m. and end at 2.45 p.m.

During that time there are 3 breaks, 2 at 15 minutes each which are taken onsite and 1 at 45 minutes which students are allowed to leave the campus.

Urban College staff provide active supervision for those students who remain onsite. Our breakfast club begins at 8.30 a.m. which allows students to not only access a meal before class begins, but also an opportunity for students to connect with staff around their wellbeing and generally spend some recreational time with their peers.

Urban College proudly offers students a quality alternative educational pathway that is both affordable and flexible.

From 2026, there will be no tuition fees. Instead, families will be asked to contribute a one-off Resource Contribution of $250 per year, which covers essential resources and some activities throughout the year. The Resource Contribution will be discussed with you and explained as part of your Enrolment Interview.

For families experiencing financial difficulty, Urban College provides flexibility around ensuring that every student has access to education regardless of their circumstances.

At Urban College, we recognise that many young people thrive when provided with flexibility, personalised support, and a learning model that considers their individual needs. Our timetable has been carefully designed to balance structured onsite learning with opportunities for independent growth, wellbeing, and vocational development. This flexible approach allows students to remain engaged while progressing at a pace that feels manageable and meaningful.

Urban College understands the unique challenges many young people face, especially those who have previously struggled in traditional school settings. To remove barriers and make learning accessible for everyone, students aren’t required to bring anything to class except a developing readiness to learn. The college provides laptops, stationery, and all academic resources each day, creating a supportive and level playing field where students can focus on re-engaging with their education.

At Urban College, learning extends far beyond the classroom. We recognise the importance of real-world experiences in helping students build confidence, develop practical skills, and connect their learning to meaningful outcomes. Camps, excursions, and off-campus activities form an important part of our approach to applied learning and student engagement.

Urban College is currently a specialist registered college allowing modification to student learning. As a result, our year 10’s are timetabled to attend onsite 4 days per week with one day of remote learning.

For students enrolled in the VCE-VM (Vocational Major), onsite enrolment is 3 days per week with 1 day of remote learning, for those participating in a VETiS (VET) subject whether through Urban College or another provider, they are expected to attend onsite for this.

For many young people, traditional schooling can feel overwhelming, isolating or disconnected from their real needs. When confidence drops and support is limited, students can quickly withdraw from learning — despite having the ability to succeed.

For families searching for schools for disengaged students in Melbourne, Urban College offers a different approach. Through small class sizes, personalised learning pathways and strong wellbeing support, the College helps students rebuild confidence, reconnect with learning and rediscover a sense of belonging.

In Melbourne, more families are exploring alternative schools as a supportive option for young people who don’t fit neatly into mainstream education. Whether due to anxiety, learning differences, or social challenges, these schools offer smaller class sizes, flexible learning, and a strong focus on wellbeing. With a growing network of alternative schools in Melbourne and across Australia, students now have more opportunities to re-engage with education in a way that suits their individual needs and future goals.

For many students seeking re-engagement, traditional schooling can feel overwhelming, rigid, or simply mismatched to their personal circumstances. Students experiencing barriers with learning often find that fixed timetables, full-time attendance, and uniform workloads create added pressure rather than support.

A flexible learning model shifts this entirely - offering a more adaptable, compassionate approach often found within an alternative school. This framework helps students wanting to reconnect with learning rebuild confidence, reduce stress, and gradually re-establish a positive relationship with education.

Many students experiencing barriers with learning find traditional academic environments challenging, especially when lessons feel heavily theory-based, fast-paced, or disconnected from real-life application. Vocational pathways such as the VCE Vocational Major (VCE-VM) and VET (Vocational Education and Training) are designed to address these challenges directly.

By offering practical, hands-on learning experiences, these pathways make education feel meaningful, achievable, and aligned with future employment or training options. For students wanting to reconnect with learning, vocational education can be a powerful alternative to traditional schooling, including what is offered in an alternative school environment.

Some young people find it difficult to stay connected to their learning, often for reasons that go far beyond the classroom. These challenges can appear gradually—through changes in attendance, motivation, confidence, or relationships at school—and may signal that a student is experiencing barriers that make learning feel overwhelming or out of reach.

For students seeking re-engagement or wanting to reconnect with their education, the solution is rarely a single strategy. Instead, they benefit most from flexible, personalised approaches that recognise their individual needs and offer a more supportive pathway forward.