Most expensive schools in South Africa in 2024: Full list
The South African education sector is quite vibrant, with thousands of schools offering primary, secondary, college, and university studies. Grade 1-10 education is compulsory, while grades 10-12 are optional. Like in numerous other countries, education institutions are classified into private and public facilities, with the former often tending to be the most expensive schools in South Africa.
Sending one's child to school in South Africa costs anything from zero fees to hundreds of thousands of Rand per year. Parents and guardians are exempt from paying school fees in some of the country's poorest regions.
The most expensive schools in South Africa
Here is a look at Mzansi's most expensive schools in 2024.
Boarding schools
Typically, boarding institutions tend to be more expensive than their day counterparts. This is often attributable to the extra costs associated with student accommodation. Here is a look at South Africa's most expensive boarding schools, provinces, and annual fees.
Rank | School | Province | 2023 fees | 2024 fees | % increase |
1 | Hilton College | KwaZulu-Natal | R369 920 | R397 660 | 7.5% |
2 | Michaelhouse | KwaZulu-Natal | R347 680 | R368 000 | 5.8% |
3 | St Andrew's College | Eastern Cape | R340 869 | R363 879 | 6.8% |
4 | Roedean School for Girls | Gauteng | R338 428 | R360 087 | 6.4% |
5 | St John's College | Gauteng | R331 091 | R352 612 | 6.5% |
6 | Kearsney College | KwaZulu-Natal | R326 480 | R350 130 | 7.2% |
7 | Bishops College | Western Cape | R311 960 | R341 430 | 9.4% |
8 | St Mary's | Gauteng | R313 990 | R335 470 | 6.8% |
9 | St Alban’s College | Gauteng | R307 350 | R328 920 | 7.0% |
10 | Diocesan School for Girls | Eastern Cape | R299 100 | R323 040 | 8.0% |
11 | St Andrew's School for Girls | Gauteng | R299 000 | R320 680 | 7.3% |
12 | Kingswood College | Eastern Cape | R292 710 | R318 210 | 8.7% |
13 | St Stithians | Gauteng | R280 065 | R302 470 | 8.0% |
14 | St Anne's Diocesan College | KwaZulu-Natal | R272 112 | R293 340 | 7.8% |
15 | St David's Marist Inanda | Gauteng | R269 910 | R292 840 | 8.5% |
16 | Crawford College North Coast | KwaZulu-Natal | R269 400 | R290 100 | 7.7% |
17 | Somerset College | Western Cape | R265 600 | R285 500 | 7.5% |
18 | Epworth High School for Girls | KwaZulu-Natal | R261 757 | R282 501 | 7.9% |
19 | St Benedict's College | Gauteng | R260 670 | R281 854 | 8.1% |
20 | Bridge House | Gauteng | R264 600 | R281 750 | 6.5% |
21 | Durban Girls' College | KwaZulu-Natal | R255 700 | R274 200 | 7.2% |
22 | Herschel Girls | Western Cape | R252 410 | R271 780 | 7.7% |
23 | Treverton College | KwaZulu-Natal | R249 056 | R263 996 | 6.0% |
24 | Uplands College | Mpumalanga | R247 500 | R262 200 | 5.9% |
25 | St Charles College | KwaZulu-Natal | R243 900 | R260 950 | 7.0% |
26 | St Martin's College | Gauteng | R235 000 | R246 750 | 5.0% |
27 | Woodridge College | Eastern Cape | R229 389 | R247 740 | 8.0% |
Day schools
While day schools are conventionally cheaper than boarding institutions, some can still be quite expensive. For example, the day institutions listed below all charge fees exceeding R100,000 per year, which is not cheap by any means.
Rank | School | Province | 2023 fees | 2024 fees | % increase |
1 | Kearsney College | KwaZulu-Natal | R224 620 | R240 900 | 7.3% |
2 | St John's College | Gauteng | R194 148 | R206 768 | 6.5% |
3 | Roedean School for Girls | Gauteng | R191 181 | R203 607 | 6.5% |
4 | Bishops College Cape Town | Western Cape | R185 020 | R199 650 | 7.9% |
5 | St Mary's, Waverly | Gauteng | R176 640 | R189 880 | 7.5% |
6 | Crawford College Sandton | Gauteng | R178 000 | R189 570 | 6.5% |
7 | King David High School | Gauteng | R174 360 | R188 160 | 7.9% |
8 | St Alban’s College | Gauteng | R174 750 | R187 020 | 7.0% |
9 | Clifton School | KwaZulu-Natal | R179 119 | R186 426 | 4.1% |
10 | Kingsmead College | Gauteng | R170 365 | R181 440 | 6.5% |
11 | Cedarwood | Gauteng | R168 272 | R177 526 | 5.5% |
12 | Crawford College La Lucia | KwaZulu-Natal | R165 000 | R175 730 | 6.5% |
13 | St Stithians | Gauteng | R161 480 | R174 410 | 8.0% |
14 | St David's Marist Inanda | Gauteng | R160 230 | R174 340 | 8.8% |
15 | Crawford College Lonehill | Gauteng | R162 000 | R172 530 | 6.5% |
16 | SAHETI | Gauteng | R159 115 | R169 458 | 6.5% |
17 | Crawford College Pretoria | Gauteng | R159 000 | R169 340 | 6.5% |
18 | Beaulieu College | Gauteng | R157 676 | R168 714 | 7.0% |
19 | Redhill School | Gauteng | R162 500 | R166 250 | 2.3% |
20 | St Benedict's College | Gauteng | R150 670 | R162 724 | 8.0% |
21 | St Andrew's College | Eastern Cape | R152 364 | R162 648 | 6.7% |
22 | Kingswood College | Eastern Cape | R150 900 | R162 210 | 7.5% |
23 | Diocesan School for Girls | Eastern Cape | R149 858 | R161 849 | 8.0% |
24 | Herzlia High | Western Cape | R148 800 | R161 004 | 8.2% |
25 | St Anne's Diocesan College | KwaZulu-Natal | R147 060 | R158 540 | 7.8% |
26 | Brescia House | Gauteng | R148 105 | R157 645 | 6.4% |
27 | Woodridge College | Eastern Cape | R145 975 | R151 347 | 3.7% |
28 | Crawford College North Coast | KwaZulu-Natal | R142 000 | R151 230 | 6.5% |
29 | St Martins College | Gauteng | R120 000 | R126 000 | 5% |
Which are the top 10 most expensive schools in South Africa?
The most expensive schools in South Africa include:
- Hilton College
- Michaelhouse
- St Andrew's College
- Roedean School for Girls
- St John's College
- Kearsney College
- Bishops College Cape Town
- St Mary's, Waverly
- St Alban’s College
- St Andrew's School for Girls
Which are the top private schools in South Africa?
According to Matric College, these are the top 10 private schools in the country.
- St Mary’s DSG
- Roedean School for Girls
- Diocesan School for Girls
- St Cyprian’s
- St Mary’s Waverly
- Bishops
- Somerset College
- The Wykeham Collegiate
- St John’s College
- Michaelhouse
What are the most expensive schools in Gauteng?
Gauteng province has numerous expensive learning institutions in both the boarding and day categories. Some of the top most expensive schools in Gauteng province include Roedean School for Girls, St John's College, St Mary's, Waverly, Crawford College Sandton and King David High School.
Which is the most expensive school in South Africa?
Hilton College, more commonly referred to as Hilton, is the most expensive school in South Africa. The boys' school is located near the town of Hilton in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands. The annual fee for the 2024 academic year at Hilton College is R39, 660.
Which is the most expensive private schools in Pretoria?
St Alban’s College is one of the most expensive private all-boy's school located in Pretoria, Gauteng province. It was Founded in 948 by Wulsin.
How much is a private school in SA?
Typically, sending your child to a good state-sponsored school costs anywhere from R8,000 to R20,000 yearly. These fees are relatively cheaper than private institutions, where average annual fees range between R50,000 and R200,000, with additional costs for boarders.
What is the most expensive girl school in South Africa?
The Roedean School for Girls is the most expensive South African girls' school. The institution was founded, in 1903, as a sister institution to the esteemed Roedean in Brighton, England. The cheapest a Grade 0 student will pay is R106 245 per annum. Termly annual boarding fee alone is R156 480.
Which are the most expensive private schools in South Africa?
Hilton College in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands is the most expensive private school in South Africa. Others include Roedean School for Girls and Diocesan School for Girls.
Which are the most expensive high schools in South Africa?
Expensive high schools in SA include Hilton College, Michaelhouse, St Andrew's College, Roedean School for Girls, Roedean School for Girls and Roedean School for Girls.
How much is the school fees at Crawford Ruimsig College?
Crawford International Ruimsig College is an accredited International Baccalaureate (IB) institution. The fees range from R113 960 to R134 190 annually.
The most expensive schools in South Africa are also among the most exclusive, with some limiting the number of students to a few hundred. These institutions are at the top of the country's education system and offer unrivalled tuition structures, learning facilities, co-curricular facilities, and general student experiences.
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Source: Briefly News
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Jackline Wangare (Lifestyle writer) Jackline Simwa is a content writer at Briefly.co.za, where she has worked since mid-2021. She tackles diverse topics, including finance, entertainment, sports, and lifestyle. Previously, she worked at The Campanile by Kenyatta University. She has more than five years in writing. Jackline graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Economics (2019) and a Diploma in Marketing (2015) from Kenyatta University. In 2023, Jackline finished the AFP course on Digital Investigation Techniques and Google News Initiative course in 2024. Email: simwajackie2022@gmail.com.