Most expensive schools in South Africa in 2026: Full list of schools and their fees
The South African education sector is quite vibrant, from primary education to secondary, college, and university levels. Grade 1-10 education is compulsory, while grades 10-12 are optional. Like in many countries, educational institutions are classified into private and public facilities, comprising some of the most expensive schools in South Africa.
Source: UGC
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Key Takeaways
- The most expensive schools in South Africa
- What is the fee for the most expensive schools in South Africa in 2026 per year?
- Which are the top 20 most expensive schools in South Africa in 2026?
- Which are the top 10 most expensive schools in South Africa in 2026?
- What are the top 10 private schools in South Africa?
- Which private school has the highest fees?
- Which school is the most expensive in South Africa?
- What are the most expensive schools in Gauteng?
- Which is the most expensive school in South Africa?
- What is the most expensive private school?
- What is the most expensive day school in South Africa?
- Which is the most expensive private school in Pretoria?
- What is the most expensive girl school in South Africa?
- How much are the school fees at Crawford Ruimsig College?
- How much is a private school in South Africa?
- How much is a state school in South Africa?
- Why are private schools so expensive in South Africa?
Key Takeaways
- Sending a child to school in South Africa could cost hundreds of thousands of ZAR per year.
- Private education has reached new heights, with some schools charging over R350,000 annually.
- The most expensive school in SA, Hilton College, charges over R450,000 annually.
- Fee increases for 2026 outpace the inflation rate.
The most expensive schools in South Africa
The most expensive schools in South Africa, 2026 PDFs, from credible sources such as Business Tech, MSN, and school websites were used to compile this list. After research, we sampled academic giants in South Africa, selected based on their academic reputation and performance.
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 their estimated fees.
The fees could change depending on the institution; always check the respective websites or contact the institution for further updates.
School | Province | 2025 fees | 2026 fees | % increase |
Hilton College | KZN | R430,054 | R450,000 | 5% |
Michaelhouse | KZN | R392,000 | R417,000 | 6.38% |
Kearsney College | KZN | R374,330 | R399,740 | 6.79% |
Bishops College | Western Cape | R367,720 | R386,300 | 5.05% |
St. Alban’s College | Gauteng | R353,580 | R379,000 | 7.5% |
St John's College | Gauteng | R330,000 | R397,300 | 20.39% |
Diocesan School for Girls | Eastern Cape | R323 040 | R345 630 | 7.19% |
St. Andrew's School for Girls | Gauteng | R184,200 | R196,700 | 6.73% |
St. Cyprian’s School | Western Cape | R329,725 | R351,160 | 6.5% |
St. David's Marist Inanda | Gauteng | R314,880 | R338,496 | 7.5% |
Crawford College North Coast | KZN | R313,060 | R334,080 | 6.71% |
Wykeham Collegiate | KZN | R287,300 | R307,400 | 7.0% |
Treverton College | KZN | R279,830 | R296,220 | 5.86% |
Roedean School for Girls | Gauteng | R230,400 | R245,400 | 6.51% |
Redhill School | Gauteng | R187,000 | R200,000 | 6.95% |
St. Benedict's College | Gauteng | R182,800 | R192,800 | 5.47% |
Epworth High for Girls | KZN | R143,400 | R151,800 | 5.86% |
St. Henry's Marist College | KZN | R140,800 | R151,300 | 7.46% |
Day schools
While day schools are conventionally cheaper than boarding institutions, some can still be expensive. For example, the day institutions listed below all charge fees exceeding R100,000 annually.
School | Province | 2025 fees | 2026 fees | % increase |
Kearsney College | KZN | R257,510 | R275,000 | 6.79% |
St. John’s College | Gauteng | R220,828 | R397,302 | 79.91% |
Roedean School for Girls | Gauteng | R218,877 | R233,104 | 6.5% |
Bishops College | Western Cape | R213,240 | R225,900 | 5.94% |
St. Mary’s, Waverly | Gauteng | R204,140 | R218,425 | 56.02% |
Crawford College | Gauteng | R202,840 | R211,900 | 4.47% |
Clifton School | KZN | R206,306 | R213,822 | 3.64% |
Kingsmead College | Gauteng | R194,140 | R207,535 | 6.9% |
Crawford College La Lucia | KZN | R187,000 | R198,000 | 5.88% |
St. David’s Marist Inanda | Gauteng | R187,400 | R201,455 | 7.5% |
Crawford College Pretoria | Gauteng | R180,000 | R190,000 | 1.06% |
Beaulieu College | Gauteng | R180,524 | R189,551 | 5.0% |
St. Andrew’s College | Eastern Cape | R173,220 | R183,180 | 6.5% |
Curro Pretoria | Gauteng | R56,300 | R61,900 | 9.95% |
Curro Jewel City | Gauteng | R40,500 | R45,100 | 11.6% |
Curro Barlow Park | Gauteng | R43,400 | R47,200 | 8.76% |
Curro Delft | Western Cape | R37,800 | R40,900 | 7.94% |
What is the fee for the most expensive schools in South Africa in 2026 per year?
For 2026, South Africa's most expensive private schools, primarily boarding institutions, now charge over R300,000 annually, with Hilton College leading at approximately R450,000.
Which are the top 20 most expensive schools in South Africa in 2026?
Some expensive boarding and day schools in South Africa are:
- Hilton College
- Michaelhouse
- Roedean School for Girls.
- St. Andrew's College
- St. John's College
- Kearsney College
- St. Alban's College
- Redhill School
- St. Stithians College
- Crawford College
- Diocesan School for Girls
- Epworth High for Girls
- Kingswood College
- St Henry's Marist College
- St. David’s Marist Inanda
- Bishops College
- St. Mary’s, Waverly
- Beaulieu College
- Treverton College
- St. Henry's Marist College
Which are the top 10 most expensive schools in South Africa in 2026?
Some expensive boarding 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
- Diocesan School for Girls
What are the top 10 private schools in South Africa?
These are some of the best schools in South Africa, according to the 2025 matric results:
- Redhill School – co-educational
- Roedean School for Girls – girls
- Midstream College – co-educational
- St. Mary’s Waverly – girls
- Somerset College – co-educational
- Durban Girls’ College – girls
- Herschel Girls’ School – girls
- King David Linksfield – co-educational
- Kingsmead College – girls
- St John’s College – boys
Which private school has the highest fees?
Mzansi has many elite private schools. The top 5 most expensive schools in South Africa in 2026 include:
- Hilton College
- Michaelhouse
- Roedean School for Girls
- St Andrew's College
- St John's College
- Reddam House
Source: UGC
Which school is the most expensive in South Africa?
Some elite high schools charging R350,000-plus annually include Michaelhouse, St. Andrew’s College in Makhanda, Roedean School for Girls, St. John’s College, Kearsney College, Bishops College, St. Mary’s, and St. Alban’s College.
What are the most expensive schools in Gauteng?
Gauteng province has numerous expensive boarding and day schools. Some of the most expensive ones 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?
South Africa's Hilton College fee of over R450,000 is a 5% increase from 2025. This also makes the institution the most expensive school in the country.
What is the most expensive private school?
Hilton College, one of the elite day private schools located in KwaZulu-Natal, is the most expensive private school in South Africa, with annual boarding and tuition fees exceeding R450,000 for 2026.
What is the most expensive day school in South Africa?
Kearsney College in Botha's Hill is the most expensive day school in South Africa, with an approximate annual fee of R275,000.
Which is the most expensive private school in Pretoria?
St. Alban’s College, an all-boys school founded in 948 by Wulsin, is one of the most expensive private schools in Pretoria. The school's annual tuition fee is more than R370,000 (boarding) and over R180,000 (day students).
What is the most expensive girl school in South Africa?
Roedean School for Girls is the most expensive girls' boarding school in SA, with an approximate annual fee of R245,400 (boarding) and R233,104 (day).
Source: UGC
How much are the school fees at Crawford Ruimsig College?
Crawford College Ruimsig fees vary by grade. For 2026, the annual tuition was estimated at R151,000.
How much is a private school in South Africa?
Private school costs in South Africa vary widely, ranging from approximately R23,000 to over R450,000 annually, with elite boarding schools like Hilton College exceeding R450,000 for the 2026 academic year.
How much is a state school in South Africa?
State schools (public schools) in South Africa have a wide cost range, from free (no-fee state schools) up to around R70,000+per year for top government high schools.
Why are private schools so expensive in South Africa?
Unlike public schools, private schools in SA receive no government subsidies, yet they invest in extracurricular activities, modern technology, and advanced facilities to keep up with the competitive market. They rely solely on tuition fees to cover high operational costs.
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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