“Never Heard of These”: SA Gent Breaks Down SA’s 5 Most Expensive Private Schools for 2026

• Content creator Jandre de Beer ranked South Africa’s five priciest private schools based on 2026 Grade 12 boarding fees
• The most expensive school on the list charges over R440,000 a year, where boarding is compulsory
• South Africans in the comments were shocked, amused and full of questions about what the fees actually include

South Africa’s most expensive private schools are back in the spotlight. Content creator Jandre de Beer, known on Instagram as @officialjandredebeer, posted a video on 7 September 2026 breaking down the five priciest private schools in the country, based on full 2026 fees for a Grade 12 boarder, school fees and boarding combined, before any early-payment discounts. The list raised eyebrows almost immediately.

SA’s priciest private schools ranked

Coming in at number five and four respectively, St John’s College in Johannesburg and St Andrew’s College in Makanda, Eastern Cape, both cost around R409,000 per year. St Andrew’s, established in 1855, is one of South Africa’s oldest schools. Michael House in KwaZulu-Natal takes third place at approximately R417,000 annually, followed by Roedean School in Johannesburg at roughly R425,000.

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Topping the list is Hilton College, where boarding is compulsory and full annual fees reach approximately R441,000 for 2026.

De Beer was clear that these figures reflect the all-in boarding cost, not day school fees alone, which means the numbers would look quite different if boarding were stripped out.

Watch De Beer’s full school fees breakdown on Instagram below.

Mzansi reacts to the price tags

South Africans flooded the comments section with opinions ranging from humour to genuine curiosity:

@kabeleopercy23 said:

“Going to these schools simply means more connections than anything.”

@xollent187 pointed out:

“St John’s is in Hillbrow, by the way.”

@xcglyx asked:

“Curious about the most expensive South African schools when boarding is taken out of the picture.”

@gawie02 joked:

“I’m so poor, I’ve never even heard of these.”

@mnh276 remarked:

“Branding at its best.”

@nomne_nan added:

“If it wasn’t for boarding, I guess the fees would be fair.”

3 more articles about SA private schools

• The Deutsche Internationale Schule Kapstadt in Tamboerskloof offers two academic pathways leading to European university entry.
• Christel House South Africa provides extensive educational support without charging tuition fees to qualifying learners in Cape Town.
• A TikTok video about Christel House South Africa, a Cape Town private school that charges qualifying families zero school fees, went viral in August 2026.

Source: Briefly News