SA’s most expensive schools: Here’s how much you can expect to pay

Hilton College, St. Andrew's College and Michael House are among the country's most expensive schools.

Kingswood College in Makhanda, Eastern Cape is among the country’s most expensive schools. Image: kingswoodcollege.com

Would you rather buy a new car or pay for your child’s school fees?

Well, sending your child to one of South Africa’s most expensive schools could cost you more than R300,000 per year – the price of a brand new car.

Undoubtedly, a good education is the best gift you can give your child, but exactly how much are you willing to splurge on the priceless gesture?

While you ponder on the life-defining parenting decision, here’s an idea of how much you can expect to spend at five of the most expensive schools in South Africa.

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Hilton College – R397,660

*Hilton College is located between Howard and Pietermaritzburg in KwaZulu-Natal. Image: hiltoncollege.com*

Hilton College is South Africa’s most expensive school. Fees at the all-boys institution will cost you R397,660 in 2024.

Entry is strictly by application and newbies are required to pay a non-refundable R99,415 entrance fee, which is a term’s worth of fees.

The fees cover tuition, meals and core curriculum based activities. You’ll most likely have to spend even more on additional expenses, which could bring the total to just above 400k.

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St Andrew’s College – R368,879

*St. Andrew’s College Chapel in Makhanda, Eastern Cape. Image: sacschool.com*

Makhanda is home to three of the country’s most expensive schools. The first being St Andrew’s College, which comes in second place on the national list.

Located just up the road from Rhodes University, the Anglican boarding school costs up to R368,879 in 2024.

Additional fees for boarding scholars can go as high as R37,065 on average.

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Michael House – R347,680

*Michael House campus in Balgowan, KwaZulu-Natal. Image: michaelhouse.org*

Michael House is a full boarding school with a sprawling campus in Balgowan, KwaZulu-Natal.

Sending your child to the country’s third most expensive school will cost you R347,680 for accommodation, tuition and meals.

First-time applicants have to pay a non-refundable acceptance fee of R75,000 to secure their space.

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Diocesan School for Girls – R323,040

*The Diocesan School for Girls (DSG) is located in Makhanda, Eastern Cape. Image: dsg.co.za*

The Diocesan School for Girls (DSG) was founded in 1874, making it one of South Africa’s oldest independent schools. Your child’s schooling at DSG can cost up to R323,040, depending on their grade.

New boarding scholars in Grades 4 and 5 are charged a non-refundable entrance fee of R48,020. The upfront fee for those in Grades 6 to 12 is R72,350 in 2024.

Bear in mind, that you’ll also have to pay a term’s worth of fees as deposit before the academic year kicks off.

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