Most expensive schools in South Africa in 2023: 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 2023.

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.

SchoolProvinceAnnual fees
Hilton CollegeKwaZulu-NatalR343,155
MichaelhouseKwaZulu-NatalR328,000
St Andrew's CollegeEastern CapeR320,064
Roedean School for GirlsGautengR310 994
St John's CollegeGautengR304,995
Kearsney CollegeKwaZulu-NatalR303,710
St Mary'sGautengR293,050
Bishops CollegeWestern CapeR289,700
St Alban’s CollegeGautengR287,850
St Andrew's School for Girls, SenderwoodGautengR287,850
St StithiansGautengR277,830
Diocesan School for GirlsEastern CapeR276,930
Kingswood CollegeEastern CapeR276,250
St Cyprian'sWestern CapeR264,300
St David's Marist InandaGautengR259,100
St Anne's Diocesan CollegeKwaZulu-NatalR252,420
St Martin's CollegeGautengR249,210
Bridge HouseGautengR248,700
Somerset CollegeWestern CapeR248,300
Crawford College North CoastKwaZulu-NatalR248,020
St Benedict's CollegeGautengR240,320
Herschel GirlsWestern CapeR237,700
Durban Girls' CollegeKwaZulu-NatalR237,000
Treverton CollegeKwaZulu-NatalR234,960
Uplands CollegeMpumalangaR232,000
St Charles CollegeKwaZulu-NatalR230,100
Epworth High School for GirlsKwaZulu-NatalR224,727
Woodridge CollegeEastern CapeR222,793

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.

SchoolProvinceAnnual fees
Kearsney CollegeKwaZulu-NatalR209,000
St John's CollegeGautengR179,933
Roedean School for GirlsGautengR176,204
Bishops College Cape TownWestern CapeR170,520
Clifton SchoolKwaZulu-NatalR167,798
Crawford College SandtonGautengR164,470
St Alban’s CollegeGautengR163,650
St Mary's, WaverlyGautengR163,550
St StithiansGautengR162,110
CedarwoodGautengR160,259
King David HighGautengR160,200
Kingsmead CollegeGautengR158,478
Redhill SchoolutengR155,000
Crawford College La LuciaKwaZulu-NatalR153,850
St David's Marist InandaGautengR153,800
Crawford College LonehillGautengR150,120
SAHETIGautengR149,054
Beaulieu CollegeGautengR147,363
Crawford College PretoriaGautengR147,310
St Martins CollegeGautengR144,210
Kingswood CollegeEastern CapeR143,715
St Andrew's CollegeEastern CapeR143,064
St Cyprian'sWestern CapeR141,500
Brescia HouseGautengR139,200
Diocesan School for GirlsEastern CapeR138,758
St Anne's Diocesan CollegeKwaZulu-NatalR138,080
Herzlia HighWestern CapeR137,460
St Benedict's CollegeGautengR136,670
Woodridge CollegeEastern CapeR136,107

Which are the top private schools in South Africa?

According to Matric, South Africa, 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. Here are the province's most expensive schools and their annual fees.

  • Roedean School for Girls - R310,994
  • St John's College - R304,995
  • St Mary's - R293,050
  • St John's College - R179,933
  • Roedean School for Girls - R176,204

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 2023 academic year is R343 155.

School fees in South Africa

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 R30,000 and R70,000, 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 2023 annual fee is R310 994.

What's the most expensive private school?

The Institut auf dem Rosenberg in St Gallen, Switzerland, is the most expensive school in the world. The 2023 tuition and boarding fees add up to a whopping $150,000 (about R2.6 million).

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.

READ ALSO: What are the 15 most expensive cities in Africa in 2022?

We recently published a list of the most expensive African cities. The continent has undergone drastic changes and development in the past few decades, with various countries and cities emerging as economic, financial, and tourism powerhouses.

As the African nations develop, the standards and cost of living in some of their cities continue to rise. Today, some African cities are as expensive as their European, Asian, or American counterparts. Some of the contributing factors include the cost of housing, transport, health, and education.

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