The Top three most expensive schools in South Africa all cost over R400 000 a year for boarding and tuition. Is it worth splurging on your child’s education?
THE TOP THREE MOST EXPENSIVE SCHOOLS: FEES AND MORE
South Africa most expensive school is Hilton College, the all-boys boarding school, located near Howick in KwaZulu-Natal. The second most expensive school in SA is Michaelhouse, a boys’ boarding school, located in Balgowan in the Midlands in KwaZulu-Natal.
The third most expensive school is Roedean School for Girls, located in the suburb of Parktown in the city of Johannesburg. This is the most expensive girls’ school in South Africa.
So, how much does it cost to attend the Top three most expensive schools in South Africa?
HILTON COLLEGE
Hilton College fees for 2026 are R441 766 a year. That covers tuition, food and board, games, minor medical attention, use of the sanatorium, library and laundry.
It also covers core curriculum-based activities, including sport (apart from a few exceptions). Once you are accepted into the college, you will need to pay a non-refundable entrance fee of R110 441.50. This equals one term’s fees and is a contribution to the school’s development programme.
Extra fees of R594.25 a term covers items such as some dry cleaning, laundry bags, minor duplicating costs, newspapers, sunscreen, certain school plays and socials. Boys who take up golf, rowing or canoeing pay an additional fee to cover transport and equipment upkeep, according to an older version of the fee schedule.
MICHEALHOUSE
As of 2026, it costs R417 000 a year to attend. This is a 6.5% increase from the R392 000 it cost parents back in 2025. The R417 000 is inclusive of both tuition and boarding as Michaelhouse is a boarding-only school. To attend this school for five years of high school would cost roughly R2.1 million.
The R417 000 includes only tuition and boarding. However, there is still uniform, sport equipment, outings and pocket money to consider. The school prioritises academics, sports and cultural programmes. There is also a non-refundable registration fee of R950 as well as a debtors admin fee of R5 672 for those not paying via debt order. SA residents will also pay R81 250 as an acceptance fee and non-SA residents pay R208 500.
ROEDEAN SCHOOL FOR GIRLS
Roedean School for Girls cost R413 095 a year for 2026. This is an increase of 6.7% from R387 093 in 2025. This works out to around R34 400 a month. You can attend Roedean School for Girls without full boarding. The cost of day-school tuition is R233 104 for 2026. This makes the school the second most expensive day school in South Africa, next to Kearsney College, for boys located in Botha’s Hill, KwaZulu-Natal.
Additional costs include uniforms, sports kits, outings, tours and stationery. These different from school to school. Parents should check the school’s current fee schedule for the full prices.
ARE THE FEES WORTH IT?
One of the first things to look at when picking a school for your child is the pass rate. South Africa’s most expensive school, Hilton College, had not just a 100% pass rate in 2025 but a 100% Bachelor’s pass rate. across both the IEB and Cambridge exams. Each candidate had an average of 2.4 distinctions. There was a total of 116 matric candidates in 2025.
South Africa’s second most expensive school, Michaelhouse, had a 100% pass rate in 2025 and a 99% Bachelor’s pass rate. Roedean School for Girls had a 100% Bachelor’s pass rate as well. 307 total distinctions across 73 students, averaging 4.21 distinctions per candidate.
TIPS ON DECIDING WHETHER THE SCHOOL IS REALLY WORTH THE MONEY
Aside from the exeptionally high pass rates and Bachelor’s pass rates, these schools also offer a variety of extra curricular activities and sports. This makes the schools worthwhile depending on your budget. You can review the type of sports and activities offered in comparison to what your child desires and what you feel is important.
Other factors to consider include university and career destinations. You can request real data on where recent graduates go. If an expensive school places students in the exact same universities as a local public school that costs much less, you can evaluate which would work better for you.
TOP TWO MOST-EXPENSIVE SCHOOLS DO NOT FOLLOW THE NSC EXAMS
The Top three most-expensive schools in SA do not follow the National Senior Certificate (NSC) exams. Instead, Hilton College students write the The Independent Examinations Board (IEB) and Cambridge Assessment International Education. Michaelhouse students also write the IEB exams.
Roedean School for Girls students do write the NSC exams. However, because Roedean is an independent school, its matric students write the NSC exams as administered and assessed by the Independent Examinations Board (IEB) rather than the state Department of Basic Education.
The NSC exams are currently underway for public schools across South Africa.
MATRIC EXAMS UNDERWAY IN SOUTH AFRICA
The NSC exams, officially began on Tuesday 13 October and runs until 26 November. The Department of Basic Education (DBE) minister Siviwe Gwarube said that the exams have been off to a positive start in a statement.
“The commencement of the 2026 National Senior Certificate examinations is an important moment for our learners and the basic education sector. Every examination represents an opportunity for learners to demonstrate the knowledge and skills they have acquired over the years,” said Minister Gwarube.
“We encourage the Class of 2026 to approach each paper with confidence, remain focused and give their very best. As a nation, we have a collective responsibility to support our learners as they take this important step towards their futures.”
A record 962 832 candidates registered are registered for the NSC 2026 exams. 815 051 are full-time and 147 781 part-time candidates. No major irregularities were reported.
Take a look at what happens if a learner is sick during the NSC exams here. Do you have any questions or tips to share with the 2026 candidates? Let us know in the comments below.