South Africa's most expensive boarding school will cost R379,212 in 2023 – and all but one in the top ten now charge over R300,000.
The fees have jumped significantly in recent years. In 2021, just three schools were in the R300,000 club. Last year, six schools claimed this accolade. And for the 2023 academic year, all but one are now charging more than R300,000.
The cheapest of the top ten is also just R900 short of making it a clean R300,000 sweep for the top 10.
Hilton College remains the country's most expensive boarding school; its 2023 increase of 10.5% (R36,057) has cemented this position.
Close sporting and high-fee rival Michaelhouse now languishes behind, specifically in annual costs. Thanks to a modest 4.3% increase, a year at Michaelhouse in 2023 costs a comparatively paltry R342,000, a full R37,212 less than Hilton.
And for the first time, St Andrew's College in Makhanda, in third place, has breached the R340,000 mark, thanks to a R20,805 increase from 2022.
Eight of the top ten most expensive schools in South Africa have stayed in the same position as last year. But with a low 3.3% increase, St Andrew's School for Girls has dropped out of the top ten, replaced by Diocesan School for Girls.
As with South Africa's most expensive day schools, boys' schools dominate the top ten list, with just three all-girls schools featuring.
Fees for South Africa's elite boarding schools cover tuition and boarding. They usually include insurance, minor medical attention, hot meals, and access to facilities like libraries and laundry.
Some of the fees listed below don't include other costs, such as registration and fees often stipulated as mandatory or voluntary development or building levies.
Some schools also charge extra for their top-tier extracurricular activities, like rowing, which can easily add a few thousand rands onto the annual sum.
And first-time applicants will also need to pay non-refundable acceptance fees to secure spots - the two most-expensive schools charge between R75,000 and R85,000 for this.
Increases make a comeback
During the Covid-19 pandemic, many schools charged muted increases. They increased this slightly last year when the average fee increase was 5.1%, or R14,991. In 2023, the average school fee increase in South Africa is 7.5%, or R23,103.
More than tuition and catered residence at SA universities
The combined tuition and boarding fees at South Africa's most expensive private boarding schools are significantly pricier than first-year bachelor's degree plus catered residence at South Africa's top universities.
The University of Cape Town charges R89,400 per student for a fully-catered double room in a first-tier residence. The University of Witwatersrand charges R84,264 for the same deal. And an average first year of university studies in South Africa costs between R50,000 and R70,000.
This means that first-year tertiary tuition in a fully catered residence will likely cost no more than R159,400 - roughly half that of a matric year at South Africa's most expensive private boarding schools.
International schools now charge more than R500,000
Fees for South Africa's most expensive boarding schools don't come close to at least two international schools that have set up shop in South Africa. Because these non-standard international models are not typical South African schools Business Insider SA has not included them in the ranking below.
However, for the 2023 academic year, parents will pay R521,000 for children to attend the African Leadership Academy, or R542,608 to attend the American International School, both located in Johannesburg.